Someone explain to me what makes Nier Automata *so* good? (no spoilers)

[Kingpin Rogers]

I've been playing it for about 18 hours now, I'm still on the first route or playthrough or whatever, and whilst it's fine I don't understand the praise at all.
The combat is mostly dull and passable, just very mashy. Some of the enemies can be very annoying to fight like a lot of the ranged ones and the enemy design/variety, in general, doesn't seem great. The soundtrack is very inconsistent, some stuff sounds really good whilst other stuff is bland or at worst annoying. The sidequests are all mostly again just passable or annoying and tedious. I don't like the fact that sidequests can show up on your map before you can actually access them, I spent about an hour running around only to find out I had to progress through the story more to get to some of the sidequests. I like some of the character interactions, like 2B and the helper android thing that calls in from time to time, whatever they're called. But other stuff I find a bit inconsistent like 2B and 9S's feelings towards robots and emotions in general. Like maybe I'm just remembering incorrectly but I swear there are times when 9S is like "never trust the machines!" and then a bit later he'll feel bad about having to kill them or something and then later go back to being like "never trust them". Similar stuff with 2B. I also found the very start of the game where 9S gets mashed up by that big robot odd cause 2B acted as if it was some big tragedy when all that happened is they both got put in new bodies so I didn't understand her making a big deal out of it. Other than that most of the character interactions are just a bit boring. The actual overarching story, I'm not even sure I have anything to say on it, maybe I've not seen enough of it but I feel like anything has barely happened. I've just finished the forest zone and I can't remember anything significant in the story at all tbh, at least nothing interesting or anything that actually means anything so far.

It's a decent game that feels like it's overstaying its welcome. A 7ish or so outta 10 but definitely not a goty contender or 9 outta 10 which is what seems to be the majority opinion. Maybe it'll get better in the other routes but I feel like for a game to be properly good it has to actually show it within the first, 5 hours or so.

I can only assume the game isn't especially for me but I'm genuinely struggling to understand what other people see in this game to make it so popular.

 

[Crushed]

Like maybe I'm just remembering incorrectly but I swear there are times when 9S is like "never trust the machines!" and then a bit later he'll feel bad about having to kill them or something and then later go back to being like "never trust them". Similar stuff with 2B. I also found the very start of the game where 9S gets mashed up by that big robot odd cause 2B acted as if it was some big tragedy when all that happened is they both got put in new bodies so I didn't understand her making a big deal out of it.

Click to shrink...

Hmm.

 

[Lord Azrael]

A lot of what makes it so good involves spoilers so...

 

[Weiss]

Auteur driven offbeat storytelling that goes places that a lot of modern games sometimes feel too gunshy to tread and a massive underdog story for Incredibly Weird Person Taro Yoko going from directing games nobody bought to one of Square Enix's new flagship series.

Also a soundtrack consisting of 100% bangers.

 

[Ovvv]

You're asking a question that is unanswerable without spoiling.

 

[Astro Cat]

I think the game probably just isn't for you. I loved it, especially the real end.

 

[Tora]

If it means anything, I was in the same boat as you OP. Didn't enjoy my first time with the game, but upon reflection almost a year later, something clicked and I decided to replay it. Quickly went from a 6/10 to a 10/10 just because of a little bit of context was needed for me to understand the game as a whole.

Combat isn't anything to write home about but I gave it a pass only because there's so many genres blended into one; Devs don't have infinite resources.

Music slaps all over though, don't know what you don't like so far.

If you're not feeling it, it's very hard to stay motivated to play it. You will loathe the second playthrough if you're not really engaged with the story; at least I did first time round.

Hmm.

Click to shrink...

Hmm indeed.

 

[Kouriozan]

Sadly it's one of those "it gets good after x hours", but you're going to absolutely hate the second playthrough.

 

[DragonSpear2462]

I've been playing it for about 18 hours now, I'm still on the first route or playthrough or whatever,

Click to shrink...

You are but an innocent child still.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

It's great because of the plot, performance and the soundtrack, the gameplay and combat are fin e but for me never went past serviceable.

If you're 18 hours in and the best you have for the soundtrack is that it's a solid few tracks with some other annoying ones, you won't magically grow to appreciate what many considered the ost of the year in the next 30-40+ hours.

