10 years ago, the Square-Enix cult classic action RPG NieR came out. More specifically, in Japan, it came out as two versions: Gestalt and Replicant. Replicant starred a young boy Nier while Gestalt starred a father Nier, with the latter version being the one localized overseas. With the release and success of NieR: Automata, the series has been getting a lot of love. Now, on a 10th-anniversary livestream, a few things were announced to capitalize on that love.

The main thing is NieR: Replicant ver. 1.22474487139…, a “remaster” of the Replicant version of the first NieR. The game is currently confirmed for PS4, Xbox One, and Steam, with the English NieR Twitter account acknowledging it, this pretty much confirms a localization. While some would have expected a NieR revisit to be helmed by Platinum Games, the remaster is instead being made by a small developer called Toylogic.

Shortly after the trailer, a Famitsu article went up giving some extra information in Japanese on the game. It was stressed that the game wasn’t exactly a remake nor a remaster, but an “upgraded” version of NieR: Replicant; though, for practicality sake, I’m referring to it as a “remaster.” Keiichi Okabe, the main series composer, will be re-recording songs and adding new songs, which I’m personally excited about. The remake is also said to be “fully voiced,” which may mean that all the narrative segments from the original game, like the Forest of Myth, may be voiced? I’m not sure; it’s vague.

Then came the second announcement. A new mobile game called NieR Re[in]carnation is being developed by a studio called Applibot. It shows a mysterious girl within ruins that the trailer refers to as “the Cage.” The girl also suspiciously looks like a young version of Kaine. The pricing on the official Japanese site indicates that this may be a free-to-play game, though there currently aren’t any gameplay details.

The livestream also had an online performance of the NieR orchestra concert, which is nice for people who missed it or had their concerts canceled due to COVID-19. I will also add: it is pretty ominous that Tokyo had a freak snowstorm the day this happened, considering the opening of NieR.

All in all, it’s very cool news. I’m personally excited about this new opportunity for people to jump into the original NieR, and I hope that it also plays better. Rest in peace to Papa Nier, though.

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