A fun nugget I like to pass along is 2B’s opening monologue. It mentions if we’ll ever get the chance to kill the god responsible for the never ending cycle of life and death. At the end of the game, you get the chance to kill the developers, the “gods” of the game.
Look into the lord of Zinnia. She created yorha and with it androids no. 2 and no. 9. No. 9 kills zinnia and is subsequently killed by no. 2, but not before he sets the whole project in motion, leading to how yorha ends in the yorha disposal document. And we all no what 2B has done to 9S, so in a way she did kill that god
In actuality, Pascal's village, the Amusement Parl and Forest Kingdom machines never did leave the network. They thought they did, but the red girls where still monitoring every action of theirs, trying to learn. They were all experiments ran by the red girls, they did have "free will" for as long as it was interesting for the observers, the zombie outbreak in the village was a stress-test from the girls to see how the pacifists would react when they needed to defend theirselves Also, before the game starts 2B has killed 9S 42 times already, that's why she's so emotionally broken "You really want to **** 2B, don't you?" can be "fuck", for the players and for 9S himself who is attracted to her; can be "kill" for 9S knows about the cycle and might have some internalised hatred for 2B; could even be "save" for 9S knows about the cycle but understands her pain and wants to free her from this
The most insane thing about Nier is that it exists as a continuation to the alternate or secret ending to the Drakengard games and the lore from those games is also insane
when sony let all evil of the world pass the censorship check, and bang! Drakengard 1. after that it's like that father call on his daughter jail prank : "what the fuck angela, what the fuck!"
Same. I was tearing up the entire way. I refused to give in. And seeing those messages, fucking hell it hits like a truck. I can still remember my message. "Get back up. You can do this. I'm right behind you."
One of the few games that I actually got emotional at the end of the game, especially with that song...chefs kiss. Phenomenal game and story. Makes you think which is rare lol
@@zerospace101 I felt really proud of myself for being able to dig up a lot of the symbolism and even plot points far before they're revealed in this game. I spent a lot of my A/B routes thinking: "But once Androids are no longer needed... What will happen to them?" And sure enough, in one of the towers in route D, there is a whole entry about how they were just designed to be discarded like trash as soon as they were no longer needed. As I had surmised. It was the only solution that made sense to me. But, even with the amount of plot points I answered myself, I never felt like the experience was cheapened, or bad. It was made all the more beautiful to me, and actually, in a strange way, made me believe in myself, and my own reasoning more and more. Which was a wonderful unintentional side effect of one of my favorite games of all time.
@@tickledpickle5671 This game truly was impactful. At first I was like, I gotta play the game again? The ending was powerful I think. But I was playing another perspective so sure why not, then route c then D and It was crazy. Making a amazing game like that with that philosophy of life like Nietzsche, Jung etc was surprising to me and woven in so well I really felt it at the end.
Nier Automata is absolutely one of my favorite story-focused games. It's a fantastic take on the "what it means to be human" trope that often pervades tales staring robots.
Broski honestly half the games you done i haven't or won't end up playing but i dig and appreciate these for the simple fact that don't miss out especially the storylines. Now im about to dive into this one.
I recommend playing NieR. No retrospective nor commentary will capture the themes of the game quite like playing it due to the fact that so much of its messaging is engrained into the gameplay. Almost everyside quest is saddening, often times in the worst ways. Sometimes you may question why you even want to save these awful "people".
Plus, playing NIER before Automata will allow you to catch all sorts of small callbacks that aren't mentioned in this video. From song choice, to narrative devices. It's a real treat.
yup please play nier replicant first it will greatly enhance your experience. it did everything automata does first and the story is just as, if not more, impactful
Don't miss this one, there is so much he just cant get to, its incredible. The only problem is that after you finish there is a deep sense of emptiness because nothing else is quite like it.
Regarding the credits scene for ending E… I reached that point in the game during a moment where I had no internet access. I tried and tried and tried to beat it, but as you said, it legit was impossible. I never saw the messages from other players, never gained additional turrets. I thought there was no way through. The moment I regained internet access, I tried again only because I just didn’t want to give up and seeing those messages for the first time and finally hearing Weight of the World reach its climax with the hums and chants of all those voices together hit me like a truck. After being “alone” for so long, I finally had the help I needed to see this journey to the end. This game held and continues to hold such a deep significance to me, even helping me find ground in a philosophy I’ve adopted (as silly as it sounds with this being a videogame): Together, we as humanity can achieve anything.
Even with an internet connection, just the struggle towards gaining even another line destroyed I basically just adopted that "never give up" mindset from some anime and just bashed my metaphorical head into the wall until someone came along to help me up and punch through together. I will never forget that ending
7 years later and I'm still seeing videos on my all time favorite game/game series! The fact that crossovers, collabs, and media had successfully allowed this game to reach so many is unbelievable.
This was by far the best video you’ve ever made. Your message to the other players almost brought a tear to my eye given the context of everything, absolutely incredible
@@buuga610 SotN OST is amazing, but doesn’t have the same aetherial quality to it. Playing Nier replicant rn for the first time and I gotta say its OST is even better than Automatas in my view
I play Automata once a year and every time I get to the credits fight I'm just crying buckets and hope I can help someone else experience overcoming that one last hurdle.
