Nier: Automata does not excel in developing its characters, and its script is average. However, Nier's game design stands atop the pedestal of the video game medium, and that's where Yoko Taro truly shines as a GENIUS. Nier is experience and connection. The way the director constructed the entire story of the game and the way it was designed, the way he CONVEYS the story to the viewer, is completely MAGIC. This work would be different if Yoko Taro weren't present. Nier is one of the VERY RARE cases of a work or series that, I believe, reached 95% to 100% of its potential.

The catchphrase "Yoko Taro, you genius" is absolutely real. When he created a rival duo fighting a boss at the end of the C route (when you make a combo, you're automatically switched to the other character), I screamed PEAK. When he had you fight against a boss in complete darkness with a flashlight, I screamed PEAK. When he mixed ship, 2D, 2.5D, and 3D in the game, with a top view, I screamed PEAK. Not to mention the countless references he made to writers like Shakespeare or even the Bible, naming characters like Adam or Eve, or the fact that 2B's name is translated into "two b" - "to be" - which means 'to be or not to be,' Nier also aims to provoke questions and explore the philosophy of life. The artistic direction is top-notch, no comments required. The OST is also excellent, with Keiichi Okabe at his zenith, the Kevin Penkin of games

If I were to point out flaws, it's really the script that, although efficient, makes the plot move very quickly (in a bad way), and because there wasn't enough character development, it's not a perfect story. There's not enough plot construction.

The existence of Nier: Automata is essential in the video game medium due to everything it offers, such as direction and other technical aspects like the soundtrack and game design. 2017 was certainly a blessed year for anime, but especially for games