NieR: Replicant ver. 1.22474487139… | PS4 Review

It’s probably best to get one thing out of the way early on: Nier is my favorite game ever. I just want to state that right up front so you can be aware of my very real bias for this franchise. The whole Drakengard/Nier universe is my favorite thing, well, ever. For those familiar with the site and our own Scott Clark, this is my equivalent to his Zelda obsession. I won’t promise that this is an objective look at the game, or that it will even read like my normal reviews. The giant forearm tattoo I have dedicated to the original release is a pretty fair indication of my objectivity being thrown right out the window. Now that that’s out of the way, we can actually talk about NieR: Replicant ver. 1.22474487139…

You Want Me to Understand Your Sadness?

NieR: Replicant presents a rather simple story up front. Our protagonist is a young man left to take care of his little sister Yonah, who is horribly ill with a deadly magical disease known as the Black Scrawl. Our world died out over 1,300 years ago, and the remnants of humanity have progressed back to a more Medieval state. This setting is, quite frankly, awesome. The fusion of post-apocalypse, sci-fi, and magic is far more seamless than you would imagine, and just really gets your imagination going. It’s also a universe ripe with melancholy. Get ready to have your heart broken on more than one occasion, as the story presented here is often brutal, though not without its heartfelt or bittersweet moments. 

I think most people reading this probably already know this, but Nier was a game split into two versions. NieR: Gestalt was a 360-excluisve game in Japan starring a Father trying to save his daughter, whereas NieR: Replicant was a PS3-exclusive starring a Brother trying to save his little sister. Due to perceived cultural differences, we in the West only ever got the Father version on both 360 and PS3 with the title Nier. This has led to annoying fan-driven arguments over which version was “canon,” which was extra irritating because it really never mattered which version “counted.” The sequel, NieR: Automata, even went to some lengths to give both fan bases equal attention.

There are as Many Ways to View The World as There are People in It

Soapbox aside, getting the Brother version of the story in English is a long overdue piece of the Drakenier puzzle for Western fans. NieR: Replicant ver. 1.22 is far more than just a translated version of that 2010 PS3-exclusive, however. Although the original game’s studio, Cavia, has long since gone out of business (because of Nier’s failure, actually), Toylogic Inc. has stepped up to the plate for the re-release.

And stepped up to the plate they have. It would be unfair to call this version a simple remaster, but it’s also not a full-blown remake. Yoko Taro, the creator and director of all things Drakenier (and also my one true lord and savior), has described this as a “version upgrade,” and that’s as good a description as any. Of course it looks considerably better than its previously released version, but so much content has been added or improved upon.

Cram it Up Your Index, Book

For one thing, it’s actually fun to play! The original Nier may have been my favorite game ever, but it was always difficult to recommend. There’s a fair bit of combat in the game, and the original’s combat never progressed past the need to mash one button. The Drakengard influence was unfortunate in that regard. NieR: Replicant ver. 1.22, thankfully, exists in a world where NieR: Automata is a juggernaut. Because of that, the combat is now more in line with that title; going so far as to have Automata’s lead combat designer Takahisa Taura oversee the team at Toylogic. You can also move while casting magic, something absent in the original release and something that makes the magic system actually fun to engage with.

There are also significant story additions, the most significant of which is that every piece of dialogue is now fully voiced. The original cast has returned to voice their iconic characters, with the notable absence of Jamieson Price as Nier himself. It wouldn’t have made sense with the younger protagonist, so it’s a painful decision I can’t help but agree with. Otherwise, the actors have returned and their decade of experience has only improved the quality of each scene.

And it is Not to Be Abbreviated

An entire town in the original Nier existed as little more than a side quest hub, but here in Replicant ver 1.22 it’s been given weight with main story content. There are also several additional scenes peppered throughout the game that either address plot holes or add in more color to the world. It goes so far that it adds the final Ending E to the game, which was originally cut for time and only told in novella format. Obviously, none of this will matter to anyone coming to the game for the first time, but for longtime fans, it is an absolute game changer. It’s the complete version of Nier we only ever imagined in our minds.