I never accepted a dialog box as fast as I did when prompted to sacrifice my savefile to help someone else get through the dev boss. I still regret nothing to this day and I played the game on release
I know my copy of Nier Automata will never leave my library. It’s a gem and I don’t think people understand just how good it is. It’s going to be remembered for decades and the OST is the best I’ve ever heard in over 40 years of gaming.
I personally love that line from adam to 9s so much with the 4 ****. Because the more u play, the more you realise how many different words could not only be there. But how many words could fit there well
The best compliment i can give you for this video is that you did Nier Automata justice. Fantastic watch. This has been my personal favourite game ever since I completed it for the first time (....and I'm hardcore souls fan), and you even found a couple of things i missed. Thank you.
It's crazy that I finished this game today, and I wanted to hear someone talk about it, and hear their experiences with this masterpiece. Then I accidentally found this video, which was published today, and then I heard that someone asked the same questions to himself as me while playing it, and it was truly fascinating. This game really is a treasure in almost every way and I'm kinda sad that it's not talked about more...
I finished this game the day this video dropped too! I received it as an Xmas gift from a good friend and was absolutely captivated especially route C/D. Being so late, it felt like I was experiencing a forgotten masterpiece and then this video uploaded literally the day I finished the game with everyone celebrating it in the comments and now I feel right on time
theres a huge video out there that goes over the entire canon story from Drakengard to NieR: Automata and takes into account the wider material that's not in the games too. I really recommend looking for it. The interconnectedness between all the games, the theories, all chefs kiss.
@@adoniscreed4031in my country nobody even knew this game existed until i told them to play it like really a ton of people are still unfamiliar with these games and yes everysingle one of my friends that played this after i told them cried and were depressed in the end😂
While I don't consider Nier:Automata a perfect game, I can't help but be in complete awe at the path that Route E takes you. It is in my opinion the best demonstration that video games are the greatest form of artistic expression where you can bring together themes, ideas and messages and show them in a unique way. I've never seen anything similar in any other game (and I doubt I ever will), but after suffering so much with the story and the credits and seeing how the game, in such an organic and natural way, reminds me that other people have been through it. The same thing that I felt in those moments, it was a blow to my feelings from which I will never recover. The sense of unity in a community that I really don't know anyone else about was something that left me frankly speechless and that I will remember and respect until the end of my days. After hesitating for a few moments, I also sacrificed my save file and it was this same sacrifice and feeling of unity that made me complete the game again, now knowing the sacrifice and weight of all my actions and those of the characters. It's a shame that I did this so long ago that I no longer remember my message, even so, the important thing was to help someone like others helped me.
34:12 Minor nitpick, it's actually Kaine's theme that plays here. The one that plays in the credits of Nier Replicant is Ashes of Dreams. Kaine (Salvation) hits much more in this area, not just because of her shack being recreated, but also the fact that Kaine was the one who helped Emil come to terms with his eyes and skeleton form, always seeing him as Emil, her friend, and not a monster.
Hearing you talk about ending E, how it made you feel, and you mentioning Weight of the World brought me to tears. I played NieR: Automata back in 2019, and it remains as my #1/#2 game still, and Weight of the World being one of the most meaningful songs I've ever listened too, let alone from a game. As soon as you mention the song I started crying and immediately sang the opening notes. I am so glad that you enjoyed the awesome game, as I wish so dearly I could reexperience my first time with it.
I feel slightly different about "2B's" emotional awakening in ending A since I felt it was her mask of emotional numbness falling off from the repeated stress of having to lose/kill 9S repeatedly, only not completely losing it because he had transfered himself. Its a little hard to tell sometimes what the characters feel. Edit: I have been shown who is the boss!
It’s crazy to see how old this game is and still see it impact the way it did when released there is no form of art that has even come close to this yet
I appreciate the suggestion and the donation! I haven't played Lords of the Fallen yet so I'm not sure if a video will be made, but I have been meaning to get to it soon.
Taro Yoko has always been a firm believer in making side materials for games. It’s something he does naturally. Automata itself originates from the Stageplay YoRHa after all! Which is where A2 first appears. The mind boggling extent with which he connects things get crazy. Like how the two Gacha games Yokos been involved in, Sinoalice and Nier Reincarnation, are…… “Sequels/Sidequels” to the story of Automata thanks to revealing a short story and the Human Server are integral to Reincarnation.
The 4 letter word directed at 9S in regards to 2B is 'Free'. Its said as much in Nier Reincarnations Automata crossover event...which i'm sure EVERYONE had access to...ugh
theres no really a specific correct word here, the point is that many interpretations work. this ambiguity+the fact that yorha android feel a quite literal bloodlust when fighting is there to foreshadow how torn 9s feels about 2b/2e. fuck, kill, love, free, save, maim, they all work. theyre all the same to an android, according to jackass's research, but especially 9s since 2b is both the one he loves and the one ripping that love away from him. its easy to understand why 9s was so frantic when fighting the horde of 2bs in the tower.
@@i.147 I'm simply stating the word they used in the Mobile game, since I assume barely anyone would have played that content It SHOULD be up to interpretation, but then they went and added that content
Bro, you don't know how badly I want a Returnal video from you! I love the way you break these games down, and I'd love to see that for one of my favorite games of last year!
