NieR: Automata Announced with Gameplay Trailer, Story and Character Details

It has arrived--the name for the next NieR entry, and it's unbelievably exciting! At Paris Games Week, Square Enix and Platinum Games revealed NieR: Automata during a stage presentation (featuring post-reveal Emil). Producer Yosuke Saito and director Yoko Taro revealed a first look of the gameplay, which is... absolutely gorgeous and phenomenal. Take a peek at the official trailer below:



Combined with the music, the trailer is so breathtaking that it brings many tears to my eyes.



According to Saito:

"NieR struck a chord with many passionate gamers. It was something so special that we felt compelled to heed the fans' call for a follow-up. To create the ultimate action-RPG, it dawned on me that a collaboration between Platinum Games and Square Enix would be a dream come true."

Additionally we have learned a bit more about the protagonist's name--"2B"--and the fact that she is designed by Akihiko Yoshida, artist for Final Fantasy XIV and Bravely Default. 2B is an all-purpose battle android, serving as a member of the automated infantry squad YoRHa. This squad forgo their names and instead go by code numbers, and even though regulations restrict the expression of emotions, each member wields their own personality. 2B is known to be cool, calm, and collected (evident in the trailer).



Her main weaponry specialties are the sword for close-quarters combat and the "Pod" support system from longer range. She also wears her standard-issue military visor, which she rarely ever removes.

That's all we know about her for now, but guess what? There's story information too!

NieR: Automata begins with an attack from invaders of another world. Machines, the secret weapons of these invaders, manage to drive the human race from Earth, forcing them to seek refuge on the moon.

In response to this attack, the humans erects an army of android soldiers to fight back against these deadly enemies, but these soldiers only manage to slow the ever-advancing force. To gain the upper hand, the humans thus call in a new breed of android infantry: the YoRHa squad.



How will this relate to the original NieR? I suppose we'll just have to find out in due time, won't we?

NieR: Automata is currently in development exclusively for the PlayStation 4. Hopefully we will see more about this game in the near future, and even more so hope to see a release date in 2016.

Because I seriously cannot wait.