4 ms·

I think a lot of their games are really niche too. Nier is definitely not for everyone.

by baby 5y ago

bilekas 5y ago
Nier is easily one of my all time favorites and as much as I try and get friends to play it, it's so hard to explain what kind of game and experience it really is. A great piece of art.
- smcl 5y ago
  I bought it and got distracted by other games without playing it yet, I need to get back to it! Mostly was inspired by the Consolevania review (which had a truly bizarre opening minute that you might enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8jeEwL9QUM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8jeEwL9QUM) edit: I rewatched the review now I totally get why I picked it up, Ryan's enthusiasm is absolutely hilarious and infectious ("It's just perfect as I've ever seen you can ride a fucking boar in it")
Longlius 5y ago
I mean, Final Fantasy XIV has something like 1.7 million active players at the moment. That's just people paying a sub at endgame. $25m in monthly revenue at the low-end is pretty impressive for a single game.
MomoXenosaga 5y ago
Nier also had a minuscule budget. I doubt they lost a lot of money on that. No it is their Western AAA projects that are hemorrhaging them money.
robonerd 5y ago
Few games are for everybody, but Nier: Automata sold millions of copies. The niche of action gamers who like asses is pretty big.
- morelisp 5y ago
  But Nier was even more interesting (formally experimental, better writing - at least in English translation, deeper characterization) and sold poorly. I guess the lesson if you want to make an art game is to make half an art game and the other half ass.
  - bluefirebrand 5y ago
    The gameplay of the original Nier is dogshit though. That leads to poor reviews, which leads to poor sales.
    - morelisp 5y ago
      "Gameplay" is a non-criticism. The combat movement is clunky, especially by western it-sucks-if-I-can't-cancel-everything-all-the-time God of War standards. Plenty of other stuff is amazing.
      - Jensson 5y ago
        > it-sucks-if-I-can't-cancel-everything-all-the-time Western gamers loves Dark Souls/Elden Ring so that statement is definitely false.
        deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
      - bluefirebrand 5y ago
        > "Gameplay" is a non-criticism. How is "Gameplay" a non-criticism of a Game? That makes zero sense. Also, that gameplay you are talking about was arguably pioneered by Devil May Cry, which is a Japanese game. So I don't know what you're on about "Western Gamers"
        morelisp 5y ago
        GoW’s explicit design goal was “NG/DMC but easier and more cancels.” Which is fine, but the difference is there. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/combat-canceled-i-god-of-war-i-action-game-design https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/combat-canceled-i-god-of-wa... As for “gameplay” I’m not going to recapitulate the past decade+ of how we’ve learned to write about games. It’s semantically empty, say what you mean instead.

I think a lot of their games are really niche too. Nier is definitely not for everyone.

by baby 5y ago

I think a lot of their games are really niche too. Nier is definitely not for everyone.

Nier is easily one of my all time favorites and as much as I try and get friends to play it, it's so hard to explain what kind of game and experience it really is. A great piece of art.

smcl 5y ago
I bought it and got distracted by other games without playing it yet, I need to get back to it! Mostly was inspired by the Consolevania review (which had a truly bizarre opening minute that you might enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8jeEwL9QUM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8jeEwL9QUM) edit: I rewatched the review now I totally get why I picked it up, Ryan's enthusiasm is absolutely hilarious and infectious ("It's just perfect as I've ever seen you can ride a fucking boar in it")

Longlius 5y ago

I mean, Final Fantasy XIV has something like 1.7 million active players at the moment. That's just people paying a sub at endgame. $25m in monthly revenue at the low-end is pretty impressive for a single game.

MomoXenosaga 5y ago

Nier also had a minuscule budget. I doubt they lost a lot of money on that. No it is their Western AAA projects that are hemorrhaging them money.

robonerd 5y ago

Few games are for everybody, but Nier: Automata sold millions of copies. The niche of action gamers who like asses is pretty big.

morelisp 5y ago
But Nier was even more interesting (formally experimental, better writing - at least in English translation, deeper characterization) and sold poorly. I guess the lesson if you want to make an art game is to make half an art game and the other half ass.
- bluefirebrand 5y ago
  The gameplay of the original Nier is dogshit though. That leads to poor reviews, which leads to poor sales.
  - morelisp 5y ago
    "Gameplay" is a non-criticism. The combat movement is clunky, especially by western it-sucks-if-I-can't-cancel-everything-all-the-time God of War standards. Plenty of other stuff is amazing.
    - Jensson 5y ago
      > it-sucks-if-I-can't-cancel-everything-all-the-time Western gamers loves Dark Souls/Elden Ring so that statement is definitely false.
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
    - bluefirebrand 5y ago
      > "Gameplay" is a non-criticism. How is "Gameplay" a non-criticism of a Game? That makes zero sense. Also, that gameplay you are talking about was arguably pioneered by Devil May Cry, which is a Japanese game. So I don't know what you're on about "Western Gamers"
      - morelisp 5y ago
        GoW’s explicit design goal was “NG/DMC but easier and more cancels.” Which is fine, but the difference is there. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/combat-canceled-i-god-of-war-i-action-game-design https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/combat-canceled-i-god-of-wa... As for “gameplay” I’m not going to recapitulate the past decade+ of how we’ve learned to write about games. It’s semantically empty, say what you mean instead.