Nier (And Why You Should Play It)

[Foggle]

Nier is an action-adventure game developed by Cavia, a now-defunct studio best known for making licensed anime dreck, terrible Resident Evil light gun shooters, and infamous "classics" such as Bullet Witch and Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance. Their most notable wholly original title is a musou/flight sim mash-up named Drakengard, which is mostly remembered as "that weird Square Enix game with the giant flying babies." Much like the majority of Cavia's output, Drakengard is not a particularly good game, and often feels like the developers purposefully made it tedious just to mess with the player. Its own director reportedly "barely remembers" the game, and even expressed surprise that anyone actually liked it. And yet, the game is compulsively playable, because its story is probably the bleakest, most original, most unique, most batshit fucking insane fever dream ever transcribed for the medium.

Any player who manages to successfully make it to the end of Drakengard will be greeted by the hardest rhythm mini-game of all time, and anyone who beats that is "rewarded" with what may be the biggest troll ending in video game history. Allegedly, one of the producers hated this final segment so much that he demanded it be cut, but it ended up in the finished product regardless. Nier is a sequel to this ending. It may come as a shock, then, that Nier is not only my favorite video game of all time, but also one of my favorite pieces of fiction in general.

You may have heard of this game before, but it's not too surprising if you haven't. Internationally, it was released shortly after Final Fantasy XIII, and Square Enix buried it to advertise their own game. Almost all the publicity Nier received was based on the shock value that one of the characters is intersex, a topic which is handled tactfully and maturely in the game proper - far beyond the way in which pap like Polygon's or Kotaku's latest flavor of the month shallowly treats things of such a nature. It received mediocre reviews from American publications due to its graphics - which have erroneously been compared to something from the PS2 - and its inability to capture the spectacle of God of War or the gameplay depth of Ninja Gaiden. Why anyone assumed that fucking Cavia of all studios would be capable of either of these things will forever remain a mystery. (It's worth noting, however, that European and Japanese reviewers - as well as gamers themselves - were actually quite fond of the game.)

The graphics are fine. They aren't exactly great, but the art style is often good enough to keep them from being ugly. Besides, what this game lacks in technical prowess it more than makes up for with its jaw-dropping soundtrack. The one thing everyone - even its detractors - can universally agree on, is that Nier's music is simply beautiful. I do not exaggerate when I say that it might have the greatest OST ever recorded for a video game, if not in general. Every piece is fantastically layered and unlike anything I'd ever heard before playing this game, with some songs nearly reducing me to tears just because of how wonderful they were.

The gameplay being unfavorably compared to titles like Devil May Cry is simply ridiculous, because Nier has far more in common with The Legend of Zelda or Kingdom Hearts than an actual 3D hack 'n slash. By no means is the gameplay polished or deep, but it's unique enough to carry the entire 25+ hour adventure with ease. While outwardly Nier appears to be just a regular old action game with decent (if unspectacular) melee combat, it changes playstyles so many times throughout as to fit into no specific genre by the end. In normal combat, you chop up enemies using swords and spears, but you also have magic attacks, all of which are incredibly fun to play around with. One such magic is the ability to shoot red bullets straight out of a Touhou game at your enemies. Some of the foes you encounter (especially bosses) can use this magic as well, so sometimes the game turns into a third-person bullet hell title. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. One level resembles classic Resident Evil, right down to its setting and camera angles. Another plays out just like Diablo and its ilk. Sometimes Nier is a platformer. Sometimes it's a top-down shooter. Sometimes it's a text adventure. There are puzzles, there's fishing, there's even fucking farming, and to top it all off, it has some of the best boss fights in recent memory. None of the gameplay elements on their own would be good enough to base an entire game around, but nearly all of them are fun enough to the extent at which they're utilized in this one. By being a jack of all trades, Nier becomes a memorable experience through its gameplay alone.

