Automata Ver1.1a’s Biggest Changes From The Video Game

Summary

• The anime merges Routes A and B into a singular perspective.
• It streamlines the five main endings into one for the anime.
• Characters like Grün are missing, with major plot changes as a result.

In February 2017, a game called NieR: Automata was released, and it immediately took the world by storm. From the moody characters to the dystopian world to the fast-paced action to the branching storylines to the different endings, players loved everything about it. Then, in 2023, this iconic game finally received an anime adaptation called Nier: Automata Ver1.1a.

While the general direction of the story remains the same, there are some differences between the game and the anime adaptation. From something minor like a character’s personality becoming more vibrant to some major changes like changing the fate of the characters, the anime has quite a few notable differences. So with that in mind, here are some of the biggest changes from NieR: Automata the game to NieR: Automata Ver1.1a the anime.

10

The Merging Of Routes A & B

Seeing The Story From Two Perspectives

NieR: Automata is a game that strives to give players a unique gaming experience. To do that, the game has different routes that lead to different endings. These are not optional, by the way. No matter what players do in the game, they will eventually experience these different routes and endings in order to get the complete story. Actually, think of them more like chapters, rather than separate routes or playthroughs.

While routes A and B are quite similar, players will play these two routes as different characters. Route A is from 2B’s perspective, while route B is from 9S’s perspective. The anime combines these two routes, which means that viewers see the story unfold through both 2B and 9S’s perspectives simultaneously. The anime explores some parts of the story through 2B, some through 9S, and some through both of them at the same time.

9

Singular Ending

Merging Five Into One

NieR: Automata has five main endings and over a dozen of troll endings. Players will run into any of the many troll endings through their decisions in the game, but the main ones are the endings A through E. Needless to say, it’s nearly impossible for an anime adaptation to create five separate endings for a single series.

As a result, the anime streamlined everything into a singular ending that is most appropriate for the story told in NieR: Automata Ver1.1a. In particular, the anime’s ending includes some elements of endings C, D, and E, though the order and details of the events are different from those in the original game.

8

No Fight Against Grun

No Time For A Minor Villain

In the game, there is an enemy called Grun. It’s a colossal sentient machine that has caused an untold amount of destruction and loss of lives. Grun is a minor antagonist in the game, which means its existence is not as important as the major antagonists, such as Adam and Eve.

This is probably one of the reasons why Grun is not a part of the anime at all. The heroes never encounter Grun and there’s no big fight against it either. That being said, viewers can see Grun’s silhouette among the buildings in the flooded city where 2B and 9S meet Jackass. Grun’s colossal body stands still as a ruin, just like the many abandoned and destroyed buildings around it.

7

References To Nier And Drakengard Series

Paying Homage To Its Predecessors

Nier: Automata is actually a sequel to a 2010 game called Nier, which in itself is a spin-off of the Drakengard series. Fortunately, there’s no need to play any of the previous games, because Nier: Automata takes place thousands of years after its predecessors and can stand on its own. However, the anime series does something special that the game didn’t do, which is including subtle references to the previous Nier and Drakengard series.

There are two notable references in the series. The first one is when 9S hacks into Emil’s head, which is trapped in a giant tree. There, he sees several characters from a game called NieR Replicant, such as Kainé and Yonah. NieR Replicant is an alternate name for the original Nier. The second reference is when Adam goes berserk and turns into a horrible monster which looks similar to a monster from a game called NieR Reincarnation, a sequel to both NieR games.

6

Vibrant Personalities

Letting The Characters Show A Wide Range Of Emotions

The characters in Nier: Automata often act cold and serious. Considering most of the characters are androids, this kind of somber personality is to be expected. However, this is not the case at all with the anime. The characters’ personalities in Nier: Automata Ver1.1a are much more vibrant.

