Drakengard/Original Nier - Worth it?

[🐉Kesseleth🐉]

I'm a ways into this game and super enjoying it - gameplay, story, the whole deal. I'm enjoying it enough, in fact, that I'm considering going back to see if I can play the other games in the series. However, I am aware that they are significantly clunkier in terms of gameplay and graphics, due to age and the lack of involvement by Platinum Studios. I do notice a thread not far below this asking a similar question, but mine is more particular - do you think it's worth it? Should I brave the less-than-stellar gameplay and repetitive design the earlier games have so I can experience the full story of this wild-ass ride? Or should I simply do some internet research and read up on the story/watch a Let's Play?

[Weiss]

Drakengard is a bit diffrent than NieR in theme being dark fantasy, not being open world and always having protaganists doing morally questionable things, you might not like drakengard that much, but it's still an experience worth trying.

As for NieR Gestalt/Replicant it is absolutely worth playing but not vital to understanding things in Automata, the gameplay in the originals isn't that clunky since it was heavily inspired by god of war, the story theme is a lot like Automata with some significant diffrences, other than that a lot of intersting lore is revealed going from Automata to Gestalt

[FLY AWAY [TC]]

You should at least beat the original Drakengard's last ending to understand some story bits in the Nier series.

[omnius42]

I can only speak for drakengard 1, the first on PS2. Is it worth playing? No. The story is worth to know, but the gameplay is horrible.
Moreover, to get the ending E on drakengard (the one related to the Nier world), it is required to complete every previous chapter, and obtaining all the weapon.
To obtain all the weapons, you must do some secret missions too, like complete a chapter in less than 2 minutes, and well.. it's really frustating than enjoyable. Oh, and the aerial battles are even worse in some cases.
TL;DR: Good idea, nice story (if you like dark fantasy), horrible development and gameplay.

Althought the final battle to get ending E is a nice rhythm game...

[synthohol]

I'll give you my impression as someone who didn't play earlier games and decided to to go the "watch Let's Plays" route on YT.

Nier seems to be worth a try, especially since it is so often referenced to in NieR:Automata. Some of the latter one's songs or even simple actions like will be way more emotional things; Song Of The Ancients or 2B clenching her fist are examples for this. Despite said references it is definitely not a prerequisite to understand and enjoy NieR:Automata. Overall I had a weaker form of the feeling I had when watching NieR:Automata's gameplay for the first time.

Drakengard 3, which I watched before even looking for Drakengard 1 due to proper time line, on the other hand, appeared just boring, especially when compared to NieR:Automata. Dialogue seems forced, fighting seems awkward, music isn't as impressive as in both Nier games. Story-wise it surely holds up to them, but I won't judge it. As I said, I got bored and ditched the Drakengard 3 playthrough after the first of the main characters sisters (?) clones (?) was defeated and didn't bother looking for Drakengard 1.