Open world but feels really empty

[Vince ✟]

This is what was said in a recent review.
Your thoughts?

I was thinking of picking it up until I saw this. After that I saw that its a port and a mod is required to make it worthwile?

[Bluemenkranz]

It has lots of scenic spots, but i agree for being the ashes of civilization it feels hollow

[Meow | Boeschner]

The open world is pretty small and does feel kinda empty(wich adds to the atmosphere).
However, the way the game utilizes it's small world is absolutely ingenious. Pick it up if you can, once you get into it this game has a lot to offer.

[『teokboki』]

Yeah well i would say it's semi-open world and yes it does feel empty now that you mention it.

[BLKJGR]

No it’s not. There are thousands of cute robots

[BLKJGR]

It’s also a post-apocalyptic Earth that has been overrun by robots, so it makes sense it’s broken and empty

[lessthanoff]

This game's openworld is pretty much on par with Hyrule from Ocarina of Time. You have your hub area, The City Ruins (similar to Hyrule Field), where all other areas are connected. Each area is unlocked as you progress through the story, again, similar to Ocarina of Time.

If you found Ocarina of Time's world to feel empty, you'll probably feel the same way about Automata's. There is a lot more to do in Automata though, and it's significantly longer.

[myhr2]

People have categorized NieR : Automata as both a J-RPG and an open-world...and I think it's horribly misleading. Sure, it has RPG elements, it's from Japan, and it has a kinda big open and seemless 3D map...but you can't really compare it to Final Fantasy games, or The Witcher 3 or Zelda Breath of the Wild, it just doesn't work.

Back to Open World games, specifically, in my opinion, there is a distinction if the game is build around the Open World, or if it's only a way to present the locations. Maybe a dozen years ago it was not that clear (Ocarina of Time is a great example), but today, the separation is quite pronounced.

NieR : Automata isn't an Open World-focused game. Yes, it kinda has one, but frankly, who cares if it's empty, it's not why you're playing. You play for the story, for the narration (not the plot itself but the way it is presented), for the art design, for the music, for the action (not exactly the gameplay, more how it is used to, again, present what is happening). And yeah, if you find a little secret in a random building, you're kinda happy, but I hope you got there for the scenery and the atmosphere rather than for the reward, because otherwise you might be disappointed.

[Outline]

Originally posted by BLKJGR:

It’s also a post-apocalyptic Earth that has been overrun by robots, so it makes sense it’s broken and empty

This. The fact the world is a shattered husk that you and the robots are fighting over for long obsolete reasons is something the game wants you to contemplate. Filling it up with too much would defeat the point.