Viewers get to see 2B’s cold yet caring nature and 9S’s playful yet ruthless attitude on full display in the anime. Even the enigmatic Commander White displays a wide range of emotions that isn’t seen in the original game. One of the reasons why viewers get to see much more vibrant personalities is simply because the anime can focus on the characters’ interactions and development, unlike the game, which needs to prioritize gameplay.

5

Pascal Backstory

The Life Of The Sentient Machine Before The Game’s Story

Pascal is one of the central figures both in the game and the anime. His role as a sentient machine who has developed a peace-loving personality is extremely crucial to the story of Nier: Automata. However, while it’s true that Pascal is an important character in both the anime and the game, viewers get to see a lot more of him in the anime.

Pascal interacts with other characters and even fights alongside them in the anime. Not only that, but the anime also prepares a proper backstory for Pascal. From his time as a regular mindless machine to the moment he becomes sentient and develops a personality to how he creates and manages his little village, the anime dives deep into Pascal’s life.

4

A2’s Backstory

The Life Of The Rogue Android Before The Game’s Story

Although A2 is one of the major characters in Nier: Automata, players never really get the chance to know more about her past, especially regarding who she was before the events of the story. It’s true that there are supplementary materials that explain her backstory, but not everybody has the time or desire to pour over those materials just to know more about A2.

That’s why the anime decided to give A2 a proper backstory. After all, if the writers are willing to do so for Pascal, then it’s only natural that they do the same for A2. From the time she first made contact with the Resistance to her involvement in the Pearl Harbor Descent mission to how she became a YoRHa deserter, the anime series tells viewers everything that they need to know about A2’s past.

3

The Grim Fates Of Numerous Characters

The Anime Has A Lot More Deaths

In Nier: Automata, players interact with lots of characters. They even get to decide the fate of some of those characters. For the most part, though, once they’ve finished their roles in the story, players won’t see those characters again until maybe the end credits. More often than not, they are still alive and well.

That is not the case at all in Nier: Automata Ver1.1a. Things are a lot more grim and violent in the anime. Unlike the game, viewers see quite a lot of characters lose their lives in the anime. In fact, the overwhelming majority of the supporting characters, such as Pascal, his village, Lily, Jackass, and the rest of the Resistance, meet their demise before the end of the series.

2

Lily Swaps Places With Anemone

The Fates Of These Two Characters Are Switched

Anemone and Lily are both the leaders of the Resistance. The difference is that Anemone is the one who leads the charge in the game, while Lily is the leader of this rebel group in the anime. Both characters exist in both the game and the anime, but their fates are vastly different.

In the game, Anemone is the leader of the Resistance, with Lily acting as one of the Resistance’s members. Anemone survives to the end, while Lily loses her life during the Pearl Harbor Descent mission. In the anime, however, Anemone was the leader of the Resistance, but she died during the Pearl Harbor Descent. As the surviving member, Lily assumes the leadership position and has been in charge for quite a while when 2B and 9S meet her.

1

Eve Dies Instead Of Adam

The Fates Of These Two Characters Are Also Switched

Adam and his twin brother, Eve, represent the next evolution of the Machine Lifeform. They are not only sentient but are also capable of learning at a breakneck speed and have combat abilities comparable to the best YoRHa androids. They are major antagonist in both versions of the story.

In both the game and the anime, Adam is the enemy that 2B has to fight in order to save 9S. However, this is where the differences start to appear. In the game, 2B stabs Adam, and he embraces his death with a smile on his face. In the anime, Eve comes in at the last second to protect his brother. As a result, Eve dies, and Adam survives. Adam is soon consumed by rage and turns into a mindless monster, as mentioned earlier in this list.

In an interview with the Aniplex Online Fest, Yoko Taro, one of the creators of the game, mentioned that he fully intended for the anime to deviate from the game, because telling the same story twice was boring to him. However, after a lengthy discussion with the anime team, it was finally decided that the anime would follow the same general story as the game, but there would be lots of changes here and there so that fans could enjoy something new from NieR: Automata. The entries on this list represent some of those major changes, but fans can certainly find more if they dig deeper into the game and the anime.