Nier Automata: A Magnum Nopus? (SPOILERS)

[@wendtils]

You not only make some good criticisms about the game, but also provide solutions for improving it. Switching between 2B and 9S in a single route sounds like a way more succinct experience. I also love the idea of 2B's murder lacking context at first to create an emotional reaction in the player similar to the in-game character.

[@sarahb1862]

2 Basic rules: 1. Don't universally praise something that could benefit from constructive criticism. 2. Don't fake orgasms.

[@GameologicalDig]

Morrigon VR Words to live by, lol.

[@farmsalot1233]

I loved nier automata. I can say that each playthrough had parts that annoyed me but it was the overall message that got me . The philosophy of automata.

[@PBart7]

"Shonen fuccbois" Okay that got a good laugh out of me

[@Ted4321]

Why does this chanell not have wiews,this is epic!

[@Wveth]

The only thing I really agree with is about A2's character development needing to be more IN THE ACTUAL GAME rather than in side materials. Still, I didn't find her arc with Pascal to be odd at all; we got enough information about her in the actual game to know that she has serious survivor's guilt, and she's been alone for a long time. She never really understood that machines could be sentient until she saw Pascal's village, and it affected her. When they died, she re-experienced the major trauma of her life. She got a little bit attached, even though she was afraid to, and then it all got ripped away. Her reaction was amplified because of her trauma. It all worked fine for me the first time around. The gameplay stuff... I don't care. You could be right. I'm just here for the story. I found Route B to be fantastic. It was like going through old pencil drawings, except this time they were colored. It was a masterclass in shifting perspectives for storytelling and each story beat felt almost brand new. I see a lot of complaints about this but honestly, I thought it was great. I think it might be one of those ideas that either works really well for people or not at all. I can kinda see where you're coming from, but I was obviously one of the people it worked on. You lose me on your critique of the opening of Route C. Maybe I just got lucky and figured out the right path quickly enough, but that was legitimately one of the most effective experiences in gaming for me. I feel like your version would just lose the entire point of the sequence.

[@mariolavoie8545]

I now understand why you dont like how A2's character development happened. I feel like I got lucky as I did not have the same issue. I had done a side-quest witch ended up with A2 getting materials to make a slide in Pascal's village. By the end of the quest she was less indifferent and more caring to the children of the village. It's interesting how optional content can change a experience so much. Maybe the game should have put a mandatory quest before the death of the village, to give A2 a better development especially for those who dont take the time to do side-quests.

[@Negi1001]

I would also like to state is that this game is built for more Apathetic and moralistic people rather then logical thinkers.

[@Wveth]

I like all the more subtle philosophical references in the game, communicated through the names of bosses and minor characters. There's a real critique of Blaise Pascal's "Pensées" sorta hidden in the story, and following the philosopher names to their respective philosophies can often help reveal things like motivations (Ko-shi and Ro-shi) or help explain plot events (like the battle with Hegel). Seems like your channel in particular might like that kind of thing ;)

[@herp_derpingson]

I always felt that Nier Automata had a good over-arching narrative but poor execution of the details. I really liked the idea of machines made by aliens fighting machines made by humans long after both humans and aliens went extinct and the machine government lying about it to keep the moral up. The moment to moment narrative and dialogues on the other hand are quite amateurish.

[@hippie9052]

Just found your channel through your SOMA videos and I love it! Are you still making content? Happy New Year btw

[@blasuqar]

