NieR:Automata review

NieR:Automata is the robot game for players who want a story first. Square Enix's Steam page describes a war in which mechanical beings from another world have driven humanity off Earth, and the human resistance sends android soldiers to fight back. You play the androids 2B, 9S and A2 against machine lifeforms, switching between melee and ranged attacks and combining light and heavy strikes, while a support Pod fires in manual or lock-on modes. Open field maps load with no area loading screens, and RPG systems cover weapon types, levels, skills and loadouts. Steam sells the Game of the YoRHa Edition for $39.99, which includes DLC and bonus content, and shows a Metacritic score of 84. The minimum spec is light for a big-budget game at 4 GB of RAM and 50 GB of storage. It ranks behind the mech games because you do not build or pilot a machine, and Steam lists only partial controller support.

Who it is for

action RPG fans who want a story about androids and machines

Price

$39.99 one-time on Steam for the Game of the YoRHa Edition.

NieR: Automata tells the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 and their battle to reclaim the machine-driven dystopia overrun by powerful machines. $39.99 Buy on Steam
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Play as androids 2B, 9S and A2 against machine lifeforms
• Melee and ranged combat, combining light and heavy attacks
• Open field maps with no area loading, rendered at 60fps per Steam
• RPG elements: weapon types, levels, skills and loadouts
• Pod Support System that attacks in manual and lock-on modes

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Game of the YoRHa Edition on Steam includes DLC and bonus content
• Strength: Lowest RAM minimum among the big-budget games here: 4 GB
• Strength: Metacritic score of 84 shown on the Steam store
• Weakness: You play as androids, not robot builders or pilots
• Weakness: Steam lists partial controller support only
• Weakness: Minimum spec mentions a broadband internet connection

Key facts

• Developers: Square Enix, PlatinumGames Inc.
• Released on Steam: March 17, 2017
• Minimum RAM: 4 GB
• Storage: 50 GB
• Edition sold: Game of the YoRHa Edition

Where it ranks

NieR:Automata is No. 5 in our Best Robot Games verdict.