I cry every time I hear Weight of the World and your description of the ending brought me to tears again. Thank you, truly. Keep doing what you believe in :)
the one game that truly made he sit and think. no other game i can think of makes you just sit in darkness watching the end credits roll thinking on life. it truly is a great.
this came at a perfect time! I finished the game yesterday and really needed a comprehensive recap like yours to gather my thoughts. Thanks and good job on this analysis!
I love these long videos covering my favorite topics, i can say i had a similar emotional response when i first played this game, as it is one of the only games to make me actually cry. I think you did a great job covering the story as well
mannn i remember sobbing while playing through the credits minigame lmfao. thank you for a masterclass analysis of this game. concisely explained all the details and reasons why i love this game. can't believe i haven't played replicant, but i have it installed now, so i have that treat ready :) anyways, cheers!
There's also the part when you're 9S in the second fight with Adam and Eve (in the Alien base) - the girls appear for a split second behind them. Scared the crap out of me when it happened.
Okay you wanna know where this gets even crazier? FFXIV brings this full circle with its Nier raid series. The ark lands on the First, one of several dimensionally overlapping "shards" of a single world. The first is very strongly aligned toward Light aether, which is order taken to an extreme of stagnation and crystallization. It gets a bit iffy from there but it's implied that the machines master magic and the Ark gets corrupted by the Light, turning into the Seeds of Destruction from Drakengard and slipping into a portal, presumably to start the cycle all over again.
the ffxiv crossover doesnt seem to be canon, just references for reference sake,. since the raids are only available after you finish the main shadowbringers msq, the light corruption is gone from norvrandt so it cant be an issue. machines possibly have been able to use magic since their creation (they were modeled after emil after all), at least for sure before nier automata since adam and eve are able to use magic. the bunker also ends up in kholusia which isnt consistent with the latest nier reincarnation chapter. nier reincarnation is much more interesting lore wise and acts as a sort of nier automata sequel, i recommend checking it out.
Once again, you have absolutely blown me away with this story analysis. You have a serious talent for this and i absolutely love your content keep up the amazing work
Great video! There are 2 things I wish you went more in depth in, but frankly that’s it. 1. Slightly sad you didn’t talk about the Amnesia side quest, it’s massive foreshadowing to the 2E twist due to her reactions and is quite vital in my eyes. 2. With the whole “you’re thinking about how much you want to **** 2B, aren’t you?” Thing, I feel it’s a missed opportunity to not touch on what else it can mean. While it can mean Kill and Fuck, other words like Save, Love, and various other things fit. It’s brilliant because they all fit their characters.
I haven’t played this for years and even still seeing you go through the final ending and what it means as well as what it meant to you made me tear up the same as when I played it myself. Truly a timeless masterpiece.
I finished up a second playthrough in preparation for the upcoming orchestra concerts and happened to see this video just days before completion. Great recap and analysis. I committed to wiping my save data this time, as I didn't have the heart to do so last time. My message was similar to yours: "This world is rife with hardship. And yet, the whole world is rooting for you." Such a touching game with one of the most beautiful endings. Thank you for this video.
i finished the six frank herbert written Dune books yesterday and felt like I needed a recap of Nier Automata. There are many parallels between some of the ideas. I have not played the first Nier - I may have to because the way Dune ends leaves one of the similar feelings you get while going through Automata, and I'm not ready to let go of the world's existential ideas yet.
Thank you- I’ve platted this almost 10 years ago, and have never been able to shake the questions the game asks of the player. It’s never been given the proper love outside of a handful in the know.
Back when I first played Automata, I absolutely love the game and ended up doing a 100% clear. However, when I got to The End, I didn't erase my save to help another and I uninstalled after the last achievement popped. It ended up eating away at me to the point I later reinstalled the game just to absolve myself of the guilt(?). Still get goosebumps whenever I hear that ending chorus.
Nier 1 had a song called Hills of Radiant Wind. It used to play every time you used to go out into the grassy plains. One of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a game and the soundtrack to a very happy part of my childhood. 😊
Dear Gingy please keep this style of videos up, I consumed this video multiple times and highly enjoy the infos that are layed out on golden plate, you Sir, are very good at doing this.
The only game that had me crying like a baby at the end, and after finishing the sequence, I just sat there. Thinking about what I had just played. I was floored. Just sat there at the main menu screen.....what a masterpiece
the weight of the world is such a perfect song to wrap up the game with. the first line that is sang in that song made me go from feeling emotional, to instantly crying. i legit had tears going down my face because of how amazing it was. like, when we as gamers talk about good moments in gaming, good endings, good games, whatever have you, this is one of them. its one of those things that without context, you wouldnt understand at all. if you only played the last few sections of the game, you wouldnt understand it. if you played the first few sections and for some reason skipped to the ending, you wouldnt understand it. after playing through a solid 40ish hours of story and paying attention to all of it, i genuinely cannot believe someone would hear that song play and not feel at least somewhat emotional. i dont have much to say that wasnt said in the video, but i cant get over how amazing the ending was. i just played the game in may of last year, and im shocked that it took me that long to give the game a try. i even gave up on it in the first couple hours the first time i bought it. refunded it because it didnt click. never stopped hearing about how amazing the game was, and after i watched the episode in the anime where they fight the opera singer machine, i decided to give it one last try. completely changed my mind before even reaching the end of route A. such a masterpiece of a game, albeit a hard sell to some people because of how many different things it tries to do, even if thats part of what makes it so good.
