Why NieR: Automata is the Most Profound Video Game Ever Made 

I clicked on every “Why is Nier Automata so awesome” video I see

STILL the most impactful game for me. Ending E is the only moment (fulfillment?) in video games to bring me to tears, and I've played many over my entire life. God bless Yoko Taro and his mad genius.

Three moments that blew me away. Shortly after the opening level you are able to toggle your settings in real time with 9S, i played around with this for awhile, testing and re-testing settings to see what reactions 9S would react with. So imagine my surprise when in playing route B and I had to sit through my past self trolling me for 20 minutes straight in real time. I loved it. Upon completing the final route I needed to clear the credit screen, I got far, multiple times but kept dying, I was getting frustrated, pissed and down right angry at the game, how unfair it was, and the constant questions berating me for my attempts...and then I got help. The chorus swelled and I literally cried as everything just clicked for me. The suffering of persisting in a seemingly pointless struggle for meaning, the burden being lessoned by aid and kindness. And the choice to lose everything to show said same kindness and the game critiquing your choices all the while. The fishing rabbit hole, learning the fish lore and catching a megalodon for the first time which set me down the rabbit hole. I cant do that justice, but damn was that a surprise. The fact you could get the fishing ending instead of completing the game only added on to the experience.

NieR Automata is that one game that never really left me. Because I was only a teenager when I played the game, what stuck with me at first were the characters, the setting, the music and the general atmosphere of the game. But as I grew up, I became more familiar with the different concepts of philosophy, and I finally realized over time how deep and complex this game really is. I didn't care much for Pascal at first, but they quickly became one of the most fascinating characters in the game. Personally, besides its unmatchable secret ending, I think the moment who stuck with me the most was that Resistance member who wished to keep his old, defective limb, as it was the last remaining piece of his original body, and he feared of what it would mean if he replaced it.

HEAVY SPOILERS, that go over the informations provided in-game, you have been warned! One correction: The logic virus was of machine origin, not from androids in high positions infecting the other androids. However, the possibility of this virus infecting the bunker, and therefore all androids connected to it, having their conciousness uploaded there, WAS given by an android that purposefully included a "backdoor" in the bunker for the machines to attack and destroy it when the time was right. The same android that founded project Yorha. The reason for this is something you didnt talk about here, but maybe there will be a second video, who knows. The Yorha forces, the newest combat models you too play as, are designed to fail. Their only purpose was to test things, to collect data, to see how far you could push androids, for another android generation in the future to use this info, and maybe actually do something. (Which they will never be able to do, but they dont know that.) They are the only models that have a black box, a limitless fusion reactor... thats based on the cores of machine lifeforms. These yorha models, are closer to alien build machines, then to human build androids, because of this. Other, "normal" androids mostly didnt know of this, but higher up androids know about this, and treat the yorha like dependable cannon fodder, give them no ressources, accept none of their requests for help. Because in their eyes, since these androids are closer to machine lifeforms then to other androids, its moral to not treat them as their own, which makes it possible for them to perform the most immoral experiments on specifically these models. This is what 9S finds out later too, and makes him realize that EVEN MORE then he thought before, everything he, and other yorha did, was pointless. At least for themselves, for their generation. This all is also the reason the yorha are all dressed in black, to show the bleakness of their situation, and the constant mourning they have to go through watching their friends die again and again. A very important part is, the 9S models were the best and most intelligent scanners ever build. The S part of their name stands just for "scanner", and the 9 refers to a personality mode, in this case a very curious one, which for some reason, made especially THIS model so efficient. The commanding androids knew that these models would ALWAYS find out the truth, by digging into the andoid network, and unearth the same secrets the 9S we play as did. But they could not afford to NOT use them, because they were so good at their job. For this reason, they were ALL given a type E, for execution, model... which we later learn, 2B belongs to too, and is actually a 2E model. The job of these models was, to kill the 9S models they were assigned to, once they found out the truth, to stop them from taking action. Another major element of this story is, that first of all, the machine lifeforms are not entirely of alien origin. You can see this clearly in the last ending of the Nier Replicant remake v1.22, where you see that the base of the machines, servers, and the network, including the digital "landscape" we can play in for some parts, was already there thousands of years before the aliens arrived. But they adapted on it when they arrived, refined it, to the point we learn of, that the machines became advanced enough that they could wipe out the aliens. And by extention, they COULD wipe out all the androids in an instant too... but they dont. And the most important part here is, they dont, because of the same reason the androids fight for: That if they win, they will have nothing left to fight for. The aliens who gave them commands are dead, the humans some machines are interested in are dead, the entire planet is dead. And as machines, they dont seem to have the capacity to give their lives a meaning themselves. So they always keep their hold over earth around 80%, to give the androids just enough hope, just enough possibility, to fight back. So that they can fight endlessly, and keep up this one meaning that the aliens gave them per command, before they went extinct. To fight the androids. Thats the only reason they fight, because after this, there never came another command for them, to overwrite that one. And since they dont seem able to issue commands to themselves, this one is all they will have, forever.

