A quirky and earnest story undercut by a haphazard PC port
In the not-so-distant year of 2053, a young boy huddles in the ruins of a supermarket clutching a metal pipe. It’s summertime, at least by the old calendar’s reckoning, but snowflakes whip through the abandoned city streets. Shadowy figures approach, and the boy can think only of protecting his ailing younger sister. An ominous book lies on the floor nearby, tempting him with the power to take on any foe.
So begins Neir Replicant ver.1.22474487139…, a modernised “version upgrade” of the original, 2010 Japanese release of Nier. Like its sequel Nier: Automata, Replicant tells an earnest story that unfolds across a variety of genres, switching from character action, to platforming, to bullet hell, to text over an empty background. This new edition features a welcome refresh of the original’s primitive PS3 visuals, updated combat, new voice acting by the original cast, and a polished script. But the PC port? Not
Drakengard spin-off
NieR was released as two separate versions:
NeiR Gestalt, where the protagonist is Yonah’s father, and
NieR Replicant, with a much younger protagonist being Yonah’s brother. Aside from the character model, relationship to Yonah and minor dialogue differences, the two games are essentially the same. The player is free to name the protagonist whatever they want, but for the review he shall be called Nier.
NieR Gestalt was released outside of Japan as
NieR to lukewarm critical reception, but developed a decent-sized cult following. After the huge success of
NieR Automata interest in the original title increased and for the first time ever
A new trailer for NieR Replicant Ver. 1.22474487139 shows off the additional content that players can take on when they finally get their hands on it later this week. Among the new content on show are outfits, a look at the Mermaid Episode, and a new dungeon called 15 Nightmares.
Fans of NieR Automata can expect some cameos from voice actors, outfits, weapons, and even original music. The voices returning for NeiR Replicant include Kyrle McCarley, Kaoru Akiyama, Kira Buckland, Aoi Yuki, Natsuki Hanae, Ayaka Suwa, and Yui Ishikawa.
The new dungeon, 15 Nightmares, is a fast-paced series of encounters that require speed, skill, and knowledge of the series to work through. They’ll provide an additional challenge that players of all skills can enjoy.