I'm an Automata fanboy who made it to the end, and I must thank you for this vid, it's very well argumented and most of the time completely justified. I clearly disagree on some things, according to me, you missed the point of Route B, and I don't think one second that 2B's identity is an afterthought, it fits too well in the narrative for me to believe it. And if there is one thing you can't blame Yoko for, it's to lack vision about what he wants to make of his game, because N:A is one of the greatest exemple of a game in which all the subparts are converging to an end. But you are 100% right when you say that N:A is by no means a perfect game. In fact, I think it has far more flaws than some triple A titles I played and found 10 times less interesting than it. It's just that it has 3 qualities in its deep and thoughtful SF story, the emotional impact its story and artistic direction can have, and the fact that it's the most impressive game I know in the way it uses video games storytelling to reach its goals. That you will like N:A or not will only depend on what you value in a videogame. I call this game a masterpiece because I think that the way it manages to reach its goals is objectively impressive, not because it's perfect, which it's not. To me, if a masterpiece is by definition a perfect piece of work, then no fiction is one, and especially in video games in which there is so much to judge. If you are neutral about what Automata tries to achieve in your judgement of games, then you will be legitimately turned off by its flaws and not hooked by its qualities. I still 100% call it a masterpiece. But it's a masterpiece that you can hate for good reasons, and you greatly pointed many of them out: the lack of balance of the challenge, the combat system that never rewards good players, the facts that it doesn't give a shit about explaining everything and telling a fully consistent and clear story (N:A is far better than the first NieR in that field, but remains flawed), and that some parts of the story would have diserved to be more developed, even if the sidequests often do a great job in filling the parts partly skipped by the main campaign and that I think it's more budget and time limitations than mistakes from the devs. Apart from this, I can completely see why you could be turned off by the way Yoko writes. That guy just has no limits and you can be pissed by the drama. Again, it was greatly improved since the first NieR, and it's overall in control in N:A, but the melodramatic sequences were not completely removed either. I would not call this a flaw since this way of writing is here justified by the atmosphere and fits well with the narrative, but I completely understand that people can be annoyed. In fact, I would have been myself in any other game. And that the game often disregards fun for story reasons is also a thing that can turn off many people, and I absolutely don't judge or blame this. But this can't be called a flaw, it's just a difference in priorities between Taro Yoko and many other designers. N:A is a niche game, and a flawed one with that. Such reviews are necessary to avoid falling in the attitude: "I love it, so its perfect", which as you said, can only blind the audience and the designers. So thanks for this vid.

[@RotalHenricsson]

I come at this from the perspective of someone who A) doesn't particularly care for harder difficulties and B) hasn't played Nier nor doesn't really care to do it, but i don't see a problem with a VERY Hard setting being brutal. Especially if there IS a regular ol' Hard option. I don't get why but some people like it when a game pisses in their face and calls it rain; i'm happy for them to get a setting that suits their wants and needs.

[@Agenta-df3gb]

Especially when Platinum is slightly well known for their higher difficulties being brutally hard. Things like Non-Stop Infinite Climax in Bayonetta, or God-Hard mode in Vanquish. Brutally, brutally hard modes that require mastery over the game. Hard is also intended to be hard in this game, not normal or easy. Beating Automata on Hard is a self-imposed challenge also, not one for any real reward. Many complain about the game's lack of saving and check-point issues (Gameological-Dig clearly does) until you realize that you aren't intended to have an easy time beating Hard or Very Hard difficulty. It's intended to be brutal and, dare I say it, justifiably unfair.

[@stevenazilazian7248]

Hey man, I believe you are actually correct at many of your points. We have to admit that the game expects us to meet it more than halfway at some points. Still... I do believe you were really afraid of the backlash from the community (And the comment section) For pointing out a few of its many flaws. But I believe you are fair to speak your mind on a game some never did. Thanks man, and keep it up, I liked that

[@Agenta-df3gb]