I beat this game only once. 5 years ago back when it came out. Still to this day I can't think about Ending E without crying. I can't think of any other artistic work in *any* medium that's made me feel like that ending did. The lone voice in the song playing during the credits becoming a full choir as you finally accept help (surprised you didn't mention that) and the other ships swarm in as you now start making progress, not just a single lone voice singing, but an entire full choir singing together showing that together we can fight back against the game's message of meaninglessness, showing us meaning in those last few minutes, and that that meaning is outside the game entirely. The game spends 40+ hours teaching us this single lesson, and then once it's ingrained and we've internalized it, letting us feel just how dark and pointless it is, lets us fight back against that very lesson. Fighting the names of the people who taught us. Finding the meaning together. One final lesson to tip the entire game's meaning on its head, truly one of today's most profound artistic works.

You know its a good game when it can make you cry during the literal end credits

NieR: Automata is a game I have never finished and spent a lot of time roaming around aimlessly in when I played it years ago. Videos like this make me think I should really go back and give it the time and attention it deserves.

"We play as 2 androids, 2b and not 2b, and that is the true question" Missed opportunity

The ending of the game had everyone so far in their feelings that virtually EVERYONE ignored the idea of not helping their mortal enemy. For most of us, it was a non-choice. We all came this far, and I'll be damned if I don't make the sacrifice to help

MASTERPIECE of game that is just at the top of so many categories, STORY / OVERALL GAME DETAILS AND STAGES / OST / GAMEPLAY

The OST's haunting vocals with a made-up language is such a cool style. Great video!!

the revelation that all the people that helped you in the credits sacrificed their game to do so is one of the most impactful moments in gaming history

Autism and isolation in my family has lead to me feeling less human, more machine. Seeing these robots isolated, alone and with nothing but a world they'll never visit to use as a reference of what life could be. What life SHOULD be. It felt nice, I still felt alone but didn't feel alone in my isolation, the suffering was turned down dramatically. It was nice seeing 2b and 9s eek out moments where the message of shared love was clear Idk love this game and wish you the best!

I think In saw that video and I think I also went "nah, ending E" I always felt while playing Automata that the game itself was trying to instill me with a sense of nihilism, all these philosophies, all shown to be flawed, the implication being the same each time, it is all futile, there is no meaning. Hours upon hours of this sense being, not explicitly told, but instilled through parable. And then you get ending E....which essentially allows you to disprove the message of the game simply by not accepting it, the non-acceptance of it proves its wrongness, and it is SUCH a strong moment that it always gets me teared up.

Nier Automata was the experience that brought me back to videogames as an adult. Some of these things I would need a bit of time to remember on my own, presuming I could, but seeing them stated like this makes it clear all of it was still somewhere in my head, faded into the background. Nier Automata is so peculiar in what it does and how it does it that if I was asked about it out of the blue, and caught unprepared, I would probably answer "I don't know" or perhaps just "...". I find that's the best thing I could say about it, perhaps about any game.

Pascal's story is so shocking when you play the game. I felt so bad for it.

Great video! You didn't say it directly, but you made me realize something I never considered about the ending before... When you're shooting the credits (the names of the developers), you are literally battling against your creator, effectively attempting to "kill god". Thus, narratively speaking, you're brought full circle back to 2B's opening line in the game.

