NieRAutomatawas one of the most popular RPGs in the past decade. It told the story of a war between androids 2B, 9S, and A2, against the machines. With its fun hack and slash gameplay, philosophical story, and beautiful soundtrack, fans consider this to be a masterpiece.
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Knowing that gamers want more, Square Enix have decided tobring back another gamein theDrakengardfranchise,NieR: Replicant. TheNieRtitles are spin-offs of theDrakengardtrilogy, so newcomers have a lot to play. But to make the game more accessible and fun, Square Enix has teamed up with Toylogic to rerelease the first spin-off. There has been a lot of information revealed about the upcoming title but fans still have a lot of questions before its release.
10What We Learned: An Improved Version Of The 2010 Title
Square Enix and Toylogic have done a lot to makeNieR Replicantbetter than ever. The combat in the older version wasn’t nearly as enjoyable asNieR Automata’s so it has been changed and seems like it will play just like the game’s sequel. The graphics are also much clearer. The voice actors have returned to record more lines and Keiichi Okabe has composed new music. Instead of calling ita “remaster” or a “remake”, the game is calledNieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…Only a Square Enix game could have a title with that many numbers.
9Question We Have: Will Anything Exclusive To NieR Gestalt Return?
There are two versions of the originalNieR.NieR Replicantwas released on the PlayStation 3 andNieR Gestaltwas an Xbox 360 title, with only theGestaltversion of the gamereleasing outside of Japan. Though there are a few details that are different, the games are basically the same. The most notable change between the two is the age of the titular character and his relationship to Yonah. Since onlyNieR: Replicantis being worked on, fans are hoping thatGestaltwill be referenced somehow, but nothing has been revealed yet.
8What We Learned: Connections To NieR Automata
Fans of bothNieRandNieR Automatanoticed that there were references to the first game in the 2017 installment. A few of the characters fromNieRreturned in the sequel and had a small role, making it so newcomers to the series didn’t feel like they were missing out on anything.
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When playing the upcoming game, fans can see if there are any new connections between the two titles, knowing that there already have been some. Those that didn’t get the chance to play the originalNieRcan now also experience the stories of the minor characters fromNieR Automata.
7Question We Have: Is It Connected To Nier Reincarnation?
Though fans know thatNieRAutomatahas referenced the gamethat started the spin-off story, there is a lot of mystery behind the other upcoming game in the series,NieR Reincarnation. It is a mobile game that explores other parts ofNieR’s universe. As this game is also set to release in 2021, it is going to be a great year for fans, and it would be very smart for the developers to use the two to promote each other the way thatNieR Automatawas able to make newcomers interested in the overall series.
6What We Learned: Platforms
As mentioned earlier, the original versions ofNieRwere released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360,NieR Automatawas released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows, andNieR Reincarnationwill be available on mobile devices. As this series has been accessible to many gamers, the improvedNieR Replicantwill continue the pattern and be playable on the same platforms asNieR Automatawas, giving fans a reason to hold onto their consoles longer despite the new generation recently releasing.
5Question We Have: Will The Characters Introduced In NieR Automata Return?
Though players know thatNieR Automatawas connected to the first game in a few subtle ways and hope that there will be more, it is uncertain whether the characters introduced in the newest title in the series will make an appearance.
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Some of their voice actors have recorded lines for the game, but it is said that they are playing the roles of new characters. However,this doesn’t stop fans from hopingthat 2B and 9S will show up, even if the game doesn’t focus on them.
4What We Learned: Release Date
It has been over ten years since the originalNieR Replicant, as well asGestalt, released. Though it isn’t going to release on the game’s actual anniversary, it is pretty close since the improved version is only a few months away. In Japan, it will release on June 04, 2025. As for the rest of the world, the game will come out the day after. The game can be pre-ordered now, making it a great gift for the holidays.
3Question We Have: Will There Be Any DLC?
Many Square Enix games have had great DLC and theNieRgames are of no exception. For those that playedNieR Replicant, they were able to play as the adult version ofNieRand vice versa. They also learned more about the titular character’s family in the DLC’s story and have access to new battles and costumes. How this DLC will be implemented into the upcoming version ofNieR Replicantis unknown, if it even comes along with the game. Fans are also curious as to whether or not there will be more DLC coming after the game releases, but it will most likely happen since it has for the other games in the series.
2What We Learned: Plot
Since this isn’t a new game, the plot has been known for over a decade now. Nier goes on a quest to save his little sister, Yonah, from the Black Scrawl, a fatal disease. Aiding him on his journey is Emil and Kainé, as well as the Grimoire Weiss, a talking book. They battle against the Shades, which are actually quite similar to the machines fromNieR Automata. LikeNeiR Automata, the game has interesting plot twists that fans did not see coming.
1Question We Have: Will There Be More Endings?
TheDrakengardseries has been known to have multiple endings, giving players more reasons to continue the game after thinking that they completed it. Whether this title will expand on the endings from its original version is unknown. It would be great to play as other characters and see how their stories conclude and learn more about the world that the series takes place in. Regardless, this is a new beginning forNeiR.
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