Welp somehow I got a notification on KZbin for this video even though it's unlisted. I'm going to comment now anyway. I'm going to mention a few things: I have a HEAVY bias towards Automata. However, that doesn't mean I, in any way, ignore it's faults. I actually have plans for writing an extensive critique of the entire game, gameplay wise, narrative wise, as well as dissecting the ENTIRE campaign (Route A, B, C, all side content, all endings). If I'm quite positive towards the game, that is why. I will say this: Automata is a flawed masterpiece, NOT a true masterpiece. The difference should be obvious to anyone. It also should be said I am WELL familiar with most if not all of Automata's major side content. First of all, your comment about the end of Automata being a AAA game, and Taro being really a AAA dev right now. It's not, and he isn't. Sure Automata was VERY popular, but the rest of Taro's games? Have you SEEN the reviews for them? All of his games before have sufferred from dastic issues, and are generally niche products with a small dedicated fan-base. I had never even heard of ANY of his work prior to a friend recommending Automata to me. Automata also did NOT have a very high budget. Square Enix was VERY... hesistant to greenlight Automata, and entirely based it off community reaction from E3 based on my reading. That was a success, and so the game was made with a less-then-optimal budget. Automata was NOT intended to be a big smash hit. Taro, Square Enix, and Platinum were all VERY surprised the game got as popular as it is. The fact that the game selling 2 million copies in under a year was an achievement should show that well. Second of all, the Logic Virus. Yes it does pop up in side text, the 11B's Mementos side-quest is a clear example of that (If you read the full text-log). As for it's potential connection to the Red Eye Dissease (Which was part of the original Nier, not Drakengard), that is unknown. We don't actually know much about the virus itself. Yes it's a flaw with the game, yes it has problems. The Virus is also probably the least-satisfying part of the lore to research. It shows up EVERYWHERE in Automata's side-content, but we NEVER get a real explanation. Also, I will say this: Automata is literally designed around multiple playthroughs. And I'm not talking about the Routes, I'm talking literally. Automata's hard mode, the 2E reveal, and the EXTREMELY heavy amount of foreshadowing in side quests and minor comments ("Why do you think they sent a combat model like to you a recon mission?" being the clearest example). This mostly applies to 2B's character development. And now for the real meat of my response to your critique: Route B in it's entirety and Route C's Intro. In order to completely justify Route B's existence, you need to be familiar with one of Taro's major "tropes". His willingness to play with perspective, mostly through multiple playthroughs and raising questions prior to throwing a almost curve-ball answer. Route A and B are a pure example of this. Route A is a incomplete-experience. It raises too many questions without answers, as well as feels too short in terms of plot developement. Route B then has you go through A again, but now answers those questions at a lightning-fast-pace for those who were paying attention to Route A, and have the familiarity needed to rush through Route B. Adam's first appearance, the entirety of the reasoning behind Eve's down-fall at the end of Route A, Simone's character, the Forest Kingdom, as well as what happened to 9S after we were seperated from him during Route A are all answered completely during Route B. Route B also changes our perspectives on the machines in comparison to Route A. During Route A we were riding along the plot with 2B, but during Route B we know what is coming next, but are also learning more and more as the game progresses. Route B also, through side-quests, starts to give us answers about 2B's hostility towards 9S. You might say "But no it doesn't!" until you look at 2 of Route B's most notable quests. Amnesia, and Wandering Couple. 