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TLDR: Weird and existential, but at its a core, a fun and addicting fighting game

“Everything that lives is designed to end. We are perpetually trapped in a never-ending spiral of life and death. Is this a curse? Or some kind of punishment? I often think about the god who blessed us with this cryptic puzzle… and wonder if we’ll ever get the chance to kill him.”

The opening monologue of Nier: Automata lets you know up front what you're getting into.

The game takes place almost ten thousand years in the future. Aliens have come to Earth, creating hordes of hostile machines designed to eradicate human life. The fragmented remnants of humanity have fled to the moon and placed their well-being in the hands of YoRHa, the android military force designed to carry the fight to the aliens and robots alike.

The player starts off by stepping into the role of 2B, a YoRHa soldier on a mission. You can play with a controller or the keyboard. I thought the controller worked a bit better. 2B is accompanied by a pod, a floating arsenal/personal advisor that tails behind her and will fire at enemies on command. The opening sequence resembles something of an arcade shooter as 2B descends from the Bunker (YoRHa's orbital fortress) in an armed flight unit. The game will return to this style of play from time to time.

Controls and moves are generally easy. 2B has light and heavy attacks, an evade move that renders her invincible for a half second or so, and her pod's attacks, some of which are customizable. Various weapons are available in the game and can be upgraded with resources laying around the city, desert, and forest areas where missions occur. Player skills can also be upgraded via plug-in chips, reflecting the idea that 2B and her companions are in fact androids and not quite human themselves. This concept becomes more important the longer the game progresses.

All areas are crawling with various types of machines, the majority of which are openly hostile, so the threat of combat is ever-present. Many mobs can be easily avoided, but where's the fun in that? I really liked the fighting in this game, especially against boss mobs. It always felt fast, responsive, and satisfying. 2B will gain health with level ups and there is a variety of side content (as well as the main story) to assist in this.

As the player continues, the more philosophical elements of the game start to emerge. Without getting into spoilers, things on the machine-infested world are not always what they seem and the ideas of what makes something human--or sentient--start to take center stage. The concepts of emotions, a soul, and the very meaning of existence end up being questioned. This all may become too heavy for some players, especially if they were seeking a more traditional action game. There are some odd elements in the game, including the options to go fishing and to ride massive moose and boar mobs. These facets seems out of place ... at least, on the surface.

There are many endings to the game, by which I mean various points the story could end. If you are someone determined to end a game on a hopeful note, I very much recommend stopping at the end of the first run (ending A). Past ending A, the player will dip into the shoes of other androids and characters, especially 9S, the scout and hacker companion to 2B. 9S's chapters have a heavy reliance on hacking, which is a bullet-hell subgame accompanied by an 8-bit musical tone. I have to say, I absolutely hated the hacking sequences, especially late-game. Feather-touch precision is a requirement to get through them and I just don't have it.

If you asked my opinion on whether it's better to stop or not, I'd say to press on past ending A, even though I like an upbeat ending. Subsequent endings are depressing but man, they are deep--and the other endings offer a great deal more of the story, philosophy, and intense scrutiny of our humanity's own sense of things. A player may find themselves asking, "What is the point of all this?" ... and that thought itself kind of is the point. The final meaning on the ending E may take some time to sink in but when it does, it's worth it. From a gameplay perspective, each ending buffs up the enemies stalking the land, so stay on your toes when you head back out there.

The visuals of the game are pretty enough. The sound design overall is above average but the soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal, with haunting melodies that shift into fast-paced instrumentals in certain fights. It's one of the best musical scores I have ever encountered in a video game.

I also have to say, I found Nier: Automata to run flawlessly. I've read that some players had issues with this port but that wasn't my experience. I had no crashes, bugs or glitches. A very smooth experience. Steam Achievements are mostly achievable without trouble but *SPOILER* after the player has completed the first three endings, achievements can be unlocked with in-game currency--a tongue-in-cheek move that further adds to the pondering as to whether any of this has any meaning, even the achievements.

Nier: Automata is--to put it simply--an excellent game. I really enjoyed it and I figure I will pull it off the shelf to replay sometime. I'd recommend anyone who enjoys action-adventure style games give this one a try.


Pros
- Invigorating, free-flowing combat
- Multiple endings offer good replay value
- Superb musical score

Cons
- The ethical implications of the story will be hit or miss with players
- Hacking mini-game gets annoying over time

Final Score: 8.5/10