The NieR:Automata Strategy Guide by Dengeki was just released on April 18, 2017. I posted a quick video the other day, flipping through the pages to YouTube, which I’ll post below:

There’s all sorts of fun, new stuff in this edition, including three new novellas. I have yet to read the all of the new novellas but they are entitled:

Little Flowers by Yoko Taro – [ Reference ]

by Yoko Taro – [ Reference ] The Great Sea of Tranquility by Eishima Jun – [ Reference ]

by Eishima Jun – [ Reference ] The Memory Thorn by Eishima Jun

“The Memory Thorn” takes place after “The Memory Cage” that was printed in the World Guide. I mistakenly thought that it was a reprint of the previous novella, because it starts out exactly the same…but then drastically changes further on. It depicts a similar sequence of events only from 9S’s perspective and how he notices 2B acting strange.

There are also a couple pages with hexadecimal code, which depicts some additional interesting goodies. I decoded it to the best of my ability, but there were still errors in the translation. So, I used whatever I could get from the code and made a search for the text that came out… and I found that there were some Japanese sites that posted the information. This is the site (or alternatively this site) that I used to translate the following:

– P50 –

We were indeed connected.

That’s why I couldn’t go anywhere.

Corroding, I became pitch black. The deepest red.

Pouring forth, we spill out, connect, and break.

Humanity once called this rage. Humanity once called this condolence.

Humanity once called this love. Humanity once called this envy.

Humanity once… called this… ________

We became you.

My brother was smart. He taught me how to read books.

Nii-chan… Nii-chan… Nii-chan… I… I’m right here.

Eroding, I was submerged in the light.

Pouring forth, we spill out, connect, and awaken.

We became you.

My 2B was there.

2B… 2B… 2B… I’m right here.

The Red Memory is overwritten.

Nii-chan… 2B… Nii… 2B… 2niBi… cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha

Pod042 to Pod153:

Report: 100% reconstruction of 9S’s personal data has been confirmed. Data upload to the Bunker complete. The current Bio-machine body will be discarded in 60 seconds.

Proposal: In 85 seconds, destroy this Bio-machine body as well as all similar parts in the vicinity with a laser.

Pod153 to Pod042:

Understood.

< The Ark >

– P187-188 –

Pod042 to Pod153:

Inquiry: Explain your current action.

Pod153 to Pod042:

Reply: I am fishing.

Proposal: Refrain from verbal conversation.

Reason: Fish will swim away.

Pod042 to Pod153:

Negative: Visual confirmation of you currently fishing is not the issue.

Inquiry: State the purpose of discarding fish after fish on the ground.

Conjecture: It is a waste of energy and resources.

Pod153 to Pod042:

Report: Fishing will continue until the objective that I have just set has been achieved. Therefore, this action is not useless.

Hope: The mutual understanding of these feelings.

Pod042 to Pod153:

Proposal: Considering the disclosure of the objective. Depending on this, mutual understanding of these feelings may be possible.

Pod153 to Pod042:

Report: The extermination of all “aji” from the face of the Earth.

(aji = horse mackerel)

Pod042 to Pod153:

Inquiry: …………aji?

Pod153 to Pod042:

Affirmation: That is correct. If I continue to fish and fish and fish for aji, at some point, the extermination of the aji species is not impossible.

Pod042 to Pod153:

Inquiry: …………Why aji?

Pod153 to Pod042:

When an android consumes this fish, it causes excessive toxicity damage and induces death. When I performed the hypothetical simulation “9S consumed an aji”, I detected a malfunction in my internal algorithm. Therefore, I decided to continue fishing until the risk of 9S consuming an aji has been reduced to 0.00001%.

Pod042 to Pod153:

Conjecture: That… behavior is called “overprotection”.

Pod153 to Pod042:

I don’t care what you call it. I will exterminate all aji. The reconstruction of 9S…… as well as 2B and A2 is rapidly approaching. I want to accomplish this mission before that time comes. The extinction of aji. Additionally, I request your silence. I am not able to catch any fish at all.

Pod042 to Pod153:

Proposal: In that case, then I, too…… If I proceed to fish with you, I predict that your objective will be accomplished in half the time.

Pod153 to Pod042:

……Thank you.

Pod042 to Pod153:

Thanks are not necessary. At any rate…… the time will soon be upon us.

Pod153 to Pod042:

Yes, very soon…… We must practice.

“Good morning.” “Good morning.”

Pod042 to Pod153:

“Good morning.” “Good morning.”

< Fishing Weather >

Additionally, I’ve been working on translating some little bits of the preliminary character designs and sketches published in this book. Here’s what I’ve finished thus far (I’ll continue to add more as I finish them).