On March 7, 2017, square enix released NieR: Automata outside of Japan. This was the new installment in the infamous franchise created by Yoko Taro. But this was a very particular case because, even though Nier had never been very popular until now (especially in the West), the adventure starring YoRHa No. 2 Type B and YoRHa No.9 Type S It became a huge success. 7 years after its launch, we remember it fondly to answer the question: What was the secret of your success?
Happy Birthday #7 to 2B, 9S and all the NieR: Automata characters!
In case you didn’t know, the Nier saga is a spin-off of the franchise Drakengard, also created by Yoko Taro. This may sound confusing at first, but this is where we find the first reason for NieR: Automata’s success. Despite all this, this video game presents a completely separate plot from the rest of the franchise. Of course, those who have played Drakengard and Nier will be able to appreciate the story much better, but those who have never tried another Yoko Taro title can understand and enjoy it anyway, making this title much more accessible to a general audience.
Obviously, it is not enough to just create an accessible plot, but it also has to be well written. And NieR: Automata has one of the best narratives in the history of video games: The story of YoRHa Trying to defeat the machines to reclaim planet Earth for humans starts out simple, but ends up being surprisingly complex and emotional, with plenty of unexpected twists. Not to mention that 2B and 9S They are charismatic characters who have a lot of development. Their excellent designs also helped the game’s popularity, as 2B ended up becoming one of the “waifus” public favorites for many years.
For years, the Drakengard saga was criticized for having somewhat repetitive gameplay. That’s why Square Enix had the ingenious idea of joining forces with PlatinumGames for the development of NieR: Automata. Being the studio responsible for some of the best action games, such as Bayonetta either Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, this resulted in Automata’s combat system being really fluid and fast-paced, with a ton of different weapons and attachments. To all this we must add some incredible boss fights and memorable levels in which it becomes a shoot ’em up with ships. This is a crazy video game, with a lot of variety in its gameplay.
After its initial release, NieR: Automata became a huge success, both in reviews and sales: It earned extremely positive reviews, to the point that it was named one of the best video games of 2017, and also sold more than 7.5 million Of units. Naturally, Square Enix took advantage of this popularity, as they produced endless character merchandise, a mobile spin-off, 2B made cameos in many other companies’ games, and even produced an anime that aired last year, titled Nier: Automata Ver1.1a.
Now there is only one question: Will there be a sequel to NieR: Automata one day? This would be somewhat difficult, considering that this story has a fairly specific ending. But we wouldn’t be surprised if, at some point, Yoko Taro decides to re-explore this fascinating post-apocalyptic world and its charismatic characters.
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