I finished yet another game review last week for Kombo, an action-RPG called NIER, published by one of my favorite studios: Square Enix. I honestly had no expectations when it came to the game and I had really no idea what it was even about when the review copy hit my doorstep. At first I was turned off by the game due to its poorly done graphics, but it didn’t take long for the incredible story and hilarious dialogue to win me over.
From my review:
Again at first glance, the story seems like it’s the typical random-hero-must-save-the-world plot, but players will soon find out how atypical it is. Instead of an angsty teenager taking the lead role, the main character is a middle-aged father. He’s not out to save the world from a crazy idealist, an evil mastermind, or hideous monsters, but from a deadly virus, one that has infected his seven-year-old daughter, Yonah. Nier (the main character who the player can rename) and his daughter live in the year 3349, a post-apocalyptic future. Everything has gone to waste, and the remaining humans of the world have had to start from scratch and live off the land. Ignore the fact that in 1300 years, surely they would have technologically advanced. It’s actually a huge spoiler to explain why they are still living in the Middle Ages. Yonah has been inflicted with the fatal Black Scrawl disease, and Nier will do anything to ease her pain and find a cure. When she runs off to find a flower that supposedly grants wishes, Nier meets a talking, floating book named Grimoire Weiss who says he thinks he can help Nier save his daughter. Weiss helps Nier learn magic to defeat monstrous Shades attacking the world as well as learn Words to apply to his weapons and magic to boost their stats. With Weiss and other companions, Nier links the disease to the Shades roaming the land and their master, the Shadowlord. When you learn the truth behind the Black Scrawl, more about Nier’s friends’ backgrounds, and what happened to the human race 1300 years ago, and it will blow your mind. Upon consecutive run-throughs to see all four endings, the mind blowing just continues with additional cut scenes and backstories of the characters AND the bosses.
I liked the game so much that I bought my very first DLC and I played through the second half three times to get all four endings. I can definitely see myself playing it again in the future so I can play the new episode I downloaded. But I have other things on my plate as well, so that will have to temporarily wait.
In the meantime, if you are so inclined, please check out my NIER review.
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