PlatinumGames are visionaries in crafting action-adventure games and have worked with numerous developers like Square Enix.
Their roster of games may not be huge, but each title offers a vastly different experience from the last, leading to huge fan base. One of their most loved titles is finally getting re-released for the Nintendo Switch, and though it only came out in 2017, fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa.
Set in the year 11945 AD, NieR:Automata’s story revolves around a war between humans and invaders from another world, who have forced mankind to take refuge on the moon. In a bid to fight the invaders' mechanical army that now occupies a desolated Earth, humanity has created combat androids.
The game’s protagonists are two androids, 2B and 9S who are the latest to be sent to Earth to join the battle, but not is all as it appears as the two heroes begin to unravel the truth behind everything. NieR:Automata is a captivating piece of science fiction with each new twist surpassing the last. Its fantastic writing is adequately paced, ensuring players are well informed with the right influx of information at all times.
The game's strengths lie within its stellar character development that wonderfully displays the protagonist's inner turmoil as they come to terms with their emotions and consciousness. The masterful narrative flows like any well-written novel, it's an epic that keeps giving, and with the multiple endings and story arcs, players are in for an emotional rollercoaster.
Visually NieR:Automata looked and performed admirably when it came out on the Playstation 4 in 2017 and thankfully enough, the Switch port doesn’t sully the original experience.
NieR:Automata’s version of a post-apocalyptic Earth is simply stunning with desolate landscapes and ageing structures. The developers have done an amazing job at capturing the essence of what humankind has lost and why they are desperately fighting to reclaim it.
The character models look great with their muted colour schemes and lack of expression playing into their melancholy designs. The game really shines with its distinct enemy designs with each mechanic monsters invoking fear, especially the Goliaths.
NieR:Automata ran very smoothly on the Nintendo Switch with next to no hiccups during our playthrough. Obviously, this port does have some visual disparities compared to the original, mainly visible with some of the low-textured environments.
The game manages to maintain its target frame rate of 30FPS in docked and undocked configurations with only a few areas experiencing drops in the frames. That being said, NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition is probably one of the best-performing ports on the Nintendo Switch, allowing old fans and new players to experience the game as closely as originally intended.
The soundtrack, composed by Keiichi Okabe, is excellent as it projects a grand sense of adventure, while invoking a melancholy mood at the same time. NieR:Automata stays true to its developer's action-oriented roots, allowing players to partake in high-speed battles.
Players will be able to switch between two upgradeable weapons on the fly, while also being accompanied by a Pod and a supporting character. There is a wide range of weapons to choose from, catering to various different playstyles. As each weapon can be upgraded players will be constantly evolving their strategy by pairing up different kinds of weapons.
The strategic gameplay doesn’t end there as players will also be able to dictate how efficient their support character is in battle and control the destructive ability of their Pod.
Each character will level up by gaining experience points by completing main missions, side quests and defeating enemies. But players will also be able to add a plethora of different buffs to their characters that will greatly improve their performance and there are lots of roots to take.
Enemies in NieR:Automata always seem to want to test the player's mettle by unleashing insane attack patterns, especially the majestic bosses. The game has a very high skill ceiling, with some unwarranted difficulty spikes, but it leads to a satisfying experience for those who persevere.
NieR:Automata is an open world that is filled with so many breathtaking areas to explore, full of secrets and different gameplay options.
I loved how the camera angle is constantly changing to show off a new aspect of the game, offering different challenges.
My main issue is traversing, which can be really slow until you unlock the fast travel options. This also makes dying much more of a pain as players will have to backtrack to retrieve their lost items. There are some quicker methods for travelling but the game doesn't make it simple to discover them.
NieR:Automata also offers a wide variety of different activities through different gameplay methods, from becoming a top-down shooter to fishing or hacking mini-games.
There’s so much to do at all times and the mission structures are constantly throwing surprises that have no place in certain scenarios, but NieR makes them work effortlessly. The side quests are also fulfilling, adding extra elements to the game that greatly bolsters its value.
NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition: Verdict 4/5
NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition is one of the best open-world games on the Nintendo Switch and will still leave players astonished after all these years.
The developers have done a fantastic job at porting the game over allowing new players to experience this title as intended. There are a few technical hiccups here and there but not enough to ruin the experience
NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition is out for the Nintendo Switch on 6 October
