NieR may not be perfect, but it is by all means a masterpiece. Actually, I think a lot of what makes the game so brilliant is how raw, how unpolished it is. NieR tells what is undoubtedly (and if you're familiar with the story, ironically) the most human story I've personally ever come across. To this day, I sincerely believe the depth of its storytelling and characters remains unparalleled by any other piece of media— in spite of the fantasy setting, everything and everyone feels genuinely real, and by extension, NieR's is a story rich with meaning. Perhaps most obvious is the overarching allegory for post 9/11 America, but chalking the entire experience up to that wouldn’t do it justice. When I say this silly little game changed my life and worldview, I seriously mean it.

Something else I adore is how unapologetically NieR is a game. At least personally, I find that many story heavy "games" nowadays are actually just several movies wrapped up in a trench coat. Movies rock, and there's nothing inherently wrong with applying their approach to storytelling in video games, but I also think interactivity is a powerful tool in immersion, and it is here where NieR's embrace of its medium elevates it so. NieR has some of the most experimental gameplay I ever did experience— it constantly switches genres, makes players repeat large sections of itself with seemingly little incentive. This will certainly be a turn off for many, but it also makes NieR one of the most memorable and intimate experiences for those who choose to put in the work. And if you're on the fence about playing it, at the very least, all of the music is fucking phenomenal, the soundtrack literally NEVER misses.

I cannot recommend this shit enough, legitimately the most formative piece of media in my life. This game is something special.