The plot early on is in essence the intro and it gets crazy good as you keep playing.

I'd say don't force yourself to play a game just because others love it. Same thing I tell those who make a thread for people to convince them breath of the wild is good.

 

[Silent]

I have been trying to get through this game for years. Even to this day I still avoid spoilers because I still want to experience it for myself. I actually think I will get back into the game soon, OP. It's okay if it's not for you, but I think people mostly rave about it for its story. I think the combat is pretty fun, but I definitely felt that I was forcing myself to play just to experience the story. But I will see it through to the end! Now I just need to find a way to read in detail what happened in the first playthrough (since I forgot most of it) without being spoiled by the other ones.

I will say some parts definitely started to intrigue me in the first play through. And the music was phenomenal from what I remember.

 

[Crossing Eden]

I've been playing it for about 18 hours now, I'm still on the first route or playthrough or whatever, and whilst it's fine I don't understand the praise at all.

Click to shrink...

It really becomes something more than a typical platinum hack and slash affair quite far into the game.

Hmm.

Click to shrink...

STAHP

 

[lucablight]

I've been playing it for about 18 hours now, I'm still on the first route or playthrough or whatever, and whilst it's fine I don't understand the praise at all.
The combat is mostly dull and passable, just very mashy. Some of the enemies can be very annoying to fight like a lot of the ranged ones and the enemy design/variety, in general, doesn't seem great. The soundtrack is very inconsistent, some stuff sounds really good whilst other stuff is bland or at worst annoying. The sidequests are all mostly again just passable or annoying and tedious. I don't like the fact that sidequests can show up on your map before you can actually access them, I spent about an hour running around only to find out I had to progress through the story more to get to some of the sidequests. I like some of the character interactions, like 2B and the helper android thing that calls in from time to time, whatever they're called. But other stuff I find a bit inconsistent like 2B and 9S's feelings towards robots and emotions in general. Like maybe I'm just remembering incorrectly but I swear there are times when 9S is like "never trust the machines!" and then a bit later he'll feel bad about having to kill them or something and then later go back to being like "never trust them". Similar stuff with 2B. I also found the very start of the game where 9S gets mashed up by that big robot odd cause 2B acted as if it was some big tragedy when all that happened is they both got put in new bodies so I didn't understand her making a big deal out of it. Other than that most of the character interactions are just a bit boring. The actual overarching story, I'm not even sure I have anything to say on it, maybe I've not seen enough of it but I feel like anything has barely happened. I've just finished the forest zone and I can't remember anything significant in the story at all tbh, at least nothing interesting or anything that actually means anything so far.

It's a decent game that feels like it's overstaying its welcome. A 7ish or so outta 10 but definitely not a goty contender or 9 outta 10 which is what seems to be the majority opinion. Maybe it'll get better in the other routes but I feel like for a game to be properly good it has to actually show it within the first, 5 hours or so.

I can only assume the game isn't especially for me but I'm genuinely struggling to understand what other people see in this game to make it so popular.

Click to shrink...

You're entitled to your opinion if you think the soundtrack can be bland or annoying but so was Homer when he thought man getting hit by football was the best film.

 

[Deleted member 4869]

I'm my opinion, the lore.

The combat is brain dead and extremely repetitive, but entertaining and flashy nonetheless. The characters are alright. But I really like the lore.

And the music. The music is AMAZING.

 

[beelulzebub]

A 7 out of 10 is still pretty good though if that's ACTUALLY how you'd rate it so far.

A lot of what makes the game great you haven't seen. But also a lot of what makes the game great is stuff you have (what tracks in Automata could possibly be called bland?) so I don't know. Just go play whatever else then if you're already in "make a thread about it to implore me to keep going" territory, no shortage of games to play out there.

 

[whoamiifnotwhoiam]

The plot is really good, but the combat is literally so terrible imo. I loved it for the story and hated it for the combat. I think if you keep playing the other routes, you will like it more and more. It's definetly a grower.

 

[Virtua King]

Part C (and D & E) is what puts this game on another level.

 

[The Lord of Cereal]

My first playthrough I didn't do many sidequests, and apparently that was the right choice as most of the sidequests just really aren't that great.

