I played NieR on the PS3 and I think it is possibly the most underrated game on the PS3. So when NieR: Automata was announced I had high

I played NieR on the PS3 and I think it is possibly the most underrated game on the PS3. So when NieR: Automata was announced I had high expectations, it's essentially a marriage of the designer Yoko Taro's ability to create strange beautiful worlds and stories with Platinum Games' vast experience of crafting intense action games. Thus this new game is different in that the action aspect is so vastly better than the previous installation while keeping some familiarity, e.g. some of the weapons will feel very familiar and the soundtrack is just as great as the original's.

What did not come as a surprise is that Platinum added a Bayonetta "Witch Time" like dodge mechanic, and combined shooting and melee. What surprised me a bit was that there are arcade style "bullet hell" and twin stick shooter elements - and it works suprisingly well. The characters are just as interesting and likeable as expected and the player has a very good variety of customization either the android itself or its accessory "pod".

I have to admit in the beginning I lost against the second mini-boss and there is no save point until more than an hour into the game, essentially after the first real boss. So for the initial play session reserve about 1.5-2 hours so you can play until you find a save spot. The save spots can sometimes get very sparse and the first bosses can be tricky. Technically NieR: Automata is a huge step up from the previous NieR and Drakengard 3 titles. If you like strange beautiful experiences, fast action, superb soundtracks and games that you have to beat multiple times, this is a must-have title.

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