Pixel Sundays: NieR: Automata – Androids and Humanity
Today in our Pixel Sundays article, we delve into a franchise primarily known for one character. The android 2B is widely recognized and appears in many games. Many are unaware of the franchise’s origins, only discovering it through NieR: Automata, but there is a much longer history behind it.
Summary
- The True Beginning: How Drakengard Created the World of NieR
- NieR Gestalt and Replicant: Two Heroes, the Same Tragedy
- NieR: Automata: The Unlikely Breakthrough
- NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…: The Second Chance
- Why NieR: Automata Can Only Tell Its Story as a Game
- The Music of NieR: A Language from a Lost Future
- More Than Games: Anime, Books, Stage Plays, and Re[in]carnation
- The Influence of NieR: Why 2B and Automata Endured
- What Is Next for NieR?
- Conclusion – An Imperfect Series You Will Not Forget
The story features multiple endings, companion books, short stories, stage plays, concerts, an anime, and more. Therefore, these are not just simple games. Automata has now reached over ten million shipped and digital copies sold, and NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… has also surpassed two million. Today, we explain how such an unusual spin-off became one of the most extraordinary role-playing game series.
The True Beginning: How Drakengard Created the World of NieR
It all began in 2003 with a game that many NieR fans have never played: Drakengard. This is an action RPG released for the PlayStation 2. It was developed by Cavia with Yoko Taro as the director. Drakengard is set in a medieval fantasy world. The focus is on Caim and the dragon Angelus. The gameplay alternates between ground combat and dragon sequences.
The game showcases many typical Yoko Taro hallmarks: morally ambiguous characters, violence without clear heroes, multiple branching storylines, and consistently absurd endings. Without spoiling anything, one bonus ending in particular became highly significant, suddenly bringing the conflict into modern-day Tokyo. This ending later became the foundation for the NieR universe. This introduced supernatural elements into a world resembling our Earth. Thus, a side idea spawned its own universe.
There were also two other Drakengard games. Drakengard 2 serves as a direct sequel to one of the Drakengard story branches. However, this installment is not relevant to the NieR universe. Drakengard 3 was released later in 2014 and is set chronologically before the first Drakengard. This game explains further origins of the world and also introduces multiple branching paths. Due to the connection between Drakengard and NieR, many fans refer to the combined universe as DrakeNieR. Ultimately, the essence of it all is that NieR only exists because Yoko Taro refused to let an unusual ending be forgotten.
NieR Gestalt and Replicant: Two Heroes, the Same Tragedy
Now we make the jump to the first NieR game from 2010. There are two Japanese versions of the game: NieR Replicant and NieR Gestalt. The story and game world are largely identical, but the protagonist differs depending on the game. In Replicant, we follow a young man trying to save his sister, Yonah. In Gestalt, you play as an older father attempting to save his daughter, Yonah. The parallels are immediately apparent. In the West, originally only the Gestalt version was released under the name NIER for the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Let us discuss the story, naturally without any spoilers. Yonah suffers from a deadly illness, and the protagonist, alongside Grimoire Weiss, searches for a cure. Along the way, you encounter two companions, Kainé and Emil. On the surface, the game seems like a classic fantasy adventure, but as the story progresses, the roles of humans, monsters, and enemies are called into question. Over the course of the plot, the player’s perspective shifts, and you find yourself wondering if your previous actions were justified. This allows you to replay the game multiple times, with each playthrough providing new information.
The enemies in the game increasingly gain their own voices and motives. The core themes of the game are loss, family, self-deception, sacrifice, and a lack of communication. In terms of gameplay mechanics, the game does not succeed everywhere; there are many repetitive tasks and somewhat empty areas. Nevertheless, the game offers strong characters and an exceptional soundtrack. The game only achieved cult status over the years, following the release of NieR Automata, which we will address next.
NieR: Automata: The Unlikely Breakthrough
Now we come to the game just mentioned, which most people know: NieR Automata from 2017. The game was produced by Square Enix in collaboration with PlatinumGames. Yoko Taro is once again the director of the game, but Takahisa Taura took responsibility for the game design. The music by Keiichi Okabe and MONACA is crucial to the game’s success and atmosphere. The partnership with PlatinumGames was particularly important because the original NieR had good ideas but weaker action combat. PlatinumGames brought in a more precise combat system.
The plot of NieR Automata is set in a distant future where humanity is said to have fled to the moon. The Earth is inhabited by machine lifeforms, which are being fought by the android unit YoRHa. The game features three central characters: 2B, 9S, and A2. The gameplay combines hack-and-slash, action RPG, shoot ’em up, bullet hell, twin-stick shooter, side-scroller, and hacking minigames. These genre shifts occur seamlessly, directly following one another without harsh transitions.