You didn't mention one huge element that makes Emil's death even more gutwrenching. He's the very last human left. Humanity dies with him, and in a round about way, it's your fault.
When I played, I had no idea what was happening so I just made up a story in my head. I decided that worker robots had rebelled against humanity, and humanity had been so thoroughly defeated that all they had left to send were their android sexbots.
FOOKIN YAAS Look, I'm not gonna lie, I've been waiting for someone to do an in depth review and analysis of Nier Automata for years now, ever since Joseph Anderson promised one and then never delivered. One of the greatest narratives of all time, IMO, along with SOMA and SpecOps the Line. One of those games that leaves you experiencing it long after the credits roll.
Beautiful. Loved this game. Thank you. I wish more people experience this game and come into it with an open mind, one ready to ask questions and think deeper than just button inputs. Absolute masterpiece of a game i wish i can experience again for the first time
The route with A2 hits especially hard. If you think about the A model being inspired by Kaine, and Pascal's village being the same village we find in Reincarnation as The Aerie. The village that has kicked Kaine out. And ends up being saved by "Kaine" again in the long run.
In one of the Terry Pratchett books (The Fifth Elephant) there is a scene towards the end where commander Vimes talks to the king of the dwarves. It's about a dwarven relic that has been forged and the king explain that the relic has to be replaced every few hundred years either way and he explains it by talking about his family heirloom axe: Of course sometimes the handle gets changed, embellishments are added or the blade gets switched out, but that doesn't change its status of being a family heirloom. The story of the android replacing most of his body reminded me of that.
Could you please ellaborate a tiny bit on this? I have just finished ending E and while I found it good, It has not hit me as hard as it hit others, and I am trying to understand the perspective a bit, because I feel like I missed out on something here What made it so amazing for you? Was it the main message or?
A fun nugget I like to pass along is 2B’s opening monologue. It mentions if we’ll ever get the chance to kill the god responsible for the never ending cycle of life and death. At the end of the game, you get the chance to kill the developers, the “gods” of the game.
and if you do the special easter egg in the dlc you can fight the CEOs of square and platinum too
Look into the lord of Zinnia. She created yorha and with it androids no. 2 and no. 9. No. 9 kills zinnia and is subsequently killed by no. 2, but not before he sets the whole project in motion, leading to how yorha ends in the yorha disposal document. And we all no what 2B has done to 9S, so in a way she did kill that god
@@isafatcat
Wait, where are those located?
I completed the colosseums iirc. But I may have missed that ....
@@DCG909 theres an npc in the top corner of the stands who you talk to
1:05:25
In actuality, Pascal's village, the Amusement Parl and Forest Kingdom machines never did leave the network. They thought they did, but the red girls where still monitoring every action of theirs, trying to learn. They were all experiments ran by the red girls, they did have "free will" for as long as it was interesting for the observers, the zombie outbreak in the village was a stress-test from the girls to see how the pacifists would react when they needed to defend theirselves
Also, before the game starts 2B has killed 9S 42 times already, that's why she's so emotionally broken
"You really want to **** 2B, don't you?" can be "fuck", for the players and for 9S himself who is attracted to her; can be "kill" for 9S knows about the cycle and might have some internalised hatred for 2B; could even be "save" for 9S knows about the cycle but understands her pain and wants to free her from this
How did you learn it was 42 times?
I really enjoy your vids! Thanks for putting in the time and effort. I hope you can support yourself this way. Take care
Thanks for the donation Laserbard! I appreciate the support and I'm glad to see you enjoy the content :)
The most insane thing about Nier is that it exists as a continuation to the alternate or secret ending to the Drakengard games and the lore from those games is also insane
when sony let all evil of the world pass the censorship check, and bang! Drakengard 1.
after that it's like that father call on his daughter jail prank : "what the fuck angela, what the fuck!"
gotta love yoko taro that dude is not only an enigma but a genius.
Yeah, those games have some insane lore. I wish the gameplay in them wasn't so ass tho
Both Nier games have amazing and beautiful soundtracks. Some of the best ever. I remember tearing up hard from the end credit section of ending E.
U weren't the only one. No matter how many times I hear it. That ending song gets me every time
I finally got to finishing Ending E for replicant and cried a lot. I was so happy to see this ending.
DrakenGard has a good Album as well for it's time
'tearing up hard'. im so stupid i was thinking hard what it actually means..
Same. I was tearing up the entire way. I refused to give in.
And seeing those messages, fucking hell it hits like a truck.
I can still remember my message.
"Get back up. You can do this. I'm right behind you."
One of the few games that genuinely hits me with a wave of emotion when I think about it, such a well told story from all ends
One of the few games that I actually got emotional at the end of the game, especially with that song...chefs kiss. Phenomenal game and story. Makes you think which is rare lol
@@zerospace101 I felt really proud of myself for being able to dig up a lot of the symbolism and even plot points far before they're revealed in this game. I spent a lot of my A/B routes thinking: "But once Androids are no longer needed... What will happen to them?" And sure enough, in one of the towers in route D, there is a whole entry about how they were just designed to be discarded like trash as soon as they were no longer needed. As I had surmised. It was the only solution that made sense to me.
