The hit action-RPG Nier: Automata is being made into an anime.
Announced today by developers Square Enix during the game’s Fifth Anniversary Livestream, the adaptation will see the Japanese videogame become a TV anime series.
A brief teaser trailer gives us a glimpse of the animation style. Along with the trailer, Square Enix also revealed an image of 2B along with her Pod companion robot:
According to a translated official statement, the story sounds as though it hews close to the original game. Humans have fled to the moon in the face of the "overwhelming force" of machines life forms, and combat android 2B has been sent to recapture the planet.
Aniplex, the studio responsible for Fullmetal Alchemist and Sword Art Online is said to be involved in the production of the Nier: Automata anime.
The original Nier: Automata is set during a proxy war between alien-created machines and human-made androids, vying for control of planet Earth. The story follows the tales of combat android 2B, scanner android 9S, and rogue prototype A2 – requiring multiple playthroughs to unlock the full story.
It was released on February 23, 2017, to resounding critical acclaim. IGN’s own review said: “Nier: Automata is a crazy, beautiful, and highly entertaining journey full of nutty ideas and awesome gameplay. It may not include the most sensical story or compelling characters, but its frenzied combat -- coupled with beautiful visuals and a stunning soundtrack – make it too much fun to pass up.”
Although the game was considered to be one of our top 25 PS4 titles, the PC version was met with some criticism – especially its Steam version, which received a slew of fixes last year, including 4K UI textures, improved cut scenes, and more.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
