NIER

"Weiss, you dumbass! Start making sense, you rotten book, or you're gonna be sorry! Maybe I'll rip your pages out, one-by-one! Or maybe I'll put you in the goddamn furnace! How can someone with such a big, smart brain get hypnotized like a little bitch?! Huh!? Oh, Shadowlord! I love you, Shadowlord! Come over here and give Weiss a big sloppy kiss, Shadowlord! Now pull your head out of your goddamn ass and START FUCKING HELPING US!!"

Nier will do anything to save his daughter Yonah from her mysterious illness. Kill monsters, make pacts with magical books, run random errands for the townsfolk, save the world…anything, really.

( Commentary on gameplay and minimal spoilers. )

Overall: This game is a trip, easily on par with the original Drakengard. I’m not going to spoil it. If you really want the details without playing the game, you can look up the Let’s Play. But I think you should play the game—if you don’t get into sidequests, it’s not terribly long; the system is intuitive and fun to play; and the plot and characterization are totally there.

NIER - Backstory and Plot Analysis

Okay, fine, you asked for it. The story of NIER, as best I understand it. Note that a lot of this only appears on loading screens or supplemental materials; it seems like Cavia had hopeful plans for an interquel until they closed up shop.

( Spoilers like WHOA. )

Metal Saga

Civilization fell because of the Great Destruction, but humanity’s pulling through just fine. There’s lots of old tech out there just waiting to be found, and lots of outlaws that’ll fetch a big reward for the Hunter that brings ‘em in. Salvage a tank for yourself out of the old junk heap and get to it!

( Please wait, loading review... )

Overall: Meh. The game lacks a strong narrative thrust, any particularly noteworthy characterization, or anything standout in the system. It’s generic hunt-and-grind without anything special about it. And you probably lose ten minutes of every hour of play time to loading. Don’t bother.

Also, note to game designers: If your playtesters like the idea of a fast-forward button for battles, then your battles (and/or the need to grind) are too frequent and too repetitive.