But aside from that, even with the overly predictable story beats, I found the game's story (and execution) to be particularly enthralling even after the slow start. Because once the story really gets rolling, it becomes something incredibly memorable with several great moments. Like honestly, certain moments in this game really stuck with me, particularly the leadup to the final boss fight, the amusement park boss, the fates of some relatively minor characters and a few other things.

Also the music fucking slaps and anyone who argues differently is wrong. I honestly feel like the music is half the reason several moments were so memorable


Most importantly though, you aren't going to like every game, so don't fret if you don't end up enjoying Nier Automata. It is what it is

 

[Kingpin Rogers]

A 7 out of 10 is still pretty good though if that's ACTUALLY how you'd rate it so far.

A lot of what makes the game great you haven't seen. But also a lot of what makes the game great is stuff you have (what tracks in Automata could possibly be called bland?) so I don't know. Just go play whatever else then if you're already in "make a thread about it to implore me to keep going" territory, no shortage of games to play out there.

Click to shrink...

I wouldn't say I'm at the point where I need to be implored to keep going, I'm still enjoying the game but not as much as other people seemed to have done, so I was curious. I intend to stick with the game and try and make my way through it.

In terms of music,
I wouldn't say this is "bland" but it's definitely a track that stood out for me in terms of how much I don't like it.


But then, like I said I find the soundtrack inconsistent because I really like this track a lot, which funnily enough can play in the same area I believe.

 

[devSin]

Play through the game to the end.

If you still don't get it, then you don't get it. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Mechaplum]

If you're not feeling it it's fine to drop it.

Still my GOAT though.

 

[Cloud-Strife]

You are still in the intro.

But from my experience I can say that the music.. combat and overall presentation of the game is amazing.

The gameplay is really fun and has so much variations.

Overall is an incredible game.. is on my top 10 easily of all time.

 

[skeezx]

there's a brilliant game in there but the finished product is a skeletal fragmentation of said "brilliant game"

still worth playing through up to a point. not trying to be harsh, still well worth it on a sale or whatever

 

[blueredandgold]

The horrible little secret of this game is the combat doesn't really respect the players investment in it.

I didn't say the players time on purpose.

Keep playing.

The difficulty should be put down to easy and then you're bored now instead of not being bored later on.

I played it like a Platinum action game and ended up getting bored by the combat the more I played. The rest of the game more than makes up for it.

Gee it's hard to be nuanced with this game isn't it.

 

[TronLight]

Beyond what everyone said already, it's more of the sum of its parts I feel.
The gameplay is ok, the story is ok (arguably), the ost is great, but the full game is pretty amazing.

 

[syndicalist]

I didn't understand the appeal of the game through Route A, found Route B to be a complete chore, was completely disenchanted through the beginning of Route C until I made a few improvements in how I played with various mechanics in the game and the subsequent story beats that followed caused a complete reversal in my thinking. It's a great game. One of a kind.

Your perspective on the game will change entirely, for better or worse. People who almost fall through the cracks on this one should probably know that before they give up on it. It's well worth the effort.

 

[CloudsFromSpace]

For me, Nier: A is incredible because it rolls the dice on a bunch of things that might not land for everyone, but definitely landed for me. It's got a real commitment to being a videogame's videogame. Essentially everything in the game, from the HUD on down, is diegetic within the world. I'd argue that the player is diegetic as well.

Going further, it never settles on one genre or experience, moving fluidly from character action to open world to JRPG to 3D shmup to 2D shmup with ease and confidence. It's equally unsettled aesthetically and narratively, shifting its tone to suit its message. It's one of the few big studio games that fully embraces the possibilities of being a videogame instead of wishing it was a movie or an HBO series.

Couple that wild experimentalism with a bonkers soundtrack, multiple heart-pounding action climaxes, and actual interesting themes, and you have a winner.

 

[Nooblet]

The music and story

 

[The Unsent]

I agree, it's not that great. Don't agree with the people who say the gameplay isn't great, but it's still a 10/10, never agree with that, no matter how artistic a game might appear.

 

[Pearljam and Earl]

In terms of music,
I wouldn't say this is "bland" but it's definitely a track that stood out for me in terms of how much I don't like it.

Click to shrink...

A lot of the music is specifically designed to evoke certain places and emotions of the first game, so is probably not going to land with the same resonance for those who never played it. For example, the track you don't like is largely inspired by this piece (among one or two others.)


