Nier gets close in spring 2010

by Justin McElroy on Jan 7th 2010 10:00PM

Frankly, we don't get Nier. In Japan there are two different Nier games with different names and slightly different plots coming exclusively to the 360 and PS3, but in the US, we're just getting one of those, but it's coming to both the 360 and PS3! And if it wasn't bad enough we're expelling all this energy keeping Nier straight, we already sort of hate it.

At least one thing -- the release window -- is now clear: Square emailed this morning to let us know that the game would arrive in spring this year. Square also haughtily informed us that the game is an action RPG rather than a pure action game, and should be classified as such. Hey, isn't it enough if we remember how many of them exist?

Tags: Microsoft, nier, nier-gestalt, release-date, square-enix, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (44)

[banned]

deja vu?

You chastise someone for lazy writing and don't even bother googling the proper spelling for deja vu? Go die in a fire.

what is with the hate for this game? It doesn't look earth shattering, but it doesn't look bad either. I think it looks kinda interesting.

People hate the fact that the PS3 version of Nier is not coming to the US, but instead the Xbox 360 version is being ported to PS3 for the USA.

In Japan, they're two different games, and the PS3 game is the prequel of sorts, where the main character is a kid and is more Japanese in terms of cutesy anime-style effects, etc. Whereas the 360 game the main character is an adult, the game is grittier and more "western" in style.

Basically, Japan gets two games, we get one (and some people suspect the PS3 port of the 360's version will be a crappy rushed port).

Fans basically feel that Square Enix is abandoning their target audience, since the main people who buy Square Enix's games in the USA are the people that LIKE the Japnese/anime looking styles.

I honestly thought it was just general hate on the game from 30 seconds of video clips, as per usual Joystiq community. If the hate is due to us not receiving the original PS3 game, I understand, because that does look like the better of the two. But this is jist judging from no more than a couple minutes of video, and I do think everyone here is too quick to cast judgement usually.

obviously they dont want to take the time and money to westernize (real word?) both versions.... whats with all the game bashing?

[banned]

They just don't like JRPGs around here dude. If it's not a Bioware or Bethesda RPG its characterized as some generic Japanese game. It annoys me to no end that people talk down about JRPGs when they are some of the best games ever made. Personally, I can't wait for Agarest War, White Knight, FF13, Star Ocean, Vesperia, & resonance of fate. I still can't believe people actually think Mass Effect 2 is going to be better than Final Fantasy 13. Kind of blows my mind when people say that. Finally getting some consistent JRPG love on the PS3 this year.

Do you have a PSP or a DS? I think those consoles really have the best JRPGs because there are just so many of them. Lunar Silver Star, Valkyria Chronicles 2, Shadow of Destiny, Sands of Destruction, Glory of Hercales, Golden Sun, SMT Strange Journey, Infinite Space, Blue Dragon Plus, Dragon Quest ... lots of them.

Whenever FF13VS, FF14 & FF Agito come out I'll also be a happy Panda.

Anyway ... it's just a Joystiq thing where they really don't like JRPGs at all.

Plus, the DS has the best version of Chrono Trigger, full 3D remakes of FFIII and FFIV, all that good stuff.

what's better about the DS port of CT than the original SNES cart? Which I still have...

The updated, correct translation, the inclusion of the PS1 versions cutscenes with no load times, the custom DS interface, new dungeons, and a few other tweaks.

Absolutely nothing Levi. It just has all of the PlayStation features including cut-scenes, new areas, a newer translation, and an ending with a better connection to Chrono Cross.

Been playing the SNES version since '95, adding a whole bunch of unnecessary features don't improve the original. You can't perfect perfection. Plus, Chrono Cross is a BRILLIANT game, but it's only brilliant if you pretend it has nothing to do with Chrono Trigger save for the few passing allusions to it... The last thing we needed was a deeper connection between the two games.

There is one other, unfortunate element. SE has pretty well tied the fate of a third Chrono title to the sales of the DS remake, thoughthat may not apply now.

well there's a reason people are saying mass effect 2 could be better than FF13. i'm a diehard FF fan (4, 6, 7, 9, and 10 would probably be on my top 10 list of video games), but it's been 9 years since they released a FF that wowed, and most of the jrpgs of this generation have let me down. considering how solid the first ME was and the perceived improvements, i'm pretty much looking at ME2 and FF13 with equal excitement, which would have been nearly impossible for me 10 years ago.

i wasn't even interested in buying a portable system, but now i'm looking at a DS, simply because the lack of quality jrpgs on consoles drove me to it.

The exclusive 360 version in Japan is coming out for both systems in North America.

Mass Effect 2 >>>>>>>> FF13

I have played and finished both

*hops back in delorean*

Personally I like the JRPGS a LOT more than the western ones. To be frank, I can't stand western "RPGs" that are little more than first-person shooters with RPG elements tacked on (I'm looking at you, Bethesda).

And in the case of Mass Effect, basically Gears of War with a tacked-on leveling system and a lot of wordy dialog. Though I love BioWare's other RPGs.