Instead of traditional linear levels, there are open areas and an equipment system based on plug-in chips. Even the HUD elements are chips and can therefore be removed. Death and the recovery of the body are integrated into the world’s lore, making death an active part of the game. There are multiple routes you can take, which can alter your perspective on the entire preceding story. For this reason, it is highly worthwhile to play the game multiple times to witness more endings. In total, there are main endings A through E as the core, while further endings are short joke or failure scenarios.
The best part is that you do not need any prior knowledge of Replicant to understand Automata. While background knowledge makes certain locations, characters, and revelations more emotional, the overall story is perfectly comprehensible without it. By February 2026, more than ten million copies of the game had been sold worldwide. This makes the game by far the greatest success in the franchise.
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…: The Second Chance
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… was released in April 2021. This game, with its unusual name, is not a standard remaster. Square Enix (the publisher and developer) refers to it as a “Version Upgrade.” With this release, players in the West were finally able to experience the brother version. It features overhauled graphics and a more fluid, modern combat system that brings it closer to Automata. Furthermore, this version introduced full voice acting and newly recorded, expanded music.
However, you even get some new gameplay content: the additional story episode “The Little Mermaid.” This content was originally planned for the 2010 game but was cut due to budget constraints. There is also a newly expanded ending that establishes a stronger connection to Automata. This provides new players with the most logical entry point into the first NieR. Nevertheless, many of the old weaknesses partially remain. There is still a lot of backtracking, you need multiple playthroughs to see everything, and the side quests can be slow-paced. Yet, it is precisely this structure that enables new perspectives. This version sold two million copies by February 2026. The massive interest only materialized following the success of NieR Automata.
Why NieR: Automata Can Only Tell Its Story as a Game
This section may contain minor spoilers. If you wish to avoid them, you should briefly skip this part. Here, we clarify how gameplay mechanics become an integral part of the narrative. Different perspectives alter your knowledge, combat style, and relationship with the enemy. The game’s repetitions are deliberately employed, allowing you to experience the same conflict equipped with new information. The androids appear human, while the machines attempt to imitate humanity. As a result, the boundaries between these two groups increasingly blur.
The game features numerous philosophical names and references: Pascal, Simone, Jean-Paul, Kierkegaard, Engels, Adam, and Eve. These philosophical allusions add an entirely new layer to the experience. The side quests are not merely trivial tasks; many central questions are explored more deeply there than in the main storyline. Ending E serves as the climax of the game and its narrative, and even the credits transform into a playable challenge where other players can offer support. Your own save data can become part of this assistance, but you must genuinely sacrifice something to provide it. Consequently, an abstract message transforms into a highly personal action.
NieR: Automata functions best as a game because it can quickly and seamlessly represent various endings. As a player, you are given the opportunity to repeat the same actions but perceive something entirely different through newly acquired information. While this is possible in films, it is significantly more impactful in games since you can make different decisions. Perhaps you choose to let a specific enemy live this time, thereby unlocking something completely new. This freedom and the multitude of possibilities make a video game the optimal medium to convey such a complex story.
The Music of NieR: A Language from a Lost Future
The music of NieR is so extraordinary that it warrants its own dedicated section. The defining musical figure was Keiichi Okabe, working in collaboration with MONACA. Many of the lyrics were written in the “Chaos Language.” This is a fabricated language that sounds authentic, partially inspired by real-world languages. It is designed to sound like a distant evolution of contemporary languages, which is why the lyrics are not explicitly comprehensible.
As a listener, you can project your own emotions into the music. This language and musical style were already central to the first NieR. With Automata, this system was further developed, allowing the music to react dynamically to the environment, combat, narrative, and perspective. There is a seamless transition between quiet variations, vocal renditions, combat arrangements, and 8-bit versions.
Some of the most renowned tracks include Song of the Ancients, Kainé, Emil, City Ruins, A Beautiful Song, and Weight of the World. Weight of the World is arguably the most famous song and is deeply intertwined with the finale. Multiple language versions of the song exist, reflecting the overarching theme of community. There have also been numerous concerts and orchestral performances where fans gathered together. Therefore, the music is not merely background accompaniment; it actively carries the world, atmosphere, and narrative.
More Than Games: Anime, Books, Stage Plays, and Re[in]carnation
Over the years, NieR has evolved into a genuine multimedia franchise. Beyond the games, there are numerous other sources where you can discover new information about the universe. These include Grimoire NieR, short stories, novels, manga, anime, concert scripts, and even stage plays. Particularly noteworthy is the YoRHa stage play, which recounts portions of the prequel story to Automata. Several characters from this theatrical production were later integrated into other media.