This was one of those games that haunts you long after you beat it. I started playing it thinking it would just be a fun hack and slash game with some fan service, not too different from something like Bayonetta for example. Which was the intial first impression I think most players had, at least if they weren't already familiar with Yoko Taro's work. What I could have never been prepared for was how invested I became in the relationship of 2b and 9s, how existentially profound all of the themes were, and how emotionally exhuasted I was by the time it was over. This game is an unforgettable experience.

Great video essay; I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. 😊This seems like one of those culmination essays that both looks back at how far you've come and looks ahead to how much more there is yet to discover. As your video essay concluded, I couldn't help but be reminded and reflect upon a potent stanza from T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets" poem as it relates both to your video essay's introduction and your later thematic analysis of NieR: Automata. - - - - - - - "With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. Through the unknown, remembered gate When the last of earth left to discover Is that which was the beginning; At the source of the longest river The voice of the hidden waterfall And the children in the apple-tree Not known, because not looked for But heard, half-heard, in the stillness Between two waves of the sea. Quick now, here, now, always- A condition of complete simplicity (Costing not less than everything) And all shall be well and All manner of thing shall be well When the tongues of flame are in-folded Into the crowned knot of fire And the fire and the rose are one." - T. S. Eliot, "Four Quartets" - - - - - - - Thanks for another great, thought-provoking video, Max! Stay yellow.

For me, the previously mentioned Xenogears is the most profound game I ever played, but age at the time (late teens when it released) and the ability to look back on it now with many wizened years are a distinct part of that. Planescape Torment as well, which I played when it released. But as for emotional impact, as you included with your definition of profound, I whole heartedly agree with NieR Automata; It made me feel. I'd personally feel lucky to count on even 1 hand the number of games that made me feel more than just accomplishment or frustration from the game proper. You can't force emotional investment from players.

There’s a reason why Stellarblade’s claim of being inspired by Automata holds so much weight back then when they introduced the game from the teaser. Shitstorm from the mainstream aside from the activists, if Stellarblade executes correctly like Automata we might have something close to that sparkle/adoration we had when we first played Automata and in turn Re-inspires Yoko Taro to write the scenario for the next Nier entry or any prequel to celebrate its success again.

There's a third option for pascal. When he asks for you to kill or wipe him, you can just leave. In this option you let him think about what they've done, and learn as a consequence. Or at least that's my head canon.

Funny how Pascale's last request is a literal coin flip. You can choose to kill them outright or kill the current them making the next Pascale an entirely different person.

today i was really sad, watching this video made me feel a little bit more hopeful, also it made me wanna play nier automata again. It's nice to know that one of the messafes floating around on that final fight against the credits, it's my little contribution to somebody else feeling hopeful also. Thanks max.

I feel so bad for Yoko Taro. The guy is a genius, who creates amazing games with rich and emotional stories, full of complex and relatable deep characters, and yet..... He is only remembered for A SINGLE GAME! Automata's quality(of story, characters, world, and music) is not the exception among his works, it is the norm! They ALL have the same level of quality!

Pascal's story was incredible, Jesus Christ, fun fact the Japanese voice actress for Pascal, Aoi Yūki does voice acting for Madoka from Madoka Magica, another life altering, incredibly profound work of fiction I recommend to all fans of Nier. That ending E, glory to man kind

This is my favourite video of yours! Also loved watching you collaborate with the guys from Resonant Arc, those guys have incredible discussions and provide me with my weekly existential crisis lol. Lots of love to you and those around you. Peace and happiness all the way from Australia. Xx

This game saved my damn life.

Profundity, with an abundance of ladders.

It always warms my heart to hear about the end credits of this game. And when my sons become old enough to enjoy it, I will show them NieR

I first saw your Drakengard video. Then I stumbled upon Ending E in a watchmojo top 7, which lead me to learning more and more about this series and setting. Loving it. Ty for the video! That ending...

I'm waiting to play this game for years and that fact that videos titled like this are still popping off makes me happy and chill while waiting for that perfect timing to complete and dig into it will come.