I like them for different reasons. I still haven't played Mass Effect, but I was kinda hoping it played like a shooter with RPG elements. I play Final Fantasies hoping for an almost unnecessary battle and leveling system to accompany an epic storyline ;P I'm looking forward to both. Two months from tomorrow...!

did anyone else think of twilight princess when they saw the characters and art style of the game?

...No.

Not at all, no.

Nope...I am getting more of a RE5 vibe from that monster being showed.

oh well, i guess its just me then. I thought of these guys when i saw the enemies on the trailer http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Shadow_Beast

Nier is Dutch for kidney...

Preorder bonus: Kidney stones?

gamestop pre-order bonuses just keep getting better and better!

Looks interesting to me. Action RPGs are the best kind in my book. I'll keep my eye on the game, maybe it will keep my mind off the insanely disappointing Dark Void demo....

why do you call him tmaca? why not just tmac?... the A is part of the airjordan part...

Is this running CrystalTools or Unreal Engine 3?

It's running Square's proprietary BadGame™ Engine.

Go away, Filthy.

[banned]

Very likely it's Unreal. This game was outsourced and Square Enix seems to be on an Unreal engine kick (if not their Havok kick).

The only known games using Crystal Tools are Final Fantasy XIII, Versus XIII and XIV Online.

Tmacalaka laka!

Whoa, what's with the hate for the game? I mean, sure we haven't seen a whole lot from it yet, but I don't think that warrants anything but indifference. I don't think referring to something as an action-RPG is elitist. Was Gearbox elitist cause they called Borderlands a FPS-RPG?

Sounds like somebody has some bitterness towards Japanese developers. I don't get the recent trend of all the 'cool kids' hating on Japanese games. It's like you aren't allowed to call it a RPG anymore if it isn't by Bioware or something. I'd sooner play FF13 or even Nier before Mass Effect 2 or Dragon Age.

First-person shooters with tacked-on RPG elements are not real RPGs in my book. I don't care how many Ubisoft/Bethesda-sponsored blog "journalists" say otherwise.

I think it's about time for a game to really innovate: so far, we have never had a game with hyphen-based gameplay. Congratulations Nier, you are the first of many.

I'm actually kind of looking forward to Nier. I was also one of three people who actually had fun playing Bullet Witch too. I'll take a poorly designed Japanese action game over a Western one any day of the week, and while everyone was going gaga for that new 3D Castlevania God of War clone at E3, I was loving every second of the footage I saw for Nier.

Not sure if it's him or one of the other tmac haters, but they used to always say "tmacass". This could be a shortened version of that.

But I agree with Mystile, ony with one small change...

See TmacWaka Laka when you need a flight of fantasy (fantasy)
Ecstasy (ecstasy)
Rhapsody (rhapsody)
See TmacWaka Laka when you want a love so tenderness (tenderness)
TmacWaka Laka make you fly

See TmacWaka Laka when you're going to feel so sad and blue,
Just for you, never blue
See TmacWaka Laka and a funny bunny'll free your life
Now it's TmacWaka Laka time!

Sounds like a hit to me!

Honestly I'm reserving judgement about this game. Joystiq was throwing lots of hate towards Demon's Souls too, then look what happened.

Not saying this game will be fan-frakin-tastic because joystiq hates it, but that just because they hated it means the game won't improve by the time it figures out itself and releases here. =P

Thank you for stating this and saving me the time.

Ever since Joystiq missed the entire point of Demon's Souls (on a couple occasions, albeit their tune seemed to change once the Metacrtic scores hit), I'm much more reserved of their game reviews in general.

The type of slights in this article tend to leave a more negative impression with me of the writer/site than the game itself. If anything, I'm just glad to see a SquareEnix RPG with slightly less androgynous characters.

Demon's Souls is basically that god-awful independent film that all wannabe film buffs pretend to enjoy and give many awards to, but secretly hate it. The game is massively overhyped and isn't fun at all. From Software has never made a good game.

That's the thing though Elranzer -- there wasn't a lot of hype leading up to Demon's Souls. Hype grew and accolades came after release which is what ultimately got me to purchase it.

For me, it's the only truly challenging game to come out of this past year that was reminiscient of/evoked the angst felt in the NES era being at the last boss on your last life with zero continues.

While I love Uncharted for its storytelling, Left 4 Dead 2/COD:MW2 for its online mayhem, and certainly other great games from last year, Demon's Souls mechanics of harsh penalties and rewarding successes made it stand-out from the rest *for me*.

I do like your comparison to independent films though. If I had to pick one to compare to Demon's Souls, it'd be "Requiem for a Dream" -- Possibly the most depressing movie ever made that was tough to get through once... although once reflecting back and re-watching, it certainly had its merits.

This game looks generic and terrible. I with Joystiq on not liking this game already.

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Nier gets close in spring 2010

Reader Comments (44)

Posted: Jan 7th 2010 10:02PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 7th 2010 11:10PM sonicspike41 said

Posted: Jan 8th 2010 2:19AM Sinkwater said

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Posted: Jan 8th 2010 10:27AM Elranzer said

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Posted: Jan 7th 2010 10:11PM xenophy said

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Posted: Jan 8th 2010 5:39AM RagingStormX said

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