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In terms of game soundtracks, where would you rank Nier: Automata?

Zocano

Zocano

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,023
PlanetSmasher said:
See, that's funny, because I don't really care at all about Weight of the World, but the major themes from Nier 1 all stuck with me. I guess it's just that Automata's characters are all really, really bad so I don't care about them or any music associated with them, whereas NO ONE STOPS into this version of SotA is one of those perfect moments that I won't forget for a long time.
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NieR is a game that was written characters first and themes second and Automata feels the inverse (themes first, characters second). It makes for a poignant finale in Automata because all of its themes and core message build up into The Weight of the World, which is nice and touching. I just found the prior 20-whatever hours extremely flat because I found none of the characters emotionally resonating. They were blank slates existing to drive the themes (9S is the most "character" of them but he is deliberately written to be abrasive and a fool and is therefore not really endearing). NieR however succeeds despite its messiness because the characters drive the story. They *are* the story and they are all immensely endearing and loving and hopeful despite all the chaos and ruin that unfolds.
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,549
Zocano said:
NieR is a game that was written characters first and themes second and Automata feels the inverse (themes first, characters second). It makes for a poignant finale in Automata because all of its themes and core message build up into The Weight of the World, which is nice and touching. I just found the prior 20-whatever hours extremely flat because I found none of the characters emotionally resonating. They were blank slates existing to drive the themes (9S is the most "character" of them but he is deliberately written to be abrasive and a fool and is therefore not really endearing). NieR however succeeds despite its messiness because the characters drive the story. They *are* the story and they are all immensely endearing and loving and hopeful despite all the chaos and ruin that unfolds.
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Exactly. I was fully invested in Nier/Weiss/Kaine/Emil's journey, as dark as it got. By comparison I instantly disliked 2B and 9S from minute one, and the game never gave me any reason to care about them at all - it OPENED with forced "YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS" melodrama, but considering I didn't even know them it had the exact opposite reaction. Their character designs also just bothered me on a conceptual level, making it even harder to connect to them.

I couldn't even manage to bring myself through route C because I was so sick of them and their dead, empty world by the end that I just kinda quit an hour after A2 became playable.
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,549
Manu said:
Nobody hates Automata more than fans of the first game apparently.
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It's probably because Automata tries to replicate a lot of the exact same narrative beats and tonal shifts AS the first game, but isn't nearly as successful at executing on them, and stars a significantly less likeable and engaging cast.

Nier 1 had clunky combat, but its storytelling and emphasis on character development helped buoy it immensely.
 
Pascal

Pascal

â–˛ Legend â–˛
The Fallen
Oct 28, 2017
10,228
Parts Unknown
Near the very top, alongside Undertale, Red Dead Redemption 2, Okami, Shadow of the Colossus and Chrono Trigger.

The original Nier sits at the peak.
 
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Drakhyrr

Drakhyrr

Member
Oct 27, 2017
682
Brazil
At or near the top, depending on my mood.

And by that I mean the top position is always alternating between Nier and Nier Automata, of course.

While many of the best songs in Automata come from the first game (and even the few taken from Drakengard 3 are also fantastic), I do feel it adds enough to stand on its own.
 
Hayeya

Hayeya

Member
Oct 29, 2017
3,805
Canada
One of the best ever.
Alien manifestation, grandma, Emil, A beautiful song, weight of the world, are some of the best music i have ever experienced, and they fit perfectly with the game.
 
petethepanda

petethepanda

Saw the truth behind the copied door
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,178
chicago
Easily in my top 10. It's very slightly above Gestalt/Replicant for me, but honestly, it might just be down to the fact that I played Automata first.

There's something about the tone/vibe of the soundtracks that gets to me. Some kind of... bittersweet yearning? Or something.
 
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Deleted member 4346

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Oct 25, 2017
8,976
Chasex said:
Right behind Chrono Cross for best OST of all time.

I think it's better than the first Nier simply due to Weight of the World. Even if it is a bit cheesy and disney-esque I can't help but love it, especially the JPN version which is super emotional. The first Nier is missing that title track I can revisit and be reminded of the game.

It's also super cool how they sync the audio to certain key moments of the game such as the Simone fight in the Amusement Park, or how they created a chiptune version of each track which dynamically switches when hacking. The OST is very much a part of the game and the experience and I don't think I've ever seen it done better.
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This is where I put it, as well. Right under Chrono Cross and definitely top 5. It's without a doubt the best OST of this generation of games (and there have been some really good ones, so that's saying something!).
 
Lotus

Lotus

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
105,666
Drakhyrr said:
At or near the top, depending on my mood.

