Why NieR: Automata is the Most Profound Video Game Ever Made
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มิ.ย. 2024
- Special thanks to Steven for helping edit this video, and Indi for making the thumbnail art!
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1. Context: 0:00 - 1:37
2. Definitions and Comparisons: 1:38 - 4:39
3. The Scope of the Game's Philosophy: 4:40 - 9:43
4. Existentialism in a Nutshell: 9:44 - 11:08
5. Synopsis: 11:09 - 12:36
6. Yoko Taro's Style: 12:37 - 14:08
7. Transcendental Meditation: 14:09 - 14:59
8. SPOILER WARNING: 15:00 - 15:24
9. Character Names and Their Philosophy: 15:25 - 16:55
10. Immanuel and the "Thing-in-Itself": 16:56 - 18:40
11. Perception and Reason: 18:41 - 20:04
12. Pascal and His Wager: 20:05 - 23:10
13. More Analysis of Pascal: 23:11 - 24:17
14. 9S' Existential Woes: 24:18 - 25:54
15. Reason, God, Both, or Neither: 25:55 - 27:33
16. Ending E: 27:34 - 29:30
17. Outro: 29:31 - 30:19
#nier #nierautomata - เกม
I clicked on every “Why is Nier Automata so awesome” video I see
Same
Same, it's my favorite game. I can very rarely name my favorite anything.
Me too, I've wasted so much of my life watching these types of videos and have no regrets
Me this is me
Sometimes I think I beat the game just to watch these videos
STILL the most impactful game for me. Ending E is the only moment (fulfillment?) in video games to bring me to tears, and I've played many over my entire life. God bless Yoko Taro and his mad genius.
I still tear up when I hear the song intently
Play through Okami and try to remain composed through the end boss.
You can watch the ending on TH-cam of course, but you really need the context behind it that you're only gonna get through playing the game (and it's a great game so that's no bad thing).
@@deanchur I feel bad, I've gotten like 90% of the way through Okami 3x and still never finished it (trying to 100% then just put it down). I love the mythology, setting, and its one I always point to when the topic of video games as art is discussed but I really should make a point to stick it out next time around.
Now play Nier Replicant.
Or Drakengard 3.
hmmm, I played a game called Everhood that made me get emotional and I think I cried. I can't remember though.
NieR Automata is that one game that never really left me.
Because I was only a teenager when I played the game, what stuck with me at first were the characters, the setting, the music and the general atmosphere of the game. But as I grew up, I became more familiar with the different concepts of philosophy, and I finally realized over time how deep and complex this game really is. I didn't care much for Pascal at first, but they quickly became one of the most fascinating characters in the game.
Personally, besides its unmatchable secret ending, I think the moment who stuck with me the most was that Resistance member who wished to keep his old, defective limb, as it was the last remaining piece of his original body, and he feared of what it would mean if he replaced it.
Ship of Theseus 🤌
Dont we change cells every decade or so , and all of em die and are replaced by new ones ? Insane
talk about turning to a hard corefan, seen people goes back and forth in yoko taro's works ,because they loved nier automata, but what you have done is some dedication
Please watch Ghost in the Shell!
NieR Replicant's secret ending matches it pretty well.
Three moments that blew me away.
Shortly after the opening level you are able to toggle your settings in real time with 9S, i played around with this for awhile, testing and re-testing settings to see what reactions 9S would react with. So imagine my surprise when in playing route B and I had to sit through my past self trolling me for 20 minutes straight in real time. I loved it.
Upon completing the final route I needed to clear the credit screen, I got far, multiple times but kept dying, I was getting frustrated, pissed and down right angry at the game, how unfair it was, and the constant questions berating me for my attempts...and then I got help. The chorus swelled and I literally cried as everything just clicked for me. The suffering of persisting in a seemingly pointless struggle for meaning, the burden being lessoned by aid and kindness. And the choice to lose everything to show said same kindness and the game critiquing your choices all the while.
The fishing rabbit hole, learning the fish lore and catching a megalodon for the first time which set me down the rabbit hole. I cant do that justice, but damn was that a surprise. The fact you could get the fishing ending instead of completing the game only added on to the experience.
I'm sorry YOU CAN CATCH A MEGALODON?!
@@kingkh001 YEAH LIKE WHAT?! I WAS SURPRISED WITH A BASKING SHARK!
@@gotem123 man I wasn't fishing right 💀 other than the pods, the best thing I got was the machine fish
@kingkh001 Hahaha, yeah dude, I was shocked seeing the shark fly outta the water...no way he's serious bout the megalodon, I gotta go try it!
@@gotem123 My bad, i confused the Machine Basking Shark for a Megalodon, that is the biggest fish you can find.
You know its a good game when it can make you cry during the literal end credits
HEAVY SPOILERS, that go over the informations provided in-game, you have been warned!
