NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...

Presentation

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is a modernized version of NieR Replicant, originally released in Japan in 2010. The story follows a young man living with his sister Yonah in a world marked by disease, ruins and the presence of strange creatures known as Shades. When he sets out to find a way to save her from the Black Scrawl, his journey takes him far beyond his village and gradually reveals the true nature of the world around him.

The game uses an action RPG structure combining exploration, real-time combat, quests and equipment progression. The protagonist can wield different melee weapons and chain together attacks, dodges and fast movements against groups of enemies or larger opponents. This version substantially reworks the fluidity of combat in order to bring its pacing closer to the more modern standards established later in the series.

The protagonist is soon accompanied by Grimoire Weiss, a talking book that grants access to several forms of magic. These abilities can be used alongside physical attacks and serve different purposes: ranged projectiles, area attacks or powers that make certain enemies easier to control. Combining weapons and magic makes it possible to shift quickly between close-range combat and ranged offense.

Customization also relies on the Word system. Certain enemies can drop terms that may be attached to weapons, magical attacks or different abilities. Depending on the Words equipped, the player can alter certain equipment properties or strengthen specific effects. Progression therefore does not depend solely on obtaining stronger weapons, but also on the way those weapons are configured.

The world is organized around several interconnected regions, each with its own identity. Villages, plains, desert areas, coastal locations, abandoned facilities and more unusual places shape the journey. Exploration alternates between inhabited towns, combat zones and dungeons, some of which play with the game's usual rules.

This variety also comes through changes in perspective and gameplay style. Some sequences adopt side-scrolling or top-down views, while others place more emphasis on puzzles, reading or unusual forms of presentation. The game therefore avoids remaining locked into a single action formula and regularly uses its staging to change the way a situation is explored or understood.

Numerous side quests accompany the journey. They provide more insight into the inhabitants, the different regions and several characters encountered along the way, while also rewarding the player with money, items or other benefits. Activities such as fishing and farming further expand exploration with objectives separate from the main story.

The protagonist does not travel alone. Several characters gradually join him and take on important roles in both combat and the narrative. Their relationships, personal histories and reactions to events give the group a presence that goes well beyond the function of AI-controlled companions.

Like NieR: Automata, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... does not reveal its complete story after a single ending. Later playthroughs revisit certain events while adding new information, perspectives and scenes. Repetition is therefore part of the narrative structure: some sections are seen again, but their meaning changes as new elements become available.

This version also adds content that was absent from the original Replicant, including an additional story centered on the Mermaid as well as material previously offered separately through the 15 Nightmares. It therefore goes beyond simply improving the visuals or performance of the 2010 game by also expanding its narrative and gameplay content.

Key points

• A modernized version of the original 2010 NieR Replicant.
• An action RPG combining melee combat, magic, exploration and progression.
• Grimoire Weiss accompanies the protagonist and grants access to several forms of magic.
• The Word system allows weapons, magic and abilities to be modified and strengthened.
• Varied interconnected environments including towns, open areas and dungeons.
• Frequent shifts in perspective and gameplay style, ranging from action and platforming to puzzles and more experimental sequences.
• Numerous side quests, along with activities such as fishing and farming.
• Several companions play an important role in both the journey and the narrative.
• The story is built around multiple successive playthroughs that reveal new perspectives and information.
• This version includes additional content, including the Mermaid story and the 15 Nightmares challenges.
• The soundtrack was rearranged and re-recorded for this version.

Conclusion

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... combines a relatively traditional action RPG structure with a presentation that refuses to remain fixed. Melee combat, magic, the Word system, exploration and quests form the foundation of the adventure, but the game regularly changes perspective or style to refresh the way it unfolds.

This mechanical variety primarily supports a narrative built around what the player does not yet know. Revisiting certain events, shifting perspective and gradually uncovering new information are all integral parts of progression. The 2021 version therefore preserves the unusual structure of the original game while modernizing its combat system, presentation and content.

Good to know

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... was developed by Toylogic and published by Square Enix. It was released in 2021 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows.

It is an enhanced version of NieR Replicant, originally released in Japan in 2010. Unlike the original Western release of NieR, which featured an older protagonist related to Yonah as her father, this version follows the young Replicant protagonist, Yonah's brother.

The game was directed by Yoko Taro and produced by Yosuke Saito, while Keiichi Okabe and MONACA contributed to the music. The soundtrack from the 2010 game was rearranged and re-recorded for this version.

The title is a prequel to NieR: Automata, although several thousand years separate the events of the two games.

The 2021 version also includes additional content, notably the previously unreleased Mermaid story, the 15 Nightmares dungeons and several elements connected to NieR: Automata.

This entry specifically covers NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139..., not the NieR Replicant and NieR Gestalt versions released in 2010.