But the best part of this game is undoubtedly the writing. There are games with good stories compared to other video games, there are games with stories that are legitimately good, and then there's Nier. It opens in the near future, with a middle-aged man trying to protect his daughter from monsters in a grocery store as a snowstorm rages outside. During the summer. Cut to 1,312 years later, and the same man is trying to find a cure for his same daughter's strange illness. Gone is the modern setting of the previous level, replaced by a somewhat a more typical fantasy setting. Already the game's plot is intriguing - why are the same people still alive so many years later? Why does the future look so... unfuturistic? What happened to the old world? All will become clear in due time, but for now you must worry about finding a cure for the protagonist's ailing daughter.

Nier is far from your stereotypical video game hero. For one, he's in his 40's, and the game has no intention of making him look good for his age. Moreover, his driving force is more personal and realistic than the standard "save the world" or "get revenge" plot; all he really wants is to help his daughter get better. This, on its own, is moving. If you don't feel at least a slight tinge of sadness reading some of Yonah's journal entries the first time you encounter them during load screens, I'll be shocked. Nier himself is a heavily flawed character, and perhaps the most truly "human" protagonist I've ever played as. He loves his daughter, but he hates spending time with her, because he can't stand to see her suffer like she does. But he really does care about her, and because of this, he will do literally anything for money. While the game's side quests are usually boring and/or tedious, this contextualizes them a bit, slyly referencing their mundane tedium by making it a key aspect of his overall character. (In case you're wondering, you only ever have to do three side quests, though most of them provide at least a couple lines of excellent party banter or more insight into the universe at large.)

It's not long before you meet your first two party members, and they are amazing. One of them is a pompous talking book with a penchant for sarcasm, and the other is a badass woman who often spouts lovely vulgarities like "I'll rip your fucking eyes out and piss in the sockets!" The former is Grimoire Weiss, your constant companion throughout the game as a whole, and something of a foil for Nier. The latter is Kaine, the best female character even written for a video game. By the time you've witnessed the game's true ending, there is no doubt in my mind that you'll love both of them. Their banter, both amongst themselves and with Nier, is exceptional, with nearly every line of dialogue spoken between this trio being worthy of praise.

In fact, this title has what is probably the most sophisticated sense of humor I've ever seen in a video game, with most laughs being the product of genuinely witty character-based dialogue. The exceptional voice acting sells every line, with Jamieson Price, Laura Bailey, and Liam O'Brien giving what are among the best performances of their careers. You'll meet a few other memorable characters before the story's end as well, including Emil, who joins your quest around the halfway point, and is probably the least annoying child party member I've ever seen. The writing for all of them is generally brilliant, but I think special praise must be given to Kaine. Much like Nier, she is a very complex and original character, though you won't truly know why until your second playthrough.

And speaking of multiple playthroughs, this game has three, culminating in four endings. The endings must be viewed in a specific order, with Ending A unlocking after playthrough 1, Ending B unlocking after playthrough 2, and a choice between Endings C and D after playthrough 3. And let me just say, while the story and general writing are brilliant throughout, you haven't even scratched the surface of the game's plot until you load up your save file after seeing Ending A. Thankfully, you only have to replay the second half of the game (maybe slightly less), and there's a lot different on your second time through. Revealing anything else would ruin the game's amazing storytelling, but I will say that the entire second playthrough is a steady stream of emotional gut punches that will leave you feeling emotionally devastated by the time the credits roll. No matter how rugged you are, you will probably cry at least a couple of times during Nier. I know I did.

Slowly, more and more secrets of the world and characters are revealed until everything finally clicks, and it just... works. I honestly have nothing bad to say about the writing in this game. It is straight-up phenomenal the whole way through. A couple of things won't make much sense unless you play Drakengard until the end (Nier's lone DLC pack, while light on story, also helps clear some things up), but that's just background information, really. I have never seen a finer, more moving, more emotionally-charged story in a video game.

I have no idea what the budget for this game was, but I would not be surprised if it was roughly on the level of indie games funded via Kickstarter. But what it doesn't have in production values, it has in heart. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. Nier is the direct inverse of blockbuster titles like Call of Duty and post-Bungie Halo. This game has more soul than any other I've played to date, to the point where you can tell that the obvious corners cut during development were due to a lack of proper funding rather than any sort of laziness or poor direction. Cavia clearly put everything they had into this game, as if their entire existence as a company since 2000 was leading up to this single release, and that they were disbanded because of it makes me weep.

