Heightening the loss of Xbox One-exclusive Scalebound further, Platinum’s NieR: Automata has gained glowing reviews.
It currently has a Metacritic score higher than Horizon Zero Dawn, in fact (although the pool of reviews is far smaller due to the embargo lifting just a few hours ago).
As God is a Geek rightly stated, don’t overlook this one just because it’s crammed between other big name releases – this is Platinum on top form, and a more than reserving sequel to Square-Enix’s cult RPG.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is wowing the critics currently too, gaining a mixture of 8s and 9s. We’ll cover reviews for that during our weekly new release round-up, as for now, it’s NieR’s time to shine:
9.5 – PlayStation Universe: “Exceptional in every way, NeiR: Automata delivers on every cylinder, providing one of the best experiences this year. In every generation there is a game that leaves an impression on you and for me NieR: Automata is that game. To put it simply, NeiR: Automata is a magical experience”
9.0 – PlayStation Lifestyle: “PlatinumGames has done an excellent job at taking Yoko Taro’s deep and interesting world and giving it an amazing gameplay experience that fits it perfectly. Fans of the original as well as newcomers to the series will undoubtedly appreciate what Nier: Automata has to offer”
9/10 – The Metro: “A fantastic mix of explosive action and thoughtful storytelling, that results in one of the most unpredictable and ambitious action role-players of the modern era”
9/10 – VideoGamer: “NieR: Automata has more creativity and self-awareness in its little finger than most games have for their entire run time. Don’t miss this because it’s sandwiched between other, bigger games”
9.0 – God is a Geek: “Platinum Games has surpassed itself once again, providing much more than their signature gameplay. This is one of the most interesting and unique games you’ll play this year”
9/10 – GameSpot: “It’s a meaty, often exhilarating trek that showcases Platinum Games’ and Yoko Taro’s unique blend of genius”
9/10 – Destructoid: “It’s tough to really strike that balance as many action-RPGs tend to favor one element over the other, but Platinum Games, with the help of Square Enix, has tapped into its innate ability to captivate us with combat while keeping the rest of the journey engaging”
4.5/5 – GamesRadar: “While it’s certainly not perfect, Nier: Automata is nonetheless a breath of fresh air that will challenge your thumbs as well as your thinking – a game with hydrocarbon heart and silicon soul that will stay with you long after you’ve set the controller down”
8.9 – IGN: “Nier: Automata is a great action RPG filled with beautiful locations and zany, fun-filled combat”
8.5 – EGM: “While Nier: Automata at times feels unpolished or under-developed, when taken as an entire experience, it’s a fantastic journey of a group of androids struggling to live up to their purpose in life. Here, unconventional narrative design meets tightly-developed combat gameplay, and that turns out to be one heck of a combination”
8.0 – Polygon: “Nier: Automata is a game that’s more than willing to make players feel small, both physically and conceptually. It wants to swallow them whole, and it succeeds. Nier demands patience with its antics — not to mention its definition of “ending” — but it’s patience was rewarded”
7.75 – GameInformer: “The premise is fascinating, but it is dulled by repetition. Ultimately, tapping into the sad and unique story that flows under the surface of Nier: Automata makes these trade-offs worthwhile, but I’m disappointed by how deeply it’s buried”
NieR: Automata (PS4/PC) is out tomorrow in the US and launches Friday in the UK.