NieR:Automata™

This game is an example of why video games are art.

It is a transcendental experience that will grab your heart with its stories, characters and themes, sit in your soul for days after finishing, and make you ask profound questions of yourself and the world.

Nier;Automata is nothing short of the pinnacle of the creative medium.

it's not a bad game, but it's not for me for a lot of reasons, this encapsulates my thoughts pretty well: https://www.reddit.com/r/patientgamers/comments/rz9qqt/nier_automata_is_one_of_the_most_disappointing/?rdt=63127
music is 10/10 tho, it carried.

Amazing Story, Graphics, and Gameplay.
It is a roller-coaster of plot and emotions. Best game I've played so far.
Wish I can erase my memory to experience it all over again.

10000/10

Glory to mankind and Glory to 2B!

Perfect game in every way. Peak story, fluid combat, etc etc. 10/10

There is one misconception that the game has multiple endings. It is true in some way but it would be more accurate to say that the game continues after credits roll. And for multiple times.

Legitimately one of the most beautiful games I've ever played. It's only made better if you're like me and played Replicant/Gestalt first.

NieR: Automata is a rare gem in gaming—a bold, emotional, and thought-provoking experience that blends fast-paced action with deep philosophical storytelling.
At its core, NieR: Automata delivers incredibly satisfying gameplay. The combat is fluid, stylish, and surprisingly deep. Players control androids who can switch weapons mid-combo, dodge with perfect precision, and unleash devastating attacks. But what makes the gameplay especially unique is how often it shifts genres. One moment you’re hacking and slashing in third-person, and the next you’re piloting a mech in a bullet-hell shoot-’em-up. These transitions are smooth and never feel like cheap gimmicks—they’re part of the game’s identity.
But where NieR: Automata truly sets itself apart is in its storytelling. Set in a distant future where humanity is gone and Earth is a battlefield between androids and alien-created machines, the game dives headfirst into heavy themes like identity, consciousness, and the futility of war. What begins as a seemingly straightforward mission for protagonists 2B and 9S quickly unravels into a narrative full of twists, emotional gut punches, and questions that have no easy answers.
The characters are unforgettable. 2B, stoic and composed; 9S, curious and emotional; and A2, the lone rebel—all are androids, yet their struggles and emotions feel deeply human. Their personal arcs are raw, painful, and often tragic, with brilliant voice performances in both English and Japanese bringing them to life.
Accompanying the story is an absolute masterpiece of a soundtrack. Tracks like “Weight of the World” and “City Ruins” aren’t just background music—they’re emotional anchors that elevate each scene.
Visually, NieR: Automata isn’t about cutting-edge graphics, but its art direction is stunning. From overgrown cities to desolate deserts and eerie amusement parks, every location tells a story. The world feels melancholic, lonely, and poetic—perfectly matching the tone of the game.
And then there are the endings. NieR: Automata doesn’t just offer multiple endings—it requires you to play through the game multiple times, each playthrough changing your perspective and unveiling more of the story. It’s in Ending E that the game truly hits its emotional and thematic peak, tying everything together in a way that’s both heartbreaking and hopeful.
In short, NieR: Automata is more than a game. It’s a piece of interactive art that challenges your mind, stirs your emotions, and stays with you long after you’ve finished. Few games dare to go as deep, and fewer still succeed so completely.
Final Score: 10/10

Absolutely in love with this game! Went it practically blind and expecting a Devil May Cry type linear action game, got so much more than that!
First off, it's not linear - it's an open world game. And there's a lot of depth to every aspect of it, the story, the combat, the lore... all of it incredibly imaginative and very well done!

I'm not gonna say more, just buy it! And do the multiple endings, it's a lot more than a simple NG+

This game, will make you re-think your life, make you cry and possibly force you to think differently once you finish the 5 endings.