I know I'm gushing, and I know many people won't agree with me, but I think it really is that good. It's not perfect - far from it - but that doesn't even matter. Nier is what video games are all about. I haven't touched it since finishing it in early January, but I still think and talk about it every single day. More than I ever have with a game, even back when I was a kid. Just this once, I can say a video game is beautiful; it is art. It's not some bullshit "narrative-driven experience" with no gameplay. It's not interested in shoving hour-long cutscenes down your throat. It's not trying to be deep by aping the style of a French arthouse film and calling it a day. It's a game where the well-written story, characters, and dialogue are its main selling points, but one that also never tries to pretend it's a movie. This is what the industry should be aspiring to if it wants to be taken seriously by outsiders.

I was planning on waiting until Drakengard 3 released to make a thread about the whole series, but upon checking Amazon, I realized that I wanted to write this now while it's still possible to acquire copies of the game for less than $50. Since purchasing it back in December, the PS3 version's price has skyrocketed from $25 new and $10 used to $70+ new and $30+ used. The Xbox 360 version is cheaper, but not by much. I implore anyone here with an open mind and a taste for the unusual to snag a copy before they're all gone.

As an aside, while I may have been kind of hard on Drakengard at the beginning of my thread, I do like the game. It's not at all fun, but the story is right up my alley, and the series' lore (Nier included) is deep, dark, and wonderfully written. I can't wait to play Drakengard 3 next month! It promises to be more in line with the quality of Nier than that of its similarly-titled predecessors.

As another aside, there is absolutely nothing I like about Drakengard 2, which is why I never mentioned it earlier in the thread. In my head-canon, Nier is Drakengard 2.

[Foggle]

You guys...

TL;DR

Nier has unique gameplay with lots of content
Nier has an exquisitely written story with great dialogue and humor
Nier has a beautiful OST
Nier has exceptional voice acting

I've also had the pleasure of playing this game, and it really is an experience. I'm halfway through my second playthrough (trying to complete all the sidequests), because the dialogue is really that good - it is worth doing mundane fetch quests just to hear Weiss banter with Nier and Kaine. The music is lush, extremely memorable and intensely moving. I really love it. Please play this game. I haven't even scratched the surface of how good this game is.

Thank you!

[LumRanmaYasha]

Nier sounds like a great game and an excellent experience, Foggle, and seems like something that'd be totally up my alley as well. I don't really play video games much anymore (last game I played was Pokemon X way back in October....and I didn't even finish it), but since I'll have a decent amount of free time this summer and want to try out more games, I'll be sure to check it out as soon as I'm able to. 

[Foggle]

Nier sounds like a great game and an excellent experience, Foggle, and seems like something that'd be totally up my alley as well. I don't really play video games much anymore (last game I played was Pokemon X way back in October....and I didn't even finish it), but since I'll have a decent amount of free time this summer and want to try out more games, I'll be sure to check it out as soon as I'm able to. 

Yay! I hope you can find a copy for a decent price.

[Rosalinas Spare Wand]

I haven't played Nier, but I do remember hearing some talk about it when it originally came out. I don't remember this much love for it, but it definitely seemed to resound with people who were looking for something different from Japan.

I also associate it with Resonance of Fate as some of those underexposed PS3 games that seem to have nothing but good things heard about it yet barely made a dent overseas.

[talonmalon333]

I've never played it but you make it sound interesting. It looks like the game got a bit of a mixed reception, but I'd like to try it for myself. Besides, I put more faith into your opinions, Foggle, than video game reviewers.

[Foggle]

Thanks, Talon! I hope you like it!

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I've never trusted game journalists for nearly a decade, now. So, I'll give this game a shot one of these days. Last time I took a recommendation from Foggle I played F.E.A.R. and found a new favorite FPS game, so I have no reason to doubt you.

[Spark Of Spirit]

This is the game that a journalist gave up on and wrote an article because he "couldn't figure out how to fish".