For instance, the anime NieR: Automata Ver1.1a consists of 24 episodes in total. The first season premiered in 2023, and the second followed in July 2024. These are not strictly 1:1 adaptations. The beginning is familiar, but certain characters, perspectives, and specific sequences have been altered. Nevertheless, the core of the franchise remains firmly rooted in the gaming industry.
There was also a mobile RPG titled NieR Re[in]carnation, released in 2021. The game introduced new characters and storylines, serving as a significant expansion of the universe, though unfortunately, it did not achieve massive popularity. In April 2024, the servers were shut down, and the game is officially no longer playable. This once again highlights the persistent issue of digital game preservation. The story now lives on primarily through recordings and supplementary material.
Additionally, there have been numerous crossovers in recent years, such as with Final Fantasy XIV: YoRHa – Dark Apocalypse, Soulcalibur, and many more. Furthermore, the iconic character 2B, whom we will discuss in more detail shortly, has made guest appearances in several titles, often featured as a cosmetic skin.
The Influence of NieR: Why 2B and Automata Endure
NieR: Automata elevated a cult series into a globally recognized brand. 2B became one of Square Enix’s most iconic characters. Her highly distinctive design—featuring a gothic lolita dress, a blindfold, white hair, and an elegant combat style—appeals to many players. The design is mysterious and highly cosplay-friendly, which has driven massive engagement.
However, the gameplay is equally remarkable. The blend of high-speed action, a melancholic world, a philosophical narrative, and frequent genre shifts served as an inspiration for many developers. Often, players remember not just the overarching plot, but specific locations, musical pieces, or characters. Through regular collaborations, the game maintains its visibility years after release. The anime also introduced a completely new demographic, who subsequently went on to try the game.
Thanks to the Replicant upgrade, the prequel has become much more accessible, allowing everyone to experience the complete story. Even beyond the games themselves, the main title is kept alive through concerts and merchandise. Yet, there is a significant risk: 2B is sometimes marketed more heavily than the actual themes of the game. Many play the title simply because they find 2B attractive, without knowing anything about the story. Critics often point out that 2B is frequently reduced to her appearance, ignoring the values behind her character. Nonetheless, the massive success of over 10 million copies sold speaks for itself.
What Is Next for NieR?
In 2025, NieR celebrated its 15th anniversary. Automata reaches the milestone of ten million copies sold in 2026, while Replicant ver.1.22… achieved two million sales. However, the true focal point is the official video celebrating the 10 million sales, which concluded with the words: “NieR: Automata to be continued…” This does not automatically mean a new mainline game is in development. Yoko Taro reacted with his usual humor, leaving everyone guessing about what it actually entails.
The tenth anniversary of Automata in 2027 would be the next logical point to expect new information. The community is hoping for a new NieR entry or a modern Drakengard port. Many also wish for an offline version of Re[in]carnation. But does NieR even need a direct sequel, or does this prolonged uncertainty perfectly suit the series?
Conclusion – An Imperfect Series That Cannot Be Forgotten
NieR is an imperfect series that is nonetheless incredibly difficult to forget. The games sometimes feature repetitive tasks, empty areas, and unconventional narrative structures, yet these very quirks make the franchise extraordinary. Originating as a hidden ending in Drakengard, it evolved into an entire universe filled with tragic figures, philosophical questions, and stories that only become fully coherent after multiple playthroughs.
NieR: Automata, in particular, demonstrates how closely androids and humanity can align. While androids are instructed to suppress their emotions, machines attempt to understand and mimic human behavior. As the story progresses, drawing a clear line between the two factions becomes increasingly difficult. Humanity here is not defined by a biological body, but by emotions, memories, doubts, sacrifices, and the connection to others.
Even years after its release, NieR: Automata remains ingrained in memory through its music, its characters, and its highly unconventional storytelling. Whether the series continues with a new game, a remake, or an entirely different project remains unclear. But perhaps this very uncertainty is exactly what suits NieR best. It is a franchise that does not provide all the answers; instead, it leaves you with profound questions to ponder long after the credits have rolled.
Hey, I’m Kilian, but online you’ll probably know me as “Tux1243.” I've been part of the team for almost two years now, always trying to keep you in the loop with the latest and coolest gaming news. I also have a huge passion for doing deep dives and detailed analyses of entire game series and franchises. I love getting to the bottom of things and exploring the little details and backstories that make game worlds so fascinating.
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