29:31 my exact feelings when i want to talk about YOKO TARO's games while nier automata is possibly peak for many gamers(it is kinda hard for me, to pick between, which yoko taro's works made the highest impression of me: between "Nier 2010/Replicant" "Drakengard 3" "Nier Automata") all of them had left some impression that is so precious on first run to try them, and the moment you understand all of their lore and characters i think i start this game when i was 18 or 17, at to this point , i can say one things, the amount of game which can rival with nier automata in term of concept and lore are not that much(unless we are looking at other yoko taro's games, or we look at VNs (which might gamers don't accept as game...but they can be so profound ) ) ... so i stand bold and say this: it is either nier automata, or any games yoko taro will create or created to be count as "Most Profound Video Game" at least for me

First of all after watching a couple of your videos I can confidently say that your channel is an uderrrated gem. Both the quality of the presentation and coherent nature in which you dissect the given subject of discussion in each video really sets you apart from other channes I have experienced that like yours also use video games as a means to uncover and explore physiologic and theological themes. On a bit of an unrelated note the first video game to personally make me make me question things and get me intrested in psycological debates when I was a child was the (underrated) spinoff video geme tittled "Sonic and the Black Kight". The game is part of the spinoff "saga" of games that take inspiration from famous tales and would throw sonic into their world. "Sonic and the Black Kight" in particular a takes inspiration from the fantstic world of King Arthur. The reason this game was my sort of awakening to this type of debates is due to it's central themes of mortality, the meaning of life, immortality vs mortality, what is chivalry and the detrmination to stand up against adversitiy. While "Sonic and the Black Kight" sort of tackles these themes on a more surface level it was enough to get the gears in my child brain turing. The confilct btween Sonic (The hero) and the villain (which I won't spoil just in case) is more than just the typical evill guy must be stopped (evill bad) that I was more exposed to back then. It's a battle of ideals in which the actions of the villain stem from a place of love (often depicted as a positive emotion) rather than a negative emotion like hate or a selfish desire (greed.) also very typical in villains. All this combines to make you sympathise with the villain and makes it feel more human which again was fairly new to me at the time. In sume the game makes you question both who is moraly right the hero or the villain and meaning of life. While the game presents it's own answer it leavs enough room for you to stew and formulate your own opinions. That's it. Max keep doing what you do and thanks for reading my babbling I hope it was coherent since english isn't my native language. Ps. I totally recommend you play it or just look it to it.

Amazing video as always man, really great work. Thank you for the continued content!

Thanks for this video ❤ calmed me down and took my mind off hard times

Some things I wish you looked into and mentioned this time: -the real life history and meaning of Automatas: as they were the first, delicately designed machines that resembled, and were designed to mimic humans. -2: the theme of Finding beauty and meaning in nature: it is no coincidence why the game's environment - even though ruined and empty of humans - puts emphasis on the beauty of nature: tall trees, water flowing, sand, animals, flowers - even robots finding beauty in it - and its in contrast with the theme of "meaninglessness"

the limp walk through the map before she died had me going through it

Can’t wait to sit down this evening after everything is done and watch this. Thanks for the video.

I am French guy that grew up in the 90s and discovered Ghost in the Shell when I was still quite young. Despite not understanding the movie, it touched me and years later I came to like it even more because I finally understood the whole thing. Also, in high school I got hooked by philosophy and I used to carry two books in my bag, to read between classes: "The Human Condition", by Malraux, and "Existentialism Is a Humanism", by JP Sartre. When I discovered NieR Automata, I was blown away by how smart the game was, how it approached existentialism (I mean, the protagonist's name being "To Be" makes it instantly clear we're going to enjoy a philosophical trip). The atmosphere, the characters...I loved it.

This is one of the best, if not the best Nier Automata video analysis I've seen. It made me want to explore even more things I didn't observed during my 1st playthrough. I will save this video and watch it again after I play this game at least one more time and have an even better understanding of all the meaning hidden in this gem. Congrats for the video!

