NieR Replicant Xbox and PC review: The definitive version of NieR: Automata's prequel

NieR Replicant Source: Windows Key

If you lot've ever heard of the NieR series, chances are it'due south because of 2022's critically-acclaimed hit NieR: Automata. The game wowed players and critics akin with its beautifully animated free-flowing combat systems, extraordinary soundtrack, and storytelling that, while unconventional, was nevertheless some of the best of what the video game medium has to offer. Something a lot of players don't know, though, is that Automata has a prequel — 2022'south NieR Replicant.

Replicant, like its sequel, was often praised for its writing and music. However, the game failed to achieve mainstream audiences due to its disappointing visuals, middling combat, and a drove of side missions saturated with fetch quests. Despite this, though, the game has gained a cult following since its release, and its fans have been hoping for a remake for years.

These wishes have now been granted. Developers from Cavia, the game'due south original development studio, have collaborated with developer Toylogic to modernize and improve upon NieR Replicant in a remake. By performing an overhaul to the combat, adding new visuals, including new dialogue, and more than, the developers aimed to offer fans the definitive version of the game. Later playing through it, I can confidently say that the remake is one of the all-time games I've played in recent years, although it isn't without a few disappointing faults.

Nier Replicant Reco Box

NieR Replicant

Bottom line: The NieR Replicant remake is an excellent activity RPG with ane of the best game stories e'er and updated combat, but it's not without a few issues.

The Good

Superb story and characters
First-class Automata-style combat
Incredible music, great visuals
Good overall performance

The Bad

Quality-of-life features missing
Too many fetch quest side missions
Some FPS drops in cutscenes

NieR Replicant: Story and setting

NieR Replicant Source: Windows Central

Category	NieR Replicant
Title	NieR Replicant
Developer	Toylogic
Publisher	Square Enix
Genre	Action RPG
Platforms	Xbox, PC
Minimum Requirements	Bone: Windows 10, Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 1300X or Intel Core i5-6400, Retention: 8 GB RAM, Graphics: AMD Radeon R9 270X or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
Game Size	24.three GB
Players	Single
Launch Engagement	Apr 23, 2022
Launch Cost	$sixty

Without a doubt, the all-time thing about NieR Replicant is its incredible writing. Set thousands of years earlier the events of NieR: Automata, Replicant focuses on a young adult Nier every bit he struggles to detect a cure for the Black Scrawl, a mysterious illness that has afflicted many people — including his picayune sister, Yonah — around the world. Along the way, he'due south helped by several allies, including the sharp-tongued magical book Grimoire Weiss, a crude and vulgar adult female named Kainé who is often shunned by others due to how half of her body is possessed past a dark Shade creature, and Emil, a young male child who suffers from a condition that causes anyone who makes eye contact with him to turn to rock.

NieR Replicant is an emotional rollercoaster that's overflowing with centre and soul.

Replicant, much similar Automata, is undeniably a weird game. That existence said, people who are able to overlook its abstract nature will find a narrative overflowing with heart and soul, especially when it comes to the game'southward bandage. Every graphic symbol in the story has rich, wonderful depth, and the fashion that they collaborate with each other and the world around them feels conceivable. New lines of dialogue added in the remake heighten these interactions (and the meaning behind them) further.

The game's plot is rather confusing at times, but I believe this is actually to the narrative'south benefit since players will exist driven to pay close attention to various worldbuilding elements for clues. This makes the process of cartoon conclusions almost the story intimately engaging in a manner that few games are.

NieR Replicant: Gameplay and features

When it comes to NieR Replicant'south overhauled gameplay, there's a lot to honey. The combat organisation has been completely redesigned to play more like NieR: Automata's then players can fluidly perform numerous unlike combos as they hack and slash through enemies with swords, spears, and more. Well-timed blocks and dodges volition also give players opportunities to land critical hits or get around the defenses of their opponent. Actions performed by both you and your adversaries are animated with beautiful detail and precise clarity, resulting in action that not just excels on a technical level but also in terms of style. Compared to the original game'south combat, which was sometimes sluggish and didn't e'er experience responsive, the new organization is an incredible step upwards.