One correction: The logic virus was of machine origin, not from androids in high positions infecting the other androids. However, the possibility of this virus infecting the bunker, and therefore all androids connected to it, having their conciousness uploaded there, WAS given by an android that purposefully included a "backdoor" in the bunker for the machines to attack and destroy it when the time was right. The same android that founded project Yorha.
The reason for this is something you didnt talk about here, but maybe there will be a second video, who knows. The Yorha forces, the newest combat models you too play as, are designed to fail. Their only purpose was to test things, to collect data, to see how far you could push androids, for another android generation in the future to use this info, and maybe actually do something. (Which they will never be able to do, but they dont know that.) They are the only models that have a black box, a limitless fusion reactor... thats based on the cores of machine lifeforms. These yorha models, are closer to alien build machines, then to human build androids, because of this. Other, "normal" androids mostly didnt know of this, but higher up androids know about this, and treat the yorha like dependable cannon fodder, give them no ressources, accept none of their requests for help. Because in their eyes, since these androids are closer to machine lifeforms then to other androids, its moral to not treat them as their own, which makes it possible for them to perform the most immoral experiments on specifically these models. This is what 9S finds out later too, and makes him realize that EVEN MORE then he thought before, everything he, and other yorha did, was pointless. At least for themselves, for their generation. This all is also the reason the yorha are all dressed in black, to show the bleakness of their situation, and the constant mourning they have to go through watching their friends die again and again.
A very important part is, the 9S models were the best and most intelligent scanners ever build. The S part of their name stands just for "scanner", and the 9 refers to a personality mode, in this case a very curious one, which for some reason, made especially THIS model so efficient. The commanding androids knew that these models would ALWAYS find out the truth, by digging into the andoid network, and unearth the same secrets the 9S we play as did. But they could not afford to NOT use them, because they were so good at their job. For this reason, they were ALL given a type E, for execution, model... which we later learn, 2B belongs to too, and is actually a 2E model. The job of these models was, to kill the 9S models they were assigned to, once they found out the truth, to stop them from taking action.
Another major element of this story is, that first of all, the machine lifeforms are not entirely of alien origin. You can see this clearly in the last ending of the Nier Replicant remake v1.22, where you see that the base of the machines, servers, and the network, including the digital "landscape" we can play in for some parts, was already there thousands of years before the aliens arrived. But they adapted on it when they arrived, refined it, to the point we learn of, that the machines became advanced enough that they could wipe out the aliens. And by extention, they COULD wipe out all the androids in an instant too... but they dont. And the most important part here is, they dont, because of the same reason the androids fight for: That if they win, they will have nothing left to fight for. The aliens who gave them commands are dead, the humans some machines are interested in are dead, the entire planet is dead. And as machines, they dont seem to have the capacity to give their lives a meaning themselves. So they always keep their hold over earth around 80%, to give the androids just enough hope, just enough possibility, to fight back. So that they can fight endlessly, and keep up this one meaning that the aliens gave them per command, before they went extinct. To fight the androids. Thats the only reason they fight, because after this, there never came another command for them, to overwrite that one. And since they dont seem able to issue commands to themselves, this one is all they will have, forever.
Big Boss loves this
Big Boss loves this
Thanks. Loved this game so much but as someone who struggled to keep track and understand all the information this comment and video is very helpful
@@ariellen4995 Youre welcome... i kinda watched a 7 hour lore video about all of Drakengard and Nier... with no pause. c: Worth it tho. Theres a lot of information in merchandise from the series, a book, a CD, even screenplays, that all tell more story then just the games.
Your comment deserves so much more recognition than it currently has. You developed on Max's video really, really well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Loved reading it.
I beat this game only once. 5 years ago back when it came out. Still to this day I can't think about Ending E without crying. I can't think of any other artistic work in *any* medium that's made me feel like that ending did. The lone voice in the song playing during the credits becoming a full choir as you finally accept help (surprised you didn't mention that) and the other ships swarm in as you now start making progress, not just a single lone voice singing, but an entire full choir singing together showing that together we can fight back against the game's message of meaninglessness, showing us meaning in those last few minutes, and that that meaning is outside the game entirely. The game spends 40+ hours teaching us this single lesson, and then once it's ingrained and we've internalized it, letting us feel just how dark and pointless it is, lets us fight back against that very lesson. Fighting the names of the people who taught us. Finding the meaning together. One final lesson to tip the entire game's meaning on its head, truly one of today's most profound artistic works.
Well said. It was incredibly poetic and powerful when I got through that final rush
"We play as 2 androids, 2b and not 2b, and that is the true question"
Missed opportunity
NieR: Automata is a game I have never finished and spent a lot of time roaming around aimlessly in when I played it years ago. Videos like this make me think I should really go back and give it the time and attention it deserves.
I really recommend it
@@Skehrcros I remember enjoying it. Idk why I just stopped playing and never returned.