0:00: 🎮 Exploring profound moments in gaming history, comparing games for depth, and highlighting the significance of Dex. 4:43: 💡 Exploring the historical context of religious criticism and societal cohesion in Western civilization. 8:59: 🎮 Exploration of Nietzsche's philosophy in NieR: Automata storyline and the concept of creating values in a godless world. 13:46: 💡 Profound exploration of human nature and philosophical conundrums in a mechanical game world. 17:30: 💡 Limitations of perception and reason explored through the failed growth of a robot baby. 22:39: 💔 Tragic events lead to overwhelming guilt and despair, prompting a difficult decision with moral implications. 26:33: 💡 The depth and honesty of NieR: Automata's exploration of existentialism and philosophy through gameplay. Recap by Tammy AI

Nier Automata is one of those games where I wish I could erase it from my memories just so I could experience Ending E again for the first time.

your channel is amazing. Your videos are deep and retrospective and enjoy listening to you!! Thank you!!

Max Derrat, Subscribed because your videos are so much fun!

Hi Max, I’ve been a fan for many years now, and it’s been super watching your videos become more academically mature. As a part of this, I’m hoping you can include the sources and further readings you use to make your videos in the future. The topics you cover, like sociology, history, psychology, and, of course, philosophy all lend themselves to benefitting viewers insight into your videos. For example, a pastebin link beneath your video with references would be awesome! If you need any help, I’d be more than happy to offer it. Awesome video as always, but still better everytime, Cole

This video is so relaxing! I definitely need the second half please!

I was going to reply about Xenogears, but I guess that you kind of made a point about it halfway through the video. imo Xenogears would be by far the most profound in the list (at least regarding games I've played), it pretty much is a bottomless well of thematic richness, but I guess it requires the player to dig as deep as he is willing to if he wants to fully uncover all of it. XG elegantly mixes psychology, philosophy, gnosticism, politics and more while excelling in storytelling, world-building and cinematography (despite the problems we all are very aware of) to reach a singular thesis, I get your point about the inaccessibility of seeing the whole picture unless you try to dig deeper and how N:A is way more accesible in that aspect, but if we are just judging how profound a game is, I don't find that a good criteria at all. Anyway, comparison are odious and no criteria is objective.

Thanks, Max! I’m going to come back and watch this after I play the game.

Tamagochi wake up! Max dropped a banger!

Just hearing you speaking about the end credits makes me get so emotional its crazy. Even so many years later. That moment will live with me forever.

Love your videos Max, excited for this

Amazing video, as always, Max! Great game, still only my to-platinum list!

I must say: music from The Talos Principle is very fitting for this kind of topics. Btw. great video as always.

You’re one of my favorite content creators and validate video games as a high medium constantly. Thank you and love you

I don't want to come across as hyperbolic, but I would say this is a modern gaming masterpiece. Managing to tell a story forcing the unaware player to consider philosophical points combined with all the other aspects; the story telling, the music, the visuals, set pieces and overall gameplay. A lot of games have their deeper meanings missed by the wider audience because there's just that 1% missing from the game itself causing them to just go through the motions and finish the game or even drop it.

-Be me -the video starts -Fortress of lies.mp3 -My heart sink, eyes tears up -Here comes the memories It hurts, it hurts so bad, but I'm so glad Is like seen a smile of the people you love, half a globe way Yoko Taro ruined my life, and I want to hug him for it

Thanks for explaining the complex philosophies involved in this story. I personally love the writings of Nietzche and have found the problems he describes very applicable to today. As for other games I have found significant or profound, I personally had been affected by Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. It is a deep dive into the world of psychosis, and has a lot of depth psychoanalytically. If you haven't already covered it, you should see if it's something worth doing a video on.

Wow just wow. First Nier Automata vid I have watched that actually mentioned one of the greatest games or well stories ever told that being Xenogears. When I first played Automata, the story and direction gave me MAJOR Xenogear vibes. How is it that so many missed this? At first I thought I was the only one, glad someone lese noticed the philosophies introduced as well. I subscribed on that alone.

Such an underappreciated channel

Informative as always.

Oh you're the profound mgs2 guy! I remember having gotten your video recommended a long time ago. Funny, cause I JUST finished nier automata for the first time only a week or so ago. AND I played/finished mgs2 for the first time two months ago. It really was an experience. I'm glad people are still talking about this game. Maybe I should give in to my temptations and fall for the DrakenNier rabbit hole by starting drakengard 1...

