Square-Enix's newest IP, Nier, looks to take on the action adventure genre and add what Square does best, storytelling and RPG. This action-packed PS3 and Xbox 360 title looks to boast heavy doses of combat, a dynamic party of allies to fight alongside you, and a rich, complex storyline sure to draw the player into the strange and fascinating world of Nier.
Nier begins in a grim, distant future plagued by disease and strange, dark creatures on a world that is the leftovers from a once-great civilization. The story begins with the title’s namesake, Nier, leaving his home to find a cure for the Black Scrawl Virus, a disease his daughter, Yonah, is afflicted with. Others have sought to cure the ailment as well, but this pursuit has never ended well. He is accompanied by the leggy swordswoman Kaine, and the sentient book, Grimoire Weiss who all aim to right the wrongs of the planet
The story offers up opportunities for an impressive level of variety in the gameplay, which actually has random bits of side-scrolling, shooting ‘em up and skulking through villages. The bulk of the action, however, takes place in a deep, rewarding combat system rife with customizable weapons and magic. In a way, it resembles a lot of modern third-person action games out of Japan, with a fast-paced combo system in the same vein as Ninja Gaiden, with a relatively deep skill system that resembles Kingdom Hearts.
Under development in Japan with Cavia, the crew behind Bullet Witch and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Nier is shaping up to maintain Square-Enix’s tradition of genuinely impressive graphics being used to push a deep narrative. The presentation pushes to keep the game’s conflicts feeling epic in scale. The game also has surprisingly broad appeal, with a tasteful level of hacking and slashing, alongside the typically great Square-Enix RPG elements and aesthetics.
Nier is slated for an April 27, 2010 release on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Keep an eye on MyGamer as more details are announced, and for a full review upon the game’s release.