2B is much more hostile during Amnesia, as well as much more secretive after 9S, and ourselves, learn about the existence of E-Type Androids. That alone is foreshadowing. She doesn't want 9S to find out about E-Types. Wandering Couple's ending should also be obvious foreshadowing to anyone who knows about 2E. As a TL;DR for that: Route A was setting up Route B's reveals. Route A asks questions, Route B answers them and progresses the plot. They aren't meant to be taken as "The same playthrough done twice." Route A and B, while a similar base story, and identical routing, both have very different gameplay and more depth and details story-wise. Route B adds onto Route A's plot.a Anyway, time for Route C's intro. I feel as though your version of Route C's intro would lose MUCH of the big impact of 2B's death and 9S' descent into madness. We are seeing her death from her perspective first, partially for the shock value, but also mostly to see everything fall apart around 2B as everything she knows falls apart. If we did it your way, that would be lost completely. The scene is also another method of playing with perspective. The gravity of that scene is only amplified by 9S' desperate cry of "Where the hell is 2B?!", the game uses that perspective shift, and our prior-knowledge of the situation, to amplify the desperation in 9S' voice. It's one method of the gameplay amplifying the story. That there would also be lost if we take your method. Another method is the frustration and extreme difficulty of the part when 2B is infected with the Virus. It's meant to be very difficult because amplifies the gravity of the situation, as well as makes 2B's death have all the more weight. It's already a emotionally-heavy moment in the plot, but it's amplified to one of the most powerful moments in the plot through the gameplay. I think that example there, of the difficulty of the gameplay amplifying the story also applies to the game's no-saving intro. In all my playthroughs I always echoed 2B's "WOULD YOU JUST DIE ALREADY!" when she kills the final-boss of the prologue. The struggle of getting to and beating that boss, ESPECIALLY on Hard or Very Hard, makes that line all the more impactful, while also making 2B and 9S' sacrifice afterwards all the more emotional. As for your comment on A2 going from not caring at all to basically mourning the death of Pascal, Automata's side-quests aren't actual side-quests. They are part of the main plot. So A2 actually did all of those side-quests when she helped the villagers in Pascal's Village with what they were doing. A2 also isn't a major character in Automata. She's a minor character that also happens to be a playable character. Pascal, 9S, 2B, and the Pods are the major characters. She has very little involvement in the actual plot because she's not a huge focus. The real focus is the story of 9S, 2B, Pascal, and the Pods. Also, as for the references to prior games. Automata is designed as a stand-alone game, as obvious by the death of humanity being a plot-twist in Automata, when said event is the result of the original Nier. However, Automata's plot is further amplified if you played the original games, as evidenced by the involvement of Devola and Popola, Emil, and Accord during the events of Automata (Accord is somewhat of a stretch though). Same with the Library in the Tower, which is actually a representation of the Library from Nier's village. As for gameplay-critiques I agree with most, but will say that many of them are caused by a conflicting-ideology surrounding Automata's gameplay. Those 2 being depth and simplicity. An over-reliance on depth and skill leads to the game becoming "Hardcore" and "Nieche". A over-reliance on simplicity and rewarding sloppy-gameplay leads to other issues. Automata is trying to strike a balance, and yes it doesn't work. However, there is a VERY important thing to note for ALL of Taro's games. Gameplay is NOT a priority, story is. Taro builds the gamplay around the story, not the other way around like most games do. Anyway, I'm happy to discuss this more with you. If you are interested in another Automata review that I HIGHLY recommend watching, take a look at this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/moSWkHeIjcR6o5Y It shows the issues with the game, while also talking about the big positives.

