NieR: Automata | A Complete History and Retrospective 

How do you feel about NieR: Automata Dad?

I gotta say this is absolutely hilarious to think that we almost didn't get one of the best games of all time because 930 is too goddamb early to get up for work 😅😅😅

One thing you didnt mention kiddo is that for the final rendition of weight of the world, the lead, professional singer eventually stops singing and all you hear is the untrained voices of the developers. Being raw, it is a true representation of the “every man” as if all of humanity is singing for you, cheering you on, like the remnants of the memory of humanity in the game.

Spoliers: There is a 3rd option with Pascal after the factory, where you can choose to leave him alive and simply walk out of the building, leaving him alive with his memories intact.

The last couple of sentences you say in this review is exactly why I didnt erase Pascal's memories. The machines are trying to be more human. Being a human isn't just the happy times. We can't just erase our memories when bad stuff happens.

For me the true beauty of this game is that ultimately its less about the Yorha androids and their fate but the ascension of the machine life-forms, finally completing the journey Kalil and Beepy dreamed of back in the original Nier. After all Beepy was the original "god" of the machines, bringing them the light of sentience and allowing them to break free from the bonds imposed by their alien creators before -as the legend goes- departing to the stars. So even if their ark does indeed wander the empty heavens for eternity, within lies companionship and a dream of hope -also eternal.

I started with Automata, but Replicant’s story/setting is just special to me. The opening of Route B obliterated me. I legit had to take a six month break after seeing that before I righted myself for the torture that would progress. The robots having feelings and being largely innocent was brutal. The combat in Automata is perfect. The music in both are amazing. There’s just something I can’t put my finger on with Replicant. I’ll chalk it up to Emil.

Have I've seen 20 Automata retrospectives already? Yes. Will i watch this one? Also yes.

Been waiting for this since your replicant video and I can’t wait for the full series edit. Good work, son.

Yoko Taro is what Tetsuya Nomura wishes he could be.

I was so impressed and moved by the story of Nier Replicant from your previous retrospective, that I actually cant bring myself to watch this video yet because I feel like I owe it to myself to experience this game properly. I guess I'll see you when ive finished the game, son.

somehow fitting someone not adjusting to 930 "corporate" timetable is behind making this creative and atmospheric inspiring game. Suda51 is also similar "eccentric" (in not adjusting to big group schedule and habits) designer.

Hey Son, I've heard of this game before and have been long awaiting your take on it since you started reviewing Drakenguard. Thanks as always for the consistent work, and I'm not surprised your channel has grown over 8 times as big since I started watching these videos. Your ascension to 100k subscribers is imminent.

That 1728 joke was beautiful (1:38:48)

Dude wonderful video as always! So entertaining and informative! I greatly enjoy your coverage of everything important in the game and your cadence in your speech

The game is simply a Masterpiece of storytelling.

my little brother Introduced me to this game. I watched him play some of these endings years ago and I think he needs a hug man. 😭🥺✨

BABE WAKE UP NEW YOUR FAVORITE SON VIDEO DROPPED

hey man, just wanted to say that i really enjoy your content, and your choice in franchises is pretty solid too!

Son, you've quickly have become one of my fav youtubers. Thank you for these deep dive videos!

I followed this entire series & it's been great. Jus wanna add that U CAN choose to WALK AWAY from Pascal through the door if u don't want to do either of the other choices. He's gonna chastise u for it tho so it prob won't feel great. Nothin else happens after that u jus don't C him until the end of the game in the cutscene where Adam & Eve leave the planet for good.