@@guts1258 if you jump back in and continue the journey you'll find places no one else valued the way you will.
The secret boss in the end hits different after play through 3
@@Mustachioed_Mollusk "after play through 3" which is an important, _required_ task, for those who don't know. you must complete at least 3 playthroughs to see the whole story.
@@UnashamedlyHentai that is not really true though.
More like 2 playthrough of the first half.
And 1 second half
The OST's haunting vocals with a made-up language is such a cool style. Great video!!
The whole soundtrack makes the game even better
The ending of the game had everyone so far in their feelings that virtually EVERYONE ignored the idea of not helping their mortal enemy. For most of us, it was a non-choice. We all came this far, and I'll be damned if I don't make the sacrifice to help
I couldn't bring myself to erase my accomplishments. Does that make me a self serving, egotistical tool? I could probably go back and do it now, but it feels like it's too late and I already made my choice.
@@IreizD guess I never viewed it that way. If anything, it just allowed me to start over fresh and try playing it in a completely different way with weapon combos I didn't try before. And make choices I didn't the first time around.
Also, it's never too late. If anything, it just wasn't your time to shine.
@@Masenken "Also, it's never too late. If anything, it just wasn't your time to shine."
😭😭😭😭😭
Ive got to be the only Nier Automata fan that enjoyed the gameplay more than the story.
I prefer stories that don’t dump a mountain of exposition on you at the end of the game.
Also, the twist with 2B and 9S was so goofy and poorly, I just laughed not “cry” like the game wanted me to.
The actual gameplay, combat and boss fights are excellent though but the story is terrible.
Your metals in the mail dude.
I did it, but not without selfishly wanting to keep my save. I wasn’t like “I’m happy to help citizens!” It hurt to say yes… and I definitely wasn’t happy about it… I did almost say no.
MASTERPIECE of game that is just at the top of so many categories, STORY / OVERALL GAME DETAILS AND STAGES / OST / GAMEPLAY
the revelation that all the people that helped you in the credits sacrificed their game to do so is one of the most impactful moments in gaming history
There’s a reason why Stellarblade’s claim of being inspired by Automata holds so much weight back then when they introduced the game from the teaser. Shitstorm from the mainstream aside from the activists, if Stellarblade executes correctly like Automata we might have something close to that sparkle/adoration we had when we first played Automata and in turn Re-inspires Yoko Taro to write the scenario for the next Nier entry or any prequel to celebrate its success again.
After finishing stellar blade yesterday i can say its not as deep it has its few moments but no where on this scale
Can’t wait to sit down this evening after everything is done and watch this. Thanks for the video.
I think In saw that video and I think I also went "nah, ending E"
I always felt while playing Automata that the game itself was trying to instill me with a sense of nihilism, all these philosophies, all shown to be flawed, the implication being the same each time, it is all futile, there is no meaning. Hours upon hours of this sense being, not explicitly told, but instilled through parable. And then you get ending E....which essentially allows you to disprove the message of the game simply by not accepting it, the non-acceptance of it proves its wrongness, and it is SUCH a strong moment that it always gets me teared up.
Nihilism is obviously wrong. We can feel it being wrong, by how we experience life. But if all you have is naturalism, then it is true by default. So naturalism must be wrong. There has to be something more to it. Thinking about what that must be leads to God. It's a natural conclusion. It's just that the Japanese are atheists so they wouldn't have included that as a real topic to be explored. But that actually is the most rational alternative to nihilism. Just saying no is not actually an alternative. It just feels better than accepting it, like denial
@@h20taku60 nihilism is less of a full blown philosophical mindset, and more of an existential collapse or low point for a person.
A person that's reached the point of being nihilistic has 2 paths to take from there. Suicide to commit and realize their nihilistic belief, or to find meaning and the will to live on, aka existentialism.
So existentialism is more of what I would say the game is portraying to the player. It's the overall message at least. There are experiences in the game that are nihilistic look the racing machine killing himself once you've beaten him in all his races.
So it's an overall existentialist game, but with a lot of nihilistic moments within it, but that is so that it's existentialist message and themes at the end of the game is a stronger point driven into the player.
Sort of like how the most hopeful story is also the most sad story.
@@trevorveillette8415 Yeah I think you're right, that's what the game is saying. What I'm saying is that in real life this is why faith and religion exist. Even if you were to ask an evolutionary biologist or something, they would tell you it's an advantage to believe, for this reason. Makes it easier to bear hardship and to survive. So even from a science perspective religion is a more comprehensive and useful answer than just accepting that nihilism makes rational sense and then denying it because you see that it isn't good.
