Review: Embrace The Strange And Specific In NIER: REPLICANT VER. 1.22474487139...
It seems like every generation of games has a very unique approach to adventure and story-driven content. The original NieR had some pretty good combat and an incredibly rich story. But it suffered from technical limitations, but not anymore. With NieR Replicant ver. 1.22474487139... on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, there are slick frame rates, greatly improved graphics, revamped combat, and more story to enjoy. It's safe to say this is the best way to enjoy the game and it might be one of the most compelling games of the year.
At its core, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is an action-adventure game that is driven by story. To fully grasp its story, players must be willing to put in the hours and pay close attention to detail. While it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, fans of the grim, slow-burn style can truly fall in love with these characters and gripping backgrounds. Because the story is so integral to the whole experience, we won’t discuss it or its number of endings. I will say that you better be ready to want to start playing it all over again as soon as you finish.
Some games can do just fine being a visual novel with some light mechanics, but NieR Replicant delivers almost as much engaging gameplay as it does story. This is primarily a hack and slash game with finesse and fancy footwork. You can get through most things with enough sword slashing. However, combining magic, guards, dodges with your sword skill is where this game shines. Balancing those things isn’t terribly complicated, it just takes practice, coordination, and good reflexes. Along with all that, the game constantly keeps things fresh by changing perspective and forcing players to go through side-scrolling platforming sections, top-down twin-stick shooter segments, and more. I think some more complex puzzles and more intense platforming could have rounded out the gameplay even more. But overall, it is still wildly entertaining and the creators knew how to keep the game feeling fresh after many many hours of playing. Even if this game was just running and slashing enemies, it would still be a good time. The backtracking and number of enemies may discourage some players and it can be a bit repetitive, but it is worth playing through if you enjoy the story. On a personal note, I loved combat, and so I never found it to be boring and enjoyed going through hundreds of enemies every time I sat down to play.
The last thing to know is the game's performance and updates. In 2017, NieR Automata was released and its sleek combat, innovative gameplay styles, and story made it a true wonder. Square Enix took the combat from Automata and applied it to the very similar combat in Replicant. If you watch the side-by-side comparison above, it is easy to see the similarities between the original and the current game. But it is also easy to spot how much more dynamic the gameplay is with his current battle system. The visual upgrade is also warmly welcomed. Refined character models, significantly sharper textures, and overhauled lighting all come together to make a really good-looking game. It isn’t PS5/ultra amazing graphics, but it looks and runs well enough to be enchanted by its visual design and style.
Not to sound pretentious, but NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is best described as a challenging piece of art. Sometimes art is meant to be easy, simple, and entertaining. While other art is meant to be experienced through intense observation, deeper processing, and time to fully understand it. This game is not meant for everybody and that’s just fine. But for those who want to put in the work, time, and play through a mind-bending story and many, many hours of combat, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… can be quite amazing.