Not that any of this means you'll suddenly now like the song you don't like but just thought I'd give some context for how the soundtrack is very much trying to "push buttons" for those familiar with the original.

 

[Larrikin]

So I'm also not a huge fan of the game (it's ok) so i'll try and help you with some of your concerns.

hopefully this isn't too spoilery, but the game does address the narrative inconsistencies you're bringing up. It is itself part of the narrative. The plot as a whole is fairly holistic so you can't really *get* it until you've beaten the whole thing. Finishing only the first route is really just laying the foundation for the actual story the game wants to tell, which YMMV is one of the biggest issues the game has, but at the same time I'm not sure if there's any way around it.

NieR Automata does a lot of really cool, subversive things with the very idea of interactive media, and thus makes it a point-to-able example of #GamesAsArt and I appreciate it on that level, but I also just found the game not very fun.

I did the first route, dropped off it and didn't think much of it. Housemate started playing it, and I figured I would finish off the other main routes as well and was still relatively nonplussed, but I had more respect and appreciation for what it was trying to do, even if I felt that the pretentiousness of the story and my own lack of enjoyment from the gameplay far outweighed the positives.

 

[apathetic]

Because of spoilers.

 

[jokkir]

If you're finding it not that great now, you'll probably hate the second play through lol. Playthrough 3 is when it starts getting more interesting since it starts expanding but there's a lot of stuff intriguing about the first run especially about the world and what is happening exactly.

The music is so good and the melancholic music really sets the mood about the entire world in Nier. Gameplay is also pretty good with how fluid it is at least. I ended up just doing the same thing for most of the game and carrying a ton of healing items + doing my best to dodge.

 

[J75]

Only played the first route/path/whatever, dropped it on the 2nd one since I was finding it too monotonous. I saw credits so I felt satisfied enough to leave it there. I thought what I played was adequate. Maybe one day I'll "really" beat it, maybe when that improved update drops on Steam.
Music was ace though. Only part that really captivated me.

 

[MrWindUpBird]

Not every popular game has to be for you. I don't understand why so many on this forum feel like they NEED validation from others here when it comes to taste in games. It's okay for popular games to not mesh with you, just put it down and move on if you're not getting enjoyment out of t.

 

[bloodgate]

It's worth chugging through. I thought the game was dull and mediocre up until a certain point, and then it will dawn on you why people praise it so highly. It's a double-edged sword of having too much hype to live up to, but also not being a very good game until far too late to keep those interested who don't enjoy it and don't understand the hype.

If this game didn't have the accolades it does and had I not received help from others' perspective, there's no way I would have gone through the entire thing.

Spoiler: incredibly vague spoiler

It's even a spoiler to see why this is magical itself.

 

[klauskpm]

I disagree with people saying it only gets better after X hours. I liked it on the first run, but I understood the things that happened in it in a different way then you did. I was already in after I fought Adam, and even more interested after fighting Beauvoir in the amusement park.

It was interesting to me to understand what was happening to the machines. Why some behaved in a way and others were so primitive/limited? What was the trigger to Adam being born? Those questions and some answers were what drove me to finish the first run.

I also enjoyed the gameplay and the music, so that helped a lot as well.

 

[noinspiration]

I'll be curious to see where you end up because for all the people saying (here and everywhere) to just push through to point x/y/z, I ended up feeling basically like this after doing everything.

 

[RochHoch]

Finish the game

 

[Deleted member 95442]

After my first playthrough I enjoyed it well enough, was a solid 8/10 for me. The soundtrack was absolutely banging, and it elevated some most of the game, especially the Amusement Park boss fight.

Then I completed the game till ending E, and then at the very end I sat holding the controller and savoring the moment, realising that I have just had an unforgettable experience. Btw, its now one of top 3 games from the last generation (alongside God of War an Witcher 3).

The game also felt to me like a perfect way to use the interactive medium to tell its story while having the maximum impact. I can't imagine a, say, anime with the same storyline to have such an impact.

I guess it may not click with everyone, though. Otherwise I suppose it would have crossed 10 sales easily.

EDIT: Oh and btw, I disliked Bloodborne. Tried to get it into it 3 times! So there you go, not everything is for everyone.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

I remember playing the demo, which was the first part before the open-world, and thinking it was great. Then I kept playing and was bored. I never finished Route A.