Thanks for this video ❤ calmed me down and took my mind off hard times
This was one of those games that haunts you long after you beat it. I started playing it thinking it would just be a fun hack and slash game with some fan service, not too different from something like Bayonetta for example. Which was the intial first impression I think most players had, at least if they weren't already familiar with Yoko Taro's work. What I could have never been prepared for was how invested I became in the relationship of 2b and 9s, how existentially profound all of the themes were, and how emotionally exhuasted I was by the time it was over. This game is an unforgettable experience.
I'm waiting to play this game for years and that fact that videos titled like this are still popping off makes me happy and chill while waiting for that perfect timing to complete and dig into it will come.
today i was really sad, watching this video made me feel a little bit more hopeful, also it made me wanna play nier automata again.
It's nice to know that one of the messafes floating around on that final fight against the credits, it's my little contribution to somebody else feeling hopeful also.
Thanks max.
Pascal's story is so shocking when you play the game. I felt so bad for it.
You’d be even more shocked if you know that his story is accurately based on Pascal’s (the irl scientist and philosopher) life, and the ending of his story is talking about the fear theory which was made by Pascal himself.
@@babadookdi4921 💀
This is my favourite video of yours!
Also loved watching you collaborate with the guys from Resonant Arc, those guys have incredible discussions and provide me with my weekly existential crisis lol.
Lots of love to you and those around you. Peace and happiness all the way from Australia. Xx
Great video essay; I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. 😊This seems like one of those culmination essays that both looks back at how far you've come and looks ahead to how much more there is yet to discover. As your video essay concluded, I couldn't help but be reminded and reflect upon a potent stanza from T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets" poem as it relates both to your video essay's introduction and your later thematic analysis of NieR: Automata.
- - - - - - -
"With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always-
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one." - T. S. Eliot, "Four Quartets"
- - - - - - -
Thanks for another great, thought-provoking video, Max! Stay yellow.
Thank you for this brilliant encapsulation of this idea which I'm not even sure what to name. Hope maybe? The poem is a great example of someone who gets it.
I love seeing this idea expressed across media, time, and distance. It makes me really feel like we do have a chance.
I recommend Like Stories of Old video on Cloud Atlas for another great example. th-cam.com/video/LwLP62fL83k/w-d-xo.htmlsi=6Vg-nqkGMI1wFctW
May beauty save the world!
your channel is amazing. Your videos are deep and retrospective and enjoy listening to you!! Thank you!!
Amazing video as always man, really great work. Thank you for the continued content!
Nier Automata was the experience that brought me back to videogames as an adult. Some of these things I would need a bit of time to remember on my own, presuming I could, but seeing them stated like this makes it clear all of it was still somewhere in my head, faded into the background. Nier Automata is so peculiar in what it does and how it does it that if I was asked about it out of the blue, and caught unprepared, I would probably answer "I don't know" or perhaps just "...". I find that's the best thing I could say about it, perhaps about any game.
This video is so relaxing! I definitely need the second half please!
Funny how Pascale's last request is a literal coin flip. You can choose to kill them outright or kill the current them making the next Pascale an entirely different person.
Or you can just leave, but honestly it feels like abandoning a small wounded kitten on the street. Pascal clearly need A2's help. Any of the 3 choices is so painful
@@deyama2012 Wow, I didn't know you could just leave.
@@deyama2012 And if you wipe his memory or leave, there's a chance he could make the same mistake again
@@ayuvir Yeah, and if you do, there are a couple of unique lines of dialogue
@@twooty2148 Yeah, there is a chance, but to me it feels better then straight up taking his life. And iirc, he appears in a cutscene later only if you wipe his memory. Which makes me think it might be that he ends himself in case you simply leave him.
Thanks, Max! I’m going to come back and watch this after I play the game.
Max Derrat, Subscribed because your videos are so much fun!
Thank IOSA!
There's a third option for pascal. When he asks for you to kill or wipe him, you can just leave. In this option you let him think about what they've done, and learn as a consequence. Or at least that's my head canon.
It's the only way for Pascal to both have a future, and also to grow and learn. (No matter the cost.)
If you wipe his memory then visit him in his village you can get a weapon from him that's not available anywhere else.
That’s what I did too and I was surprised and hurt by what Pascal says as you walk away
We learn throughout the game however that machines don't learn, when trying to emulate humanity and failing, the same machine would continue to fail exactly the same way every single time, no progress made and seemingly no intent to learn. It's one of the things that pushes that despite the machines seeming like they have become more human after obtaining a sense of self awareness, there will always be fundamental differences and limitations in their programming, whether they have disconnected from the network or not (arguably even more so once they've disconnected by design). What makes this whole part of the game hit harder is having to see that reality in Pascal and accept that despite the whole game setting you up to feel like he really can become 'human' he really is still *just* a machine and would keep failing the same way as a machine would. If I didn't need the Machine Heads for ending Y, I personally would have killed him to at least grant him escape.
