Almost seven years after the discharge of NieR:Automata, followers are nonetheless clamoring for a 3rd entry within the sequence helmed by Yoko Taro. Whereas we’re all eagerly awaiting one other AAA console recreation within the DrakenNier universe, it’s straightforward to overlook {that a} sequel is already obtainable to play—but it surely received’t be for for much longer. That sequel is NieR Re[in]carnation.
Sq. Enix’s gacha recreation set within the NieR universe—and directed by Taro—has been working since 2021 however introduced on January 22 that the top of service was imminent. The ultimate chapter of its ongoing story, Act III: Transmigration, will probably be launched on March 28 earlier than service for the cell title shuts down a month afterward April 29. As soon as service is shut down, an integral a part of the NieR sequence will probably be ceaselessly misplaced. In the event you’re a fan of Taro’s saga, then you definitely owe it to your self to play Reincarnation earlier than the shutdown happens.
Reincarnation has all of the anticipated hallmarks of a gacha recreation. This primarily signifies that the title’s techniques closely revolve round the necessity to spend actual or in-game foreign money to accumulate characters, weapons, and different objects. However for the reason that recreation’s launch in 2021, the story and character depth have earned it reward as one of many “greatest console-like video games on cell.” A part of that is because of the approach Reincarnation buildings its story.
The sport begins by providing you with management of a woman named Fio, an amnesiac trapped inside a spot solely often known as The Cage. Fio navigates by means of her new jail and dives into vignettes that inform the story of what the sport calls Reminiscence Characters. These vignettes let Reincarnation discover a lot of genres, such because the Western, all throughout the bigger story of Fio’s makes an attempt to unravel what is definitely occurring inside The Cage. All of those interwoven narratives are crafted by a staff of writers led by Takashi Ohara and overseen by Taro, which means the general vibes of the story really feel like a pure sibling to the remainder of the NieR sequence.
Within the recreation’s opening chapters there are few connections to be made between Reincarnation and its AAA siblings, giving the impression that this was an optionally available a part of the world most gamers didn’t must hassle with. However the newest story beats make the connections to the bigger NieR universe clear and—with out spoiling the place the narrative goes—it has huge implications for the way forward for the franchise as a complete. Because it approaches its finish of service, Reincarnation is positioning itself to be the climactic finale to a narrative that has been in movement for the reason that unique NieR first launched in 2010. No new NieR recreation will be capable to ignore Reincarnation, however after April 29 no person will be capable to expertise that story firsthand.
In some methods the deletion of a Yoko Taro recreation’s information appears solely pure, however Reincarnation’s erasure differs from the narrative trick that has been pulled by previous NieR video games. Whereas Automata and Replicant provide the participant a story purpose for deleting their save information, there’s at all times a strategy to relive the expertise due to possession of the sport itself (one more reason to purchase bodily media).
Reincarnation is not going to have that possibility. Play it whilst you can! A silver lining of the sport’s imminent demise is that within the run-up to the plug being pulled, Sq. Enix is introducing a lot of boons to gamers, such because the return of previous occasions and ten free summons (pulls) daily. This makes it simpler than ever to get across the gacha grind.
In the event you do end up downloading Reincarnation in hopes of finishing the story earlier than April 29, then there’s yet another factor you must do—doc all the things. Take screenshots and file movies as a lot as potential, as a result of that’s the solely approach Reincarnation will probably be preserved after the top of service.
NieR Re[in]carnation is on the market on iOS and Android till April 29, 2024.
