Everything You Need To Know About Gameplay For NieR: Automata’s New Demo

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia and Square Enix shared a new video showcasing footage for NieR: Automata’s “DEMO 120161128” that releases worldwide today, December 22, on PlayStation 4.

The video focuses on showing what we’ll get to do in the demo. It starts out by showing how you’ll get to choose out of four difficulties: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. You can change this setting after starting the game.

The gameplay action starts at 1:14, where we see how YoRHa 2B is controlled using the left stick while the right stick is used to move the camera. Attack patterns consist of three main types out of “Speed Attack,” “Heavy Attack,” and “Shots from the Pod.”

Square button is used for Speed Attacks, which have low power but make up for it in speed. Heavy Attack is performed using the Triangle button, and it might have a bit more of a delay with its motions, but it makes up for it with its power. Pod shots are done through the R1 button. The Pod shots are long-ranged attacks, and you can also customize the way they attack. Meanwhile, R2 is used to to evade with a short period of invulnerability.

When defeating enemies in battle, they may drop items or money. You can also bait enemy attacks and evade them for a chance to follow up with a counter in the middle of evasion.

At 2:33, we see a giant enemy that you’ll get to fight in the demo. The footage shows how the Pod learns a new program via download, and gains the ability to shoot laser attacks using L1. Pods are pretty useful, as seen at the 3:38 mark of the video, you can also use them for various purposes outside of battle, such as helping you create paths and other useful things.

2B and the others can equip four categories of weapons out of “Small-type Sword,” “Large-type Sword,” “Spear,” and “Hand-to-Hand.” While the demo only features the small and large swords, you can also go barehanded for Hand-to-Hand. You can have sets that allow two weapons to be equipped at a time. Even if you have the same kind of weapon, their stats vary so you might have some with different attacking motions, power, and more. These weapon sets can be changed using the directional keys at any time.

As demonstrated around the 4:40 mark, there are parts while traveling that changes the camera angle so it gives you a side-scrolling feel to the gameplay. It can also go with a top-down angle to provide a whole other experience of gameplay, especially when there’s plenty of projectiles involved. You might even come across hidden areas that would normally be difficult to see unless at a different angle.

NieR: Automata releases in Japan on February 23, North America on March 7, and Europe on March 10, 2017 for PlayStation 4. The PC version will be available sometime in 2017.