But, even with the amount of plot points I answered myself, I never felt like the experience was cheapened, or bad. It was made all the more beautiful to me, and actually, in a strange way, made me believe in myself, and my own reasoning more and more. Which was a wonderful unintentional side effect of one of my favorite games of all time.
@@tickledpickle5671 This game truly was impactful. At first I was like, I gotta play the game again? The ending was powerful I think. But I was playing another perspective so sure why not, then route c then D and It was crazy. Making a amazing game like that with that philosophy of life like Nietzsche, Jung etc was surprising to me and woven in so well I really felt it at the end.
Nier Automata is absolutely one of my favorite story-focused games. It's a fantastic take on the "what it means to be human" trope that often pervades tales staring robots.
Mines Soma. If you haven't played it, I recommend.
@@chrisb4131Soma is such a good game fr
Broski honestly half the games you done i haven't or won't end up playing but i dig and appreciate these for the simple fact that don't miss out especially the storylines. Now im about to dive into this one.
I recommend playing NieR. No retrospective nor commentary will capture the themes of the game quite like playing it due to the fact that so much of its messaging is engrained into the gameplay. Almost everyside quest is saddening, often times in the worst ways. Sometimes you may question why you even want to save these awful "people".
automata is peak storytelling. It is just amazing. Has to be played to be believed
Plus, playing NIER before Automata will allow you to catch all sorts of small callbacks that aren't mentioned in this video. From song choice, to narrative devices. It's a real treat.
yup please play nier replicant first it will greatly enhance your experience. it did everything automata does first and the story is just as, if not more, impactful
Don't miss this one, there is so much he just cant get to, its incredible. The only problem is that after you finish there is a deep sense of emptiness because nothing else is quite like it.
Regarding the credits scene for ending E… I reached that point in the game during a moment where I had no internet access. I tried and tried and tried to beat it, but as you said, it legit was impossible. I never saw the messages from other players, never gained additional turrets. I thought there was no way through. The moment I regained internet access, I tried again only because I just didn’t want to give up and seeing those messages for the first time and finally hearing Weight of the World reach its climax with the hums and chants of all those voices together hit me like a truck. After being “alone” for so long, I finally had the help I needed to see this journey to the end. This game held and continues to hold such a deep significance to me, even helping me find ground in a philosophy I’ve adopted (as silly as it sounds with this being a videogame):
Together, we as humanity can achieve anything.
Glory to mankind, my friend
Even with an internet connection, just the struggle towards gaining even another line destroyed
I basically just adopted that "never give up" mindset from some anime and just bashed my metaphorical head into the wall until someone came along to help me up and punch through together.
I will never forget that ending
I think you experienced the credits for ending E in the most intended way possible.
7 years later and I'm still seeing videos on my all time favorite game/game series! The fact that crossovers, collabs, and media had successfully allowed this game to reach so many is unbelievable.
This was by far the best video you’ve ever made. Your message to the other players almost brought a tear to my eye given the context of everything, absolutely incredible
I’ve never heard a soundtrack as aethereal and memorable as NieR: Automata’s. Whole game is a masterpiece
You should listen to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night OST
@@buuga610 SotN OST is amazing, but doesn’t have the same aetherial quality to it. Playing Nier replicant rn for the first time and I gotta say its OST is even better than Automatas in my view
@@sleepy_chronotype listen to the original nier soundtrack i think its just as good if not better
U should go see the nier concert in la this weekend i believe Saturday
@@matthewlugo2417 sadly not in america
I play Automata once a year and every time I get to the credits fight I'm just crying buckets and hope I can help someone else experience overcoming that one last hurdle.
I never accepted a dialog box as fast as I did when prompted to sacrifice my savefile to help someone else get through the dev boss.
I still regret nothing to this day and I played the game on release
thank you brother 🤝
@@abraraketerz LOL opposite for me. Im going to 100% the game first then delete my save when Im finally done everything
No game has ever made me proud to delete my data until Nier:Automata
I know my copy of Nier Automata will never leave my library. It’s a gem and I don’t think people understand just how good it is. It’s going to be remembered for decades and the OST is the best I’ve ever heard in over 40 years of gaming.
Really had to make it past the 10 minute mark didn't ya?
Funny original joke
Shut up
All the the ads 👍🏽
@@Tetsaga /woosh
Don't you just hate it when a youtuber stretches a video out for the RUclips algorithm
I personally love that line from adam to 9s so much with the 4 ****. Because the more u play, the more you realise how many different words could not only be there. But how many words could fit there well
The best compliment i can give you for this video is that you did Nier Automata justice. Fantastic watch. This has been my personal favourite game ever since I completed it for the first time (....and I'm hardcore souls fan), and you even found a couple of things i missed.
Thank you.
It's crazy that I finished this game today, and I wanted to hear someone talk about it, and hear their experiences with this masterpiece.
Then I accidentally found this video, which was published today, and then I heard that someone asked the same questions to himself as me while playing it, and it was truly fascinating.
This game really is a treasure in almost every way and I'm kinda sad that it's not talked about more...
