NieR Replicant Remastered announced on livestream; coming to PS4, PC & Xbox One

The original NieR is ten years old! In a celebratory 10th anniversary livestream of the NieR series, Square Enix announced a remastered version of the cult classic, currently dubbed the very snappy name of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139. It will come to no surprise, particularly given the game is also coming to both the Xbox One and PC, that this updated release has been confirmed for a western release, though no release window was provided.

The original NieR's release was a strange one. Japan had both NieR Replicant and NieR Gestalt - both are effectively the same game, made different only by who their respective protagonists are. Replicant stars a much younger protagonist as is classical of JRPGs made primarily for a domestic audience, and his quest was effectively to seek the means to lift a terrible affliction blighting his younger sister. By contrast, Gestalt's protagonist is a father, sporting a much older, grizzled and chiselled appearance that was ostensibly aimed more at western audiences. As expected, it was only the latter version that made its way to western shores, leaving Replicant exclusive to Japan (until now).

That this is specifically NieR Replicant receiving the remaster treatment will presumably mean players won't be playing as Papa NieR.

Famitsu magazine listed a few scant details for this remastered edition:

• Producer Yosuke Saito describes the title as a ‘version upgrade’.
• Composer Keiichi Okabe has re-recorded all tracks from NieR: Replicant as well as added new tracks for the remastered version.
• NieR: Replicant remastered will be fully voiced.
• New content will be added to the game.
• Asked if the remastered title will include a different ending, Saito responded with the following: “I don’t even know.”

Nova Crystallis

 

Delighted!

I've been waiting for this for a very long time! The original NieR was had such a strange and compelling story and characters, it's certainly a game that has stuck with me ever since playing it. I've never played the Replicant version (Being Japaense Exclusive & very similar to Gestalt) . In the DLC you play as the Replicant character model in some dungeon stages, but I always sort of liked the father/daughter relationship between Papa Nier & Yoha, so I'm sort of hoping it will be available (Not as DLC please...)

I'll be interested to see what precisely is changed, I'm gathering this is more of a Remaster than a Remake. The question is, will it feature Platinum Games Automata combat? If not it doesn't bother me as I enjoyed the combat in the original anyway. The one thing I'd change is the generic side quests which were all forgettable. But luckily where it counts the writing in the main narrative/campaign is an utter joy and if players here enjoyed Automata without experience NieR this can't be missed! DAY ONE PURCHASE!

Also, that soundtrack! I'm excited to hear a Re-recored version of that alone!

 

NieR is a franchise of which I am completely ignorant. I haven't played Automata and I didn't play Gestalt when it was released here ten years ago (somehow... it has been ten years). I remember people talking about Gestalt a lot on here when it was announced and I remember commenting on the weird doll-face guy and saying that it looks interesting. I never got round to buying or playing it though.

Maybe I might give it a go this time, albeit by playing the other version of the game. It'll be a completely fresh experience for me.


EDIT:
Who am I kidding? If I fired my gaming backlog into space then the Martians would use it as a rope and invade us....

 

I'm gonna miss daddy nier but I've alwaaaays wanted to play replicant, so excited for this, I need the OST already so I can complete my nier OST set...................

 

I've never played a NieR game in my life, and I kind of start to feel ashamed, haha! They look so cool and special, I think I should really give them a try. This game series seems totally my cup of tea.

Then this NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 is not the total same game we got here in the West for the PS3? Is this something similar to the Pokemon games? Two different game titles and some differences, but the very same core game? (Sorry for the stupid question, I try to find out what is going on.)

 

I've never played a NieR game in my life, and I kind of start to feel ashamed, haha! They look so cool and special, I think I should really give them a try. This game series seems totally my cup of tea.

Then this NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 is not the total same game we got here in the West for the PS3? Is this something similar to the Pokemon games? Two different game titles and some differences, but the very same core game? (Sorry for the stupid question, I try to find out what is going on.)

Not really a stupid question, but it's not exactly the same as Pokemon. While Pokemon releases separate versions based on certain Pokemon and to encourage either the purchase of multiple games OR to make friends to play with, the Nier differences are much more surface level than even that.

Basically; they were platform different versions (Replicant being a PS3 exclusive in Japan, Gestalt was Xbox 360). For example: instead of the protagonist being an older dude, it's a teenage boy. Instead of his daughter, the focal point is his sister. The dynamic between other characters is impacted by this too. Also, there's some soundtrack differences; replicant has a faster, more upbeat soundtrack.

Basically - younger protagonists sell better in Japan compared to older characters.

(I've heard talk of incestuous undertones being referred to as a reason for Replicant staying JPN only, but I don't think they're really applicable)

 

I've never played a NieR game in my life, and I kind of start to feel ashamed, haha! They look so cool and special, I think I should really give them a try. This game series seems totally my cup of tea.

Then this NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 is not the total same game we got here in the West for the PS3? Is this something similar to the Pokemon games? Two different game titles and some differences, but the very same core game? (Sorry for the stupid question, I try to find out what is going on.)

I wouldn't be ashamed, especially in regards to not playing the original NieR haha. I've yet to play Automata - although I did play the original - but I think Automata has provided the franchise a lot more weight behind it than it previously had. I don't think I know a single person outside of message boards that played NieR and that is probably a reflection on distinctly average sales and middling critic reviews; the user reviews of NieR were very good though, I have always seen NieR as a bit of a niche game that took a little getting into, but once you were engaged it was a phenomenal game. The only reason I ever picked NieR up was because it had Square Enix's name attached to it, otherwise I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance, and I don't recall it being marketed overly well in the west either.

Given that Cavia folded the same year NieR released, I suspect the budget for marketing was non-existent, so it is absolutely understandable that A LOT of people missed out on NieR. I don't think the original was particularly mass produced either - for a game released a decade ago, it's still selling for a hefty price for the PS3 version, which indicates it's not the easiest to get ahold of.

Paddy McGee sums up the differences well about being surface level and the dynamic.

I think NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 will essentially be a 'Final Mix' version of the original - 1.22474487139 being the square root of 1.5.

Very much looking forward to replaying this.