@@AR-bj5et But machines do learn. 9S himself at one point states that machines keep repeating humanity's failures almost as if the objective isn't to learn, it's to fail exactly like humans did. One of the main traits of machine lifeforms, as stated by both 2B and 9S, is their phenomenal capacity for adaptation and evolution; you can't evolve without learning. Think of your first boss fight with Adam, where he learns to dodge your sword and counter your bullets mid-fight within the first few minutes after his "birth." He learns. Terrifyingly fast.
I first saw your Drakengard video. Then I stumbled upon Ending E in a watchmojo top 7, which lead me to learning more and more about this series and setting. Loving it. Ty for the video! That ending...
Gonna have to finish the game before I watch the video but I'm hyped
You have to beat the thing 3 times.
@@MrSpartan993 not a joke. literally, 3 times.
It's gonna take you more than a few hours I'm afraid
When people say "3 times" it sounds like all 3 times you'll be playing through the same stuff. Which is not the case
@@deyama2012 you play through the same stuff 2 times. But I’ll grant that the 3rd time is finally different.
Love your videos Max, excited for this
This is one of the best, if not the best Nier Automata video analysis I've seen. It made me want to explore even more things I didn't observed during my 1st playthrough. I will save this video and watch it again after I play this game at least one more time and have an even better understanding of all the meaning hidden in this gem. Congrats for the video!
This game saved my damn life.
Really now, How? Was it the time you killed playing it, The artificial relationships you established with binary code on a television screen, did you discover something about yourself while playing the game? Please do explain.
for me it was Journey. That game helped me through a dark time, games can really have that power, thank god
I'm glad you're still here
@@EvoSchecteryou are kind of a piece of shit, can people have opinions and thoughts without being insulted just state your own opinion
Same
the limp walk through the map before she died had me going through it
I was literally screaming "NO. You CAN'T do that." at the screen during that time.
Just hearing you speaking about the end credits makes me get so emotional its crazy. Even so many years later. That moment will live with me forever.
For me, the previously mentioned Xenogears is the most profound game I ever played, but age at the time (late teens when it released) and the ability to look back on it now with many wizened years are a distinct part of that. Planescape Torment as well, which I played when it released. But as for emotional impact, as you included with your definition of profound, I whole heartedly agree with NieR Automata; It made me feel. I'd personally feel lucky to count on even 1 hand the number of games that made me feel more than just accomplishment or frustration from the game proper. You can't force emotional investment from players.
Agreed on Xenogears. That is basically the quintessential "iceberg" of a game. The depth is nearly incomprehensible.
I'm replaying Xenogears right now, and it's a completely different experience than before. My first playthrough, I was Fei's age, and like Fei, I had no idea what I was getting into. Now, I'm Citan's age, and between my existing knowledge of the lore/context, and my perspective as an older person, I'm experiencing a whole new appreciation for how Citan navigates and contributes in the world of Xenogears. Highly recommend the experience!
@@Remidora that's a great way of looking at it. I did the same, where I was younger and blind going into it. Eventually I'll play a second time, much older and wiser and in-tune with the themes the game explores.
You’re one of my favorite content creators and validate video games as a high medium constantly. Thank you and love you
Amazing video, as always, Max!
Great game, still only my to-platinum list!
So, I know this is a huge ask, But man. I think Final Fantasy 14 has incredibly emotionally profound moments. I'm not an online gamer at heart, and I dont think I'll actually return unless i hear 7.0 is way better than I think it will be, but from A Realm Reborn to End Walker we get all sorts of psychological and emotional conundrums that just slap you in the heart, and honestly its one of the things that helped me grapple with my fear of becoming a father.
Strong recommend. A majority of the games story is available as single player content.
If you cant see yourself playing it, there are many playthroughs out there. Its that good to me.
Pascal's story was incredible, Jesus Christ, fun fact the Japanese voice actress for Pascal, Aoi Yūki does voice acting for Madoka from Madoka Magica, another life altering, incredibly profound work of fiction I recommend to all fans of Nier.
That ending E, glory to man kind
Informative as always.
Great video!
You didn't say it directly, but you made me realize something I never considered about the ending before... When you're shooting the credits (the names of the developers), you are literally battling against your creator, effectively attempting to "kill god". Thus, narratively speaking, you're brought full circle back to 2B's opening line in the game.
I must say: music from The Talos Principle is very fitting for this kind of topics. Btw. great video as always.
Hi Max,
I’ve been a fan for many years now, and it’s been super watching your videos become more academically mature.
As a part of this, I’m hoping you can include the sources and further readings you use to make your videos in the future. The topics you cover, like sociology, history, psychology, and, of course, philosophy all lend themselves to benefitting viewers insight into your videos.
For example, a pastebin link beneath your video with references would be awesome! If you need any help, I’d be more than happy to offer it.