I finished this game the day this video dropped too! I received it as an Xmas gift from a good friend and was absolutely captivated especially route C/D. Being so late, it felt like I was experiencing a forgotten masterpiece and then this video uploaded literally the day I finished the game with everyone celebrating it in the comments and now I feel right on time
This game was a huge hit when it came out 😂 you only think that it isnt talked about more because it has been years and years
it came out 7 years ago, videos, analysis, discussions and theories are everywhere, youre just a bit late to the party!
theres a huge video out there that goes over the entire canon story from Drakengard to NieR: Automata and takes into account the wider material that's not in the games too. I really recommend looking for it. The interconnectedness between all the games, the theories, all chefs kiss.
@@adoniscreed4031in my country nobody even knew this game existed until i told them to play it like really a ton of people are still unfamiliar with these games and yes everysingle one of my friends that played this after i told them cried and were depressed in the end😂
While I don't consider Nier:Automata a perfect game, I can't help but be in complete awe at the path that Route E takes you. It is in my opinion the best demonstration that video games are the greatest form of artistic expression where you can bring together themes, ideas and messages and show them in a unique way.
I've never seen anything similar in any other game (and I doubt I ever will), but after suffering so much with the story and the credits and seeing how the game, in such an organic and natural way, reminds me that other people have been through it. The same thing that I felt in those moments, it was a blow to my feelings from which I will never recover. The sense of unity in a community that I really don't know anyone else about was something that left me frankly speechless and that I will remember and respect until the end of my days.
After hesitating for a few moments, I also sacrificed my save file and it was this same sacrifice and feeling of unity that made me complete the game again, now knowing the sacrifice and weight of all my actions and those of the characters. It's a shame that I did this so long ago that I no longer remember my message, even so, the important thing was to help someone like others helped me.
I mean shit the only issue the game really has is the pop in of bushes in the city ruins. Otherwise, the game is flawless.
34:12 Minor nitpick, it's actually Kaine's theme that plays here. The one that plays in the credits of Nier Replicant is Ashes of Dreams.
Kaine (Salvation) hits much more in this area, not just because of her shack being recreated, but also the fact that Kaine was the one who helped Emil come to terms with his eyes and skeleton form, always seeing him as Emil, her friend, and not a monster.
Hearing you talk about ending E, how it made you feel, and you mentioning Weight of the World brought me to tears. I played NieR: Automata back in 2019, and it remains as my #1/#2 game still, and Weight of the World being one of the most meaningful songs I've ever listened too, let alone from a game. As soon as you mention the song I started crying and immediately sang the opening notes. I am so glad that you enjoyed the awesome game, as I wish so dearly I could reexperience my first time with it.
i just wrote a comment about this 😭😭😭 i wish i could relive this moment
You know a piece of media is good when it makes you feel the full range of human emotion.
Finally. I waited so long for it. Thank you.
I feel slightly different about "2B's" emotional awakening in ending A since I felt it was her mask of emotional numbness falling off from the repeated stress of having to lose/kill 9S repeatedly, only not completely losing it because he had transfered himself. Its a little hard to tell sometimes what the characters feel.
Edit: I have been shown who is the boss!
Your message at the end almost made me cry, amazing video i cant wait for your next upload.
Wow I didn't realise this video was a day old, holy shttt.
Feed the algorithm :)) great video!
Intro to Route C is probably the best moment of any video game ever
It’s crazy to see how old this game is and still see it impact the way it did when released there is no form of art that has even come close to this yet
Wow! This was so beautiful! You did a fantastic job bringing all these pieces together. Thank you so much!
Appreciate your work! Not saying you have to make a video on it or should , but you should play lords of the fallen!
I appreciate the suggestion and the donation! I haven't played Lords of the Fallen yet so I'm not sure if a video will be made, but I have been meaning to get to it soon.
Taro Yoko has always been a firm believer in making side materials for games. It’s something he does naturally. Automata itself originates from the Stageplay YoRHa after all! Which is where A2 first appears.
The mind boggling extent with which he connects things get crazy. Like how the two Gacha games Yokos been involved in, Sinoalice and Nier Reincarnation, are……
“Sequels/Sidequels” to the story of Automata thanks to revealing a short story and the Human Server are integral to Reincarnation.
Can you spoil those two games for me?
Don't forget FFXIV, whose crossover is the only major side quest is the only one in the game *not* cannon to FFXIV, while it *is* cannon to NeiR.
It's a pretty normal thing for most Japanese franchises, Final Fantasy, Danganronpa, Kingdom Hearts, even Silent Hill.
The 4 letter word directed at 9S in regards to 2B is 'Free'.
Its said as much in Nier Reincarnations Automata crossover event...which i'm sure EVERYONE had access to...ugh
theres no really a specific correct word here, the point is that many interpretations work. this ambiguity+the fact that yorha android feel a quite literal bloodlust when fighting is there to foreshadow how torn 9s feels about 2b/2e. fuck, kill, love, free, save, maim, they all work. theyre all the same to an android, according to jackass's research, but especially 9s since 2b is both the one he loves and the one ripping that love away from him. its easy to understand why 9s was so frantic when fighting the horde of 2bs in the tower.
