Nostalgia is great isn’t it? Feelings stir when we think about something we used to do, or catch a whiff of some delicious food that inspires thoughts of childhood. When I read that Square-Enix was remaking/remastering the original Nier game, I got the nostalgia bug. Nier was the last game I beat before my daughter was born. I could not stop playing it. It wasn’t the most polished, or biggest AAA game out at the time. It was a gem. It was a game that inspired a cult following and led to a sequel that many consider to be one of the best games of 2017. But the original, despite it’s clunky controls and choppiness, was exceptional. And Nier Replicant, well…it is better than that.
Ver.1.22474487139… (long title so let’s just call it Nier) is the best way to play the original masterpiece. I say masterpiece because the score, story, and overall theme of the game is wholly unique. It is very true. There is nothing quite like Nier.
In the US, we received an Xbox 360 version of the original wherein you play a Ron Pearlman look alike named Gestalt. In “our” version of Nier, Gestalt is attempting to save his daughter from something called the “Black Scrawl” and find a cure for this mysterious ailment. Along the course of your journey, you encounter crazy characters, wild boss fights, and more endings than you could ask for. BUT, this time around, you play a Brother, seeking to find a cure for his sister. This new version is apparently based on the international/Japanese original version. This was a unique decision to make because from a repeat player standpoint, it makes this feel like a new game in North America the second time around. Entirely different. Sure, I remember some of the boss fights and side quests, but by just changing the main character and his relationship with the girl, it changes the game. Makes it feel more like a retelling. Apparently there are new sections in this version of the game. New areas to explore. 2 large chunks to be precise. I have not reached them as of yet.
Yes, it is true, I have not beaten this remake yet. But I am over I ½ way through it. I do not need to complete the game to recognize what it is, and the purpose of it’s reinstatement: it is a refinement. Technically, I beat this game 11 years ago. I have played enough of the retelling to be able to provide what I feel is a sound take on the game.
60FPS Gaming should be the expectation of all developers. Yes, the hardcore gamers will tell you 120 or bust. But 60 is just fine for me. And man, when “Fanger” (the protagonist I named after my cat) is slicing through shades alongside Emil and Kaine, and unleashing wave after wave of dark magic with graphic fluidity and no slowdown, it is action RPG perfection. And that is what this game is- Perfection. I have even found myself being all sentimental and what not during the cut scenes. Emil’s especially. Poor little dude. But the action is frantic, chaotic, reaction challenging, and can wallop you if you are not prepared. Seriously, some of the enemies have weapons that , when they hit you, you fly back thunderously.
The game does have the usual back and forth side quests that get a lot more tolerable during the second half of the game. One in particular I truly enjoy involved an elderly lady, a dishonest postman, and a lighthouse. But many of the quests are the typical “collect XXX amount XXX for me to make XXX.” And you do have to go back and forth a lot between locations. So when the second half of the game kicks in, you do a lot more fighting. And when you are fighting in the game, you are enjoying the game.
It is hard to describe what kind of game Nier Replicant is. It is like a cross between any Platinum developed game, Legend of Zelda, Fist of the North Star, and William S. Burroughs. There is no sugar coating the violence or the heaviness of the story. It is a little inappropriate in regards to the hyper-sexuality of Kaine, but she is as tough as nails and doesn’t have to explain why she chooses to dress the way she does. Emil is scary in a good way. And Grimoire Noir is a old ass curmudgeon who is equal parts annoying and endearing. Despite these physical and personality traits, the team develops into a family. And really, family is what this game is about. The lengths we will go to for our loved ones. Maybe that is why I appreciate this game. It is like no other.