Gonna have to finish the game before I watch the video but I'm hyped

Automata's DLC is actually the most profound moment I've experienced, and in a way most people dismiss or don't know about: You can buy the achievements you haven't gotten yet through a secret vendor. I'm an achievement hunter, and here was a game giving me the easy way out, which I took. This could have been the moment I stuck to my principles, but I wasn't strong enough. I still wonder if I would make the same choice in a new game now.

Yes. Nier is the most PROFOUND game I have ever played. I discovered it by random at a friends place in Australia. It was stellar. I was shocked for the very first time that made me think Philosophically. It was something I didn't grasped quite fully yet but touching on various subjects of Philosophy and sharing the idea of it in it's self was profound. I learned more from this game than any book I've read at that time. My eyes were opened! Damn. I can go on and on about but that game is 'magica' if I can say the least. Hard to describe even but very in depth. Yokotaro has some mind and skill to put all of this in game. Impressive. 👏

Still to this day ending E brings me to literal tears. And as such it will always be the game I recommend to every person and house plant I talk too.

Literally picked the game back up today bc I remembered how fun and intriguing it was. I got all 26 endings for the game a few years ago but forgot a lot of what happened. Decided to look up some lore and HERE YOU WERE! How serendipitous! I can always count on you Max

That's the best video about that game I've watched. That game blew me away and I think about it every day since I beat it. I cried so ugly during those credits, thank you all those players for your sacrifice ❤️ True piece of art- I never expected that in a video game I would be able to continue thinking about philosophical topics and that it was reserved only for university classrooms I went.

15:00 thank you for adding Xenogears and it's awesome osund track.

This game changed my life. I can't describe it in words, only in tears.

I really love your videos (especially in these Nier ones.) I majored in English/Rhetoric, and your writing, designing, and presenting of your videos are phenomenal. Keep it up! 💕

I believe now that a HUGE part of the perception you have of games, is how you felt at the time, granted great games make you feel good but for example, I unfortunately played this game in a very bad period of my life, I was depressed and had just been fired, so while I finished the game, I did not have such a good time or memory of the game, but now I wonder how different would my memories of this game be if I was on a good mood while playing it.

This game was such a journey

Best game ever made. Best story in a game. Best soundtrack in a game.

30 minutes blowing smoke up 2B's skirt without one mention of 2B's "assets" is in and of itself quite the achievement. Nice Max.

That’s the same question posed in A Tale of Two Cities and the Seventh Seal.

I disagree that Ending E's message is about love. It's altruism. Selflessness. Those values aren't inherently tied to love; you don't need to love a stranger in order to do something nice for them.

Love, TARS love! There is a quantifiable connection!

Great video Brother!! Love it!

That true ending was really moving for me. Ya, you lose something substantial to see it but it was worth it. Never had any game I played do something like that before. Closest would be something Kojima could come up with. It's one of the most memorable endings to a video game ever.

Never played this game since didnt have the money and time to do so but the music, the music is just chef's kiss that it inspired me to write my own fantasy novel

So, I know this is a huge ask, But man. I think Final Fantasy 14 has incredibly emotionally profound moments. I'm not an online gamer at heart, and I dont think I'll actually return unless i hear 7.0 is way better than I think it will be, but from A Realm Reborn to End Walker we get all sorts of psychological and emotional conundrums that just slap you in the heart, and honestly its one of the things that helped me grapple with my fear of becoming a father. Strong recommend. A majority of the games story is available as single player content. If you cant see yourself playing it, there are many playthroughs out there. Its that good to me.

PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND

I do agree with the nier series (please refer to my pfp) but there has been a game that has been on my mind 24/7 called library of ruina. It is the sequel to lobotomy corporation, while it is a direct sequel it doesn't require you to play lob Corp to experience it, although playing it gives some insight in some things The game is really well written and has a deep inspiration by the concept of the cabala and has some social commentary on life and the system we live in, while talking about some other filosofical concepts like fatalism and various literary references

How did you know I was playing this masterpiece?? Your video came out right on time for me. Thanks!!!

I really enjoy your deconstruction of games from a philosophical perspective. Thank you for doing it!

