Nier is one of the best JRPGs to come in along time, and it will be hard to beat.
Time to see all endings: 36 hours 25 minutes
I was very sceptical about this game, review scores were... less than glowing, and the people at Gamestop (where I purchased the game) tried to talk me out of buying it saying it was a bad game, and one guy said it gets good after the first 10 hours "Are you sure you want to be bored for 10 hours before it picks up?" But despite all of this, I got it anyways over Enslaved.
I must say, I love this game! This review will have a lot of 'worshiping' in it. But I'll also tell you the bad as well.
There are many things about Nier that will turn gamers away. The visuals aren't that impressive, the combat system may seem like it could get repetitive, and the side quests are primarily composed of fetch quests or item collection. But underneath these small flaws, is an amazing game. A game with an amazing story, great characters, epic boss battles, and overall good gameplay.
Nier truely has one of the greatest stories in a game that I've seen in a long time, the only other game from this gen that compare is ME. The story is very intense and involving. It also doesn't hold any punches, this game is sad. Multiple times throughout the game I had my eyes watering and my heart throbbing. Maybe even lost a tear or two. The characters are great and you'll really start to care for them. There are flaws with the story, I'm still a little fuzzy on some of it, but altogether its pretty cohesive, and very engaging.
The sound is one of Nier's strongest points. Voice acting is almost always done very well, surprisingly making for a very good and believable translation. Dialogue is interesting to listen to. I can't say how many times I waited to advance to the next area so I could finish hearing what the characters had to say. The music is fantastic, it always seems to fit the emotion that the game is trying to bring you at the time. My gf said that the music was beautiful, and I must agree.
Graphics aren't too hot on this title. I really like the way they went with the art direction. The cutscenes are done very well though. Enemies in this type all look the same, with the exception of bosses. This may get old after a little while, simply fighting waves of the same enemies with bland looks. One of the best things about the graphics are the different places you'll visit along your journey. The art direction is so great that it all really comes together, and it is all helped by the great soundtrack.
The gameplay is where most complaints have originated. In this game you use two types of attacks, magic and hack and slash. I completed most of the game using primarily magic. There are 8 spells, but the first few are the only ones I really used. And the swordplay is basically a button mashing fest. Using magic is very enjoyable. I only wish that they had made it possible to assign more than just two spells. Another thing that has been complained about is the fetch quests that make up the majority of side quests. I won't deny this because it is true, but it should be noted that none of these quests are mandatory at all.
Nier was one of my best choices in games. I feel good that I went on instinct and discovered a really spectacular game. This game has one of the best tear jerking storylines in recent memory. I really recommend anyone who is a fan if JRPGs to pick this game up, or at least rent it.