This week’s Famitsu (via Hachima Kikou, Games Talk) has revealed the official name for Square Enix and Platinum Games’ upcoming PlayStation 4-bound NieR sequel.
The new game will be known as NieR Automata, a name more apropos to the games story. The game takes place on a desolate Earth, and features a violent and bloody battle between mechanized life forms, and the humans’ own android faction, the YoRHa. This is also the same name of Taro Yoko’s stage play, YoRHa Ver 1.1, which features a highly similar story to the game.
Akihiko Yoshida (Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, Vagrant Story) is handling the character designs. There’s an image board shown in Famitsu which depicts a hero-like character, the YoRHa No. 2 Type B, brandishing a katana as well as a great sword. The characters use a “Pod” support system, meaning long distance attacks are also enabled.
You can find a brief synopsis of YoRHa below:
“Yorha” takes place in the distant future. Earth was attacked by mechanized life forms, and humanity fled the planet to the moon. Via a defense base satellite orbiting the planet, androids have been fighting the invaders instead of humans.
A new android unit dubbed the YoRHa was deployed in the 14th Drop Operation, only to be attacked and have four androids left (No. 2, No. 4, No. 16, and NO. 21).
The mechanized invaders charge at the YoRHa, but they are saved by older androids who survived on Earth, known as the “Resistance.” Now, the members of the YoRHa and the Resistance join together, in a fight to survive against the machines.
The rest of the NieR Automata staff includes:
- Producer: Yosuke Saito
- Director: Yoko Taro
- Composer: Keiichi Okabe
- Character Designer: Akihiko Yoshida
- Designer: Yakahisa Taura
NieR Automata’s release date was not announced. We’re expecting to get more information for the game during Square Enix’s stage presentation, during Paris Games Week, on October 28th.