[@Agenta-df3gb]

Oh wow. I got a heart. (Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention in my original comment. Automata's higher difficulties do not directly change enemy attacks. They only change damage (halved on easy, 4x normal on hard, and same-as-player's health on very hard) as well as enemy aggression (Enemies on Hard are notably more aggressive then enemies on Normal).

[@GameologicalDig]

You have to give me time, dude. A lot to cover here, lol. Despite Automata’s budget not being astronomical, it was immensely successful. So even if doesn’t meet the technical definition of triple-A, SquareEnix will def be pulling out all the stops for the inevitable sequel. I’m just hoping that they take lessons from not only Automata, but it’s predecessors. Like I said in the video, it’s got some iffy characterization, especially when compared to the original Nier. For instance, A2: while I didn’t do all of her side quests, I did a sizable chunk of them, and I just felt like her development was wanting. Call me old fashioned, but a character should receive the bulk of his/her growth in the main campaign, not just in the secondary stuff. And sadly, what development I experienced just felt undercooked, especially compared to 9S. I understand that her involvement in the plot isn’t crucial, but that shouldn’t exclude her from development. Taro has handled secondary character growth better in past games. They may have been poorly received - rightfully so - but they did succeed in areas of character growth and empathy. For instance: the second route through the original Nier really fleshes out Kaine motivations and reveals the thoughts of Tyrann. In juxtaposition, A2 feels like a missed opportunity. The same with 2B and the logic virus. I did “11B’s Momento”; I got the documents mentioning the virus. I guess I just feel like the information they provided wasn’t satisfying. Just as you mentioned, we learn nothing of it’s origin, and researching it online created a host of questions and zero answers. I walked away feeling very frustrated. On a side note, every resource I’ve seen lists the Red Eye Disease as a Drakengard thing, not from the first Nier (though it apparently has a role in the Nier Replicant drama disc). I won’t disagree that Automata does a good job hinting at it’s plot twists - and that those twists only become noticeable upon subsequent revisits - but it’s hard for me to look at that as anything besides a flimsy justification to make players replay the same campaign. The differences in playthroughs and added content are too slight IMO. I get that’s been a Taro trope for a long time, but that doesn’t make it good. To his credit, his approach HAS improved in certain areas - a second playthrough of the first Neir required the starting the from the mid-point; Automata at least has a chapter select, but it’s only accessible after route C - but it’s far from perfect. Those types of revelations would normally come about with a volunteer second playthrough. As is, it feels like Taro/SE/Platinum are forcing players to play the game twice just so we can go “oh, I missed that detail.” I don’t think any impact would be lost by incorporating route A and b together. Let the player opt into a second playthrough, don’t make it mandatory. As for my version of route C: I def don’t agree that approaching it my way would diminish anything. IMO, the narrative is fractured to the point of stunting the emotional impact of certain beats. 9S’ narrative would remain completely intact; inversely, a laser focus for 2B and A2 branch would only be beneficial. One of my biggest issue with 2B was that her development felt internalized. Allowing us to glimpse it through A2 would have helped expound her character and their unique relationship. Anywho, I’ll watch Vash’s review. I don’t see myself changing my opinion on many of the issues, as I spent a long time ruminating over them and feel very comfortable with my summation. But I always appreciate/respect someone who can articulate a counter-argument in a way that is well researched and thought out. Especially if it’s nuanced. Thanks for watching!

