Nier Replicant

posted on 25 Oct 2022

Replicant, the progenitor of the Nier series.

The most pervasive theme throughout the course of this project is the following adage: there is always more to the story. There are things you are not seeing with your biased, limited perception, but things which nonetheless exist. All it takes is more time and a shift in perspective perhaps, and slowly, you begin to develop a fuller, more universal understanding. And with increasing perspectives that are not so self-referential and thus, self-limiting, you begin to develop compassion. You begin to develop empathy.

There are those you love, those who you would go to the end of the Earth for. The people you would die for. The people who would do the same for you.

But you are not the only one. No - your enemy too may feel much the same. Everyone is connected by this condition that is inherent to the human race, but it is this condition that pits us against one another when we so easily let it. Most conflict is the result of these passions clashing together, from one side trying to win out when in reality, everyone is objectively on equal footing in some very unifying, fundamental sense. A sense that can only be discerned indirectly, whether that be the innocent smile on your friends face when they see you for the first time in so long, or an act of selfless kindness from a stranger with a warm heart.

Humanity is much like a ball of material whose molecules are crying out to connect to one another, but at the same time, violently repulse each other. We are dichotomous and contradictory, and we always will be. But it’s what makes us so interesting and captivating. We are the givers of birth while also being the purveyors of unspeakable chaos and destruction.

Nier Replicant shows these ideas to you through its storytelling format - through its propensity to require multiple playthroughs to glean more and more information from the storyline, each of which peels back the layers of the one you call the enemy. It requires patience and fortitude, just as anything good does.

And once you obtain this knowledge and you see the other side of the situation, you are forced to advance forward, to be the victor of your strong passions and the hero of your story in spite of the pain and the self-doubt brought about by your newfound perspectives.

I don’t feel like comparing Replicant with Automata too much, as it’s unfair; this game was created during a time of less resources, less advanced technology, less experience, and less funding. In other words, do not come here expecting Automata gameplay, although arguably, Replicant does the story and the characters much better.

What you will get when all of the bells and whistles of the series are stripped away is a deeply human and moving story, one which is not so easily found in video games. Indeed, you can almost feel the soul and the emotions of the creators of this game incarnated into the characters themselves and the development they undergo.

Attachment. Detachment. Insecurity about one’s appearance. Trauma from the past. The inability to connect. Feeling like you lack love and understanding. Being painfully different.

If you are willing to listen, all of these and more are found in Replicant, although not as subtle as I would’ve liked them to be. If you are a particular kind of person, this is a game worth playing in spite of its age and flaws and numerous fetch-quests. If you can’t bear the gameplay but enjoy the story and characters, then reading about the game or watching the cutscenes and endings is more than ok; never waste your time on something you genuinely don’t like.

Nier Replicant is a very unique and emotional experience, and after obtaining all of the possible endings, I am putting it to rest in my memory.