@@i.147 I'm simply stating the word they used in the Mobile game, since I assume barely anyone would have played that content
It SHOULD be up to interpretation, but then they went and added that content
When you compare to other translations of the game it seems that the word is in fact f*ck.
Wonderful timing i needed a break at this exact moment
27:00
gingy: [talks about how Adam's words made him think about humanity and such]
footage Adam: "Eve put on some pants ffs"
Favourite story teller youtuber back at it again with another banger, thank you!
Bro, you don't know how badly I want a Returnal video from you! I love the way you break these games down, and I'd love to see that for one of my favorite games of last year!
this game is on my list of games to play, i would love to watch this vid gingy but i cant spoil. ive been wanting a new gingy vid too
Single-handedly one of the best things I’ve watched and ever learned about. My guy many thanks to you and gods speed.
I cry every time I hear Weight of the World and your description of the ending brought me to tears again. Thank you, truly. Keep doing what you believe in :)
I finished it recently and man this game was an emotional rollercoaster with one of if not the best soundtrack I've ever heard in a game
Another great piece of work. Thank you for providing this content some of the most enjoyable
How does gingy manage to pump out such good videos so consistently? It’s magic man!
Now THIS is ganna be a masterpiece of a video
I have been waiting for this to drop🎉
I literally just played through this game all the way to ending e and finished the day this video was uploaded. What impeccable timing
the one game that truly made he sit and think. no other game i can think of makes you just sit in darkness watching the end credits roll thinking on life. it truly is a great.
this came at a perfect time! I finished the game yesterday and really needed a comprehensive recap like yours to gather my thoughts. Thanks and good job on this analysis!
I love these long videos covering my favorite topics, i can say i had a similar emotional response when i first played this game, as it is one of the only games to make me actually cry. I think you did a great job covering the story as well
Ay let’s go, always know what I can expect from your vids bro. Thanks for all the effort and work you put into these videos.
Ohhh boy. Another banger! I need to make some popcorn for this ❤
Yes!! I have been waiting for this video! Love your videos and love Nier. Perfect combo
nier is my favorite game series of all time, everything about the series is a master class, the soundtracks are the perfect
I only started watching these videos like a week ago but I'm already excited when new videos drop
mannn i remember sobbing while playing through the credits minigame lmfao.
thank you for a masterclass analysis of this game. concisely explained all the details and reasons why i love this game.
can't believe i haven't played replicant, but i have it installed now, so i have that treat ready :)
anyways, cheers!
Thank you so much for this. Watching this felt like time well spent
There's also the part when you're 9S in the second fight with Adam and Eve (in the Alien base) - the girls appear for a split second behind them. Scared the crap out of me when it happened.
Okay you wanna know where this gets even crazier?
FFXIV brings this full circle with its Nier raid series. The ark lands on the First, one of several dimensionally overlapping "shards" of a single world. The first is very strongly aligned toward Light aether, which is order taken to an extreme of stagnation and crystallization. It gets a bit iffy from there but it's implied that the machines master magic and the Ark gets corrupted by the Light, turning into the Seeds of Destruction from Drakengard and slipping into a portal, presumably to start the cycle all over again.
the ffxiv crossover doesnt seem to be canon, just references for reference sake,. since the raids are only available after you finish the main shadowbringers msq, the light corruption is gone from norvrandt so it cant be an issue. machines possibly have been able to use magic since their creation (they were modeled after emil after all), at least for sure before nier automata since adam and eve are able to use magic. the bunker also ends up in kholusia which isnt consistent with the latest nier reincarnation chapter. nier reincarnation is much more interesting lore wise and acts as a sort of nier automata sequel, i recommend checking it out.
its 2.25am for me and you posted this shit? FUCK! im getting my popcorn.
Such a fantastic game! If only we had a third adventure to tie everything together
Once again, you have absolutely blown me away with this story analysis. You have a serious talent for this and i absolutely love your content keep up the amazing work
Great video! There are 2 things I wish you went more in depth in, but frankly that’s it.
1. Slightly sad you didn’t talk about the Amnesia side quest, it’s massive foreshadowing to the 2E twist due to her reactions and is quite vital in my eyes.
2. With the whole “you’re thinking about how much you want to **** 2B, aren’t you?” Thing, I feel it’s a missed opportunity to not touch on what else it can mean. While it can mean Kill and Fuck, other words like Save, Love, and various other things fit. It’s brilliant because they all fit their characters.
I haven’t played this for years and even still seeing you go through the final ending and what it means as well as what it meant to you made me tear up the same as when I played it myself. Truly a timeless masterpiece.
Been looking forward to you talking about Nier👏
Imagine sacrificing your save file only for gingy to come along and destroy it along with 50 other saves because he cant dodge red balls properly. XD
What a great video! I just finished the game last night, and I appreciate your thoughts and comments on the many different questions the game asks us.
I finished up a second playthrough in preparation for the upcoming orchestra concerts and happened to see this video just days before completion. Great recap and analysis. I committed to wiping my save data this time, as I didn't have the heart to do so last time. My message was similar to yours: "This world is rife with hardship. And yet, the whole world is rooting for you." Such a touching game with one of the most beautiful endings. Thank you for this video.