BTW, it will hit harder if you are a neuro-sama fan

NieR is a philosophical odyssey wrapped in a hauntingly beautiful dystopian world. They have crafted a story that doesn’t just ask, “What does it mean to be human?” but also forces the player to confront the cyclical nature of existence, despair, and self-destruction. It’s a game that lingers long after the credits roll—not just because of its gameplay, but because of its deeply unsettling truths.
At its core, NieR: Automata follows androids 2B, 9S, and A2 in their endless war against the machine lifeforms, a war waged in the name of humanity—despite the fact that humanity is long gone. The machines, much like the androids, strive for meaning, mimicking human behaviors, emotions, and even societies. They fall in love, build cults, wage wars, and pursue knowledge, yet they are doomed to follow the same self-destructive cycles that led to humanity’s own downfall. This is where the game truly shines: it does not simply explore the idea of artificial beings trying to be human, but rather highlights the inevitability of their suffering, mirroring the tragic history of their creators.
Each playthrough unveils new perspectives, forcing the player to reconsider everything they thought they knew. Just as the androids and machines question their reality, the game challenges the player to rethink their choices, morality, and even the very act of playing a game. NieR: Automata is not content with simply being played—it demands to be understood.
But understanding leads to heartbreak. The cycle repeats, the war continues, and the characters search for meaning in a world that denies them closure. The melancholic soundtrack reinforces this theme, its haunting melodies underscoring every moment of beauty and despair. The game’s final choice—whether to sacrifice or persist—leaves the player with a profound sense of both loss and hope, a testament to its masterful storytelling.
NieR: Automata is a rare experience in gaming, one that doesn’t just tell a story but makes you feel the weight of its message. It is a poignant, deeply philosophical work that explores the futility and beauty of existence. The machines sought to be human, but in doing so, they doomed themselves to the same fate. Perhaps that is the truest expression of humanity after all.

Amazing game with a great philosophical story. Music is also peak. They cooked with this one. People who stop playing after they finish route A literally miss the whole story. Combat is also very fun and I really liked the hacking.

In contrast to other reviews, I really like the combat in nier automata. It is somewhat repetetive, yes, but it actually calms oneself down is not to hard as in souls like games like elden ring. The story is interesting and the protagonists have enough emotional depth. Only 9S feels a bit anoying sometimes but yeah, guess that depends on preferences.

The bullet hell elements are refreshing and make this game unique. The combination of different perspectives is well executed.

The music is an absolut banger. Like, seriously, its so good. Id claim its better than some track from elden ring or dark souls in generall. It fits the setting and level design like a perfect tailored suite. 10/10

Graphics are lacking in my opinion. The environment feels dull and boring, ruins look like from 2005. its actually a shame because the protagonists and weapons animations are well designed. 6/10

Overall id give it a 8/10. The story is rich, the characters are likable and (mostly) well written, the soundtracks is stunning.

This game is so overrated.

The combat is so boring and repetitive, literally just spam Attack and spam Dodge when enemies' starts glowing.
Exploring is not fun because there are so many invisible walls, you want to cut corners/jump off a building to save time? oops you can't, you need to use the stairs because... idk, there's literally no reason to.

The world building and story seems interesting but with how boring the gameplay is, I feel like it's better to just watch a playthrough or even a lore video instead.

I really want to like this game, i even gave it 7 hours but it still not fun so i just drop it.

Game has a 40 min prologue with boss that one shots you in the end. If you fail to kill him you need to do 40 min prologue again. Any other aspect of prologue has literally no challenge. Yeah, big FUCK YOU to a player.

I found a chest behind a waterfall, interrupted a weird robot orgy and went to an amusement park all with in the first 4 hours. This game has everything! Def going to finish it.

Replaying this game was an amazing refresher and a reminder of how much of a masterpiece this game is. This is peak story telling, world building, game play, music, and lore. This is what games should strive to be. An actual form of art instead of soulless money grubbing crap. There is a lot of references to the Replicant/Gestalt game and there's so much fun quests to do.

Yoko Taro is a genius director, I cannot wait to see the future of this series 💯🔥

This game is not about android boys and girls. Its much higher than you can even imagine. 9/10.

Good Story, Gameplay, Graphic, Beautiful 2B

Epic TL;DR: IMO, Nier: Automata has an "alright" story that takes way too long getting to the point (which is arguably not worth it) that happens to be trapped behind boring gameplay.

Less epic TL;DR: I'm not saying N:A is bad per se. What I am saying is that I found it boring and it did not click with me at all, and I think one should be absolutely certain of their level of patience going in before they dive headfirst into a game that everyone tells them is a masterpiece and a profound work of art, as this game demands that you bear with it for several hours. For gameplay, expect mid combat and lots of running around doing generic sidequests lest you become underleveled. For story, despite the heaping praise, I'd say to expect one that's "alright" at best depending on how you define what makes a "deep" game. It does have some...unique moments that actually are sorta cool (I think Yoko Taro's style is well known enough for one to infer a vague idea of what I'm talking about without spoiling anything), but not worth slogging through the boring gameplay for. At risk of sounding intentionally contrarian, I feel like this game is overrated and undeserving of its reputation, and I think its "themes" have been done to death already. I don't mean to say it's "bad", but I certainly wouldn't say it's the pinnacle of philosophy either, and even if it is, it is unfortunately trapped behind a game that doesn't feel good to play. Alternatively, I just "don't get it" and Yoko Taro's games/story presentation just aren't for me.

