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He’s responsible for what can only be described as a perfect original soundtrack for NieR. If you’ve never heard of Keiichi Okabe, write the name down. The machines have taken over residential areas, and witnessing their attempt to “become human” and live in these areas is part of what makes it all feel so alive. Even more interesting is how the factions in the game have fit into the world in question. It’s also incredible to see how these areas react to story points as the game moves along. There are plenty of quests and setpieces that set the stage for the existential inquiry the game takes the player on, and they all work seamlessly with one another. There’s also an amusement park, a desert and deserted section, and a space station.Įach area is detailed and layered with character. This is the last sign of humanity’s existence, and yet it still feels strangely alive with human-like quality. An old city presents a lot of history, overgrown by vegetation to show its age. There are several areas to travel through. The idea is to drill into the heart of the player and, in essence, turn their view towards themselves. The game satisfies without a proper “ending” because that’s not the point. However, the game ending and the narrative ending all serve the same purpose for Yoko Taro they’re intended to make the player think. However, the final moments of the story are more of a meta statement on the players and video games, and the story itself doesn’t wrap up as nicely as it could. You’ll need to play through multiple “endings” in order to get to the real end of the game. The construction of the narrative is fairly unconventional. Your objective is to take back the Earth from the machines and give it back to humanity. You take the role of 2B, a female android warrior sent on missions by YoRHa.
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There’s no escaping it here Yoko Taro has found an amazing way to deal with the most terrifying concept of life and death and make it something wonderful and beautiful. N:A brings a load of emotions and existentialism right into the faces of the audience that avoids the topic the most: gamers. You might want to have some tissues prepared for this one.
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If you’re looking for the true test of how impactful a video game can be, NieR: Automata is the perfect example. Yoko Taro helms this smash hit that takes place thousands of years in the future.
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