Zeik

@passivespiral: For me the difference between ME and Yakuza is that Yakuza knows its limits and consistently tries to work within them. Yakuza's out of cutscene animations can seem a little stilted at times, but they never feel out of place in the game. They get the job done and most of it is silly and not to be taken seriously anyway. Then in cutscenes where it matters they go all out and make it look awesome, like the fight in this video.

ME on the other hand feels like it tries to overreach and then ends up underperforming. It doesn't know its strengths like Yakuza does and thinks it can do everything. Expectations for ME are very high, so I'm sure you get complainers regardless, but I bet they'd get less if they knew where to focus and how to make to the other stuff still feel cohesive like Yakuza.

@sharkman: Japan has a very weird relationship with sexuality. They are simultaneously more repressed and less repressed about it than the west, if that makes any sense.

@mvhvtmv: Because they've been fighting the machines for hundreds of years and all they've seen them do is kill.

But mostly I think it's meant to be a statement on xenophobia. The androids have had it drilled into their entire existence for being by their creators and commander that machines are mindless killing machines. They have no reason to believe otherwise until they start encountering hard proof to the contrary. The android society is not one of critical thought and outward compassion. Their purpose is to eradicate the machines.

@lingxor: You can use pod programs for a burst of damage on a cooldown (the default is a laser beam), you can upgrade your pod for more damage and additional effects (the gatling can shoot a grenade after a certain period of continuous fire), as well as obtain different pods, like one that shoots lock-on missiles.

But mostly Alex just spent way more time than necessary fighting it at range. For most of that fight you can just get up there and melee that thing.

@fezrock: The original Nier is a game widely remembered for its story, characters, and music and everything else being mediocre at best. Don't worry, being a fan of the original is definitely not a requirement here.

There were exceptional elements in the original, but there's a reason that game got such low scores while Automata is one of the best reviewed games of the year.

@fezrock: Playthrough 2 is largely the same, with a few new scenes and side quests and altered combat abilities. Playthrough 3 is dramatically different and the real reason it is highly recommended to not stop with Ending A.

Seriously. One of the most shocking revelations about this game was reaching the credits and realizing that was not Yuri Lowenthal. I didn't question it for a second.

@visualizer: It's basically just a leotard anyway.

@lazyaza: It's a little unfortunate he didn't show off almost any of the melee combat, but there is a free demo out there that lets you experience that part of the game yourself. I'm glad he at least showed off a different perspective of the game than what you get out of the demo.

I wish he had picked up the spear prior to this stage though. The spear combos are dope.

@dagas: You can't really compare it directly when costs of living can vary so widely.