Awesome video as always, but still better everytime,
Cole
Wow just wow. First Nier Automata vid I have watched that actually mentioned one of the greatest games or well stories ever told that being Xenogears. When I first played Automata, the story and direction gave me MAJOR Xenogear vibes. How is it that so many missed this? At first I thought I was the only one, glad someone lese noticed the philosophies introduced as well. I subscribed on that alone.
Thanks for explaining the complex philosophies involved in this story. I personally love the writings of Nietzche and have found the problems he describes very applicable to today.
As for other games I have found significant or profound, I personally had been affected by Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. It is a deep dive into the world of psychosis, and has a lot of depth psychoanalytically. If you haven't already covered it, you should see if it's something worth doing a video on.
Profundity, with an abundance of ladders.
I was going to reply about Xenogears, but I guess that you kind of made a point about it halfway through the video. imo Xenogears would be by far the most profound in the list (at least regarding games I've played), it pretty much is a bottomless well of thematic richness, but I guess it requires the player to dig as deep as he is willing to if he wants to fully uncover all of it. XG elegantly mixes psychology, philosophy, gnosticism, politics and more while excelling in storytelling, world-building and cinematography (despite the problems we all are very aware of) to reach a singular thesis, I get your point about the inaccessibility of seeing the whole picture unless you try to dig deeper and how N:A is way more accesible in that aspect, but if we are just judging how profound a game is, I don't find that a good criteria at all.
Anyway, comparison are odious and no criteria is objective.
Hey! I really dig your comment. Yeah, my personal criteria of accessibility is VERY subjective, I admit that. Not everybody is going to have that criteria though. If you remove it, then Xenogears has a very strong case for most profound game ever.
@@maxderrat it's fine tho, there would be no room for discussing and essaying if everybody had the same criteria, and you made pretty strong points on the video without a doubt
Tamagochi wake up! Max dropped a banger!
29:31
my exact feelings when i want to talk about YOKO TARO's games
while nier automata is possibly peak for many gamers(it is kinda hard for me, to pick between, which yoko taro's works made the highest impression of me: between "Nier 2010/Replicant" "Drakengard 3" "Nier Automata") all of them had left some impression that is so precious on first run to try them, and the moment you understand all of their lore and characters
i think i start this game when i was 18 or 17, at to this point , i can say one things, the amount of game which can rival with nier automata in term of concept and lore are not that much(unless we are looking at other yoko taro's games, or we look at VNs (which might gamers don't accept as game...but they can be so profound ) ) ... so i stand bold and say this: it is either nier automata, or any games yoko taro will create or created to be count as "Most Profound Video Game" at least for me
It always warms my heart to hear about the end credits of this game. And when my sons become old enough to enjoy it, I will show them NieR
That's the best video about that game I've watched. That game blew me away and I think about it every day since I beat it. I cried so ugly during those credits, thank you all those players for your sacrifice ❤️ True piece of art- I never expected that in a video game I would be able to continue thinking about philosophical topics and that it was reserved only for university classrooms I went.
How did you know I was playing this masterpiece?? Your video came out right on time for me. Thanks!!!
Literally picked the game back up today bc I remembered how fun and intriguing it was. I got all 26 endings for the game a few years ago but forgot a lot of what happened. Decided to look up some lore and HERE YOU WERE! How serendipitous! I can always count on you Max
Oh you're the profound mgs2 guy! I remember having gotten your video recommended a long time ago. Funny, cause I JUST finished nier automata for the first time only a week or so ago. AND I played/finished mgs2 for the first time two months ago. It really was an experience. I'm glad people are still talking about this game. Maybe I should give in to my temptations and fall for the DrakenNier rabbit hole by starting drakengard 1...
15:00 thank you for adding Xenogears and it's awesome osund track.
This game was such a journey
I am French guy that grew up in the 90s and discovered Ghost in the Shell when I was still quite young. Despite not understanding the movie, it touched me and years later I came to like it even more because I finally understood the whole thing. Also, in high school I got hooked by philosophy and I used to carry two books in my bag, to read between classes: "The Human Condition", by Malraux, and "Existentialism Is a Humanism", by JP Sartre.
When I discovered NieR Automata, I was blown away by how smart the game was, how it approached existentialism (I mean, the protagonist's name being "To Be" makes it instantly clear we're going to enjoy a philosophical trip). The atmosphere, the characters...I loved it.
I finally got around to playing replicant and automata last month. Replicants gameplay drove me crazy but I loved the writing. Automata was a massive improvement on every dimension for me. I’m a lover of Sofia so I was really looking forward to the philosophical side of Automata. It was great but I was hoping for something more in depth.
It had a lot of really touching existentialist themes and the basic layout of the premise was a brilliant existentialist metaphor. People just talked up the philosophical side of it so much, I was expecting something like what we got for existentialist thought, but for the whole of the history of philosophy.
The ending was so brilliant. That was very touching.