I was wondering when you'd get around to this one, big bro. Your thoughts are kind, compassionate, and nuanced to a game that divides so many. Nier: Automata was my first foray into the DrakenNier game universe, and have yet to start playing Replicant. My mind still falls to the time I had with 2B, 9S, and A2, and how through their strife, I was able to gain meaning and perspective on a life that I had felt like I had lost my way in. Art, no matter how messy, or convoluted it is, deserves to be made if someone will resonate with it, and that's a statement I'll always stand by. I want to say, though, that there's a third outcome for Pascal after he finds his kids dead. You can just leave him, without erasing his memories, or killing him outright. To me, this is the most human of the responses. As much as we would love to erase our memories, to be human is to carry that pain around with us, and to grow around it. To me, that makes this option a viable choice. As bleak as the thought is of, "to suffer is to be human', it also means that we to laugh, and love, and live to become better people through many times of adversity. The human spirit is indomitable, and shouldn't be discredited as a concept. Also, my favourite song off of the soundtrack is "End of the Unknown", a frantic, electronic piece that uses tribal elements to paint a landscape of what came before, of the past rippling into the present. The OST really is a great listen, and has been a constant source of encouragement on those days that I feel like I just cannot with the world. So thanks, big bro, for reminding me just how special this game really is.

This was a fantastic analysis of one of the best pieces of media out there. Well done, son!

Oh my god i was really hoping you'd cover this after you did replicant!! So excited to watch it!!

Just to add onto the part of being able to remove any chips you have whenever you'd like, its even possible to remove the OS chip, which kills you when you do so.

I always thought it was pronounced au-tomata

Son, sorry for the absence, using 20 different ways to circumvent restrictions where I am makes YT thinks I'm a bad actor of some kind and sometimes I can't post comments. Now this one goes into my backlog next to your DMC5 vid because both are of the rare few pieces of media I"d like to experience unspoiled. Until then, keep on shining. Glass half full, I got motivation to play them sooner now.

typing this at the soundtrack section but i remember going back and listening to the ost after I finished the game and in the Japanese version of weight of the world, they vocalist starts crying. that shit broke me. it was a beautiful song the first time I heard it during the credits but after paying attention, the fact that they chose to keep the take is truly incredible.

Deleting pascal memory, is destroying who he is. Is identity. Without is memory he is not Pascal anymore, at least not the same Pascal. I love this sequence because there is no good choice. No ethical high ground. The option are simple: you destroy a life literally (which is weird in a game where you are already killing everyone or almost); you destroy a person, his self, his identity, etc. (his memory). You let it live as a who he was, but with is suffering. Personally I think letting him live with is memory intact is the only OK ethical choice. He can always commit suicide or decide to live and maybe find happiness again, but you shouldn't feel obligated to help someone terminate himself (by killing him or destroying is memory). You could argue that destroying him is like medical assistance in dying, and its ethically ok, but you cant put that responsibility on someone, even a doctor, if they are not comfortable with that action.

The one I've been waiting for. Thanks, son.

Reminds me of reading Nietzsche and Kierkegaard in college. few video game stories ever accomplish something like that... Xenogears comes to mind

As with Automata's precursors, this really suit's your storytelling style. I only recently got Automata on steam sale, a stunning looking game with some amazing gameplay. I will admit, that trying to rewire my old brain to play it takes a lot of effort.

Got to say that I absolutely love your videos. They are thought through, filled with many details and not just about one part of a game. So huge thank you. Oh and your voice is very soothing which is a reason I like to first watch and then relisten the videos. And now this is where my one and only complaint comes from. The volume of your narration and the volume of the gameplay/cutscenes is widely different. Which let to some jumpscares when it suddenly got way, way louder mid video. I think it would be somewhat better if both volumes are somewhat the same? Otherwise everything else is perfect.

High class content. Thanks for all your hard work

this is a very very great video. i enjoyed the entire thing as someone who played the entire game through a few times. great job. thank you

really enjoyed this video 🙏 thank you for making it! my personal comment is what you said about the novel sections really stuck with me. because i do think you’re right. and i also went out of my way to pull up the VODs for 9S’ voice actor playing this game because i wanted to hear the novel. but somehow i don’t know if i would have appreciated hearing it voiced as much if i didn’t have to go out of my way for it. does that make sense?

Love your video game retrospectives! I'm curious if you are planning to cover the 007 video games?

