“NieR Replicant” in testing: More new versions of remaster tests

Anyone who hasn’t dealt with “Nair” might be a little confused. Because the original “Nier”, which appeared in 2010, was nicknamed “Gestalt” in the Xbox 360 version and “Replicant” in Playstation 3. Don’t worry, the content for copies outside Japan is the same, inside the country “Replicant” contains characters and clips that have been made. Adapted to the audience. Famous Caliph “Nier: Automata” became famous in 2017 in this country.

Officially, the original version is now called “NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 …” and it is now based on the version of the game that was previously believed to be exclusive to Japan. The plot itself targets die-hard “Nier” fans, because not only is there an “Automata” backstage, but some scenes also remind players of the related “Drakengard” series. Do not worry, because even a beginner can handle the plot despite a lack of prior knowledge.

It should offer the best video games

For spoiler reasons, only a short summary: in 2049, the fighter Nier searches for rescue for his sister Yona (in the “figure” it is father and daughter) and thus makes a deal with the use of his soul. Even more than 1,000 years later, the yoke is still haunted by mysterious creatures, and he gets to know Kane, who only wears underwear, and after a long time he gets closer and closer to healing. Everything looks flat, but it has incredible depth and a lot of emotion if you share it. Also because “Replicant” is slow to launch and only starts after a few standard village community missions of gameplay and plot.

New in the remaster version is the dialogues that are completely tuned to the music (English, with German subtitles), which makes the already great story even more original. This is emphasized by a partially new soundtrack, which on the one hand brings new songs to play, and on the other hand presents familiar melodies with new clips or complete revisions. The dialogue, plot, music and characters from “Nier Replicant” – all of the best the video game world has to offer. What other game would make fun of such tight-fitting women or difficult tasks with their tough conversations?

All that encourages you to keep playing

Although the plot is massive, playtime is great – if you want to see everything in “Nier Replicant”. For this you have to count about 150 hours of gameplay, as you will have reached the end after 30 to 40 hours. At least in one end, the game offers several of them. What encourages you next: Not only do the endings differ, but the characters also get some new background stories and video sequences with new rounds.

In terms of graphics, a lot has changed in the new version, if not in all areas. The animation now looks very fluid and natural, and the characters are sharp like a modern animated movie. The game world also shows beautiful new reflections and light reflections, but some things are still missing. Above all, this includes the fact that the faces keep appearing frozen, the game world is sometimes very empty and without movement and the backgrounds appear rough. The life bar and combo screen in the upper right corner of the screen look like old UFOs.

Faster and smoother combat

There are also gameplay innovations that revolve primarily around battles. In the game’s supposedly open world (every change in the zone leads to load times), players can freely explore almost everything from third-person perspective and fight their way through one or more large dungeons. Work throws us task after task at our feet, but to a great degree you can decide what to do and when. In combat, melee weapons and magic are used to attack giant enemies and bosses, who usually appear in hordes, with the goal of making combo chains as long as possible. This is decorated with mini games like platform arcade or side missions like planting and fishing.

The new one is a smoother, faster and partially automatic battle, yet easy to learn even for beginners. Enemies can now be targeted more accurately and melee and magic attacks can be launched at the same time. There are also more combo combos and a clearer camera action. However, it’s a shame that the game still remains true to you: opponents usually appear in the same shadow shape apart from the bosses, and they often differ only in size. It’s a shame, there could have been more out there. At the very least: There are also brand new missions, but you won’t avoid some annoying random item collection tasks here either.

Even the most monotonous tasks are very exciting

The common denominator between Remaster and the original and what makes both games so adorable is this: Even the most useless missions are full of story twists and handling fragments that make them incredibly interesting even after the thousandth round. Hardly any game can do this better, which is why no fast travel really matters. Instead, you spot dozens of little distractions on the way to a mission, where you are rewarded for a somewhat monotonous effort with great stories or even some video sequence.

We also like the fact that the game aims to serve experts and newcomers alike. In addition to the three difficulty levels, there are several options: While the experts can throw themselves into thunderstorms with a few items and no health indicators, which, by the way, want to drag yourself even after tens of hours just to make the bubbles, beginners can provide enough resources to make things easier for yourself and get well. An overview of the battlefield success status in life tapes. Equipment and effects can also be upgraded using existing objects.

One of the best remakes ever

“Nier Replicant” is neither a graphic nor a fun game that can keep up with the latest blockbuster movies. However, it is one of the best transformers of all time. The graphical jump compared to the original is huge, the gameplay is incredibly smooth and there are some new tricks, especially in combat, that guarantee long-term fun. For those who bet on the heir “Nier: Automata” and who loved what they saw, a new version of “Nier” called “Replicant” is simply a must.

On the other hand, if you have not had any contact with Nair, you should do so ASAP, despite the criticisms mentioned! Only very few games have the talent to turn every little mission into a spectacle and to set up battles in this amazing way. Additionally, there are deep and believable dialogues, a complex yet entertaining story, one (if not the best) soundtrack in the history of the game and the characters that will likely remain in your memory forever. In the end, the progress compared to the original is so impressive that it is more of a new version than a modified one.