[@Agenta-df3gb]

I'll only really comment on the multiple-playthroughs and Route C stuff now, as everything else has already been mentioned basically. Mostly saying this. When we talk about multiple playthroughs for Taro's games, we have to say whether it's LITERALLY another playthrough of the entire game, or another "Branch/Route" of the game. There is a CLEAR difference between the two. When I talked about the foreshadowing (Mostly for the 2B=2E reveal) I meant LITERALLY multiple playthroughs. OBVIOUSLY you won't notice that stuff during Route B, even if it is much more present in Route B. Route B is instead designed around building on Route A's foundation. A lot of the reason the Forest Kingdom's cutscenes, as well the increased amount of information about Adam and Eve work is because you already know what is coming next. Also, Chapter Select is NOT the same as the Routes. Chapter-Select is there so you can freely go back to previous parts of the game to finish up side quests and anything you missed. That is why you don't unlock it till Route C's conclusion. It's also completely optional except for getting Ending E. If you SOMEHOW manage to reach a high enough level to finish the Emil's Determination side-quest, AND get every alternate-ending before entering the Tower, it IS actually possible to 100% the game prior to unlocking Chapter Select (Minus Ending E). It's been done in previous games by both Taro and Platinum, just the difference in Automata is you unlock the whole thing at once rather then gradually. Also, as for 2B's character developement, that is actually related to the one major flaw I have with Automata's narrative: the 2B=2E reveal. I don't mean the reveal itself, it makes sense and is foreshadowed well. But because we NEVER know 2B is actually 2E all of her character developement, as well as her true feelings/love for 9S, can't be seen in Automata because that would mean spoiling 2B/2E. 2B is actually the second most complicated and well developed character in the game (Second only to 9S), but we can't see ANY of that because of the 2B/2E reveal. That is reserved for the side content (Notably the 5 Concert Scripts, Memory Cage, Memory Thorn, and Bunker Observation Diary), as well as the novellization of the game, which is finally being released in English on October 9th. Yes I do realize many people won't care for side-content outside of the game existing, but it's so crucial to ALL of Taro's work it's impossible to ignore for ANY game he has worked on. Said side content also answers most questions we about about A2. (Notably the 3rd concer script, and the YoRHa Stage Play/Musical). The Novelization of the game even shows what A2 is up to during part of Route A and B. (Notably what she is doing in the Forest Kingdom and some other stuff). That there is why putting 2B=2E at the end of the game as the last major plot-twist (Prior to the Ending-E fourth-wall-break) is such a big flaw. She's a complex character, but we can't see that complexity because much of it is caused by her true identity as 2E. Also, I COMPLETELY do not see how the narrative is fractured in any way that harms the emotion of the narrative in terms of Route C. Granted, getting frustrated because you don't realize you CAN save while 2B is infected with the logic virus, and not realizing you REALLY need to avoid enemies during said long-walk can cause problems, but to me that is justified of the narrative for that scene taking priority. 2B should NOT have an easy time when infected because she's LITERALLY dying, actually worse then dying as the virus doesn't kill her, it takes over her body. A LOT of the emotional impact of Route C's intro comes from watching EVERYTHING fall apart at once all around you. Just when you are at your highest point in terms of confidence the game delivers gut punch after gut punch till you feel broken and empty by the time the rest of Route C starts. (This is something VashTSB's review of Automata mentions, the emotional rollercoaster of the game, aka how the bright moments in Automata, combined with Platinum's combat and setpieces bring you up high emotionally, only so you fall that much farther when the game delivers the next gut-punch). Also, as a complete side-note, if you played on Hard your first playthrough, that will PROBABLY be the reason Route C's intro did not "Click" with you, as Route C's intro is BY FAR the hardest part of the main story on that difficulty. Automata REALLY isn't designed around you playing on Hard unless you are experienced with the game (Which I can slightly tell you might not be as I never see you use the manual jump+heavy (jump+light for 9S) launcher during your gameplay footage.) This is mostly caused by Automata, unlike MGR:R and Bayonetta lacking a move-list menu. Automata's combat has a TON of complexity if you don't cheese the game with OP pod-programs (Wave and Mirage notably) as well as keep your level under control. Anyway, that should be all I need to reply to in terms of your reply. Thank you for responding, and thank you reading this edition of "Agenta's KZbin Text-Wall" if you read the whole thing. (Edit: One extra thing. The flight-unit sections are well well well well well known as the worst part of the gameplay. They are too easy, even on higher difficulties. Mostly because you can melee-attack to destroy bullets. I REALLY do wish they removed that feature, as it makes the flight unit sections much harder and interesting. (If you ever do decide to play the game again, try doing those sections without melee attacks. They become a LOT more hectic and fun).