I played it after that. Good game. I do like action adventure games.

[Foggle]

I've never trusted game journalists for nearly a decade, now. So, I'll give this game a shot one of these days. Last time I took a recommendation from Foggle I played F.E.A.R. and found a new favorite FPS game, so I have no reason to doubt you.

I'm not sure you'll like it as much as I do, but I hope you enjoy it! The Xbox 360 version is cheaper and easier to come by than the PS3 one, luckily.

This is the game that a journalist gave up on and wrote an article because he "couldn't figure out how to fish".

I played it after that. Good game. I do like action adventure games.

[Foggle]

I still implore everyone to play this masterpiece. GameStop recently did a second print run (or found a bunch of copies in some warehouse, I dunno), so it should be cheaper now.

This is the game that a journalist gave up on and wrote an article because he "couldn't figure out how to fish".

I found this recently. He also made a video where he ragequits the game because he can't fish properly. Said "journalist" later went on to found Polygon. Explains a lot about that site, really.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Perhaps I'll pick it up along with AR and some other games after I finish my board exam on Tuesday.

As for what people said about the game, I have long since learned to never take what modern game journalists say the least bit seriously. I mean, these are the same types of people who praise games like Five Nights at Freddy's as being legitimately scary when it's literally nothing but staring at robots in animal costumes on security cameras and shutting doors for about an hour (I'm not even shitting you, that's literally everything there is to the game). Meanwhile, games that actually try to be games are apparently terrible because they dared to trust the player to learn how to play the game for themselves rather than treating them like idiots who need to be spooned everything (which is basically why The Womderful 101 is a bad game, according to modern game journalists). If you disagree with this, then you're apparently wrong, because they have a bull-shit journalism degree from some third-rate unheard of University to hide behind and you don't.

No, but seriously, fuck those people. I'd play Nier just to spite them.

[Foggle]

Perhaps I'll pick it up along with AR and some other games after I finish my board exam on Tuesday.

Cool. I do hope you enjoy it. Probably a bit more story- and character-focused than what I think you usually like, but the gameplay is still really exciting and unique IMO. If you've ever enjoyed anything by Suda51, you should be able to have a good amount of fun with it. Many bashed incessantly on the core combat, but while it's miles below something like DMC or NG, I think it's actually quite a bit better than a lot of titles. The magic attacks and different weapon types keep it interesting, in any case, and the boss fights are just awesome. Though you might want to skip the side quests unless you really like the character dialogue... most of them aren't particularly engaging. You'll still get somewhere between 20-30 hours out of it, regardless.

Just be sure to do New Game+ to unlock Endings B, C, and D. Trust me on this. The second playthrough (half playthrough, really) is like a whole different game in terms of story. Then you have to collect all the weapons (which is extremely easy with just a wee bit of walkthrough perusing), and speed through another half playthrough to fight the actual final boss and see the true ending. Which, trust me, is worth it. Ending D is pretty much the greatest conclusion to a video game ever.

As a side note, from the soundtracks you've praised in the past, I think you'll really like the music in this game. It's beautiful!

As for what people said about the game, I have long since learned to never take what modern game journalists say the least bit seriously. I mean, these are the same types of people who praise games like Five Nights at Freddy's as being legitimately scary when it's literally nothing but staring at robots in animal costumes on security cameras and shutting doors for about an hour (I'm not even shitting you, that's literally everything there is to the game). Meanwhile, games that actually try to be games are apparently terrible because they dared to trust the player to learn how to play the game for themselves rather than treating them like idiots who need to be spooned everything (which is basically why The Womderful 101 is a bad game, according to modern game journalists). If you disagree with this, then you're apparently wrong, because they have a bull-shit journalism degree from some third-rate unheard of University to hide behind and you don't.

No, but seriously, fuck those people. I'd play Nier just to spite them.

Funny how Five Nights at Freddy's is getting such positive reception when it seems to literally just be a less terrible version of Night Trap. Perhaps it is actually scary and/or has an interesting storyline, but the evil animatronics look more goofy than anything else to me.