Is it strange that this is my absolute favorite game and I still watch any video analysis of it to this day, I listen to many of the game songs daily, I still talk about automata with anyone that will listen... but I only beat it once, cause I know it will never hit the same like the first time I beat it

Been waiting for this for too long. Thank you for your amazing analysis. This is my favorite game of all time and will most likely hold that spot forever. The amount of tears I shed while playing this game for the first time is a testament to its memorable story; I still find myself crying for the machine and android plight when I replay it even though I've seen them numerous times now.

Loved your video but I will offer a (criticism?): the volume mix seems to be very low. Maybe it's on my end, but I had to turn up the volume a lot to reach the same level most other videos get normally.

This video brought me to tears simply by remembering the sheer power this game had over me by the end of it. Amazing!

Great video sir. I put over 170 hours into this game back in 2018. Now you got me reinstalling for another playthrough 😈

Been waiting for these retros forever

Love your videos!!! Keep up the great work son!!~~

Really enjoyed this, and the whole Draken/NieR series, son. This game is beautiful and it’s the first time I really experienced multiple endings that were continuations or the story, which I absolutely love. It’s really creative, innovative, and so moving. Good job, son.

Son... this is going to he the best 90 minutes of my weekend. I'm glad I found this video.

Automata is one of my favorite games of all time. Some interesting things not mentioned: * While Nier is the game that precedes Automata, there is another, more direct prequel. It's a play called YorHa, which is about A2 and Anemone. The story you read during A2's run is a summary of the play. * While Son gives the Machine names right away, you don't actually find them out until 9S's run, presumably because he's hacked into the machines to see them. * And speaking of Machine names, all the names are the last names of various real philosophers, with the exception of Jean Paul (Sarte) and Simone (de Beauvoir). This is due to existentialists being litigious jerks. * The game title doesn't show up until the B run, and opening credits until the C/D runs (as shown). This basically marks the entire A run as a prologue, and that the main character of the game as 9S, not 2B. * The Red Girls show up before where they are mentioned in the video. During route B, they show up at the end of the initial Adam and Eve fight, and when 9S goes to the flight unit to help out 2B at the end of the run. You have to pay close attention to see them, they only appear briefly. * There are multiple versions of Weight of the World. The B run version is in Japanese, and the lyrics are not the same as the English version. J'Nique Nicole was given the melody and a general idea of what the song should convey, but not what the Japanese version would be. Taro and Okabe didn't want something that tried to be a literal translation that would force awkward lyrics. * You want to ****** 2B, don't you?

great work son. it was a very entertaining journey through Taro's work

I'm surprised you didn't mention how you fight Shades of each machine boss in the final Arena challenge and what implications that could have.

In 6 months release an extra long vid of all the previous retrospectives of this series. I'll watch it

Such a phenomenal game. very much looking forward to this retrospective son

I was hoping you were going to talk about the best asspect of the game, 2B’s dump truck 😂

I don't know if you know this, but you can use melee attacks to remove the dark purple spheres, watching you carefully dodge them was impressive though

Like most of the machines in the theme park, the Tank only attacks if you attack it.

Helping me sleep every night almost, thank you

Firstly , Son, you have made me proud yet again. Thank you for this. Secondly, if you haven't played this and own a Nintendo switch, the port on their is absolutely sensational and I highly recommend it.

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SO LONG YES THANK YOU I AM SO PROUD OF YOU SON

I found Nier Replicant much tighter story and theme-wise, with automata feeling sometimes a bit too much up its own ass with his narration and metaphors. I feel like it wants to speak about way more than it can efficiently and meaningfully can. It's still a really great experience and it managed to really put the Nier franchise on the forefront !

Been waiting on this one!

ngl I was enjoying myself along with Adam during his fight. There was something ridiculously fun about exchanging blows with him using the fists... also yes, the soundtrack is stunning. My personal favorite from the OST is Birth of a Wish though.

Ah man I've been excited for this one. Great job, son

Great video son, 🔥 The Deadrising series would be a cool series to a history and retrospective on.

Nier: Automata is one of those games i wish i could forget just so that i could experience it for the first time again

If he thinks amusement park is sad, what does he think of mourning?