Max, if I may I would suggest a very obscure animation called Æon Flux, is very VERY psychedelic, but I feel there is very strong Jung themes in it I believe you could have some use of it, that if your brain doesn't runs out of your nose after watching xD

I love the side quest of nier. Not exactly complicated but they always have some sort of theme or ending that makes you think, makes you feel. Also some are just hilarious like the Romeu and Juliets play

At this point, I've watched like, 20x more Nier/Nier Automata videos than I've ever played the actual game.

A certain game you may want to look into is Harvestella, released in 2022. While it was advertised as a farming sim, it's really an Action RPG with farming sim elements. Recommending it because it's story reads as a mix of Final Fantasy, Xenogears, and Nier, both Replicant/Gestalt and Automata. It also has fantastic art direction and a soundtrack by Go Shiina, which really helps out the story and feeling of the game. Just to warn you though, it will take time before you can delve into the real meat of the story, especially with extra lore and philosophical ideas held in characters stories and side quests. There's also no voice acting, which feels like a really big missed opportunity. Not a perfect game by any means, it got pretty middling reception for a reason, and the poor advertising didn't help, but if you can stick it out and bite your teeth into it, I found it to tell a really heartfelt and compelling tale.

I love watching your videos. Thank you

The leaders of the Androids did not infect their troops with the Logic Virus. This was in fact done by the Machine Hive Mind itself through a backdoor into the Bunker thanks to one of the first Androids that were made back when Humanity was still somewhat, physically alive. The Android responsible for this backdoor was Model No. 9.

Nier Automata is a game I’ve played once. I don’t need to play it through again. It’s so exquisitely beautiful it brought me to tears several times.

It's funny you decided to open the video with MGS2, as i think this is the most important video game series ever created. Along with, you guessed it, NieR The only two video games series that managed to make me cry thanks to their stories, writing, characters, etc... but most importantly, only these games made me feel that the creator was litteraly talking to me, giving me his point of view on really deep topics I've never experienced anything like that in any other game. These series will remain a part of who i am till my last day

23:00 with pascal you can also choose to walk away and not make a decision.

Great video. I have been gaming since the 80's and Nier Automata is my fav game of all time. I think of it often and the way it made me feel. A diff experience than any other game

I wish I had this kind of insight into the games I play. Especially this game. I finally understand why everyone loved this games so much. It only took 7 years and someone else explaining it like this for me to finally get it.

Every time I think of this game, as a grown man, I still cry. Theres something about it that makes you feel hopeless and like everything is gone, and nothing matter, then you get the true ending, and feel some kind of nope. It's probably my favorite media experience.

Honestly, at first I thought that the video would be a little pretentious, but after seeing that you have become so informed and have played so many other video games considered philosophically profound (you have cited as examples Deus Ex, Disco Elysium and Planescape; Torment, the latter one of my favorite cRPGs) I realized that I was wrong. It is an excellent analysis, and the philosophical examples you present about humanity are excellent. NieR always had a very great depth, it surprises me how little it is taken into account narratively speaking. It is not simply a set of philosophical references. No. It is about the approach that it exposes to create its narrative base. Yes, it is something that we already know and perhaps it does not have a solution, but its universe is fascinating and what it manages to convey (not only in the playable part) makes it for me a unique and to a certain extent daring video game, because today In the industry, this type of plantation does not seem to attract much attention; everything seems mostly to delve into a need for distraction and quick satisfaction. And I'm going to be honest, the fact that NieR Automata is not the type of video game that I usually play (especially because of its gameplay) when it was published I came to underestimate it a little, although I only saw the introduction that you quote #9: 45 that automatically made me change my mind. I remember that when I saw that intro, I cried a little from emotion. I was struck by the way he expressed himself and immediately caught my attention. Fortunately I realized that NieR was not just another ordinary game and since then, I learned more about it and in the end I found it simply fascinating, especially its more narrative side; its bases. Thank you for this video, you have put a lot of effort and dedication into working on it, and the level it has is admirable. It is very useful for even people who have never heard of NieR or who perhaps had a somewhat negative idea about it. I admit that some concepts surrounding NieR lore were unknown to me, and thanks to your ideas, I now understand it even a little better.