[@shanepresnal5528]

@@Agenta-df3gb if you spent one third the time going outside and talking to women as you did on this video you wouldn't be a virgin anymore

[@akward8246]

@@shanepresnal5528 nice assumption, is it safe to assume that you are a virgin who got bullied left and right in school so you decided to go online and be a dick to feel better about yourself? Apparently debating in a review video is a sign of virgin, by that logic your next reply would be count as starting debate and illustrate how much of a virgin you are, so feel free to reply, dipshit.

[@anasb.8647]

Helllllll YES, I requested this video game for so long!

[@Skybaby79]

Take Bayonetta's bombastics Remove all of its charm and personality, add a near crippling dose of nihilism, with a ton of plot-holes ............ there you go

[@RileyRivalle2]

Thanks, I hate it!

[@matthewlugo2417]

Niers combat is deep as bayo combat you just dont know how

[@Wveth]

A great deal of the plot holes I've heard people talk about aren't actually plot holes, and can be solved with a little bit of knowledge of the game, and some thought.

[@raytong9144]

Thanks for making this! This commentary has a good reason for existing, and I really appreciate the fact that it was done the way it was. A very unenviable and brave stance to take regarding Nier. From what I understand, this isn't meant to be a complete review in its own right; whatever that's good about the game has been said already, elsewhere, and very often. It's just to bring some of the more pressing issues with this piece of work to attention, and emphasise the fact that there is a need to look beyond the wall of hype around the game and offer valid criticisms, whether it be from a technical standpoint or about design choices etcetera. However valid these criticisms may be (seems to vary tbh), they are well-justified and it's important to have critical discourse like that, especially regarding games which reach so high and achieve so much more than is the norm. To be honest, I find myself in an environment where the notion of games as media concerning the 'bigger picture' of life is not really taken so seriously or legitimately. Things have gotten better in recent years, , but nonetheless, it took a long time for it to be accepted the way it is now. And if games are to continue being a relevant and important form of media for us, and if we wanna get better and more thoughtful content, then logical discourse like this critical analysis is important. It not only validates the audience/consumer base as understanding and thoughtful regarding games and art, but will also push up the general standards expected from devs and publishers to produce more such content. I personally like how things have been progressing, and I don't want our progress in understanding games artistically to plateau or backslide. But if that's the case then games need to be taken seriously. Some of the technical issues, like the weird savepoint locations in the intro sequence, make one question how conscientious the design choices in the game are. It's like seeing a typo in a published article or novel. It won't affect the overall meaning too much, but the standard of little things like these really lend legitimacy to a piece of work. Some of the points brought up are questionable to a degree, such as the lacklustre combat. First things first, I both like and hate it to a degree. It looks flashy and is fun, but is repetitive for such a long and time-intensive game. The 'weird hitboxing' criticism is on point as well. I chose to excuse this, because I went in with the foreknowledge that combat itself was not a major focus of the game. That being said, it's important to criticize this as well, although somewhat less important. Lastly, I don't know what the market rate for a masterpiece is, but most masterpieces are flawed in some sense or another. At some point of time, they become imperfect just because they are outdated. This is especially true for games, which rely very much on the available technology at the time of development. Rather, I think the definition of a masterpiece depends on what can be attempted at the time and how well it was executed. Which is precisely what this vid was about. I still think this game will forever be a golden standard to strive towards, but it depends on many things outside the game as well, such as how it was able to deliver an uncannily precise and relatable message across such a wide audience despite being a 'small' title. Thanks for providing intelligent dialogue and explanations regarding not just this, but so many different series. It's heartening to see someone who gives this level of respect and attention to the work of others. While it's a pity that this sentiment will probably be overlooked due to the nature of the criticism offered, that doesn't make it any less valuable.

[@ollieoutsider]

another brilliant video, well done ive never actually played much of nier automata, but id like to after watching this video though it might be overdone by now, have you ever considered silent hill videos? i dont know if youve played any of them (though it seems right up your alley) but if you have, it'd be interesting i think, to see how you interpret it anyways, i hope your day is goin well, thank you for the quality content!

[@Melltronster]

Thanks for so eloquently articulating my frustrations with the hype and my eventual disappointment surrounding this game.

[@Aesgrath]

The red eye decease does originate from the Drakengard series as you said in this video but you were wrong when you said that Automata does not tell you about it. The answer to that is IN the game in what explains what is the black box and the machine cores. It's human pre extinction data or if you like "souls". It's not illogical to believe a virus has adapted and evolved from a previous host to a new one. On a different note I acknowledge your criticism for it's structure and the "masterpiece" reviews, it is a common mistake for those who are oblivious to Taro's works and stripping away the oversexualized androids(that was obviously done for marketing and sells with 2b being the first character to control and main selling gimmick and was quickly killed off because she was superficial) this is a Taro game and they all share the same design concept. What is that concept? Discover it for yourself.

[@caliptus85]

so a game is a masterpiece if it's perfect but nothing is perfect therefore nothing is a masterpiece. Acording to your logic of course.

[@GameologicalDig]

Carlo eee Fun but depthless combat; strongly themed but poorly structured plot; and straight up bad checkpointing = nowhere near masterpiece.

[@GameologicalDig]

Carlo eee Game also makes you play an additional 6-8 hours just to re-experience the same campaign with slightly different story beats. Again, I like it but this is flawed gem, not a masterpiece.

[@frogglen6350]

@@GameologicalDig Combat that you don't like is not "dephtless".

[@matthewlugo2417]

@@GameologicalDig lol depthless combat lol clearly you dont know just how deep niers combat really is, you clearly just mashing the buttons

[@SGresponse]

You talk of improvement on a game that has glowing reviews all over. What you fail to realize here is that all those enamored fanboys of the game don't need improvement - they've clearly stated it by calling it a masterpiece. Calls for improvement will fall on deaf ears. Also if you find too much praise in the review community - I recommend watching Yahtzee's reviews.

[@GameologicalDig]

SGresponse Hey, SG! I don’t mind when reviewers praise a game; I just want them to cover all aspects of a game, not just the positive ones. Most of the time, I feel like they have fairly well rounded critiques, but Automata was so lauded, I went into it expecting something more refined than it ended up being. I know this video likely won’t be popular, but I wanted to get my thoughts out there. People have asked me my opinion on the game and if I would ever cover it. Thanks for watching!

[@NapiLP]

how is your comment 4 days old if the video came out yesterday?