Automata is about what's the meaning of life and Replicant what it means to be human
But at a lore standpoint and character reading and understanding, Automata does an amazing job with other medias like in books and such
Some things I wish you looked into and mentioned this time:
-the real life history and meaning of Automatas: as they were the first, delicately designed machines that resembled, and were designed to mimic humans.
-2: the theme of Finding beauty and meaning in nature: it is no coincidence why the game's environment - even though ruined and empty of humans - puts emphasis on the beauty of nature: tall trees, water flowing, sand, animals, flowers - even robots finding beauty in it - and its in contrast with the theme of "meaninglessness"
I really love your videos (especially in these Nier ones.) I majored in English/Rhetoric, and your writing, designing, and presenting of your videos are phenomenal. Keep it up! 💕
I really enjoy your deconstruction of games from a philosophical perspective. Thank you for doing it!
Great video Brother!! Love it!
I love the side quest of nier. Not exactly complicated but they always have some sort of theme or ending that makes you think, makes you feel. Also some are just hilarious like the Romeu and Juliets play
I’m gonna be honest. I beat the true ending of this game and it did not click with me at all. I’ve been watching videos on people explaining why they love it so much to see if there is something I missed. It was recommended by a friend in my university philosophy class and I got the philosopher references but it mostly felt surface level the way through. I recently also played Disco Elysium, which is also a philosophically charged game, but mainly it felt like it actually had unique things to say while nier was more about referencing well worn ideas that have already been established.
I love watching your videos. Thank you
That’s the same question posed in A Tale of Two Cities and the Seventh Seal.
Yes. Nier is the most PROFOUND game I have ever played. I discovered it by random at a friends place in Australia. It was stellar. I was shocked for the very first time that made me think Philosophically. It was something I didn't grasped quite fully yet but touching on various subjects of Philosophy and sharing the idea of it in it's self was profound. I learned more from this game than any book I've read at that time. My eyes were opened!
Damn. I can go on and on about but that game is 'magica' if I can say the least. Hard to describe even but very in depth. Yokotaro has some mind and skill to put all of this in game. Impressive. 👏
You know that Nier is the name of the(amazing) franchise, right? This game is Automata.
@@Ukaran Nier, Automata. Whatever. Let me express my of how I feel about the game. Jesus fucking Christ.
@@ben-taobeneton3945
If you liked it so much, try Nier Replicant. It is even better than Automata IMO.
But is it the most PROFOUNDEST?
@@ben-taobeneton3945
If you liked Nier Automata so much, you should play Nier Replicant. It's even better than Automata IMO.
I believe now that a HUGE part of the perception you have of games, is how you felt at the time, granted great games make you feel good but for example, I unfortunately played this game in a very bad period of my life, I was depressed and had just been fired, so while I finished the game, I did not have such a good time or memory of the game, but now I wonder how different would my memories of this game be if I was on a good mood while playing it.
Max, if I may
I would suggest a very obscure animation called Æon Flux, is very VERY psychedelic, but I feel there is very strong Jung themes in it
I believe you could have some use of it, that if your brain doesn't runs out of your nose after watching xD
0:00: 🎮 Exploring profound moments in gaming history, comparing games for depth, and highlighting the significance of Dex.
4:43: 💡 Exploring the historical context of religious criticism and societal cohesion in Western civilization.
8:59: 🎮 Exploration of Nietzsche's philosophy in NieR: Automata storyline and the concept of creating values in a godless world.
13:46: 💡 Profound exploration of human nature and philosophical conundrums in a mechanical game world.
17:30: 💡 Limitations of perception and reason explored through the failed growth of a robot baby.
22:39: 💔 Tragic events lead to overwhelming guilt and despair, prompting a difficult decision with moral implications.
26:33: 💡 The depth and honesty of NieR: Automata's exploration of existentialism and philosophy through gameplay.
Recap by Tammy AI
I wish I had this kind of insight into the games I play. Especially this game. I finally understand why everyone loved this games so much. It only took 7 years and someone else explaining it like this for me to finally get it.
Still to this day ending E brings me to literal tears. And as such it will always be the game I recommend to every person and house plant I talk too.
You mentioned Journey. I must admit, once I started that game, I stuck with it until completion. I never meant to, but it drew me in perfectly. It was also a game where my sisters found games could be more than just for entertainment purposes. It was a game that I witnessed an actual change in thoughts in others. It was a wonderful experience. This lead one sister to play this game, and after experiencing this, she said it made her happily sad.
Never played this game since didnt have the money and time to do so but the music, the music is just chef's kiss that it inspired me to write my own fantasy novel
Love, TARS love!
There is a quantifiable connection!
I can’t imagine replaying a game multiple times just for different endings, i’ve got way too many games in my backlog for that
This game changed my life. I can't describe it in words, only in tears.
Autism and isolation in my family has lead to me feeling less human, more machine.
