Nier
For as beloved as NieR: Automata or even Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… was, 2010’s Nier wasn’t quite so lucky. The action RPG title was set 1000 years after Drakengard 1’s fifth ending. Originally released as Nier Replicant in Japan for PS3, it was released in the West as Nier for Xbox 360 and PS3 (though this version is referred to as Nier Gestalt and featured an older protagonist). The unique narrative, memorable characters and intriguing aesthetic helped set the title apart.
Some critics sang a different tune back then. On Xbox 360 and PS3, Nier had a Metacritic score of 67 and 68 with 60 and 58 critical reviews respectively. Among the various criticisms included a lack of originality, boring filler, the weird mixing of 3D hack and slash and side-scrolling segments, and below standard graphics. It had its fair share of positives but the mixed and negative reviews were higher.
While fans agreed on aspects like the visuals and annoying fetch quests, the response to the overall game was much better. The PS3 version has an 8.7 user score with 470 ratings while the Xbox 360 version has an 8.4 user score with 186 ratings. Both praised the game for its writing, story-telling, characterization and how it handled its endings. Despite its faults, Nier laid the groundwork for the much better received NieR: Automata which was a critical and commercial hit.
