The "NieR Re[in]carnation" smartphone app is just a few days away from service launch! We look back at each title in the "NieR" series that is linked to this title!

NieR Replicant" / "NieR Gestalt

The two versions of the action RPG were released in 2010 under different titles: "NieR Replicant" (Replicant) for PS3 and "NieR Gestalt" (Gestalt) for Xbox 360, In "Replicant," the protagonist is a young man; in "Gestalt," he is a mature man. Other than that, the main plot of the story remains the same, with the only differences being the protagonist's dialogue and some of the story's direction.

The "Black Literary Disease" that is spreading and "Mamono" that threatens people

The setting is a rural mountain village in a certain place. The protagonist earns his living by fulfilling people's requests, but he is at a loss because Yona, who lives with him, is suffering from an incurable disease called "Black Letter Disease. One day, he hears from the village leaders, Devol and Popol, that he may be able to cure the disease by collecting "sealed words." He travels around with the "Book of White" to collect the words.

A royal RPG and a group of friends with strong habits.

In this work, Emile, a mysterious creature, and Kaine, a warrior, become friends. Despite her cute voice, Emile's body is made up of a round head and bones. Kaine is a beautiful warrior woman dressed in underwear, but she is very foul-mouthed and routinely annoys those around her with her abusive language, especially with the "Book of White," with whom she has a quarrel all the time. Both of them have serious secrets, which will gradually become clear as the story progresses.

Emile. A small man with a powerful magic power inside his small body.

Kaine. She has a foul mouth and a bad attitude, but she is quite skilled with a sword.

The basic flow of the game is to explore the field, accept quests from people in the village and town, and find a way to save Yona. In battle, the player can use a variety of weapons such as long swords, daggers, and spears, as well as powerful magic with the help of the "Book of White. Combo combinations are easy to link, and the exhilaration is strong. In addition, some enemies may attack with a barrage of bullets, making the game feel like a 2D barrage shooter, despite the game being in 3D.

Incidentally, as in the "Drug on Dragoon" series that Mr. Taro Yokoo has created in the past, "Replicant" and "Gestalt" also feature "Weapon Stories. In addition to simply using the weapons you acquire, you can also enjoy the story behind each one. The weapon stories are updated as the weapons are enhanced.

The second round of the game, in which players learn the meaning of "destroying everything for the sake of one person.

Replicant" & "Gestalt" has many elements of a classic RPG, such as adventures to save your family and quests from the townspeople, but the first lap is just the beginning. The essence of this work is the story, and from the second lap onward, the presentation and development of the story changes drastically compared to the first lap. The catchphrase "For the sake of one, all will perish" is used here to convey the importance of the story, and you will be able to see new scenes and discover other aspects of things you did without thinking about them in the first lap. Furthermore, since the first part of the story is automatically skipped after the second lap, it is easy to play around the story.

After the second lap, multiple endings can be unlocked, and the next end can be reached by fulfilling certain conditions. The final ending, in particular, became the talk of the town at the time because of the huge price to be paid to fulfill the goal, and because the whole story itself was so astonishing to the players.

NieR Automata

Seven years after "NieR Replicant" and "NieR Gestalt," the new "NieR Automata" was released on PS4 and Steam in 2017 and on Xbox One in 2018. Despite being a sequel to its predecessor, the elements related to "Replicant" and "Gestalt" remain at a fanservice level, so that players can enter the game from this title without any problems. The game is also developed by Platinum Games, the developer of many classic action titles such as "Bayonetta," "VANQUISH," and "Metal Gear Rising Revengeance," and features a significant evolution in the action aspect compared to the previous title. This title won the Excellence Award at the Japan Game Awards 2017 and the Role-Playing Game of the Year at the 21st D.I.C.E. Awards, and has sold over 5 million copies to date.

Androids continue to fight for humanity's return to Earth

The story takes place thousands of years after the "Replicant" and "Gestalt" eras. In a world where humans have been defeated on the moon by "machine life" sent by aliens, android "2B", who belongs to the "YoRHa Unit", throws himself into the battle to take back the earth. In this work, "human" is an important element, and the protagonists, as well as their enemies, the machine life forms, are confronted with human concepts and abilities such as life, emotion, and reason.

9S" is 2B's partner. He possesses advanced hacking capabilities.

A former member of the Yoruha unit. Wanted for desertion due to a certain incident.

Battle system has evolved to be deeper and more spectacular.

Battles against enemies remain the same as in previous titles, but in this title, various elements are more powerful. In addition to weak and strong attacks, the "pod" that follows the hero in shooting, "finishing blows" to downed enemies, etc. Various combo attacks by switching between two weapons in real time are now possible. Equipping the "Plug-in Chip" will enhance HP and attack power, as well as increase the probability of obtaining items, while setting "Auto Attack" will automatically attack enemies in EASY mode only. A wide range of customization is possible to suit the player's skill and play style.

Furthermore, while the "flying unit" is equipped, the game becomes an aerial battle, and the battle system shifts to a bullet-shooting type. There is also "hacking," which allows players to break into the interior of a mechanical life form and attack its core to inflict massive damage or manipulate the enemy, increasing the variety of the battles themselves. In addition to the aforementioned EASY mode, NORMAL, HARD, and VERY HARD modes are also available, covering everyone from those who are not good at action to those who are.

A story that changes with each lap.

The ending and some of the game's performances change as the player laps the game, and the player can glimpse a new aspect of the story, an element that was present in previous titles. In "NieR Automata," this element is enhanced, and from the second lap onward, the story itself changes drastically from the middle of the game. Although the number of endings has greatly increased from four in the previous work to 26, only some of them are related to the main storyline, and the others are like sub-ends. Some of the endings have big tricks, and like the previous title, these were the talk of the town among players at the time.

The latest title in the "NieR" series, the smartphone app "NieR Re[in]carnation," is now about a week away from release. Although it is not a sequel to his past works, the works in the series will be of great help in understanding the world view created by Yokowo Tarou. It might be a good idea to use the time until the distribution to play with them. The only problem with the "NieR" series is that "Automata" can be played on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam, while "Replicant" and "Gestalt" are only available on PS3 and Xbox 360, respectively. As for "Replicant," an upgraded version will be released on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam on April 22, 2021, so you may want to wait for that. We hope that this article has provided you with an opportunity to get acquainted with the "NieR" series.

• Works
• NieR Re[in]carnation
• Compatibility: iOS/Android
• Genre: Action RPG
• Price: Free for basic play (with some items charged)
• Service start date: February 18, 2021 (Thursday)