Nier: Automata was one of the best games of 2017, and one I recommend wholeheartedly, just so long as anyone playing the PC version grabs the unofficial FAR patch by “Kaldaien”. Folks were hoping that today’s release of the GOTY (Game Of The YoRHa) edition of the game would fix that, and include a patch from developers Platinum. Sadly, that’s not the case. If you didn’t own it previously, the price on the single piece of DLC has been cut, and includes the GOTY perks – some skins for your pod drone, and a machine mask to hide your tears. See the braggadocious trailer below.

It’s a pity that talk of the GOTY edition is going to be undermined by the lack of any official updates. We could be talking instead about the convoluted multi-series chronology that acts as spice to the game without overwhelming its self-contained flavour. We could be talking about just how perfect it is that you can pet your little gun-pod for a good day’s machine-slaying. Maybe even cheer a little at the absurdity of the androids being able to project a hard-light chair for support while they’re fishing. Oh, and just how absurdly intricate the character design is – the stitching on 2B’s dress is to die for.



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Long story short, though: The PC version of Nier: Automata is (assuming you use the unofficial fix-pack) still the best version of a great game. It looks the best, it runs the best, and supports the widest range of controllers. The fact that they never released an official patch is galling, and something I hope Square Enix address in future, but thanks to the wonders of the internet, solutions are just a few clicks away. Let’s just celebrate by playing the game again and trying (and failing) not to cry as the poor, sad robots repeat their cycle of tragedy once more.

For those wanting a little more Nier-induced depression between now and whenever the next game in the series surfaces, there’s a pair of books. One (Long Story Short) out now that abridges the story of the game, and another (Short Story Long) due out later this year. The latter features some new short stories, and an official translation of The Fire Of Prometheus, an excellent little tale bridging the gap between the original Nier and the sequel. Oh, and Final Fantasy XIV will be running a series of Automata-themed raids over the coming months.

NieR: Automata, Game of the YoRHa Edition is out now for £29.99/€39.99/$39.99 on Steam and Humble. You can read a little more about the re-release here. The 3C3C1D119440927 DLC (no, really) is now priced at £6.49/€9.99/9.99$ on Steam.