Nier and the Drakengard Series

[Battlechili]

Over Spring Break, I was without internet. Bored and not knowing what to do, I visited a friend whom of which let me borrow a game by the name of Nier. Knowing that Nier is a spinoff of another game series called Drakengard, I was expecting it to be not as good as the Drakengard series, which is already known to be very divisive.

 

...Oh how I was wrong. So so very wrong.

 

Within 3 days, I played through 27 hours of it and beat it. And it was one of the greatest games I've ever played. It was like playing a 3D Zelda game but much harder, with a stronger storyline, and good music playing ALL of the time instead of some of the time. And despite its strong story, the game rarely if ever spends much time in dialogue or cutscenes. It doesn't inhibit the gameplay at all, which is a fun action-oriented combat that lets you use a variety of weapons (1-handed swords, 2-handed swords, and spears of different types) to fight hordes of enemies known as Shades. Dodging and blocking and very varied magic usage is mixed into regular combat, probably much better than any Zelda game mixes different items and tools into combat. It all was quick and natural, and save for an occasional drop in framerate at certain times (especially when large numbers of enemies were on the screen at the same time), its all great fun. The characters were very believable. Originally I didn't like the idea of playing some big buff dude, but it turned out that he was really lovable. The whole idea behind the game is that your daughter is sick and the only way to heal her is to find a bunch of objects known as "Sealed Verses" and bringing them to her. And then it gets a whole lot more complicated after that with the game having a shit ton of lore. But the game really gives off the feeling that you are playing a wonderful father who will do anything he can to help his daughter, which often involves epic boss fights against very varied enemies that all are well built level-design wise and unique at that.

 

I guess in the end what I'm trying to say is that I loved it. Have any of you played it? What did you think of it? I'm surprised it took me this long to play this for how good it was. I went in expecting a meh game and got a fantastic one out of it. Are there any other games out there like it?

Oh, and here's the opening of the game(before the main menu) to give you a better idea of what its like:

 

...

And now that I've gotten that out of my system, have any of you played the Drakengard series? I got Drakengard 3 and its been pretty fun as well, though a lot of the fun comes from the dialogue that occurs as you continue through the game and fight enemies and stuff. Constant talking and banter occurs, which is often humerous. Kinda like the Star Fox series in that sense.

[Flare]

I've played all 3 Drakengard games. Beaten the 2nd and 3rd, and actually own the 2nd. I love the series.

Didn't know Nier was spinoff of it. Now I want to play it.

[Battlechili]

I've played all 3 Drakengard games. Beaten the 2nd and 3rd, and actually own the 2nd. I love the series.

Didn't know Nier was spinoff of it. Now I want to play it.

Yeah. Nier specifically is what happens after Ending E of the original Drakengard, and Taro Yoko(series director except for Drakengard 2 where he was just video editor) while developing it considered it Drakengard 3 even though it didn't end up with that name.