Is the community excited for NieR: Automata?

No butts about it

It feels like it’s been forever since I first heard of NieR: Automata‘s development, all the way up to its release. As a fan of Platinum Games, I had just finished up Legend of Korra (which is not bad so don’t start) and to my memory, Transformers Devastation wasn’t out yet. It was the announcement of NieR: Automata — a game series born from Square Enix but with Platinum Games’ hand touching it — that made me feel that if I was ever going to own a seventh-generation console, it was going to be a PS4 because of this game.

So Automata has been a long time coming with a lot of different circles for its Venn diagram: Drakengard fans, NieR fans, Square fans, and Platinum fans. Which is why I think seeing where the interest of this game is coming from would be fascinating. Action gamers? Obviously. But there are RPG mechanics as well. We also can’t discount the people coming off NieR: Gestalt to see where the world of NieR/Drakengard is going. So I asked the local community what they thought about the upcoming game.

LaTerry is busting the bank for NieR:

Square is making it, so that caught my attention. Platinum is helping, so shoot, I guess I need to pay attention to this. Then Nathan kept hyping it up in the Quick Posts and so I looked even more into and realized that I really wanted it. I’ve never played any of the other games in the series, and wasn’t even all that aware that they even existed until I started paying attention to this game. In this crowded time, with Horizon, Nioh, Resi 7, Zelda, and Nier, I had to make a choice, and I went with Zelda and Nier. I went hard on that choice because I was dumb and got the Black Box Edition of Nier, along with the Switch and the special edition of Zelda. I probably could have afforded more of those games if I had just held back on so many special editions, but the Nier and Zelda hype caught me.

Morpho never expected a sequel:

Fuck yeah, I’m excited! Yo, Nier was the fucking game last generation. I mean, it wasn’t perfect, with the bullshit arbitrary “go get all the weapons for the endings” requirement and some questionable level design, but damn if that game didn’t kick you in the emotional balls.

I never would’ve EVER fucking expected a sequel, so the fact that it’s getting one was surprising. I can’t say I’m happy that it doesn’t seem to have much to do with the original (Papa Nier > 2B, FIGHT ME NATHAN D), but you know what? It’s PlatinumGames doing PlatinumGames’ thing. None of that bullshit partnership with Activision or anything like that. I mean, what other original PlatinumGames are we going to get?

Scalebound? THAT ain’t fucking happening.

TheBlondeBass is ready for some Yoko Taro:

I’m definitely excited for this game. Yoko Taro’s games are delightfully strange and creative. Also, very flawed. 😛

Keep your expectations in check, though, and you should be in for a ride. I know I’m going to have to beat this game over and over for all the endings and I don’t mind.

GoofierBrute isn’t clicking with it:

I’m going to be the downer here and say no; I’m not excited for Nier: Automata. I know, I know, that makes me a terrible person and all that, but nothing about the game’s really got me hyped like everyone else here, which is odd because I love me some Platinum. Maybe it’s because I was indifferent to the first game and the Drakengard series as a whole, or the fact that it’s a PS4 exclusive, but something about this just didn’t click with me. I’m sure I’ll get it on sale when it comes to PC down the road, but I’m just not riding the hype train like the rest of you. I do hope you guys have a good time with it though.

*runs away and hides in pillow fort*

OmegaSiets is intrigued by the aesthetic:

Didn’t know what NieR was before this game, but I’m excited to gets me some android butt. When it comes out on PC though. I don’t have any particular attachment to Platinum or the NieR series, I just think this release has an intriguing aesthetic and a potentially satisfying combat system.

Jasondm300 isn’t feeling Zelda, but NieR is cool:

Honest opinion for games in the next week: I am infinity more excited for this game than I think I could ever be for a new Zelda game. I never thought we would get a sequel to the first one, and when Automata was announced, I flipped my shit.

Shinta is just hyped:

Very excited. NieR is the only game I’ve ever played that genuinely made me cry. I got it at launch despite all the bad reviews, and found this diamond in the rough with fantastic characters, fun action RPG combat, light puzzles, one of the best OSTs ever, and a very emotionally gripping story.

My hopes for Automata couldn’t be higher. It’s the modern day Chrono Trigger, the new dream team. We literally have the best of the best in crazy, creative storytelling working with one of the best character designers ever, working with one of the best action game developers ever. If it all goes according to plan, it’ll be literally a dream game that we see once a generation. I’m so hyped I don’t even talk about it, or read anything about it. I’m just waiting patiently for it to be released.

Gajknight is ready to be weirded out:

Platinum is working on the gameplay, so it’s gonna play great.
Keiichi Okabe is doing the soundtrack, so it’s gonna sound great.
Yoko Taro is doing the story and characters, so it’s gonna be fucking weird.

All the bases are covered, really.

16-Bit Blast Processing is looking over the past to see the future:

I’m very excited, I’m currently playing and plan on reviewing the original game and getting that up by Saturday, been having a blast with it.

With that said, I’m obviously picking this up as well close to launch.

Torchman is thankful for Nathan D:

I’m excited for it. It’s Platinum, and the demo was very promising. Nathan D being the hype man sure helped.

But I’m not picking it up at launch. It got caught in a killzone. I’m still poking at Yakuza 0, which will take time due to its length. Zelda is this Friday and I’m excited for it. I’m going Switch hunting on launch day so that’ll be fun. I want to clear out some titles from my PS3/Wii U/PS4 backlog before Persona 5 in April.

And then I’ve got Super Robot Wars V at the moment. Which was my most anticipated game of the year, and it’s not exactly short. Needless to say, that’s getting all my time right now.

So ya. Excited for NieR. But it just ended up with shit placement in regards to everything else, and it will have to wait as a result.

FakePlasticTree is ready for Taro goodness:

I’m excited to dodge an armada of red spheres in overhead view, traversing landscapes and hub areas in 2D, dying at the boss only to get sent back to the beginning of the level, having my saves be erased, slashing robots in the best Platinum style and getting over 10 endings that aren’t even endings to the game. The usual Taro goodness to expect from NieR and Platinum.

Gamemaniac3434 has his expectations checked but is interested:

I’m not someone who’s played all that many Platinum games or a person who’s played NieR but I do find this game visually interesting. Since their PR arm on destru-sorry Nathan D (<3) has posted a fair amount of stuff, I’ve been keeping an eye on it. I don’t have super high expectations or excitement but I’m interested and I’d like to play it and kill robots and what not. Got some neat visuals for sure, especially that one boss I saw a gif of that seems like its wearing a dress I believe. A lot of visual flair, decent amount of weapons, so I’ll probably find one I don’t suck shit at and I’m in the mood for another game of this vein. Seems like its going to be a fun time, and hopefully I’m better at it than I was at Revengeance. If the trend of games I don’t expect super much from or am not super hyped for being very good keeps up it will be a good time indeed.

Nathan D speaks on the matter he is an expert on:

Truth be told, my initial hype had nothing to do with the original game. I just liked the first few trailers showcasing the beautiful and badass main character with her incredible animations. I started playing the original a little after and, once it clicked with me, Automata went from “this looks pretty cool” to “I need this in my life right now.”

Jiraya keeps it simple:

Yep, butts galore, violent trailers and great gameplay.

So are you looking forward to it? I know March 7 is a tight timetable with the Switch releasing, Breath of the Wild for both it and the Wii U, and For Honor just a couple weeks back, but will you be picking NieR over its contemporaries?