Nier ReviewDescription - Nier is an single player role playing game (RPG) on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox360, developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. Released in April 2010 and directed by Yoko Taro. In Japan Nier Gestalt was an Xbox360 exclusive, later being released on the PlayStation 3 under the name of Nier Replicant.
Story - You play as Nier, a titan of a man who is seeking a cure for his daughter Yonah's illness known as the "Black Scrawl". Teaming up with a magical book known as Grimoir Weiss, he travels with two other characters, Kaine and Emil. As he strives to discover a remedy and come to understand the dark creatures known as "Shades" that infest the land.
The story for Nier is stunning, giving you as the player an amazing amount of story line. With in depth interactions between characters, you can truly feel close to each character. For me personally the story had a great deal of appeal to it, drawing me in to conclude areas and see the outcome. The story also offers some comical moments between characters, along with some colorful choice in language. Which made me grow more attached to the story as it went on, as it made the story feel more personal. Parts of the story can feel drawn out in places, but this mainly revolves around quests that you can take on from people within the game, these are optional so you have no obligation to do them, unless it is directly related to the main story. But even those have their charm, as some stories have a touching plot to them, which adds to the overall story. As you play through the game, and explore the story that unfolds and mysteries that can keep you guessing, even past the ending, are truly something special. And another refreshing part of the story, is that to have all of your questions answered, you will need to play the game 3 times. Thou to some this may seem tedious, I found this to be a rather nice aspect, as it means something new when you go back to play it again.
Combat - Most of your journey will be spent fighting monsters, and the combat system in Nier is great for it. As you go through the game, you will unlock a variety of new magic abilities, you gain these by fighting shades that hold a sealed verse. Once acquired, you can mix and match the skills to best suit you, and easily deploy them in combat. The results are note worthy, as some skills you gain can help in those tight spots of combat. Something interesting about Nire, is that in some cases an area you are in can completely change its layout. In one screen you could have the normal screen you see most of, but in the next it can switch to a 2D overlay. I found this to add interest with combat, as it provided a different look and feel to the fighting and puzzle solving. Throughout your adventure, Weiss will learn words that you can use, which will ultimately buff your stats. It is also possible to upgrade your weapons, which can give that much more power for your swing, but in order to do so you will need to hunt down the required materials.
Graphics - Initially the graphics didn't really grab me. With high glare in some places, it made me not enjoy some areas. But disregarding that, the graphics did grow on me, and I would recommend anyone wanting to play this game to do so in HD, as it made the overall experience that much more captivating. With some beautifully designed landscapes and buildings, that made me stop to take it in Nier doesn't lack charm in graphics. Cut scenes are nice and clear, which is always something I appreciate, and boss enemies within the game stand out. For me, I didn't find that many faults with the graphics. Facial expressions and even rocks had a good amount of detail to them. Anyone playing Nier or thinking of playing it, should feel comfortable with the graphics, and have a good gaming experience.
Sound - The sound in this game, for lack of a better word was beautiful. Music was enchanting to hear, and fit the mood of the game. Voice acting was also top notch, fitting each respected character very well, and really making you relate to the character. This was great, as the comical scenes were made that much more hilarious as a result. Players should thoroughly enjoy the sound throughout.
Depth - Though this game isn't as depth filled as most, it still offers a variety of things to enjoy. With good exploration value and plenty of quests to take on, you as the player should always find yourself with something to do. The main story can be completed in around 17 hours, extending it for anyone wanting to take up the extra tasks to 34 hours or so. But the game has great re play value, for anyone wanting to find out all the answers. So you can quite easily start it over, and enjoy anything new as a result.
Addictiveness - Nier has definitely got its moments of addiction. At times grabbing me so much in to the story that I couldn't put my controller down. Plots and characters will pull you in, and leave you wanting to know more about them, and what will happen next. If the story and interesting mix of conversation and action appeals to you like it did for me, you will be entertained for hours on end.
Difficulty - Like many games, difficulty in this game offers you three choices. Easy, normal and hard, I played on normal, and didn't find the battles to much of a challenge. Locations are easy to traverse, and found very few instances where I was overwhelmed. Enemies can surround you at times, which can prove to be more of an annoyance than a challenge. None the less, despite it not being to difficult, it was still an enjoyable game to play through.
Overall - After playing through Nier, it didn't turn out to what I thought it was going to be. The combat, magic and puzzles were quite fun, but the overall star of the game is the story. Even after beating the game, I still had no idea what had happened. When you load your cleared game, it will start you off about half way through, so you don't really have to play it all the way through again, as it places you near key points of the story. Which makes getting the answers you want all the more easier to acquire. Regardless, if you are looking for a good amount of content for your cash, full of monsters, combat and amazing story and sound, Nier is worth a try.
Graphics
8 Sound
9 Addictive
8 Depth
8 Story
9 Difficulty
5
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