Nier: Automata
(PlatinumGames – PS4, PC)
2017 Game of the Year Contenders
Nier: Automata is probably one of the weirder games of the year so far, and that’s thanks to director Yoko Taro (known for the Drakengard series of which Nier is a spin-off). It’s classified as an action-RPG, which is simple enough, and it even checks all the boxes for the genre with its open world, quest structure, customization, and exceptionally fun combat. But Nier: Automata is also so much more than just your run-o’-the-mill action-RPG.
There are text adventures, bullet hell elements, twin-stick shooter segments, and even some rhythm-based battles. When you throw in the fast-changing camera angles, the experience becomes something much more dynamic than fans of the genre would expect. Helping all of those layers shine is a gripping story full of emotion and intrigue. Sure, androids becoming sentient and questioning their own “humanity” is nothing new, but there’s a lot of care put into how the story is delivered in Nier: Automata, from the various endings, to the three playable protagonists, to the proper dose of humor to balance out the heavy themes. It’s an experience that effortlessly delivers on all fronts and is a definite game of the year contender as we move into the second half of 2017.
