Nier Automata

Doctor Nick

About to start third route. I flew through the second but ended up really disliking the hacking mini games. Unless forced to do otherwise I just engaged in combat as 9S. Looking forward to this playthrough as heard its the best of them.

Doctor Nick

Beginning of third route was driving me crazy. Where screen goes

green or red when you're trying to fight enemies was a stupid idea. Dunno if there was something there I was supposed to focus on or see but as I'm colour blind I couldn't see a thing.

Hope that doesn't happen again or I'll just put it aside and play something else.

The Phantom Pain

Just started this. The permadeath intro had me playing the prologue with anxiety rather than intrigue like I think it would have hoped but it's doable. This game could go either way for me - either weird and wonderful or really irritating and self indulgent.

K.O.Kiki

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

Just started this. The permadeath intro had me playing the prologue with anxiety rather than intrigue like I think it would have hoped but it's doable. This game could go either way for me - either weird and wonderful or really irritating and self indulgent.

Don't worry, the game isn't as hard as a Soulsborne game.

The Phantom Pain

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Don't worry, the game isn't as hard as a Soulsborne game.

The prologue is not difficult by any means, beat it first go, I just don't like to play permadeath missions games. I've never played Dark Souls or Bloodbourne so would not know.

K.O.Kiki

There is no permadeath apart from the first mission (prologue).
It will make sense once you unlock the ability to save.

Retr0gamer

Soulsbourne games aren't permadeath though

The Phantom Pain

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Soulsbourne games aren't permadeath though

No one said it was?

The Phantom Pain

I don't like the save system. Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.

tbf though given how this game is willing to break the fourth wall to spoon feed the player info I can see the save system being greatly alleviated with access points, and considering you don't actually have to access... the access points to save, just the surrounding area, I think I'm safe as long as I grind them out. It's still a gimmick though.

Anyway, just completed 2 fetch quests/tutorials. The vendors are selling things 2B already has for the most part? Or is that kind of the point just in case you die before you recover those items from your last body?
I'm glad I'm out of the prologue and looking forward to getting stuck into all the weirdness. Gameplay seems fun so far (apart from the flying sections).

The Phantom Pain

Anyone know why I'm running into level 35 enemies at level 16 even around the main mission areas? I've been doing side quests to level up but the game is spawning level 35 enemies while not telling you the quest level of side missions before you take them on.

Stone Deaf 4evr

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

Anyone know why I'm running into level 35 enemies at level 16 even around the main mission areas? I've been doing side quests to level up but the game is spawning level 35 enemies while not telling you the quest level of side missions before you take them on.

Out in the open world / on side missions?

I think I hit a bit of that, but I dont think I met anything that stopped me progressing the main quest.

bear in mind that you'll keep your level once the game is complete, and it'll keep rising on subsequent playthroughs, so likely those quests / areas are intended for viewing later.

The Phantom Pain

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

Out in the open world / on side missions?

I think I hit a bit of that, but I dont think I met anything that stopped me progressing the main quest.

bear in mind that you'll keep your level once the game is complete, and it'll keep rising on subsequent playthroughs, so likely those quests / areas are intended for viewing later.

Not with the main quest yet but there are enemies spawning around or close to them that makes me think I'm in for a level spike at some point - which I don't mind if I can do side quests to meet it. It's just the side quests are too high. I always approach RPGs by grinding out side quests and leaving main quest until last if I can help it but I don't think this game is going to let me do that.

Stone Deaf 4evr

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

Not with the main quest yet but there are enemies spawning around or close to them that makes me think I'm in for a level spike at some point - which I don't mind if I can do side quests to meet it. It's just the side quests are too high. I always approach RPGs by grinding out side quests and leaving main quest until last if I can help it but I don't think this game is going to let me do that.

Yeah, I do remember the area around the resistance camp getting populated with higher level enemies at one point, but you can just run past them for the most part. I didnt finish all the side quests I came across in my first playthrough (indeed, many of them disappeared from my quest log without warning) - so I think this is intentional.

The Phantom Pain

This is like my third or fourth time trying to get back into this and I'm dragging myself through it. I don't think I've ever been so bored while playing a video game.

It's odd because on paper this should be my jam. I've heard this has a lot of fourth wall breaking, weirdness around endings and a NG+ twist that I can't wait to get to. The music is lovely and I like 2B as a character. Also, it's a JRPG and whilst I consider myself new to the genre I've tended to love every one I've played...I'm just not feeling this one at all. On top of that, the menus are not very intuitive, the save system is anxiety inducing and I'm tired of discovering side quests only to realise that I can't do them because the boss or enemies are like 20 levels or more above me.

I know this is a tough question to answer but: When Does It Get Good? As in, when does all the crazy shenanigans I've heard about kick in (without spoilers, please)? I think I've put in at least 15 hours and I'm in the forest after having had a little battle (which I don't think I was supposed to beat) with those twins. I'm level 21 and even the main quest now is like 3 or 4 levels above me but its manageable. Just worried it might spike.

Evade

Without Spoilers, the start of route C. Very slight spoilers on how the routes work below.

Spoiler Warning

Routes A and B are basically the same apart from being 2B's and 9S' perspectives. Route C and beyond are a continuation from where route A and B end.

The auto-chips are an option too if you just want to get through it and feel like a bad ass. They don't disable trophies or achievements, which you can also buy if you don't feel like grinding materials for the weapons etc.

The Phantom Pain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117692643#Comment_117692643

That would help... if my issue was difficulty which it's not (it actually becomes unbelievably easy by the midway point; the final boss is a joke). I've made a healer build where I get 30% heath for every enemy defeated, I heal when not taking damage, I heal per hit and my chips slots are all maxed out... I basically can't die. I'd probably only use the trophy shop (yes, I have heard about that) if by the end of my final playthrough I'm fed up of grinding.

Anyway, I've completed route A and I'm on route B and have met Pascal again. All the inflated enemy levelling in side quests, the stinginess with the crafting materials, the outright gating of places behind story progression... it's all starting to make sense now, but that doesn't make it a good idea. The route A playthrough is designed deliberately for you NOT to complete it in its entirety because the story, at that point, is not finished. That's really jarring to me as a completionist lol. This game is desperate to extend your time with it even to the point of outright yanking incomplete side quests away without any warning just so you can pick up where you left off on your next playthrough. Route B is entirely unnecessary so far. Those boxes I couldn't open on Route A for this random-ass hacking mini game? Why? 😆 Admittedly I am enjoying the route B playthrough more because I know the map very well now and I know that at level 38 any side mission I encounter will be within reasonable level range. It also seems to acknowledge side quests I've already done and doesn't respawn them, thank goodness.

Sadly, whatculture outright spoiled what route C is with one image on my subscription page on YouTube (dunno why I'm subscribed to those idiots). Still intrigued to play it though as I don't know the story details around it.

It's obvious that there's a lot of secrets to uncover but I think while it's an interesting approach it wastes too much of your time. The game asks A LOT from the player when its enticing you to explore every inch of it only to tell you 'no' when you dare to look. For instance, it's unreasonable to tell the player they can't open a box yet and not expect them to google when and see a minor spoiler in the process. Basically, in trying to spread content out between playthroughs route A suffers as a result which is a shame.

The Phantom Pain

So I completed route B and have started up a new route. The story better be absolutely amazing to justify the beginning of this route because I'm a bit upset!