In addition to the swordplay, Replicant also offers players several different magical powers that they tin can use in battle. Some of these abilities include apace firing bolts of nighttime energy at enemies, impaling them on magical spears that jut out from the ground, absorbing magic attacks with a powerful defensive shield, and more than. These powers philharmonic excellently with your weapons, and players who master both the melee and magic sides of NieR Replicant'due south combat volition become unstoppable.

On top of hack-and-slash combat, NieR Replicant too briefly dips into various other genres several times throughout your thirty-40 hour journeying. Players tin expect platforming to overcome, dungeon puzzles to solve, the occasional isometric pinnacle-down perspective, intense bullet hell sections, and even some Choose Your Own Adventure-way text stories. All of these elements are done incredibly well (there was just one puzzle I didn't like) and help continue the experience fresh.

As bully as the gameplay is overall, though, the remake misses out on some opportunities to improve the weaker aspects of the original game. Firstly, there's a lack of modern quality-of-life features. For example, you can only save the game at predetermined salve points, which is quite annoying if you die after non saving for a while or need to quit the game earlier you reach the adjacent checkpoint. You likewise only get a waypoint for main quests; if you forget how to become to a location you need to visit to complete a sidequest, you lot're pretty much screwed.

Speaking of sidequests, they're only as disappointing every bit they were in the original. Nigh of them are just fetch quest missions, and while some of them do ultimately result in some expert worldbuilding and graphic symbol dialogue, completing them is yet a chore. I wish that the developers had looked into means that they could make these quests more than enjoyable and interesting to do.

NieR Replicant: Presentation and functioning

NieR Replicant Source: Windows Central

When information technology comes to presentation, NieR Replicant is a triumph. The remake has received a complete visual overhaul, and while the game isn't cutting edge by any stretch of the imagination — it'south about on par with NieR: Automata — it'southward still a groovy looking championship that manages to elevate the tone and style of the original game to mod standards. The visual furnishings of combat, in particular, look incredible, to the bespeak where I really took damage several times in fights considering I was distracted past the game's gorgeous magic effects and smoothen animations.

When it comes to presentation, NieR Replicant is a triumph.

NieR Replicant truly shines in the sound section. The soundtrack of the original game was already nil short of phenomenal, but new enhancements to the score that lengthen the tracks and add more depth to them make the remake's soundtrack truly perfect. It as well includes completely rerecorded dialogue, and later on listening to the script in both the original and the remake, it'due south clear that the voice actors' after performance is their best work. And so, there's NieR Replicant's superb audio effects, which sell the power and bear upon of every strike performed by you and your foes. It's all just excellent.

In terms of functioning, NieR Replicant is skilful overall. On my RTX 3070-powered gaming rig on max settings at 1440p, the game maintained a stable lx FPS the vast majority of the time. Notably, however, the game tended to drop down to 45 FPS during several cutscenes, but thankfully rarely during gainsay. These drops were a bit jarring, but they're not a huge issue. Hopefully the developers are able to rectify it post-launch.

NieR Replicant: Should you buy it?

NieR Replicant Source: Windows Central

While the abstract nature of the game's story won't be for everyone, and while information technology'due south disappointing that more than beneficial changes and quality-of-life features weren't added, I still tin can't recommend playing the remake of NieR Replicant enough. It'southward a astounding game even with its flaws, and the new visuals and dialogue, enhanced soundtrack, and improved vocalization acting are all fantastic.

With its phenomenal writing, wonderful combat, creative implementation of other genres, and incredible presentation, the remake of NieR Replicant is an action RPG that you can't miss, even if it does suffer from some issues. Information technology, like its sequel, is one of the all-time RPGs out in that location.

NieR Replicant is bachelor for $60 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows ten PCs. If it doesn't sound like the game for you, make sure to check out our roundup of the Best Xbox One Function-Playing Games for other great titles to play.

Nier Replicant Reco Box