Nier Xbox 360

Released on 23/04/2010

• Nier: Review

  A father's love

  Set in a crumbling world plagued by sickness and evil, players take on the role of protagonist Nier in the latest fantasy action Role Playing Game from Final fantasy publisher Square Enix.

  As with most RPG's, Nier's story is the driving force behind your progress. At its outset, Nier's daughter is infected with a mysterious disease known as the Black Scrawl virus, so you set out on a bloody quest to discover a cure. Nier is an adult game from the start and - be warned - features lots of strong language.

  Multiple identities

  Borrowing from some of gaming's finest examples, Nier is essentially a number of titles rolled into one. Its main quest is a Zelda-like dungeon crawler which sees you roaming grassy fields and navigating labyrinth environments, battling enemies along the way and gaining new abilities at a welcome pace.

  Plays with expectations then shifts to another gameplay style entirely, from 3D hack and slash to platforming, Survival Horror to puzzle-packed RPG.

  Meanwhile, Nier's third-person real-time action of the God of War variety sees you wielding mighty weapons to create combos, and blocking or evading enemy attacks as you do battle, while the magic attacks bring to mind Bayonetta. It has to be said that the visuals aren't as accomplished as those two top-tier titles, but the art style, with its distinctly anime take on the swords n sorcery setting, is refreshingly different to anything we've seen on HD consoles.

  Nier, then, is a difficult one to categorise; refusing to stick to a set path, shifting camera angles and visual style to give you varying perspectives, paying homage to 2D side-scrollers and even arcade shooters along the way.

  Genre twisting

  This approach can surprise and frustrate in equal measures, meaning that Nier never really makes one gameplay style its own and masters it, preferring instead to play with expectations and then shift to another gameplay style entirely, from 3D hack and slash to platforming, Survival Horror to puzzle-packed RPG. That said, there are a few epic boss battles that you'll remember for some time.

  The main story moves along at a brisk pace, but progress is slowed if you choose to explore the game world and the towns and villages it has to offer. Here you'll come across sidequests, most of which involve fetching items or killing something for cash.

  Some thrilling boss fights, well realised puzzles, and the story is strong enough to make you want to play to the game's conclusion.

  Considering almost all of the best goodies in Nier are freely obtainable, it has to be said that the rewards don't really match the effort you'll have to put in to get them. Having said that, if you like Nier's fast, flowing hack-n-slash combat then the sidequests, coupled with traditional RPG elements like fishing and seed-growing, only add to the longevity of a game which is already some way less expensive than the majority of new releases.

  Jack of all trades, master of none

  The main downside of Nier, then, is that - excluding its excellent soundtrack - you couldn't say it has its own standout element or signature moment. There are some thrilling boss fights, well realised puzzles, and the story is strong enough to make you want to play to the game's conclusion, but it's still one for the type of player who has perhaps gotten bored with games that are easily categorised, and maybe wants to try something different.

  So, on one hand Nier is a quirky take on the RPG genre with enough variety to appeal to a wide range of players, but it lacks the polish and strong sense of identity that you'd expect from a real must-have release. It definitely packs together an interesting blend of gameplay styles however, and even if it doesn't fuse them flawlessly, Nier boasts enough imagination and good intentions to make it at least worth a look.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • Engaging story.
  • Excellent soundtrack.
  • A quirky title that refuses to conform.

  

  • Some pointless side quests.
  • Graphics aren't of a very high standard.
  • Doesn't carve out its own identity strongly enough.

  Review by: Tom 'Black Scrawl' Ivan
  Version Tested: PS3
  Review Published: 18.05.10

  Published: 05/05/2010

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