Overall, Nier: Automata is a phenomenal game filled with great gameplay, world building, amazing storytelling, and it even poses some interesting questions. There’s so much to love about this game and it has spawned dozens of think pieces from various websites on the topics posed in the game. I truly believe Nier: Automata is easily an early Game of the Year contender for 2017. If you own a PlayStation 4 or have a Windows machine capable of running it, you have to give this game a try.

This unusual action game set in an offbeat world created by Taro Yoko is a treasure trove of pleasant surprises. It's not often that we meet such a stylish, offbeat, memorable game.

Sometimes frustrating but always compelling, Nier: Automata is a wondrous and strange experience that could only ever be a game. [Issue#261, p.60]

In the end, NieR: Automata reflects what’s in your heart, and it’s possibly the most playable introduction to the glorious madness of Yoko Taro there is. Whether that’s worth something to you I couldn’t possibly say, but it’s left quite a mark on me.

A beautiful, melancholy action RPG that’s effortlessly stylish and utterly unpredictable.

A profound jewel of an action game that deserved a better PC port.

NieR: Automata contains twenty-six different endings, which inevitably incentivizes those who want to see all possible conclusions. But, the apparent lack of story, which drops off for a good while after the introductory level, is stinging, and you must have enough commitment to see past this. The combat is unique and, at times, refreshingly variegated gaming styles emerge from NeiR — from hack-and-slash to arcade-esque air fights — but enemies themselves show little variation and predictable movement. If you are looking for a hack-and-slash with extraordinary graphics and a fair amount of character customization, then it is likely you’ll enjoy playing this release.