Almost seven years after the discharge of NieR:Automata, followers are nonetheless clamoring for a 3rd entry within the collection helmed by Yoko Taro. Whereas we’re all eagerly awaiting one other AAA console recreation within the DrakenNier universe, it’s straightforward to neglect {that a} sequel is already obtainable to play—but it surely received’t be for for much longer. That sequel is NieR Re[in]carnation.
Sq. Enix’s gacha recreation set within the NieR universe—and directed by Taro—has been working since 2021 however introduced on January 22 that the tip of service was imminent. The ultimate chapter of its ongoing story, Act III: Transmigration, will probably be launched on March 28 earlier than service for the cellular title shuts down a month in a while April 29. As soon as service is shut down, an integral a part of the NieR collection will probably be ceaselessly misplaced. Should you’re a fan of Taro’s saga, you then owe it to your self to play Reincarnation earlier than the shutdown happens.
Reincarnation has all of the anticipated hallmarks of a gacha recreation. This primarily implies that the title’s techniques closely revolve round the necessity to spend actual or in-game foreign money to amass characters, weapons, and different objects. However for the reason that recreation’s launch in 2021, the story and character depth have earned it reward as one of many “greatest console-like video games on cellular.” A part of that is as a result of manner Reincarnation constructions its story.
The sport begins by supplying you with management of a woman named Fio, an amnesiac trapped inside a spot solely generally known as The Cage. Fio navigates by her new jail and dives into vignettes that inform the story of what the sport calls Reminiscence Characters. These vignettes let Reincarnation discover a lot of genres, such because the Western, all throughout the bigger story of Fio’s makes an attempt to unravel what is definitely happening inside The Cage. All of those interwoven narratives are crafted by a workforce of writers led by Takashi Ohara and overseen by Taro, which means the general vibes of the story really feel like a pure sibling to the remainder of the NieR collection.
Within the recreation’s opening chapters there are few connections to be made between Reincarnation and its AAA siblings, giving the impression that this was an elective a part of the world most gamers didn’t must trouble with. However the newest story beats make the connections to the bigger NieR universe clear and—with out spoiling the place the narrative goes—it has large implications for the way forward for the franchise as an entire. Because it approaches its finish of service, Reincarnation is positioning itself to be the climactic finale to a narrative that has been in movement for the reason that unique NieR first launched in 2010. No new NieR recreation will be capable of ignore Reincarnation, however after April 29 no person will be capable of expertise that story firsthand.
In some methods the deletion of a Yoko Taro recreation’s information appears solely pure, however Reincarnation’s erasure differs from the narrative trick that has been pulled by previous NieR video games. Whereas Automata and Replicant provide the participant a story purpose for deleting their save information, there’s at all times a approach to relive the expertise due to possession of the sport itself (one more reason to purchase bodily media).
Reincarnation is not going to have that possibility. Play it when you can! A silver lining of the sport’s imminent demise is that within the run-up to the plug being pulled, Sq. Enix is introducing a lot of boons to gamers, such because the return of outdated occasions and ten free summons (pulls) each day. This makes it simpler than ever to get across the gacha grind.
Should you do end up downloading Reincarnation in hopes of finishing the story earlier than April 29, then there’s yet one more factor it is best to do—doc every part. Take screenshots and report movies as a lot as attainable, as a result of that’s the solely manner Reincarnation will probably be preserved after the tip of service.
NieR Re[in]carnation is offered on iOS and Android till April 29, 2024.