The Wonderful 101 is so good! Probably the best game of last year. I can't believe how out of touch games "journalists" seem to be with my personal taste. If it's gameplay-focused, and the gameplay is in any way complicated, they probably hate it. If it's story-focused, and the story is in any way complicated, they probably also hate it. Good lord.

Nier is not for everyone, but it's definitely one of those hidden gems that will be remembered as a cult classic 10 years from now. Reviewers and mainstream gamers hated it at the time of release, but as the years pass, its fanbase appears to be slowly-but-steadily growing. Seems that every website I've seen it mentioned on recently has tons of people referring to it as the finest home console RPG of last gen.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Cool. I do hope you enjoy it. Probably a bit more story- and character-focused than what I think you usually like, but the gameplay is still really exciting and unique IMO.

To be clear, I'm all for great story-lines in video games. It's just that I hate it when gameplay feels like it's being too limited and constricted all for the sake of story. Basically, I just don't like games that are constantly forcing you to play in whatever way looms really cinematic. For instance, I was playing CoD Black Ops today, as my brother had it and I wanted to unwind and play something casual since I'm done studying and just waiting for my board exam in Tuesday. I spent the next hour literally feeling like most of the game was being played for me, and just as I was starting to get into any particular moment, some scripted set-piece in which I couldn't move my character except for very basic actions came up. It was one of the most bafflingly frustrating experiences I've ever had in a game. I just couldn't believe myself as I was playing a game that constantly refused to actually let me PLAY it. If Nier has a lot of story, but doesn't force me to constantly stop playing just to present me with whatever self-indulgent cinematic experience it wants to fool me into thinking that I'm playing, then I'll be just fine with it.

If you've ever enjoyed anything by Suda51, you should be able to have a good amount of fun with it. Many bashed incessantly on the core combat, but while it's miles below something like DMC or NG, I think it's actually quite a bit better than a lot of titles.

I'm fine with that. I prefer satisfying combat and interesting enemies over just having crazy combos, for the most part. In that regard, NG games have markedly simpler combat than DMC 3 and 4, yet it's my favorite game in the genre. Games like DMC1 and MGRR also have even more simplistic combat mechanics, but they have such clever design that the combat always stays fun and I never grow tired of it.

Just be sure to do New Game+ to unlock Endings B, C, and D. Trust me on this. The second playthrough (half playthrough, really) is like a whole different game in terms of story. Then you have to collect all the weapons (which is extremely easy with just a wee bit of walkthrough perusing), and speed through another half playthrough to fight the actual final boss and see the true ending. Which, trust me, is worth it. Ending D is pretty much the greatest conclusion to a video game ever.

I'm always up for more replay value.

As a side note, from the soundtracks you've praised in the past, I think you'll really like the music in this game. It's beautiful!

That's good to know. I've been wanting to play more modern games with good music. So many these days just done put much real effort into it.

[quote{Funny how Five Nights at Freddy's is getting such positive reception when it seems to literally just be a less terrible version of Night Trap. Perhaps it is actually scary and/or has an interesting storyline, but the evil animatronics look more goofy than anything else to me.[/quote]

To be fair, the game itself has a sort of tongue in cheek attitude about itself, and doesn't take itself seriously, sort of like a practical joke to have fun making a friend play or something. The hilarious thing is that many journalists apparently miss this and take it super seriously as a legitimate survival horror game. To be equally fair to Night Trap, though, I'd say that's a more entertaining game just based in the ground that it's unintentionally funny, whereas this game's one and only running gag wears thin really fast. I did watch a "playthrough" of the game, and it is in fact absolutely nothing but waiting around while looking at security cameras and shutting doors.

The Wonderful 101 is so good! Probably the best game of last year. I can't believe how out of touch games "journalists" seem to be with my personal taste. If it's gameplay-focused, and the gameplay is in any way complicated, they probably hate it. If it's story-focused, and the story is in any way complicated, they probably also hate it. Good lord.

You know it's bad when at least half of the people officially qualified as game journalists these days haven't even touched a game from before last-gen, save for HD ports.

