When the unique Nier got here out within the forgotten yr of 2010, one of many extra widespread complaints had been the facet quests: they had been lengthy, typically grindy, and never notably participating, making it extra irritating that a few of them have weapons hidden away inside them that had been essential to get all the endings.
Fortunately, its 2017 sequel Nier Automata improved upon that by offering tales that flesh out the world and its inhabitants in ways in which felt elementary to completely appreciating the principle story. And I am unable to consider a sport whose facet quests match higher on the moveable console that’s the Nintendo Change.
The hook of the Change is that you would be able to play it on the go or at dwelling, although we will all in all probability admit that we principally both lean in direction of one or the opposite. However the good thing about taking part in on the go is with the ability to match briefly snippets of playtime right here and there: if you’re commuting, if you’re travelling or (God assist us) if you’re on the john. And with that comes the pliability of participating with video games in several methods relying on whether or not you are at dwelling or out and about. Or in any other case engaged.
One factor RPGs, notably JRPGs, are identified for is that they’re lengthy. Very lengthy. Stupidly lengthy, in some instances. Nier Automata is not truly that lengthy by typical JRPG customary – with a median of roughly 21 hours playtime – however if you wish to absolutely full it, and get all of the endings, you’ll be able to count on to take a position about 60 hours of your life into the title.
So, clearly numerous these bonus 40 hours will come from the facet quests, which I incessantly discovered to be extra participating than the principle story. If you have not performed Nier Automata, the final idea is that you simply play as three totally different androids as they navigate what existence means to every of them, and there is some poetic stuff concerning the soul in there, too. Perhaps. Oh, and likewise you are preventing a battle in opposition to a seemingly unending military of machines – all of that are supposedly innately evil, however after all issues aren’t so easy.
For essentially the most half, the principle storyline is profitable in protecting these themes, however it’s the facet quests that made me really feel actually invested on the earth: the sport encourages you to determine what you are preventing for, notably as a result of there are some twists and turns that pressure the protagonists to query their motives. And you do not actually see the world by all of the lenses, from all of the relevent views, with out participating within the non-essential content material and wandering from the important path.
After all, alongside the best way you meet quite a lot of attention-grabbing characters, like Pascal (the chief of the pacifist machine village), or Anemone (the chief of the resistance). Their tales are partially explored in the principle quest, however facet quests involving the supporting forged is the place issues actually get attention-grabbing. And it is right here that the writing comes into its personal, too – the place the ragtag bunch of characters within the sport are elevated from merely NPCs to truly thought-out entities with their very own hearts, souls, and motivations. Personally, I like the thought of microdosing on emotional, sometimes-uplifting-sometimes-depressing tales whereas I am on the transfer. Do not thoughts me, crying on the bus – Pascal simply stated one thing heart-wrenching that’d have even Schopenhauer dabbing at his eyes.
As a result of you’ll be able to play the Change wherever, the perfect RPG expertise for me, personally, can be to deal with the principle story whereas docked at dwelling. After which deal with all these facet quests whereas I am commuting someplace, so I can absolutely respect all the pieces the sport has to supply. And degree my Androids after I’m ready for the bus.
I do not all the time love to do facet quests, notably if they do not supply any attention-grabbing narrative beats. However the world of Nier is such an attention-grabbing one I picked up each single one I may on my final playthrough.
Take this one facet quest involving A2, the third protagonist, and the pacifist machine village. Out of the three participant characters, A2 doubtlessly hates the machines essentially the most – spending most of her time killing them with no rhyme or purpose. For plot causes although, she is delivered to the machine village, a lot as she may not need to be there.
The facet quest in query, referred to as Play With Us, sees some machine youngsters asking A2 to construct them one thing to play on. Gameplay-wise, it leads to essentially the most uninteresting factor {that a} online game could make you do (it is a fetch quest), however I wasn’t fussed as a result of the sport itself is enjoyable to play, and the easy however vital payoff is price it.
When you get all the pieces you want, one of many machines builds a slide for the kids to play on. In flip, they’re extremely grateful, and offer you a gift as thanks. With Pascal additionally coming in particular person to thanks himself, he remindes A2 to not overwork herself.
That is all rounded off with A2 speaking to herself, culminating in her musing on the character of “a bunch of pacifist machines, huh?” There is a spark of realisation in her, the gestation of one thing vital – one thing that does the groundwork for a serious narrative beat, afterward. It isn’t a mission you need to do in any respect, however it feels such as you ought to simply so as to add to that character improvement.
One in all my favorite facet quests – sure, as soon as once more, a easy fetch quest – entails the character Operator 6O. Whereas 2B, our first protagonist, will get to discover earth in all its dilapidated magnificence, 6O is fastened to her spot in an area station, by no means getting to go to the area rock we name dwelling, regardless of her fascination with it.
On this specific quest, she asks 2B to seek out her a specific rose. When you try this, 6O is extremely grateful, and imagines all the nature which may nonetheless exist on the planet, cataclysm nonwithstanding. It isn’t till later, throughout the principle story, the place this pays off.
At a sure level, just about all the androids are taken over by a virus, together with 6O. When you managed to seek out her the rose – regardless of her sluggish and upsetting corruption that eats away at all the pieces that she is – she thanks 2B. A second of readability within the fugue. And holy shit is it such a tragic second.
However. Neither of those facet quests may match into your common routine. All of us solely have a lot time within the day, and typically we do not have the chance for facet quests – regardless of them providing some stunning items of storytelling, some neat gear, or only a contact extra EXP.
The Change, nevertheless, permits you to discover time in methods PS5 and Xbox Sequence S/X simply cannot. Positive, I can admit that the gameplay facets of the quests talked about above aren’t essentially the most thrilling on the earth, however they’re price looking for out and wrapping as much as discover out extra concerning the characters that inhabit stated world.
Folks may make remarks concerning the Change simply being ‘a house for video games you already personal from 4 years in the past’, however there are many adults who personal Ninty’s plucky little hybrid console for precisely the explanations I am outlinning above: in order that they’re in a position to choose it up for half an hour, and put it down once more.
I’ve put in a few playthroughs of Nier Automata since its launch, and if I can handle it, I will attempt to slot in one other with regards to Change (with the added justification that I should purchase one other copy as a result of my companion has by no means performed it, however does personal a Change).
The factor is although: I haven’t got as a lot time as I used to, so whereas I am at dwelling, I may not have the ability to play any of the facet tales. However these moments the place I am on a bus, or a prepare, or a airplane: these would be the occasions after I cry over foolish little robots simply attempting to make their means on the earth, half an hour at a time.