This was the first game of Yoko Taro's that I have played; it palpably won't be the last. I got this game out of impulse, and, I'm sure like a lot of people, I got it because of 2B's enticing appearance. Looking back, I think 2B's personality should be publicized just as much as her appearance. To be quite frank, westerly, 2B is the most accurate localization of a kuudere character I have come across. I'm glad this wasn't one of those games that I would just play for a bit, then throw it under the bed to collect dust. I stuck around, and I'm so glad I did.

My first playthrough was very disorderly. I wanted to rush to complete the game, so I didn't pay much attention to the story, quests, nor my stats in-game. I set the difficulty to Easy, because I am a wimp. But what comes with Easy, of course, is the plug-in chips. I didn't know what a plug-in chip was until my friend was watching me fight Boku-Shi. I was also extremely under-leveled, so obviously I was having trouble, even on Easy. It made me not want to play the game. I'm not indolent, it was just hard to try to motivate myself to play something I was continually failing at. But, one day, I decided to backpedal a little bit, figure out the game, and come back stronger.

After that predicament, things went a lot smoother. I took time to admire the beauty that is Automata. It amazes me that this game came out a little more than three years ago. Yes, I did go to Drakengard after finishing Automata, because there is an indirect link between the franchises.

Now, my pros and cons. What did I like? What didn't I like, if anything?

Pros:
- The soundtrack to this game is easily one of the best video game soundtracks to ever exist. Keigo Hoashi, and Keiichi Okabe are compositional masterminds, and I didn't not like one song off of the OST. Not being able to stream it on Spotify until recently made me really displeased, but I'm glad Square Enix was able to put it out there. Their addition and remaster of songs off of NieR Gestalt / NieR Replicant (such as "Kainé / Salvation", "Song of the Ancients", "Emil", and many many more), I'm sure, pleased fanatics of those games. The way each song makes me feel is a feeling I'll never be able to describe. If you know, you know. It's a mixture of melancholy, sombreness, and-- I just can't. It's just beautiful. Even if you don't buy the game, listen to the soundtrack.
- The map of this game is beautifully laid out. Regardless of the fact that City Ruins is a, well, ruined city, it's so beautiful to walk around in. Copied City will forever hold a special place in my heart, the monochrome atmosphere is just something breathtaking. And, of course, Emil's hideout will always be one of my favorite parts of Automata's map. Being in a tranquil, dimly lit room, surrounded by lunar tears (especially after knowing the reference off of Gestalt / Replicant), is just a surreal experience. Dang, I really admire virtual worlds more than the real world. But, yes, it is that pleasing.
- The Japanese voice acting is something a lot of international players miss. I did, too, until my friend was screensharing his game and I noticed that 2B was speaking in Japanese, and her kiai sounded different. I instantly fell in love, and changed my voice settings to Japanese.
石川由依と花月夏樹、
あなたは私が今まで聞いた中で最も才能のある声優の2人です。NieR:Automataと協力して、ストーリーとその意味をまったく新しいレ
ベルにまで拡大することに決めたことを感謝しています。 私はあなた方両方に深く敬意を表します。
The localization will never quite hit the same as the original voice acting, and I encourage anyone who buys the game to make it their first duty to change the voice settings to Japanese. Yes, there are subtitles.

Cons:
- The only real con I have with this game is its performance. I had to install FAR Mod to be able to run it at above 60FPS. It wasn't that much of a hassle, but I think it could've been avoided. Other than that, I really don't have anything bad to say about this game.

太郎洋子
私の人生を網羅し、ゲーム、さらにはメディアへの私の好みを広げるフランチャイズを作成していただきありがとうございます。 あなたは私が知っている最もクレイジーでありながら素晴らしい監督です。

松田洋介、佐藤健一、
最高のCEOになっていただきありがとうございます。 Platinum Gamesと協力してゲームの傑作を作成することを決定していただきありがとうございます。

Thank you to all of you who read my review, and I hope you consider what I have written. Please get this game, it's not a waste of time.
私のレビューを読んでくださった皆様、ありがとうございました。 このゲームを入手してください。時間の無駄ではありません。

For the Glory of Mankind

I'm so glad I was able to play the game in its entirety. After playing Automata, I was really eager to play Replicant/Gestalt; however, this wasn't a time in which the remake had come out yet. I hastily attempted to emulate the original on RPCS3. The result? Pure disappointment. Missing textures and patchy audio galore. I was extremely frustrated at the time, but was able to channel that frustration into excitement when this beautifully done remaster was announced.

After several playthroughs, I wanted to note how amazing both the English and Japanese voice acting are. It's, sadly, pretty rare to encounter something like that in most JRPGs.

The soundtrack is amazing as always (thanks Okabe-san), and the visuals are so pleasing.

This is one of those games that left me in such a state of existential questioning after playing-- I honestly don't know when or if I'll ever be able to pick it up again.

One thing I will say about this game compared to Automata is how much more grinding this game will require in order to unlock all the achievements. But much of the grinding includes doing tasks around the village like fishing and farming. Definitely grab a hot cup of tea and vibe out while you're doing that. I spent many a 3AM doing so. Song of the Ancients has become engraved in my head.

To anyone who shows interest in Automata and this game, I would highly recommend playing this one first. The two games aren't so cohesive that you won't understand Automata in the event that you decide to play it first, but there are several references and motifs that happen in Automata that arise from Replicant.

Happy holidays and please buy this game!