Keiichi Okabe’s legendary score has only been remixed/rescored for this version upgrade. I noticed it immediately and found it incredibly jarring considering how often I listened to the OST of Nier. Over time, however, I’ve come to appreciate the new arrangements and might actually prefer them. Regardless, this is one of the absolute best scores in video games, so it’ll be a treat for your ears throughout.

Revenge is a Fool’s Errand

NieR: Replicant ver 1.22 is a game designed to surprise the player as often as it can. Sure, it does it through plot twists and intriguing characters, but it also shifts genre. You may find yourself in a side-scrolling platformer, a bullet hell hallway, or even a survival horror mansion with fixed camera angles. You’re not often doing the same thing in the same way for very long, and it’s a thrill to see what the game throws at you next.

I have always freely admitted the side quests aren’t great. They mostly boil down to fetch quests, and they get severely annoying in the second half of the game. But they also flesh out the world in some beautiful ways, even having unique dialogue you won’t find anywhere else. So it’s a weird push/pull of not wanting to do them, but feeling like you need to. Part of Nier’s personality is that he can’t keep himself from helping people, so at least the errand running is thematically consistent. I personally find that it’s worth getting through the annoying side quests to find the good ones, but your mileage will vary.

No One Stops

I will admit the elephant in the room: the repetition. NieR: Replicant ver 1.22 is split into two halves. During both of the halves, you’ll visit the same dungeons. So that’s twice you’re going through the same locations in a single playthrough. This isn’t even counting the very necessary New Game Plus, which provides extra pieces of crucial story. So to really play NieR: Replicant, it requires you to run the same areas a minimum of three times. When you’re doing it those second times, it’s pretty enthralling to see how things have changed for the characters since your last visit, but I won’t deny it can be a slog for people. I never minded and actually do like it (I’m the rare breed that enjoys backtracking), but it nonetheless bears mentioning.

It’s in the characters that NieR: Replicant ver 1.22 shines brightest. Nier is our protagonist, and he transforms pretty substantially during the game. He makes some questionable decisions, and the Brother version of the character puts everything in a bit more gruesome context. Papa Nier was my favorite protagonist in a game, but he’s now been usurped by Brother Nier. The game just frames around a younger protagonist in a more complete way.

But Now, I Have a Chance to Save Something

Your party members are some of the most brilliant characters you’ll see in the medium. Emil is a precious skeleton mage who never loses his optimism despite the horrific world he exists within. Grimoire Weiss is a sentient book who will quickly become your favorite snarky sidekick. And Kaine? Well, she’s a potty-mouthed killer wearing lingerie. She may start off brash, but I have no doubt in my mind you’ll be thinking of her long after the credits roll.

This doesn’t include any of the memorable side characters. Many of these people will touch your heart and leave a memorable, lasting impression. The dialogue in all of Yoko Taro’s works has always sounded remarkably authentic to the way real people talk, and it’s all the more impressive now that it’s fully voice-acted. You’d have to play it to see what I mean, but these characters sound like real human beings, not characters reciting lines.

Really. Don’t Look Back.

It’s an impossible task to review your favorite game, made even more impossible when it’s somehow been improved upon. NieR: Replicant ver 1.22474487139… delivered more than I could’ve possibly imagined. It provides new insight into a world I’ve long been obsessed with. With the improvements made here, I would freely recommend anyone give it a shot. They made the perfect Zack Parkerson somehow even more perfect for Zack Parkerson.

To hear me talk more about Nier: Replicant ver. 1.22474487139…, be sure to listen to Episode 343 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 38:35 time stamp.

This review is based on a purchased PS4 copy of NieR: Replicant ver. 1.22474487139… It is also available on Xbox One and PC.