I'm pretty sure at some moment in our lives, we've all had that moment where we're in the middle of a story, be it book, game, anime, etc and found ourselves wondering "When does this get good?", only to have other people say something along the lines of "trust me bro it gets good at X point, just keep at it for Y more hours.". And hey, they probably aren't wrong most of the time, but it does make us wonder "Why does this only get good Y hours in and not 10 minutes in?" and makes continuing the story feel like a chore.

8 hours into N:A and all 8 of those hours gives me the same feeling. And to me, any story that takes that long to get good automatically fails as a story IMO, and this is only unaided by the fact that the story is trapped behind a boring game with barely passable combat at best that also demands you participate in its sidequest hell, lest you become underleveled (I know this isn't unique to N:A). Worse yet, you don't even get a fast travel system until 4 hours in, and even with that system, you can expect a lot of your playtime to be just running around. This is conveniently all I have to say about the gameplay.

I think most people would agree: Every good story needs a "hook" - something that draws the viewer in and entices them to stick with the story. The hook serves as a promise of what's to come; not only will your questions be answered, but even more interesting events will happen in due time. N:A has no such hook. Instead, it arrogantly demands that you stick with it, despite it having never presented anything worthwhile for you to latch onto, aside from maybe an action packed intro that builds momentum the game never rebuilds even 8 hours in. I like to think I did stick with it (unless it "gets good" on hour 9) and I waited for some interesting events to happen, but they never really did. If I'm going into this game expecting a "profound" story, then I'd think something that would point to that would have happened by the 8th hour. This game makes me feel like I'm a passenger of a driver who insists they aren't lost, but they clearly are, and everyone told me the driver knew the area well.

So naturally, after 8 hours of being subjected to boring gameplay and a story that really takes its time in a bad way, I decided, to quote the game itself, "This cannot continue." So I just gave up and spoiled myself for everything and I can say: The story is...ok I guess? But "ok" is a steep letdown from "profound work of art." And no story, no matter how great, is justified by literal hours of slog and boredom. I'm all too aware that spoiling yourself for a story intentionally is hardly the same as experiencing it yourself, and this may be a part of why I think the way I do about the story, but I legitimately felt like I had to if I wanted to see what was so profound about it because I was at the point where I was forcing myself to play the game. And after seeing the ending(s) and learning what kind of themes the game was going for and seeing nothing particularly new or deep, I felt further justified in my decision to give up on the game.

I'm pretty disappointed with N:A. Which is a shame, because after hearing nothing but praise for it, I both expected and wanted to enjoy it. I was assured it was fun, but even that promise fell flat. This is my first Yoko Taro game that I actually played (I was already familiar with Drakengard 1) and I was pretty excited to see what I was getting into. As it turns out, the answer was "not much."

The praise that I can give N:A is that it has a beautiful soundtrack and does a few interesting things mechanically as well as having some "unique moments" (for lack of a better term) in the story/game that I obviously won't spoil. You can buy it if you want, but I think before you do, you should be skeptical of the hype surrounding it and answer for yourself a few questions, like how much time would you invest in something for it to "get good" before giving up, and what you personally consider makes a deep story (and possibly what kinds of themes and "depth" you feel are overused in media). Most people do enjoy this game though, so you probably will too. I just know I didn't, and I'd ask for a refund were I not long over the playtime limit as I doubt I'll be trying it again. I wish someone had warned me how slow of a story/game it would be instead of insisting that it was a masterpiece, one of the best games ever, and that I needed to play it.

First thing's first: get a controller. this game is practically unplayable on mouse and keyboard without a controller or modding.

That said, the game, and the universe itself that this game belongs to, is woefully underrated. And bleak.
if you want a really good story, this game is the one for you. if you want a good soundtrack, then his game is also the game for you.

Glory to Mankind

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2951177726

It's been a long time since i finished but it will always stay with me. I really hope they will eventually port Drakengard to PC as well one day since i really want to experience everything this world has to offer.

