Automata has a secret sequel that you haven’t played yet

Almost seven years after the release of NieR:AutomataFans are still clamoring for a third entry in the series led by Yoko Taro. While we all eagerly await another AAA console game in the DrakenNier universe, it’s easy to forget that a sequel is already available to play – but not for long. This sequel is NieR Re[in]clove.

The gacha game from Square Enix, set in the NieR universe and directed by Taro, has been available since 2021 announced on January 22 that the end of the service was imminent. The final chapter of its ongoing story, Act III: Transmigration, will be released on March 28th, before service for the mobile title ends a month later on April 29th. Once the service is discontinued, an integral part of the NieR

reincarnation has all the expected characteristics of one until the game. This mainly means that the title’s systems focus heavily on the need to spend real or in-game currency to acquire characters, weapons, and other items. But since the game’s release in 2021, the story and character depth have earned it praise as one of the “best console-like games for mobile devices.” Part of it is the manner reincarnation structures his story.

The game begins with you taking control of a girl named Fio, an amnesiac trapped in a place known only as “The Cage.” Fio navigates her new prison and delves into vignettes that tell the story of what the game calls “Memory Characters.” Leave these vignettes reincarnation Explore a range of genres, such as the Western, all within the larger story of Fio’s attempts to figure out what’s actually going on inside the cage. All of these interwoven narratives were written by a team of writers led by Takashi Ohara under the supervision of Taromeaning that the overall mood of the story feels like a natural sister to the rest of the story NieR

In the first few chapters of the game, only a few connections can be made reincarnation and its AAA siblings, giving the impression that this is an optional part of the world that most players won’t have to bother with. But the latest story beats connect to the bigger picture NieR The universe is clear and – without giving away where the narrative is going – it has huge implications for the future of the franchise as a whole. As it nears the end of its service life, reincarnation positions itself as the culmination of a story that has been in flux ever since Original NieR First published in 2010. Nothing new NieR The game can be ignored reincarnationbut after April 29th no one will have the opportunity to experience this story up close.

In some ways, deleting a Yoko Taro game’s data only seems natural, but reincarnationErasure is different from the narrative trick used by the past NieR games. Whereas vending machines And Replicant Provide the player with a narrative reason for deleting their save data. However, there’s always a way to relive the experience since you own the game itself (another reason to buy physical media).

reincarnation will not have this option. Play it while you can! One bright spot for the game’s impending doom is that Square Enix is ​​introducing a number of benefits to players in advance of the exit, such as the return of old events and ten free summons (pulls) per day. This makes it easier than ever to avoid the gacha rut.

If you find yourself downloading something reincarnation In hopes of finishing the story before April 29th, there’s one more thing you should do: document everything. Take screenshots and record videos as often as possible, because that’s the only way reincarnation remains intact even after the end of service.

NieR Re[in]clove is available for iOS and Android until April 29, 2024.