After the success of NieR: Automata, many wondered how the series would continue. The first game, NieR, received moderate praise after its release in 2010, but there were some aspects that kept it from being a standout title and stepping out of the shadows of its follower.
But now with its upgraded version, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… almost all the complaints I had with the original are gone. It can be the same for others who fell in love with it 11 years ago.
NieR Replicant Ver.1.22474487139… Review: Better Than Before
NieR Replicant follows a teenage protagonist (as opposed to the middle-aged protagonist in the original Western release, NieR: Gestalt) who hopes to find a cure for Black Scrawl, a disease that afflicts his sister, Yonah. Throughout his journey, he is accompanied by several well-rounded and personality-filled companions: a talking book named Grimoire Weiss, a rude girl named Kainé, and a shy young boy named Emil.
Replicant's story is incredibly heartfelt and perhaps one of its highlights; newcomers will surely appreciate it, while veterans will vividly remember the heartfelt journey they embarked on over a decade ago. That's not to say there aren't surprises in store for those who played the original, with the inclusion of a new story piece and the original World of Recycled Vessel DLC.
Like a typical NieR game, getting Replicant's different endings requires multiple playthroughs. The game is split into two parts, and luckily after getting an ending, Replicant sends you back to the start of the second part rather than starting from the very beginning.
After the very first playthrough, you're also treated to additional scenes throughout subsequent playthroughs, so Replicant does a good job of telling players what they need to do to reach additional endgames. Some endings also have significant consequences, and for those who want to see every part of the game's story, there are plenty of warnings that certain choices lock in certain conclusions.
The fight is a replica of automata
Worm. The gameplay of 1.22474487139... is its biggest upgrade over the original game. Combat is smoother and much more in tune with NieR: Automata. NieR: Replicant also runs at 60 FPS, so every move and attack feels as smooth as ever.
Magic attacks when using Weiss are also revamped. In the original, Weiss charges attacks to make them more powerful, such as when charging Dark Lance, summons more Dark Weapons to shoot enemies. However, in the original, players must stand still while the entire attack animation plays out. Here players can attack with their melee weapon while charging magic attacks, something carried over from NieR: Automata.
Additionally, pressing the right button down activates the new lock-on mechanism, making it easier to aim at enemies and target certain areas of a boss than in the original.
All of these gameplay changes help improve NieR Replicant and the overall experience, making the game more enjoyable every moment.
The presentation has also been improved, with Square developing new character models for the main cast. Script localization was tightened, with many of the voice actors from the original game returning to deliver their lines in spectacular fashion.
On top of that, the music has been re-recorded, helping the soundtrack of pianos, organs, and eerie vocals reach new heights. The songs help sell the mystical fantasy atmosphere that complements Replicant's interesting lore.
Some old problems persist
While the game is generally excellent, there are a mix of new and persistent issues that can get in your way.
The majority of the side quests in the original NieR are simple fetch quests. Either they don't add to the game's lore or world-building, or they offer below-average items as rewards. Although completing quests earns you money, some quests are way too long to be worth completing. Unfortunately, there are hardly any changes to side quests in NieR Replicant.
Unfortunately, fast travel is unlocked during the second half of the game, which means having to run between each area to complete certain quests becomes incredibly tedious during the first half of the game. approaching or entering the second part of the game, and there is no advance notice that this will happen.
However, that doesn't mean there aren't side quests worth doing. Some can reward you with new weapons or increase your fishing level, for example. Some also have more world-building than others. But of the roughly 100 side quests available, only 10 or 15 of them are worth pursuing.
Most battles take place from a 3D perspective, just like in Automata, and while the camera sometimes switches to a 2D or top-down perspective – something that keeps gameplay fresh – fights can get a bit stale as there are has very little variety of enemies.
I'm also a bit disappointed that there aren't any specific fixes or improvements for the new generation of consoles. Replicant's graphics are relatively similar between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and it doesn't look like the new PlayStation 5 hardware is improving load times.
While I appreciate Replicant running at least 60fps, I wish there was a little more effort to optimize the game for the latest hardware and push for features like 4K graphics .
NieR Replicant Ver. 1.22474487139 … Review – The Bottom Line
Benefits
- Refined combat based on NieR: Automata makes the game a pleasure to play
- New story content adds value for those who have already played the original
- Improved localization, script and voice acting, along with new character models and re-recorded music, enhance the overall experience
The inconvenients
- Majority of side quests are still fetch quests that don't offer much
- Enemy variety is lacking
- No improvements or fixes for the latest console generation
Although not perfect, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… manages to fix the biggest flaw of the original game, which is its gameplay. After being polished and modeled after NieR: Automata's combat, NieR Replicant is absolutely fantastic to play.
Fans of the original will also appreciate the new perspective the teenage protagonist brings to the table. This game is the perfect entry point for newcomers and the definitive way for veterans to relive a truly iconic game.
[Note: Square Enix provided the copy of NieR Replicant Ver. 1.22474487139 used for this review.]