Nier is not for everyone, but it's definitely one of those hidden gems that will be remembered as a cult classic 10 years from now. Reviewers and mainstream gamers hated it at the time of release, but as the years pass, its fanbase appears to be slowly-but-steadily growing. Seems that every website I've seen it mentioned on recently has tons of people referring to it as the finest home console RPG of last gen.

Yeah, even if they aren't popular, great games that were made by developers who really cared and put effort into their product will eventually find their following, and the uninspired crap that pretentious critics praise because they wouldn't know good story-writing and nuance if it got shoved straight up their ass will eventually be forgotten once they move onto whatever is the new fad of the time. Seriously, who the hell is going to remember something like Limbo 10 years from now?

[Foggle]

To be clear, I'm all for great story-lines in video games. It's just that I hate it when gameplay feels like it's being too limited and constricted all for the sake of story. Basically, I just don't like games that are constantly forcing you to play in whatever way looms really cinematic. For instance, I was playing CoD Black Ops today, as my brother had it and I wanted to unwind and play something casual since I'm done studying and just waiting for my board exam in Tuesday. I spent the next hour literally feeling like most of the game was being played for me, and just as I was starting to get into any particular moment, some scripted set-piece in which I couldn't move my character except for very basic actions came up. It was one of the most bafflingly frustrating experiences I've ever had in a game. I just couldn't believe myself as I was playing a game that constantly refused to actually let me PLAY it. If Nier has a lot of story, but doesn't force me to constantly stop playing just to present me with whatever self-indulgent cinematic experience it wants to fool me into thinking that I'm playing, then I'll be just fine with it.

Ah, I see what you mean. Nier has fairly short cutscenes - the absolutely longest ones are about five minutes in length I believe - and they're not especially prevalent. Most of the story is told through in-game dialogue, meaning that the main characters talk amongst themselves while you're fighting or exploring. It's kind of "modern old-school" in terms of game design (as in, something from the N64-PS2 era), meaning that the levels are fairly linear but the gameplay is generally organic. I think there are only two or three cinematic set-piece moments in the entire game, and even those still require actual player input. There are also a couple of bits where you basically end up reading a novel for a good half hour, but the prose is well-written and the narrative engaging. These segments actually fit the game well in context and serve as a good way to add variety despite budget constraints.

I'm fine with that. I prefer satisfying combat and interesting enemies over just having crazy combos, for the most part. In that regard, NG games have markedly simpler combat than DMC 3 and 4, yet it's my favorite game in the genre. Games like DMC1 and MGRR also have even more simplistic combat mechanics, but they have such clever design that the combat always stays fun and I never grow tired of it.

The enemies look cool but aren't particularly varied outside of bosses, but that's a plot-point so it works out okay IMO. The combat is usually easy (unless you play on Hard mode, which I hear is legitimately unfair), but it can be satisfying if you take advantage of the various tools at your disposal. The mechanics aren't deep, but your options are.

To be fair, the game itself has a sort of tongue in cheek attitude about itself, and doesn't take itself seriously, sort of like a practical joke to have fun making a friend play or something. The hilarious thing is that many journalists apparently miss this and take it super seriously as a legitimate survival horror game. To be equally fair to Night Trap, though, I'd say that's a more entertaining game just based in the ground that it's unintentionally funny, whereas this game's one and only running gag wears thin really fast. I did watch a "playthrough" of the game, and it is in fact absolutely nothing but waiting around while looking at security cameras and shutting doors.

Aw, lame. I figured there had to be more to it than that judging by the overwhelmingly positive reception.

You know it's bad when at least half of the people officially qualified as game journalists these days haven't even touched a game from before last-gen, save for HD ports.

Yeah, even if they aren't popular, great games that were made by developers who really cared and put effort into their product will eventually find their following, and the uninspired crap that pretentious critics praise because they wouldn't know good story-writing and nuance if it got shoved straight up their ass will eventually be forgotten once they move onto whatever is the new fad of the time. Seriously, who the hell is going to remember something like Limbo 10 years from now?

I keep forgetting Limbo exists even today.