Nier: Automata

Nier: Automata is an action role-playing game in which players explore an open world. In addition to standard navigation on foot, the game features scenarios with flying mech battles, as well as a special item that can summon wild animals to ride. Non-playable characters (NPCs) found throughout the world offer quest objectives, and shops in hub locations sell various items, including consumables that recover health.

Combat uses a real-time action-based hack and slash system, using both light and heavy attacks and combining them into different combination attacks. The player can also evade incoming attacks, gaining invulnerability or counterattack bonuses based on timing. The player is assisted by a flying "Pod" robot which launches customizable ranged attacks varying from simple gunfire to heavy-hitting hammer attacks. The first protagonist 2B alternates between two weapons, the second protagonist 9S combines light attacks with hacking into enemies, and the final protagonist A2 can sacrifice health to briefly boost her attack power.

Nier: Automata, which shares the post-apocalyptic setting of Nier, takes place thousands of years after the original game's events. The Nier fictional universe exists in an alternative timeline within the Drakengard series. While carrying over the Drakengard tradition of a dark atmosphere and branching storylines, there is no direct narrative connection between Nier: Automata and the rest of the series. The story is set in 11945 AD, and revolves around a proxy war between the human-made androids and an invading army of alien-made Machines.

Though they are prohibited from having emotions and lack true names, each android has a distinct personality. The "YoRHa" android forces are commanded from the Bunker, a reconnaissance base that orbits Earth. Fending off the Machines, the YoRHa forces fight alongside pre-YoRHa Earth androids known as the Resistance.

After the release of Nier, director Yoko Taro and Square Enix producer Yosuke Saito wanted to create a sequel. Saito spoke to assistant producer Yuki Yokoyama, who was unwilling due to low sales of Nier. After the positive fan reception of Nier, however, both Square Enix and the lead staff who worked on the original game were willing to continue the Nier intellectual property (IP) but wanted to create a better, more-action-oriented gameplay experience. They contacted PlatinumGames, which had developed a reputation for high-quality action games such as Bayonetta (2009) and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013).

The two companies agreed to collaborate on the sequel, provided Yoko would be its director and that he would be present to help with production. The latter condition required Yoko to move from Tokyo to Osaka, where PlatinumGames was located. Although Yoko was initially uneasy about the collaboration, he became confident in PlatinumGames due to their excitement to work on a Nier game, and their promise to remain faithful to the original game. Designer Takahisa Taura also joined the team due to his long-time desire to create a Nier sequel.

The original PS4 release of Nier: Automata received "generally favorable reviews" on review aggregator Metacritic based on 107 critic reviews. The PC version also received favorable reviews based on 14 reviews. The Xbox One version received "universal acclaim", earning a score of 90 from 30 reviews. The Switch port also garnered favorable reviews, earning a score of 89 based on 35 reviews.

Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu gave Nier: Automata a near-perfect score, lauding most aspects of it including the themes and gameplay. Janine Hawkins of Polygon lauded the game's sense of scale and willingness to make players feel small. Nintendo World Report's Melanie Zawodniak, giving the game a perfect score, described it as one of the best games ever made due to its narrative and gameplay design. Mollie Patterson, writing for Electronic Gaming Monthly, praised it as a highly enjoyable experience, both as a player and reviewer.

Nier: Automata greatly exceeded Square Enix's sales expectations, and made them consider Nier as a franchise. PlatinumGames cited the strong sales, in addition to the positive critical reception, as saving the company and renewing interest in their products after several disappointing game releases.

A fan project to translate the graphics of Nier: Automata to Vulkan was started by Philip Rebohle in 2017 to get the game running smoothly on Linux. His success in January 2018 led to the offer of a contract with Valve, as it became apparent that his Vulkan interface could be used more broadly to run games on Linux. The project evolved into DXVK and is today integral to Proton, Valve's compatibility layer used to play Windows games on the Steam Deck and Steam Machine, as well as more generally for Steam games on Linux.