And by that I mean the top position is always alternating between Nier and Nier Automata, of course.

While many of the best songs in Automata come from the first game (and even the few taken from Drakengard 3 are also fantastic), I do feel it adds enough to stand on its own.
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What gives it the edge over OG Nier and every other game for me is the masterful way it implements the music itself while you're playing the game
 
Drakhyrr

Drakhyrr

Member
Oct 27, 2017
682
Brazil
Lotus said:
What gives it the edge over OG Nier and every other game for me is the masterful way it implements the music itself while you're playing the game
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I gotta give it to A Beautiful Song, This Cannot Continue and Become as Gods, though I don't remember much else. Specially that first one.

Also the 8 bit versions. Damn, the musics being converted into 8 bit for the hacking games brought legit smiles to my face for a while.
 
Pascal

Pascal

â–˛ Legend â–˛
The Fallen
Oct 28, 2017
10,228
Parts Unknown
Lotus said:
What gives it the edge over OG Nier and every other game for me is the masterful way it implements the music itself while you're playing the game
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I mean, the way Shadowlord is implemented in the final boss fight of Nier...And the way the vocals fade in to Song of the Ancients when you get close to Devola in the village. There may be more examples that I'm forgetting. But OG Nier is no slouch in this department.
Manu said:
Nobody hates Automata more than fans of the first game apparently.
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Shame. Both games were unforgettable experiences for me.
 
wossname

wossname

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Dec 12, 2017
1,421
It was alright, some of it was really good, some of not so good. A solid 7/10. Similar to the game itself really.
 

Deleted member 4262

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Pretty high, prolly in my top 20-30. That said, I do get burned out if I listen too often. Same goes for the first game.
 
lightning16

lightning16

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May 17, 2019
1,763
It's a very good soundtrack, but not as good as the first game's. There are also a number of other games I'd rank ahead of it I'm sure like Super Mario 3D World and Octopath Traveler. It's for sure a very good soundtrack, though.
 
Ferrs

Ferrs

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
18,829
One of the best of this gen. Only Tetris Effect is the one that I can remember beating it right now.
 
CobaltBlu

CobaltBlu

Member
Nov 29, 2017
813
Nier A is top tier for me. The music blends with the gameplay and storytelling in a really powerful way. I haven't experienced another game soundtrack that does it so well.
 
Linde

Linde

Banned
Sep 2, 2018
3,983
not quite xenosaga tier but it's amazing. agreed that the first game has a better OST
 
Tibarn

Tibarn

Member
Oct 31, 2017
13,370
Barcelona
Top 25-30 or so. The soundtrack is amazing, but I think that there are some games with more memorable songs. As other's said the first Nier has a better OST, but this doesn't fix an awful game sadly.
 
Sky Walker

Sky Walker

Member
Oct 25, 2017
821
One of the greatest OST of all time. The best OST this generation "along with Expand Dong Tropical Freeze".
 
Rutger

Rutger

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,246
One of my favorites.

I'd say I like it more than the first's, which is still really good, but the heavy industrial sound found more often in Automata's is a style I love that we don't get enough of at this quality in games. Making it stand out all the more to me while also staying hauntingly fitting for the setting.
 
Lunatic

Lunatic

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,828
l0pLMx9.jpgf6ce76afbfb



Only video game soundtrack I've gone to see performed live (yet?) so i'd rank it pretty damn high. (I liked OG nier a little more though)
 
Descendant

Descendant

Member
Nov 2, 2017
1,111
I've played the original Nier twice, and due to the gameplay both times I just couldn't bring myself to get through far enough to really appreciate its story and music. That being said I've heard some of the OST, and it is really good.

However as someone who was enamored with Nier Automata, I could personally say that soundtrack is definitely one of my favorite of all time.
 
Perkin_Warbeck

Perkin_Warbeck

Member
Jan 27, 2020
3,385
Washington, DC
It's one of the only video game sound tracks that I've felt affected by. The only other one is probably Xenogears. I didn't play the first Nier game so I can't really say anything about that one.
 
Rosenkrantz

Rosenkrantz

Member
Jan 17, 2018
4,920
Solid, but not super interesting soundtrack. Can't say that any of the tracks stood out to me one way or another.
 
New002

New002

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,703
It's the only video game OST I actively listen to outside of playing the game. I'm not talking a single track here or there, which I'll sometimes do for other games, retro and modern, but a full listen like I would for a favorite album, because it is one of my favorite albums.
 
zswordsman

zswordsman

Member
Nov 5, 2017
1,771
Wish the original was playable on current gen. But automata is my ost of this gen. It just destroys everything else so when ppl say the original is even better I just wonder how much.
 
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