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, despite the fact that Nier had never been very popular so far (especially in the West), the adventure starring YoRHa No. 2 Type B and YoRHa No.9 Type S became a huge success. Seven years after its release, we remember it fondly to answer the question: What was the secret of its success?
Happy Birthday #7 to 2B, 9S and all the characters of NieR: Automata!
In case you didn’t know, the Nier saga is a spin-off of the Drakengard franchise, also created by Yoko Taro. This may sound confusing at first, but this is where we find the first reason for the success of NieR: Automata. 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.
Of course, it’s not enough just to create an accessible plot, 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 a lot of unexpected twists. Not to mention that 2B and 9S 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 public’s favorite waifus 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 or Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, this resulted in Automata’s combat system being really fluid and fast, with a lot of different weapons and accessories. Add to all this some incredible boss fights and memorable levels where 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 garnered extremely positive reviews, to the point that it was named one of the best video games of 2017, and also sold over 7.5 million units. Naturally, Square Enix took advantage of this popularity, as they produced endless merchandise of the characters, a mobile spin-off, 2B made cameos in many games from other companies, and even an anime was produced and aired last year, titled Nier: Automata Ver1.1a.
Now only one question remains: will there be a sequel to NieR: Automata someday? This would be somewhat difficult, considering that this story has a fairly concrete ending. But we wouldn’t be surprised if, at some point, Yoko Taro decides to return to explore this fascinating post-apocalyptic world and its charismatic characters.
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