Bringing the revered JRPG franchise to mobile devices,Nier Reincarnationmade its debut in Japan earlier this year. Western audiences have been eagerly awaiting the tie-in to make its way overseas ever since, and thanks to a new announcement via Square Enix and IGN, it seems they now have a firm release date to look forward to.
According to IGN’s exclusive report, the game will hit Android and iOS for free next month, launching on July 28. Alongside the news, Square Enix revealed a first look atNier Reincarnation’s opening cinematic, with the clip highlighting the spin-off’s gameplay, world, and cryptic narrative.
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Much like in previous trailers, the clip details the story of a mysterious girl who awakens in a mystical land referred to as “The Cage.” Players will be able to explore this world by navigating an array of 2D environments alongside a ghostly companion named Mama. The opening cinematic details a few of these locales, the likes of which will be very familiar to thosewho’ve played previousNiergames. However, it will also divert from the series' established style during its memory segments, which the footage shows will offer a visually rich storybook aesthetic.
The new clip also focuses in onNier Reincarnation’scombat, highlighting a series of battles against various foes. Those used toNieR’shack-and-slash, RPG gameplay clearly won’t find much of it here, with the title instead relying on a battle system more appropriate for its handheld design. Three characters are able to take on enemies in turn-based encounters, with players selecting when they can pull off devastating special moves to turn the tide of the fight.
For those who’ve missed the news surroundingReincarnation,the title was worked on by Yoko Taro, the creator of theNierseries. Although the game will be free to play, it’ll contain Gacha-esque microtransactions, with players able to acquire resources and characters through real-world currency.Players can pre-register forNierReincarnationin the US and Europe right nowby heading to the Google Play or App Store. If 300,000 players pre-register, Square promises it will give them 3,000 gems when they boot up the game, which can be used to acquire new summons.
It will be the secondNierrelease of the year when it hits next month, withNier Replicantlaunching earlier this year to positive reviews. The remaster brought back the originalNierwith updated visuals, reworked combat, and a new soundtrack, as well asporting previously Japan-exclusive content over to the West. In terms of the latter, Western audiences could finally play as the younger variant of the game’s main protagonist, switching Yonah’s role from the lead character’s daughter to his sister. The franchise has made a significant impact on 2021 so far and it seems it’s only going to make a bigger mark whenNieR Reincarnationlaunches next month.