I find it very hard to think highly of a game if I need to play for a long time before it supposedly gets good, but I'm intrigued enough by the people who swear that it does some pretty amazing stuff by Route C that I've not written it off completely. With the amount I have to play, I'm not rushing to play it, but if I try again, I'll likely avoid all side quests.

 

[Feign]

Honestly, that you're thinking about inconsistencies and characterization is good. Route B is the biggest slog, but it's not as bad as you'd think, just 2/3 of it is lol. I'll just say easy mode auto chips can be a blessing for Route B. You also will eventually get chips like auto pick-up items that works for any difficulty that make the overall gameplay smoother, so you have that, too. You're in a good mindset, so I wouldn't worry too much. You can avoid sidequests if you want, too. They're good and help flesh out the game, but they're not necessary to understand what works.

I'm going to say one spoiler out of context because it is easily miserable and really shouldn't be.

Spoiler

In Route C, always talk to Anenome at least 3 times to get all of her dialogue. It's only going to matter one time but to discuss when and why *is* spoilers. It will seem like the conversation is done after two times, but boy is it not lmao.

 

[HeyNay]

I dunno. I wanted to like it, desperately. Sexy robots. Cool atmospheric music. Innovative gameplay segments - even the premise is up my alley, but the story simply never hooked me. The characters felt mostly flat, and as you said, the combat never really evolves.

I played through route A, and B, and part of route C before finally putting it down. Don't think I saw the true final ending, but at this point I doubt it'd be enough to change my feelings on the game. It's not a bad game - but it is a little over-hyped, I think.

 

[Feign]

I remember playing the demo, which was the first part before the open-world, and thinking it was great. Then I kept playing and was bored. I never finished Route A.

I find it very hard to think highly of a game if I need to play for a long time before it supposedly gets good, but I'm intrigued enough by the people who swear that it does some pretty amazing stuff by Route C that I've not written it off completely. With the amount I have to play, I'm not rushing to play it, but if I try again, I'll likely avoid all side quests.

Click to shrink...

Route A has weird pacing. It ends a lot sooner than I expected, but I also didn't worry about side quests much my first playthrough, so I think that's likely the right idea for you. I've found going back and seeing sidequests with the knowledge of what the game is going for helped me appreciate them more than when I was just curious about the main story.

 

[Joe2187]

Finish the game

Click to shrink...

No.

Second run was not worth my time, im not gonna finish the third.

 

[styl_oh]

it's a sequel to a mediocre game that surprised people by being pretty fun and including the option not to have some of the worst english VA of all time. this was a drastic change from a writer/director known primarily for unplayable shit games

nier 1 was, i think, a victim of the lust for out of print japanese games. one guy says he played it when it came out and it wasn't that bad and then everyone decides it's an undiscovered masterpiece unfairly written off by critics of the time... which of course it wasn't, although it wasn't entirely shit--i finished it, after all. bog standard is what i'd call it, with atrocious acting, a mostly lame story, a solid protagonist in Dad Form, an annoying soundtrack that people love, an annoyingly repetitive structure, bad graphics, a few good ideas--text tree, genre change--trampled by the entire rest of the game... were i a critic it's really what you'd have to call a hard 5 or a soft 6

but it's also driven by a man whom i can't decide whether to label a hack, a troll, or simply pretentious and perhaps not as educated on the subjects he chooses to delve into as we've been hyped to expect (unless you expected grad school nietzche nuthugging and quandaries perhaps proposed by blade runner and myriad other sci-fi many years ago)

visually speaking it's rather bland (if not quite as fuck-ugly as the first game)... really uninspired for something which has gained the reputation for being stylish. blame the low budget if you want, but i wouldn't

griffith did the pinhole shot for a reason in the 1900s-1910s
the germans expressed all you could want and more with the varying aspects and film stock of the time
the 40s b-movie directors mastered the 4:3 aspect ratio
john ford made use of widescreen
young filmmakers now make legitimate movies on phones
Taro Yoko has absolutely no reason to make asymmetrical semi-transparent 'letterboxes'... it does nothing for cinema and less for games... but the people love a painfully quirky japanese creator, don't they? yes they do. so he fucks up his cutscenes and puts on his moon head every morning in an attempt to convince everyone he's crazy... but he's not someone like miike takashi and i doubt you'll find some twisted meaning behind it. you can't even read into it--there's nothing there. (that's the point, someone jackhammers into my ear, there is no point, to anything at all, except the one on the powerdrill that just killed you)

of course, we got years of hot women dressing up as the main character out of it, which i believe was the intention to begin with, call it a silver panty lining