Been waiting for this vid LETS GOO
i finished the six frank herbert written Dune books yesterday and felt like I needed a recap of Nier Automata. There are many parallels between some of the ideas. I have not played the first Nier - I may have to because the way Dune ends leaves one of the similar feelings you get while going through Automata, and I'm not ready to let go of the world's existential ideas
yet.
Thank you- I’ve platted this almost 10 years ago, and have never been able to shake the questions the game asks of the player. It’s never been given the proper love outside of a handful in the know.
You always upload just at the right time
Back when I first played Automata, I absolutely love the game and ended up doing a 100% clear. However, when I got to The End, I didn't erase my save to help another and I uninstalled after the last achievement popped.
It ended up eating away at me to the point I later reinstalled the game just to absolve myself of the guilt(?).
Still get goosebumps whenever I hear that ending chorus.
Thanks for this video, man! Love it! ❤❤❤
Nier 1 had a song called Hills of Radiant Wind. It used to play every time you used to go out into the grassy plains. One of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a game and the soundtrack to a very happy part of my childhood. 😊
Dear Gingy please keep this style of videos up, I consumed this video multiple times and highly enjoy the infos that are layed out on golden plate, you Sir, are very good at doing this.
The only game that had me crying like a baby at the end, and after finishing the sequence, I just sat there. Thinking about what I had just played. I was floored. Just sat there at the main menu screen.....what a masterpiece
the weight of the world is such a perfect song to wrap up the game with.
the first line that is sang in that song made me go from feeling emotional, to instantly crying. i legit had tears going down my face because of how amazing it was. like, when we as gamers talk about good moments in gaming, good endings, good games, whatever have you, this is one of them. its one of those things that without context, you wouldnt understand at all. if you only played the last few sections of the game, you wouldnt understand it. if you played the first few sections and for some reason skipped to the ending, you wouldnt understand it. after playing through a solid 40ish hours of story and paying attention to all of it, i genuinely cannot believe someone would hear that song play and not feel at least somewhat emotional.
i dont have much to say that wasnt said in the video, but i cant get over how amazing the ending was. i just played the game in may of last year, and im shocked that it took me that long to give the game a try. i even gave up on it in the first couple hours the first time i bought it. refunded it because it didnt click. never stopped hearing about how amazing the game was, and after i watched the episode in the anime where they fight the opera singer machine, i decided to give it one last try. completely changed my mind before even reaching the end of route A. such a masterpiece of a game, albeit a hard sell to some people because of how many different things it tries to do, even if thats part of what makes it so good.
You didn't mention one huge element that makes Emil's death even more gutwrenching. He's the very last human left. Humanity dies with him, and in a round about way, it's your fault.
Thought he was immortal
I played Nier Automata for the first time a couple month ago and holy shit I cried in the ending
I couldn't get into the game but was very interested in the story. Thanks for conveying it
My god, GREAT video 10/10 for a 10/10 game
When I played, I had no idea what was happening so I just made up a story in my head. I decided that worker robots had rebelled against humanity, and humanity had been so thoroughly defeated that all they had left to send were their android sexbots.
Been waiting for this one 🗣️
Easily one of my top 10 favorite game of all time. The music, the story, the combat... everything is just perfect
another great video essay!
thank you gingy
thanks for making this video, this is one of my favorite games of all time
Yesss i was waiting for this
Let's freaking go dude
Game gave me an existential crisis and mild depression. 10/10 will partake again lol
FOOKIN YAAS
Look, I'm not gonna lie, I've been waiting for someone to do an in depth review and analysis of Nier Automata for years now, ever since Joseph Anderson promised one and then never delivered. One of the greatest narratives of all time, IMO, along with SOMA and SpecOps the Line. One of those games that leaves you experiencing it long after the credits roll.
Beautiful. Loved this game. Thank you. I wish more people experience this game and come into it with an open mind, one ready to ask questions and think deeper than just button inputs. Absolute masterpiece of a game i wish i can experience again for the first time
hey love the video,made me have a think for while after the video .
i hope the next video be pacific drive or warhammer 40,000 rouge trader.
The route with A2 hits especially hard. If you think about the A model being inspired by Kaine, and Pascal's village being the same village we find in Reincarnation as The Aerie.
The village that has kicked Kaine out.
And ends up being saved by "Kaine" again in the long run.
In one of the Terry Pratchett books (The Fifth Elephant) there is a scene towards the end where commander Vimes talks to the king of the dwarves. It's about a dwarven relic that has been forged and the king explain that the relic has to be replaced every few hundred years either way and he explains it by talking about his family heirloom axe: Of course sometimes the handle gets changed, embellishments are added or the blade gets switched out, but that doesn't change its status of being a family heirloom. The story of the android replacing most of his body reminded me of that.
Love being blessed with more Gingy content
Absolutely love the nier games, very excited to hear your thoughts on this one! Automata was a phenomenal experience
❤❤ 😊
Thanks for an amazing video. I'd love to see you cover the first Nier game.
❤
This game will forever be one of the greatest gaming experiences I've ever had I'm so happy you made a video on it
Could you please ellaborate a tiny bit on this? I have just finished ending E and while I found it good, It has not hit me as hard as it hit others, and I am trying to understand the perspective a bit, because I feel like I missed out on something here
What made it so amazing for you? Was it the main message or?
Holy crap another Nier 736473828 hour video essay for me to put into my collection. So many nickles rn.