The Nier games are very unique and i feel like a lot of people tend to be wary of JRPG because of how it can often be cheesy and riddled with fanservice. At least i know i tend to be wary because of this and even though both Nier games has to some degree fanservice (like you can look up the girls skirts like an example) it's easy to ignore since they both have an amazing storytelling and it really grips you even the SIDE QUESTS can make you emotional or laugh and even if it is over two years since i played it i still remember some of the side quests so well in both games.

With Automata the world is beautiful and so unique and the soundtrack that plays during the different areas of the map really enhances the experience.

2B and 9S has an amazing chemistry and i love their banter. you get so attached to them.
2B is a very serious android who takes her duty very seriously while 9S is more easy going and chatty. Their dynamic works so well. I shipped them both so hard tbh

The negative thing with this game is that you'll be left wanting more of Nier and when you have finished both Automata and Replicant you will just have to accept that there is no game around that really captures the feeling of Nier :')

Good game! Takes a while to get going but this game gets really good! Best for patient gamers who like a little philosophy.

My only mistake was forcing myself to finish all content all together. I think this game works best when you don't put that much pressure on yourself to 100% complete it. Enjoy the ride!

etkilyeci bir rol yapma oyunu bazen de oyundaki güzel kızlari ve alidoyu sikiyosunuz .

at the risk of sounding stupid, i found this game incredibly frustrating to navigate. i try to go to quest points and locked in by buildings and invisible walls. i want to enjoy the story but i personally find this hard to look past. maybe it is a better game to watch then play for the navigationally challenged lol

NieR:Automata is one of the greatest games I have ever played. Any amount of glazing I can do doesn’t come close to describing the absolute cinema I witnessed over 30+ hours of gameplay. 10/10 WILL GOON AGAIN.

The combat's not the main draw by any means, but it's nowhere near as bad as people often make it out to be.

The dodge being spammable sort of is the point, since the game really plays like a bullet hell mixed with a 3rd person action game. It's unfortunate that the scaling on the hard difficulty setting is completely out of whack, cuz damage being actually threatening without out-right 2 shotting the player + no lock-on actually makes it a lore more fun.

Enemy variety holds it back from being comparable to other dmc-likes, but what's present really perfectly fits the theme of being a combat android with inhuman reflexes and semi-autonomous weapons.

Couple of pointers for anyone going in;

- If playing on keyboard & mouse, get the mod named NAIOM.
- Avoid using lock-on! Try to aim the podfire manually using right stick, it'll be less efficient, but so much more engaging to be manually managing both melee and ranged at the same time.
- Play risky for melee hits! You can spam the dodge and be practically invulnerable, and heals are dirt cheap to buy 99 each of
- Experiment with different attack strings and input combos. Pressing heavy attack right after jumping leads to a launcher! Consider swapping light and heavy atk buttons to make this easier to do. Each weapon type has a different moveset on the light and heavy slots, feel free to try things out!
- Get a counter chip, even if only for the extra telegraphed hits (such as when you break Adam's shield)
- Consider bumping the difficulty up to hard if you manage to get around +50% hp off of chips; there's no harm in bumping it back down if it's not fun.

combat is really fun but i cant find enemies
im not good at absorbing information and im very lost
matthew mercer jumpscare...

My basic review is this:

If you like JRPG, best game ever made.

If you don't like JRPGs, like me, it's just OK.

Soundtrack excellent, gameplay good, world design too big and empty, story dumb and edgy as hell.

Give it a shot, good game.

Incredible game, with a touching story.

It has a lot of great story moments and big reveals that will make you breathless.

Maybe starting to get a little dated, but still stunning visuals. All the areas are distinctly different

Gameplay pretty good, and has a lot of variety throughout the game.

I will definitively come back to this game to clean up all the side-missions and I want to learn more about this world!

9/10

A perfect blend of fast-paced combat, deep storytelling, and a haunting soundtrack. The philosophical themes and multiple endings make it an unforgettable experience. A must-play.

⭐ 9.5/10

My favorite feature was:

"*This game does not support auto-save. Play the game to find out how to save."

And then I played the game and found out how to save.

Honestly not what I expected, it was actually good and fun. Combat wasn't just smash left or right click (though that could be viable) it offers numerous weapons, abilities, upgrades, and even has a skill system that makes you manage the skill slots available and so much more. The scenery is pretty good especially in the forest. The lore is massive, and immersive. Haven't got the true ending yet, but I will in the future.

I recommend playing with mods to make keyboard and mouse not miserable, also to get better resolution textures, because the base ones look like they're straight from the ps2 era.

