Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 352 sampled Steam reviews (313 positive / 39 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing35% mention it
- Music & audio18% mention it
- Combat12% mention it
- World & exploration7% mention it
- Visuals & art4% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing44% mention it
- Combat38% mention it
- Controls & UI36% mention it
- Music & audio23% mention it
- World & exploration13% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
63%
46 reviews
5-15h
79%
42 reviews
15-40h
92%
125 reviews
40-100h
98%
124 reviews
100h+
93%
15 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 88 | 6 |
| Creator reviews (4 tracked) | – | 91 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 87% | 81 | 1185 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 92 | 106 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 92% | 86 | 258 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 300 reviews sampled · 737 total reviews in window · weighted 229.5 up / 19.6 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (101)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Few games are able to showcase the power of the medium like Nier: Automata...If history forgets this game, then f.ck history.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“NieR Automata is the first game to truly stand up and greet ludonarrative dissonance as a friend, and actually start the conversation about our bloodlust versus our empathy.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Nier: Automata manages to capture all of the qualities that PlatinumGames is known for, and delivers them out of nowhere, all at once, with a package of superb sounds, visuals and storyline. Never have we been more excited about slashing through hordes of mechanical foes, while being a sexy female android, more than we are now. Don't miss it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“NieR: Automata is a weird RPG with outdated graphics and some repetitiveness. But it doesn't matter - Platinum games has created an excellent, fresh and crazy game. It has an original storyline with tons of brutal and moving scenes, and features a constantly shifting gameplay and wonderful soundtrack. It has all the features of a timeless classic.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“NieR: Automata is an odd case where the game feels worse than the sum of its parts. Each individual element is high quality on its own, but there are enough flaws to bring down the overall experience. The story goes in very interesting directions but fails to land the ending, and the combat has a lot of depth but fails to encourage the player to explore it, which combine to make the whole thing feel just a bit hollower than it should be. Anyone who liked NieR or Drakengard will love this game just for how it presents itself and the ideas it explores, but fans of action games or slightly thoughtful sci-fi stories will find a lot to appreciate too.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“NieR: Automata is another serious contender for the GOTY in a year that has just begun. Platinum Games' special touch is there, but they have kept the respect needed for Yoko Taro's unique way of storytelling. An adult plot, with complex themes and a superb soundtrack, way above the average, mark the birth of an instant classic. We just hope that the franchise, somehow, keeps on going.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“An oddity that grows in stature the more time that you spend with it, NieR: Automata is so much more than you think it is, and it's all the better for it. Some decent writing aside, its side-quests fall into genre pitfalls and its open world can be annoying to navigate. But if you're able to look beyond its shortcomings as a game then you'll be richly rewarded. And while we can't really elaborate on why that is, you're just going to have to trust us. ”
read full review ↗ - 88
“NieR: Automata is a great game that captures you from the very first moment. The well-rounded combat mechanics, the mystery in its story and an addictive customization system won't let you release the controller, despite some minor imperfections that don't affect the experience in any meaningful way.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“NieR: Automata is unlike anything I have ever played. This being my first full playthrough of a Yoko Taro game, makes me want to check out his other work even more. This game takes the medium and spins it on its head in a way only video games can do, and it is a marvel to experience. Go into it without spoilers, read everything and pay attention to what it says. Tropes disappear in this game, and mechanics take on a whole new meaning. NieR: Automata is an experience, and one gamers should definitely take.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Sometimes, you get the ultimate pairing of both chocolate and peanut butter, and in the case of Nier: Automata, that's Yoko Taro and Platinum. Automata is an amazing game even by the high standards of this year. Its flaws don't detract much from the experience, and the combat is fast, stylish and fun. The story is engaging, and the music is phenomenal. Some poor graphics performance and a slight repetitiveness to the combat drag things down. If you're a fan of Taro's games, Automata is by far his best on a gameplay level. If you're not already a fan, Automata is a bizarrely distinct game that's absolutely worth experiencing.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 90
“Thanks to Platinum Games' knack for riveting and gratifying combat, Automata is Yoko Taro's most exciting game to date. The combat mechanics click after hurdling a low learning curve, and the end result is a skillful dance where balletic dodges complement wushu-inspired aggression. Moreover, this multi-ending trip is generously peppered with surprises and revelations, as well as easter eggs that call back to the first game and the Drakengard series from which Nier spun off. It's a meaty, often exhilarating trek that showcases Platinum Games' and Yoko Taro's unique blend of genius.”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
Slant Magazine
PLAY Zine
GRYOnline.pl
RPGamer
Push Square
LevelUp
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
GameSpot…and 89 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 35% off NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…Sep 29, 2021
- Notice about the planned release of the Steam patchJul 13, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Future update to NieR:AutomataApr 15, 2021
- NVIDIA Graphics Card UpdateJul 28, 2017
- NVIDIA Graphics Card UpdateJul 28, 2017
- AMD Radeon Graphics Card UpdateJun 5, 2017
- AMD Radeon Graphics Card UpdateJun 5, 2017
- Valve Character Accessory UpdateMar 20, 2017
- Valve Character Accessory UpdateMar 20, 2017