Seeing these robots isolated, alone and with nothing but a world they'll never visit to use as a reference of what life could be. What life SHOULD be. It felt nice, I still felt alone but didn't feel alone in my isolation, the suffering was turned down dramatically.
It was nice seeing 2b and 9s eek out moments where the message of shared love was clear
Idk love this game and wish you the best!
The moment I heard the song city ruins while staring at the ocean I knew I will never experience anything like this ever again.
Automata's DLC is actually the most profound moment I've experienced, and in a way most people dismiss or don't know about: You can buy the achievements you haven't gotten yet through a secret vendor.
I'm an achievement hunter, and here was a game giving me the easy way out, which I took. This could have been the moment I stuck to my principles, but I wasn't strong enough. I still wonder if I would make the same choice in a new game now.
Honestly, there's a couple of achievements that are basically grinding (getting all the chips for example).
I don't have the DLC and I got Plat on PS4 before the end, so the last few of them were more about running around
Great video. I have been gaming since the 80's and Nier Automata is my fav game of all time. I think of it often and the way it made me feel. A diff experience than any other game
I do agree with the nier series (please refer to my pfp) but there has been a game that has been on my mind 24/7 called library of ruina.
It is the sequel to lobotomy corporation, while it is a direct sequel it doesn't require you to play lob Corp to experience it, although playing it gives some insight in some things
The game is really well written and has a deep inspiration by the concept of the cabala and has some social commentary on life and the system we live in, while talking about some other filosofical concepts like fatalism and various literary references
I played NieR: Automata over the past 11 months. I fell in love with the game the day it was announced, though I didn't own a PlayStation 4, xBox or a strong enough computer to then actually play the game.
Se you really need to imagine me dancing a little happy dance the day NieR: Automata was announced to be available on Nintendo Switch!
Yesterday I finally had the time and the headspace, to initiate the ending - one of the endings, where 9S and A2 enter the Tower...
Damn, I really was not expecting all that.
I'm so glad to see people still make contents about NieR Automata
i wonder when we're going to see more of the talos principle here, i would love to
That true ending was really moving for me. Ya, you lose something substantial to see it but it was worth it. Never had any game I played do something like that before. Closest would be something Kojima could come up with. It's one of the most memorable endings to a video game ever.
Man. Good timing. I recently started Nier Automata, and I gotta say, having now beaten the boss in the theater (4-5 hours in?), I’m having a hard time motivating to continue. I have loved platinum games in the past, but something about this just hasn’t grabbed me yet. I keep hearing ending c, d, and e are just incredible, but having to play the game through three times for a great payoff seems like an awfully big ask when I’m having a head time print myself away from Helldivers long enough to even want to finish the first one.
And to be clear, I’m a person
Who plays a pretty wide variety of games, e.g. metroidvanias, 3rd person character action, open-world action adventure, puzzle,
FPS, arcade whatever, etc. etc. (I.E. not a recovering CoD bro).
Anyone have any tips or words of wisdom about why it’s so worth
forging onward (w/o spoiling anything past the Amusement park)? I’m a little concerned about spoilers in the above video.
PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND PROFOUND
-Be me
-the video starts
-Fortress of lies.mp3
-My heart sink, eyes tears up
-Here comes the memories
It hurts, it hurts so bad, but I'm so glad
Is like seen a smile of the people you love, half a globe way
Yoko Taro ruined my life, and I want to hug him for it
do you know the name of the song that plays after fortress of lies? at around 6 mins
Hey Max. Incredible again my man. As always. Thank you. Wanted to also recommend Rogue Legacy 2 to you for your Philosophical and Symbolism series. I know its a different type of game but the deep lore and pure uniqueness of the way its told is something no doubt you would enjoy diving into. Thank you again.
This game means so much to me. In the end my time and skill will not be pointless, they will mean something to someone, just as somebody else's life (save file) meant everything to me
please can anyone tell me the name of the music at 06:30 please please i'm losing my mind
A certain game you may want to look into is Harvestella, released in 2022. While it was advertised as a farming sim, it's really an Action RPG with farming sim elements. Recommending it because it's story reads as a mix of Final Fantasy, Xenogears, and Nier, both Replicant/Gestalt and Automata. It also has fantastic art direction and a soundtrack by Go Shiina, which really helps out the story and feeling of the game.
Just to warn you though, it will take time before you can delve into the real meat of the story, especially with extra lore and philosophical ideas held in characters stories and side quests. There's also no voice acting, which feels like a really big missed opportunity. Not a perfect game by any means, it got pretty middling reception for a reason, and the poor advertising didn't help, but if you can stick it out and bite your teeth into it, I found it to tell a really heartfelt and compelling tale.
I tear up everytime I think of the final credits gauntlet.
30 minutes blowing smoke up 2B's skirt without one mention of 2B's "assets" is in and of itself quite the achievement. Nice Max.
23:00 with pascal you can also choose to walk away and not make a decision.