When the unique Nier got here out within the forgotten 12 months of 2010, one of many extra widespread complaints have been the aspect quests: they have been lengthy, usually grindy, and never significantly participating, making it extra irritating that a few of them have weapons hidden away inside them that have been essential to get all the endings.
Fortunately, its 2017 sequel Nier Automata improved upon that by offering tales that flesh out the world and its inhabitants in ways in which felt elementary to totally appreciating the primary story. And I am unable to consider a sport whose aspect quests match higher on the transportable console that’s the Nintendo Swap.
The hook of the Swap is you could play it on the go or at dwelling, although we are able to all most likely admit that we largely both lean in direction of one or the opposite. However the advantage of taking part in on the go is with the ability to match briefly snippets of playtime right here and there: if you’re commuting, if you’re travelling or (God assist us) if you’re on the john. And with that comes the flexibleness of participating with video games in several methods relying on whether or not you are at dwelling or out and about. Or in any other case engaged.
One factor RPGs, significantly JRPGs, are recognized for is that they’re lengthy. Very lengthy. Stupidly lengthy, in some instances. Nier Automata is not truly that lengthy by typical JRPG normal – with a median of roughly 21 hours playtime – however if you wish to absolutely full it, and get all of the endings, you’ll be able to anticipate to take a position about 60 hours of your life into the title.
So, clearly plenty of these bonus 40 hours will come from the aspect quests, which I ceaselessly discovered to be extra participating than the primary story. If you have not performed Nier Automata, the overall idea is that you just play as three completely different androids as they navigate what existence means to every of them, and there is some poetic stuff in regards to the soul in there, too. Perhaps. Oh, and likewise you are preventing a conflict towards a seemingly endless military of machines – all of that are supposedly innately evil, however after all issues aren’t so easy.
For essentially the most half, the primary storyline is profitable in overlaying these themes, however it’s the aspect quests that made me really feel really invested on the planet: the sport encourages you to determine what you are preventing for, significantly as a result of there are some twists and turns that pressure the protagonists to query their motives. And you do not actually see the world via all of the lenses, from all of the relevent views, with out participating within the non-essential content material and wandering from the vital path.
After all, alongside the way in which you meet a wide range of fascinating characters, like Pascal (the chief of the pacifist machine village), or Anemone (the chief of the resistance). Their tales are partially explored in the primary quest, however aspect quests involving the supporting forged is the place issues actually get fascinating. And it is right here that the writing comes into its personal, too – the place the ragtag bunch of characters within the sport are elevated from merely NPCs to really thought-out entities with their very own hearts, souls, and motivations. Personally, I really like the thought of microdosing on emotional, sometimes-uplifting-sometimes-depressing tales whereas I am on the transfer. Do not thoughts me, crying on the bus – Pascal simply mentioned one thing heart-wrenching that’d have even Schopenhauer dabbing at his eyes.
As a result of you’ll be able to play the Swap anyplace, the perfect RPG expertise for me, personally, can be to deal with the primary story whereas docked at dwelling. After which deal with all these aspect quests whereas I am commuting someplace, so I can absolutely respect all the pieces the sport has to supply. And stage my Androids after I’m ready for the bus.
I do not all the time love to do aspect quests, significantly if they do not supply any fascinating narrative beats. However the world of Nier is such an fascinating one I picked up each single one I might on my final playthrough.
Take this one aspect quest involving A2, the third protagonist, and the pacifist machine village. Out of the three participant characters, A2 doubtlessly hates the machines essentially the most – spending most of her time killing them with no rhyme or motive. For plot causes although, she is dropped at the machine village, a lot as she won’t need to be there.
The aspect quest in query, known as Play With Us, sees some machine kids asking A2 to construct them one thing to play on. Gameplay-wise, it ends in essentially the most uninteresting factor {that a} online game could make you do (it is a fetch quest), however I wasn’t fussed as a result of the sport itself is enjoyable to play, and the easy however necessary payoff is value it.
When you get all the pieces you want, one of many machines builds a slide for the youngsters to play on. In flip, they’re extremely grateful, and offer you a gift as thanks. With Pascal additionally coming in individual to thanks himself, he remindes A2 to not overwork herself.
That is all rounded off with A2 speaking to herself, culminating in her musing on the character of “a gaggle of pacifist machines, huh?” There is a spark of realisation in her, the gestation of one thing necessary – one thing that does the groundwork for a serious narrative beat, afterward. It is not a mission you need to do in any respect, however it feels such as you ought to simply so as to add to that character growth.
Considered one of my favorite aspect quests – sure, as soon as once more, a easy fetch quest – includes the character Operator 6O. Whereas 2B, our first protagonist, will get to discover earth in all its dilapidated magnificence, 6O is mounted to her spot in an area station, by no means getting to go to the house rock we name dwelling, regardless of her fascination with it.
On this explicit quest, she asks 2B to seek out her a selected rose. When you do this, 6O is extremely grateful, and imagines all the nature that may nonetheless exist on the planet, cataclysm nonwithstanding. It is not till later, throughout the primary story, the place this pays off.
At a sure level, just about all the androids are taken over by a virus, together with 6O. When you managed to seek out her the rose – regardless of her sluggish and upsetting corruption that eats away at all the pieces that she is – she thanks 2B. A second of readability within the fugue. And holy shit is it such a tragic second.
However. Neither of those aspect quests may match into your common routine. All of us solely have a lot time within the day, and generally we do not have the chance for aspect quests – regardless of them providing some stunning items of storytelling, some neat gear, or only a contact extra EXP.
The Swap, nonetheless, allows you to discover time in methods PS5 and Xbox Sequence S/X simply cannot. Positive, I can admit that the gameplay elements of the quests talked about above aren’t essentially the most thrilling on the planet, however they’re value in search of out and wrapping as much as discover out extra in regards to the characters that inhabit mentioned world.
Folks may make remarks in regards to the Swap simply being ‘a house for video games you already personal from 4 years in the past’, however there are many adults who personal Ninty’s plucky little hybrid console for precisely the explanations I am outlinning above: in order that they’re in a position to choose it up for half an hour, and put it down once more.
I’ve put in a few playthroughs of Nier Automata since its launch, and if I can handle it, I am going to attempt to slot in one other in relation to Swap (with the added justification that I should buy one other copy as a result of my accomplice has by no means performed it, however does personal a Swap).
The factor is although: I haven’t got as a lot time as I used to, so whereas I am at dwelling, I won’t be capable to play any of the aspect tales. However these moments the place I am on a bus, or a practice, or a airplane: these would be the instances after I cry over foolish little robots simply attempting to make their approach on the planet, half an hour at a time.