Went in without much knowledge of the game nor any expectations and left having experienced an absolute masterpiece of a game.

Story is peak, gameplay is peak, soundtrack is peak, 2B is peak. Would highly recommend.

With how old this game is now, It has put itself in one of the best games ever made conversation. This game has amazing music that never gets old, The environment of this game is beautiful, The story of NieR Automata is one of the best I've ever played. With how many endings their are it allows constant replayability which makes this game even better. 10/10

I really enjoyed this game 10/10 story and the combat is really good too.

What a game. I loved it. Great story, interesting characters, and fun gameplay.

Many people simply judge this game from 2B's butts and giant robots action scenes. But I've never questioned the meaning of life more than ever, while playing a video game. And what a great message it delivered. This is the great example that shows video games can be arts. Definitely recommend.

PS: A2 is the girl.

Belongs to the very few games that i'd label as beautiful. Actually has a deep and meaningful story. Also has one of the best soundtracks I know of. I don't really get the selling point of the game though - experiencing all the different endings. Because of the way they are structured you don't really have a choice in which order you get them. It's basically linear, just with repeating passages. I didn't have the resolve to play after the first ending. Also you have to get used to the saving mechanic which is a bit odd.

Everything that lives is designed to someday end made me rethink my whole existence. Worth buying this game 10/10! 10/10 story and music. Every single hour I spent was worth it. Buy this game right now.

Masterpiece. The story is super good and interesting and the gameplay is very fun. The OST is incredible and the experience you get from playing is seriously unforgettable. If you're just looking to play this game because of 2B then be prepared to be wowed by how much more this game has to offer.

i saw a lot of positive reviews for this game so i bought it.
I can't say that i like it, the combat so far for me has been extremely repetitive and boring. most of the time i just hold down shift while spamming left click until theres nothing left. Fighting in this game to me feels like a chore and i often skip combats just to progress with the story, cuz it loves to throw mobs at u. Oh and the mandatory bullet hell, boring ass hell.

I know that it is a deliberate choice that the enemies are supposed to look overly simplistic, but man do i feel uninspired to fight any of them. as of this review i have not finished the entire game with its 26 endings, so i cannot say that the game is bad. But i can definitely say it is not for me.

music is great tho

Even dark souls has a bonfire before the asylum demon, instead of kicking you out to the main menu after an hour of gameplay.

The game doesn't explain its mechanics very well. The intro can be a bit frustrating, as there is no autosave until quite a while into the game (You start at the beginning if you die in the intro, which is an hour long). Combat is fun. Not a long game, makes you repeat a lot of missions, owing to how the story unfolds.

The combat is good. The game changes genre in quite a lot of places, becoming a side scroller, top down action, space invader-esque shooting and so on. The music is really good too.

Has to be one of the best game ever made. In term of story, its peak! Stellar music soundtrack will keep playing in your head for a while after finish it.

Thoroughly enjoyable, there were references to Replicant but it seems like playing either game first wouldn't have mattered much. Between the two I liked the music, plot, and fantasy setting of Replicant slightly more (gameplay was pretty much the same), but it was just as fun to finally play as 2B after years of seeing art of her.

One of the best games ever made. Enough said. Actually that's not enough. This game is life changing and not just one of the best games ever made, but one of the best stories ever told in any medium. Bravo

great game, sound design and atmosphere are absolute masterpiece
pleasant, relaxing gameplay and a very touching story
completed all activities, but I wish there was more...

10/10

This game is a masterpiece as playing it made me feel something. Everything was perfect ranging from the story, characters, music, atmosphere, and gameplay (though some might not find that interesting). I highly recommend this game it's not an experience you'll forget especially if you see it through to the very end

A former friend of mines introduced me to this game years ago and it literally changed my life. I’ve created songs from it, bought figures, books, watch the anime, purchased it on 2 other platforms and gotten so many others to play it. The story is amazing, soundtrack is one of my all time favorites, and the characters are unforgettable. Even now I’m only missing one ending at the time of this review.

Yoko Taro you are a genius and thank you for giving us so many wonderful stories.

“Glory to Mankind”

im really gonna miss 2b,9s, and a2. the games message really stuck to me and the story telling was fantastic. i love all the side quest and how they were done, and the feeling of exploring a broken down world. im def buying replicant when i have the chance. i really dont want to say goodbye to such a beautiful game, but like life itself things must come to an end :')