Was waiting on this one hard Wait

The game that made me fall in love with video games again after years of not playing any new releases. It’s a true masterpiece and my fav game of all time.

I only knew about this game cuz of... 2B cosplay thirst traps. Thank you for introducing me to this beautiful game/art

For some reason i got an itch to play an anime-ish game during lockdown, i downloaded this demo. Months later i remembered it and bought the game. What a GAME. I keep recommending it to people. It's an experience you'll only get once

I've been waiting for this one.

suprised you didn't mention the Japanese singer in "Weight of the World" crying at the end yet they still kept it in.

Every time I see videos about Automata, I'm confronted with the fact that, apparently, everyone except me destroys the tank in the Amusement park despite the fact that it's not even hostile in the first place

I’ve played it the first few times on ps4/5 and it was great. And I played it on my switch too recently and wa shocked at how well it ran on that

Hey Son, as Always thanks for making monday morning work bearable. I liked this gane very much, but never got the true ending because i did not Have Internet at my new Appartement. And there is no way i can make it ti the end without Support. Nontheless i had a lot of fun and I am certain i did Not see everything the Game has to offer. Maybe another day.

Automata remains one of my favorite games ever, one of the few games to make me cry and IMO one of the closest games to really by considered "art"

Another brilliant video son! Happy SonDay! Also can't wait for the full DrakeNier video! That's gonna be a full day binge

11:23-11:29 That’s why I carry a can of Pringles in my back pocket anytime I leave the house.

The pod's attacks look familiar.

I don't know if it's just me, but I find the volume to be pretty low on your videos. Doesn't seem to be the case on other channels for me?

1:09:31 you can spare this machine if you simply leave, similar with Pascal

Been checking to see if this was up yet all week.

Still has a hold on me that will never let me go. The music, the story, just everything absorbs me. This game truly shows that Video games can be a powerful medium to tell a story with. 2B and A2 are gorgeous, and play to perfection. Play through it and if you don't feel something, im sorry you're dead and can't read this comment anyways lol.

YES! We have arrived at peak video game!

Since it happens multiple times I think you have a misconception about anrdoids here. Not all androids have machine black boxes, only YoRHa do.

Played this game on hard (all main endings). The 'tutorial' almost broke me :D

Thank you son, dad was very bored and needed the pick me up!

This is making me want to replay this masterpiece

Can't wait to watch another 7 hours video about DrakenNieR lore!

Honestly seeing the acclaim Nier Automata gets is always cathartic to me. When I said that Nier was one of my favorite games of all time, Automata is one of the only games I will say is better, in some way I will definitely say that if you look through out Taro's career from Drakengard to this game, then Nier Automata is the official payoff for him. The game is Yoko Taro's magnum opus, intentional or not. And the shocking thing is that Nier Automata is a game that realistically shouldn't exist given how it is a sequel to a game that is a spin off of another game based on its joke ending and those two games were admittedly not very successful, hell I would actually even say that Nier might have bankrupted Cavia given how shortly after they had no choice but to be bought out by a whole other company shortly after. Like I am just glad that some higher up at Square Enix seems to have a lot of faith in Taro because otherwise this masterpiece wouldn't have been released.

i played Automata at one of those perfect times in my life for it to become one of my favorite games of all time

My favorite son talking about my favorite game. You did this game justice. This game deserved GOTY over BOTW, don't @ me.

wow thanks for the video love the nier games

i fucking love nier automata; my favorite game, even though i dont like hack and slashes

Hard to put into words how much this game moved me when I first played through it. Wild to think a damn game would reshape how I view almost everything.

True, I am listening while at work as well :D

do The Evil Within retrospective

I just live the grimdark setting. Nier Automata is a prime example of grimdark done right in my opinion

Another great video Son. Glory to Mankind.

One of my favorite ways to play the game now when I run through it is by removing the hud completely.

Nier Automata took everything that was wrong with Replicant storywise and fixed it. Repeat playthroughs at least were far more bearable than Replicant.

I loved automata but replicant was better story wise imo.