THAT ALL SAID--i'm not entirely down on the game--the combat is fun--and for full transparency i probably only played as much as you (in addition to the first game--hopefully this one goes somewhere better or deeper than that in the end... i'll give it the full college try, eventually)

 

[Feign]

I dunno. I wanted to like it, desperately. Sexy robots. Cool atmospheric music. Innovative gameplay segments - even the premise is up my alley, but the story simply never hooked me. The characters felt mostly flat, and as you said, the combat never really evolves.

I played through route A, and B, and part of route C before finally putting it down. Don't think I saw the true final ending, but at this point I doubt it'd be enough to change my feelings on the game. It's not a bad game - but it is a little over-hyped, I think.

Click to shrink...

Probably okay for you to read this:

Spoiler

After you finish Route C (or D depending on your choice) you unlock chapter select and can very quickly finish the game. You were probably near the end if you made it through parts of C. Don't know if that changes anything, but if you ever get the urge you won't have much to worry about.

 

[MrWindUpBird]

it's a sequel to a mediocre game that surprised people by being pretty fun and including the option not to have some of the worst english VA of all time. this was a drastic change from a writer/director known primarily for unplayable shit games

but also driven by a man whom i can't decide whether to label a hack, a troll, or simply pretentious and perhaps not as educated on the subjects he chooses to delve into as we've been hyped to expect (unless you expected grad school nietzche nuthugging and quandaries perhaps proposed by blade runner and myriad other sci-fi many years ago)

visually speaking it's rather bland (if not quite as fuck-ugly as the first game)... really uninspired for something which has gained the reputation for being stylish. blame the low budget if you want, but i wouldn't

griffith did the pinhole shot for a reason in the 1900s-1910s
the germans expressed all you could want and more with the varying aspects and film stock of the time
the 40s b-movie directors mastered the 4:3 aspect ratio
john ford made use of widescreen
young filmmakers now make legitimate movies on phones
Taro Yoko has absolutely no reason to make asymmetrical semi-transparent 'letterboxes'... it does nothing for cinema and less for games... but the people love a painfully quirky japanese creator, don't they? yes they do. so he fucks up his cutscenes and puts on his moon head every morning in an attempt to convince everyone he's crazy... but he's not someone like miike takashi and i doubt you'll find some twisted meaning behind it. you can't even read into it--there's nothing there. (that's the point, someone jackhammers into my ear, there is no point, to anything at all, except the one on the powerdrill that just killed you)

of course, we got years of hot women dressing up as the main character out of it, which i believe was the intention to begin with, call it a silver panty lining

THAT ALL SAID--i'm not entirely down on the game--the combat is fun--and for full transparency i probably only played as much as you (in addition to the first game--hopefully this one goes somewhere better or deeper than that in the end... i'll give it the full college try, eventually)

Click to shrink...

Edit: This was mean and uncalled for on my part.

 

[GaussianMultivariate]

I didn't understand the appeal of the game through Route A, found Route B to be a complete chore, was completely disenchanted through the beginning of Route C until I made a few improvements in how I played with various mechanics in the game and the subsequent story beats that followed caused a complete reversal in my thinking. It's a great game. One of a kind.

Your perspective on the game will change entirely, for better or worse. People who almost fall through the cracks on this one should probably know that before they give up on it. It's well worth the effort.

Click to shrink...

Wait you have to play the game three times until it gets good?

I dropped it after 15+ hours or so. I completed the forest and also did some more (flighted a naked guy I believe?). The game was just transversing zones and smashing all the buttons pew pew pew, became kinda boring and repetitive early enough. I asked in the OT if the game became better at some point, and I was told that if I wasn't enjoying it so far I probably wouldn't enjoy playing it all.

 

[styl_oh]

Calling someone else pretentious...Have you seen the way you write your threads dude?

Click to shrink...

takes one to know one i guess (and i mean me)

edit: ya know what this post was a bit mean to all the good posters on this website, not to mention [japanese author]