"No man ever steps in the same river twice. For it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man."

Few things in life are truly worth experiencing, and NieR: Automata is one of them. It’s got everything: robots, war crimes, dreading existential questions, a protagonist casually expressing a desire to kill God, and sharp-dressed ♥♥♥♥ women—it really has it all.


You want an action-packed game filled with explosions? This isn't it. You want a safe, linear game that you fully comprehend from start to finish? Absolutely not. Get out. You want to go on a rollercoaster of feelings changing from contentment to despair to shame within minutes- while blasting the best atmosperic OSTs in the entire gaming industry -while looking at 2B's thighs. You found your game. Buy it now.

I started this review with a pseudo-intellectual quote from an old greek long gone. This is corny af. But still amazingly thought provoking. If you glazed over it without questions or second thoughts, you may not enjoy this game the same way I did. NieR Automata is heavily rooted in philosophy and some classical literature. Nietzsche, Sartre and Hegel are directly mentioned, among many others. You'll go unknowingly explore the basics of existentialism as you play...

You know what. This is a waste of my time- there is no one that read so far without having played this game. So for you people:

You really played it? It's worth it. Trust me.
The build up from NieR Replicant to Drakengard to Automata is amazing. Exploring Yoko Taros mind will directly send you into a mental clinic. I felt sick after playing this game and I still do thinking about it. This game series feels like my first heart break while getting a raise. Violently full-force kicking your little toe against the side of your bed while eating your favourite dish. Whatever you call this feeling. Apparently this is how I like my games. I liked it so much that I cannot enjoy most story games anymore. I reached the ceiling of story and jrpgs games. What do I do now? Actually read philosophy and psychology instead of just looking at simplified brain melting content?

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣯⣾⣿⡿⢟⣿⠛⠉⠩⠁⠀⠀⡟⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⠈⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠢⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣾⡿⠟⠁⣐⡮⠁⠀⡐⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⣅⠈⠀⠒⠄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣰⡿⠋⠀⠀⠀⡬⠁⠀⡐⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠟⢂⠀⠀⠀⠈⠂⡀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⢿⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢳⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣲⠏⠀⠀⠀⠠⡙⠀⠀⢀⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⡈⠑⡀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢗⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠬⠁⠀⢀⠈⠀⢠⠁⠀⠀⡈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⡀⠈⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠁⠀⠀⠂⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠄⠈⢂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢿⣿⣿⣿⣗⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣨⠁⠀⠀⠄⠀⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⢰⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⣿⣿⣿⡰⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢩⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡇⠀⠀⡘⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢿⣿⣿⡇⢃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⢆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣨⠀⠀⢀⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣼⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢁⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣿⣿⡇⠋⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡇⠀⠀⡈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠰⢰⣿⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠄⢂⠀⠐⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣿⠈⢡⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢨⠀⠀⢀⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠀⠆⣿⣿⣧⠀⠠⠀⠐⠀⠀⠘⡀⠠⠀⠐⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⣿⠀⠈⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠀⠀⠘⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠰⢸⣿⣿⣿⣆⠀⢂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⡀⠐⠀⠐⠑⠀⠀⠈⠄⠐⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣿⠀⠀⢁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡊⠀⠀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢐⢳⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⡌⠌⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠀⠈⠂⠈⢀⠢⡀⠀⢂⢡⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢿⠀⠀⠘⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠣⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡅⠀⠀⡇⠀⡀⠀⠀⠀⢰⣧⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠚⢆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢄⠀⠑⠀⠁⡀⠀⠀⠂⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡆⠀⠀⡆⡆⡔⠄⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠀⠃⢸⢀⡇⠀⠀⠠⠈⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⠙⡧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⠀⠀⠈⠀⡀⢀⢲⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠄⢸⠆⠀⠀⡇⢰⠀⢳⠁⢷⠗⡀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⢰⠀⠈⣸⢰⠀⠀⠀⠒⡹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣷⣜⣮⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠊⠀⠀⠀⢄⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢤⢸⠀⠀⠀⡇⢸⢰⣾⢠⠆⠁⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⢸⠆⠀⢡⢀⠃⠀⠀⢀⠱⡹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⣿⣼⣹⣻⣮⣿⣿⡦⡀⠐⠄⠀⠈⠢⡢⢀⠀⠠⡣⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡿⢸⠀⠀⠀⡇⠸⢘⠙⣾⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣾⣯⣶⠀⢸⠎⠄⡀⠈⡷⣼⣌⢻⣿⣿⣿⠿⢻⠩⠁⠀⠈⠑⢖⠠⠔⢄⠀⢌⠐⠨⠢⠁⠣⠂⠰⢠⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡙⡈⠀⠀⠀⣌⢀⢸⠀⠏⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⣁⠱⡇⢸⢰⡘⢇⢄⢡⠈⢿⣷⠟⠋⠀⠀⠀⢅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⠀⠈⠂⡝⡰⢠⠄⣐⡆⠀⢀⠀⠈⠀⠂⢠⢲⢡⠃⠀⠀⣰⠂⣸⡆⠘⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠦⢩⣆⢼⢡⠈⠂⠱⢕⠌⡅⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠂⠁⠊⠔⣣⣀⣀⣀⠸⠀⣠⢏⡲⡉⠀⠠⢠⡏⢠⣗⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢧⢯⣛⣥⠀⠀⠂⠈⠩⢊⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢁⣵⠉⠁⠀⠄⡆⡊⣜⡚⡔⠀⢠⡵⣿⢠⠯⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢊⡎⠙⢓⠄⠀⢆⠀⠑⠱⢄⠀⠀⠀⠁⢃⡀⠀⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⢐⠚⠹⠀⡀⣨⢰⡀⢨⡣⡞⣠⡰⠉⢀⣭⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⢧⠤⠢⠽⠦⢈⠑⢦⢀⠳⡅⡠⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⠀⠀⡠⣐⠁⡂⢀⢃⣔⣔⣇⢛⢣⡜⣷⠮⡧⠃⠈⢐⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢣⡆⠀⢠⠈⠑⠊⣾⣺⢳⣿⠙⢲⣄⡀⠀⢀⣀⣤⡔⢻⡔⠃⠁⣀⡔⢹⡏⢹⣿⠁⠙⣷⣟⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡄⣴⠾⠟⣴⢠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠀⠟⠃⣿⣿⡅⠘⠈⠉⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠃⠛⠃⢸⣷⣼⡏⠀⠀⠈⠻⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⣠⠤⢓⣵⣾⣿⣷⣄⠈⢘⠲⣠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⣿⣿⣷⣶⣶⣶⣤⣤⣤⣤⣶⣶⣶⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⢀⡤⠓⠁⣰⡿⣽⢾⣟⣿⣿⣧⡄⡘⠢⡟⣧⣠⡀⠀⠀⢀⡀⣀⣴⣁⠟⠹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠟⠁⢀⣾⢯⣟⣽⣻⣞⡿⣿⣿⣿⣮⣳⣜⣻⣿⣷⠒⠊⠉⠁⣠⣴⣶⣦⣤⣙⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣗⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡠⢤⣤⣠
⠀⡠⢟⣞⣯⣞⣷⣻⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣷⣿⢿⣵⣤⣶⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡴⣠⠀⢀⣠⠠⠒⠒⠒⠒⠋⣰⣿⡿⣿
⢀⠝⣸⣿⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢯⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡐⣉⠯⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⢯⣿⢷⣦
⢈⢠⣿⣽⣻⣿⢿⣯⣿⣽⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣵⣫⡽⣷⠀⢀⣠⣾⡿⣯⣿⣾⣿⣿

