As a project entirely new to PlatinumGames, its staff faced multiple challenges when developing the gameplay and open world environment. The goal was to make a Nier game true to the spirit of the original, while simultaneously crafting a better combat system. Production began in 2014, with series creator Yoko Taro, producer Yosuke Saito, and lead composer Keiichi Okabe returning to their respective roles, and artist Akihiko Yoshida taking charge of character design. Gameplay combines role-playing elements with action-based hack and slash combat, and features switching between video game genres similar to that of Nier with elements ranging from shoot ’em up to text adventure. The story requires multiple playthroughs, each unlocking additional story elements.

Set during a proxy war between alien-created machines and human-crafted androids, the story follows the trials of combat android 2B, scanner android 9S, and rogue prototype A2. A Nintendo Switch port was released in 2022, subtitled The End of YoRHa Edition. The game originally released for PlayStation 4 and Windows via Steam, with an Xbox One port being published the following year with the subtitle Become as Gods Edition. It is a sequel to Nier (2010), itself a spin-off and sequel of the Drakengard series. Nier:Automata is a 2017 action role-playing game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Square Enix.

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