One of the biggest surprise hits of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One era was NieR: Automata. Despite its very dedicated but cult following it seemed highly unlikely that the original NieR that released back in 2010 would ever get a sequel. Thankfully, the series director Yoko Taro got another chance with his sequel NieR: Automata. It became a worldwide hit by selling over 5 million copies in spite of being one of the most unconventional games of the era by mainstream standards.
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It was always a series that deserved a bigger audience despite the original game’s flaws. The writing and characterization in both games made them two of the most engaging titles of their respective generations. Now, the 2010 classic has received a well-deserved remaster in NieR: Replicant with enhancements to help bring in line with the sequel. Let’s see if these enhancements are enough to pull in even more fans.
10 Loved: The Writing And Storytelling
One of the biggest reasons why the original NieR gained such a dedicated cult following back in 2010 was the fantastic and story and the quality of the script. It’s a stunning adventure that will hit some players hard with difficult choices and lots of plot twists.
Great storytelling doesn’t age but with gaming, the execution can miss the mark over time. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with Nier: Replicant, it’s easily as good as NieR: Automata, and the concepts of philosophy are just as impactful as Automata. It’s engaging because, despite its sadness, the undertones of hope and optimism are always present, it really does have some of the best writing in the genre.
9 Didn’t: The Combat Still Isn’t As Polished As Automata
The combat system has definitely seen quite a bit of refinement. It’s faster more fluid and more responsive than it was on the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. It’s especially satisfying deflecting attacks and hitting enemies in a fast-paced flurry of attacks.
However, even with all these refinements, it doesn’t live up to what PlatinumGames pulled off with the sequel NieR: Automata. While it’s a little unfair to compare it to Automata at this stage it may be a little jarring for fans that started the series with NieR: Automata.
8 Loved: The Characters
The great script and engaging narrative are driven by its fantastic cast of characters. For returning players it may feel a little jarring at first when switching from “Father” Nier to younger “Nier”. This will quickly subside though, as the character development from the young boy to a young man is beautifully done.
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It’s the supporting cast, however, that really takes center stage in Replicant. The magical floating spellbook that talks called Grimoire Weiss and the foul-mouthed warrior with a heart Kaine provide the comic relief. The dynamics of their relationship never fail to entertain. Additionally, the remaster’s new localization adds even more emotional weight and humor to the banter.
7 Didn’t: There’s A Lot Of Repetition
There is a lot of new features in this remaster to love right from the get-go. Returning players will be especially pleased with the improved combat mechanics and refinements to remastered NieR: Replicant.
However, the same can’t be said for the amount of repetition involved with exploration and combat. This is where NieR: Replicant wears its old-school sensibilities on its sleeve. While fun, the combat is fairly shallow when it comes to despatching regular enemies.
6 Loved: The Remastered Visuals
When the original NieR released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 the visuals looked decidedly low-budget. It was also released during a time when nearly every game released at the time had a somber look that was colored in browns and yellows.
Thankfully, this has been fixed in the remaster, and now the almost Ico and Shadow of the Colossus-like character designs are complemented by a more beautiful and barren post-apocalyptic landscape.
5 Didn’t: Too Many Fetch Quests
In addition to the repetition that comes with the combat out in the field, another remnant from the past that makes its return is the fetch quests. Like many other JRPGs from the past the protagonist NieR is forced to run back and forth through the fields fighting off enemies on his travels.
Furthermore, there are a number of these side-quests that aren’t very interesting at all. In fact, some are outright bland in their execution. The monotony of some of these quests is further exacerbated by the loading times which can be irritating even on more enhanced hardware like the PS5 and the Xbox Series X.
4 Loved: The Expanded Soundtrack
Another huge draw for fans of niche JRPG fans at the time of the original NieR’s release was the absolutely stunning score from Keiichi Okabe. He was also responsible for the soundtrack in NieR: Automata so fans of that game will know what kind of quality is in store for them.
There are new versions of tracks like “Song of the Ancients” while others like “The Prestigious Mask” have been extended. They remain recognizable to fans of the original but sound more rich, detailed, and haunting than ever before and are accentuated further on a good set of headphones.
3 Didn’t: Fishing And Farming
In addition to some of the bland side-quests, the two major aspects of the original NieR that proved to be frustrating were the fishing and farming mechanics. In fairness to this new remaster the developers have made a much easier to follow this time around.
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Unfortunately, trying to grow flowers and can be a lengthy process as gathering materials is still as monotonous as it was ten years ago due to the low drop rate. In addition, the fishing aspect can be just as time-consuming.
2 Loved: The Additional Content
If there is one area where NieR: Replicant stands above most basic remasters with a new coat of paint it’s the additional content. There are smaller features like being able to lock on to enemies and sprint after performing a dodge.
There is additional voiced dialogue for main characters and NPCs which helps give the world more scope making it feel alive. It is the additional story content some of which is inspired by the Japanese-only lore book that takes center stage. Additionally, there is even a new ending to help it tie into the sequel NieR: Automata.
1 Didn’t: The Clunky Menu System
Selecting weapons and healing in combat has certainly been improved in NieR: Replicant. It is now easier to assign weapons to the menu. However, the new speedier battle scenarios are interrupted by the game’s menu system.
In order for NieR to heal himself, the player will be forced to pause the action and select the healing mechanic from there. It’s not a deal-breaker by any stretch but it’s certainly immersion-breaking when it's in the flow of battle.