⠄⠄⠄⠄⢠⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣆⠄⠄⠄
⠄⠄⣼⢀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣏⡏⠄⠹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆⠄⠄
⠄⠄⡟⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⠄⠄⠈⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣇⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⠄
⠄⢰⠃⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⢿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠄
⠄⢸⢠⣿⣿⣧⡙⣿⣿⡆⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠈⠛⢿⣿⣿⡇⠸⣿⡿⣸⡇⠄
⠄⠈⡆⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡙⠳⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⢀⣠⣤⣀⣈⠙⠃⠄⠿⢇⣿⡇⠄
⠄⠄⡇⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⣠⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣆⡀⣼⣿⡇⠄
⠄⠄⢹⡘⣿⣿⣿⢿⣷⡀⠄⢀⣴⣾⣟⠉⠉⠉⠉⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⢹⣿⠃⠄
⠄⠄⠄⢷⡘⢿⣿⣎⢻⣷⠰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣀⣀⣴⣿⣿⣿⠟⢫⡾⢸⡟⠄.
⠄⠄⠄⠄⠻⣦⡙⠿⣧⠙⢷⠙⠻⠿⢿⡿⠿⠿⠛⠋⠉⠄⠂⠘⠁⠞⠄⠄⠄
⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠈⠙⠑⣠⣤⣴⡖⠄⠿⣋⣉⣉⡁⠄⢾⣦⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄

⠄⠄⠄⠄⢠⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣆⠄⠄⠄
⠄⠄⣼⢀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣏⡏⠄⠹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆⠄⠄
⠄⠄⡟⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⠄⠄⠈⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣇⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⠄
⠄⢰⠃⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⢿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠄
⠄⢸⢠⣿⣿⣧⡙⣿⣿⡆⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠈⠛⢿⣿⣿⡇⠸⣿⡿⣸⡇⠄
⠄⠈⡆⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡙⠳⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⢀⣠⣤⣀⣈⠙⠃⠄⠿⢇⣿⡇⠄
⠄⠄⡇⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⣠⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣆⡀⣼⣿⡇⠄
⠄⠄⢹⡘⣿⣿⣿⢿⣷⡀⠄⢀⣴⣾⣟⠉⠉⠉⠉⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⢹⣿⠃⠄
⠄⠄⠄⢷⡘⢿⣿⣎⢻⣷⠰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣀⣀⣴⣿⣿⣿⠟⢫⡾⢸⡟⠄.
⠄⠄⠄⠄⠻⣦⡙⠿⣧⠙⢷⠙⠻⠿⢿⡿⠿⠿⠛⠋⠉⠄⠂⠘⠁⠞⠄⠄⠄
⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠈⠙⠑⣠⣤⣴⡖⠄⠿⣋⣉⣉⡁⠄⢾⣦⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄

Good parody to Friedrich Nietzsche (i am now having an existential crisis)

pretty android lady

⠀

I had a year after completing the game to think about it, huh.

Hot take - but Nier:Automata might be one of the most overrated games ever.

Just to be clear I completed all necessary playthroughs (and credits minigame). As I see, many people dig the type of philosophical story about what makes human - human, but it never clicked with me. I didn't find any of the characters likable, the twin antagonists were just cringeworthy.

But my biggest gripe is gameplay - it was very repetitive. You run around barren and empty locations and fight samey groups of enemies.

What I did like was visual design of characters and combat - it felt great.

I don't hate this game, I get it why people like it but it was not for me. I guess I just had high expectations after seeing so much hype about the game.

A very good plot with a very THICC 2B. Nothing can be better than that

intro harder than half the game

murder drones