[@SGresponse]

@Napi: because I am one of the 42 (at the time of posting this comment) people who decided to support this channel with real money. That grants me early-access privileges, of which the benefit is having the early-comment bonus. This in turn makes my comment be upvoted more and in general be more visible, thus my opinion is spread wider than it would be otherwise. Alternatively: *i am a time traveller and can hax0r youtubz*

[@NapiLP]

im going with the second option

[@frogglen6350]

So liking something that someone random no name says needs to be improved is bad?

[@Slabfish]

I played through this game with large intervals between sessions so I never really experienced the story properly and I would like to and need to at some point. That being said I definitely experienced the gameplay, it is mind numbing and part of the reason why I kept putting the game down. In the end I just wacked on healing + damage based chips and just held down RB, sure I could of made it more difficult but I don't think I would've finished it. It's sometimes frustrating to have a narrative be impeded by gameplay good or bad, Soulsborne and SOMA might never be experienced by people because of their difficulty or horror elements, but in this case it wouldn't surprise me if that god damn no checkpoint flying sequence at the start didn't instantly halt someones interest. Also I'd like to point out the bullet hell ball thing aesthetic of long range enemy weapons, it's ugly and garish and I hate it.

[@GameologicalDig]

I agree about gameplay effecting a players ability to enjoy entire product. I try to look at the package holistically, and I'm always surprised by people who don't let bad/mediocre gameplay factor into their overall impression. It's just a value judgment. For many, if the story or theming is good, then subpar gameplay doesn't really matter. I think a masterpiece game finds a way to marry gameplay, theming, and narrative together. But to each his own (shrug) And yeah, the bullet hell stuff isn't for me. From what I can tell, it's not a bad as the first Nier, but I would've preferred it not being there at all.

[@KebradesBois]

You 're bordering on heresy... ^^

[@EnkeEnkhtsogt]

this video is a masterpiece 11/10

[@jjoegr]

I don't even play Nier but this was a great video.

[@jaredlang5951]

you are not alone the game design actually breaks on hard

[@NMGardening]

I hear ya on this one man. It seemed like a deep game for dumb people. Its fans are almost as unbearable as the undertale crowd.

[@Va5syl]

I've never understood praise surrounding Nier. How this mediocre game could be treated by everyone as a flawless gem? For me, gameplay it's at best average, but I personally did not find anything pleasurable in it. As for graphics? I feel like 60% of the budget went into main character models because how the rest of the world looks. And to be clear I don't think here about the design, only about the quality. And the story? For Me, It's trying to be deep so hard It ends being just pompous (not sure if this is the correct word here ;v). Yeah, I get it. "What is the purpose of existing if you have no purpose", and other heavy themes of this game. But for me? It's the same type of talk what you can expect from a 14-year-old kid who just read a book from Nietzsche. Just edgy. I believe I may dislike this game because of that. Because I'm allergic to the deep plots that don't provide us with anything more than being deep. Just serious for sake of being serious. Idk. I may not agree with you, because I don't see Automata as a "gem" at all, but hey. It's good to know that not everybody is praising this game as perfect in every aspect. With that kind of people, You can't even think about discussing the topic. With people like You who liked the game, but see that it's far from perfect? I at least can start a topic without anyone calling the other side "stupid".

[@frogglen6350]

You never understood because you are too lazy to do so.

[@Va5syl]

@@frogglen6350 Oh... so please explain me how am I too lazy to understand it. I'll wait :)

[@gregtagaras3314]

@@Va5syl because it doesnt seem like your actually interested in actually trying to understand the narrative/plot and it's themes, but rather just labeling it simply and rather lazily as just "edgy" and "14 year old stuff"

[@Wveth]

I don't know if you got to the end of the whole game or not, but considering how hopeful the ending is, calling it "edgy" seems like you really don't know all that much about it. I'm not going to say you're an idiot or you're absolutely wrong or anything like that - and I agree that sometimes it comes across as if it's trying too hard - but there is a lot of more subtle commentary that I think you missed. I mean, if a story doesn't grab you, I can't expect you to sit down and look hard at it. Obviously not. But for the people who were grabbed, there's a lot in there.