After playing the original Nier for the first time last year, I moved on and started its sequel, Nier: Automata.

Even though I took a few breaks for other games early on, I finally returned to it and finished it, and wow, what a wild ride that was.

Nier: Automata is much more overtly sci-fi than the first game. You play as androids from an organization called YoRHa fighting to retake the Earth from machines created by aliens. Of course, things get much more complicated.

It’s an action RPG like its predecessor, this time developed by PlatinumGames. While I wouldn’t say the combat is as addictive as something like Bayonetta, it definitely has that smooth Platinum feel, although the general style feels in keeping with the first Nier as well. Hack-and-slash action combat takes the primary role, while a shoot-em-up combat style frequently comes into play as well.

Throw in exploration, a variety of side quests with their own (often dark) smaller stories, and lots of documents to discover that help flesh out the world and connect it back to Nier, and that’s the general picture of Nier: Automata’s gameplay.

There are multiple endings again, but this time it’s not as straightforward as the original, because they aren’t really endings. Here, if you stop after the first or even the second “ending,” you’ve only seen part of the story. (A variety of joke endings can also be obtained at various points throughout the game.) Don’t worry, that’s not as tedious as it sounds, and it’s a mistake to think you need to replay Nier: Automata multiple times to see the endings.

Like the original, Nier: Automata is both sad and beautiful. There were breathtaking moments that I wish I could go back and see again for the first time, and bleak moments that felt like the game had ripped out my heart.

Overall, I liked the first Nier a bit more, mainly because of the main cast. The relationships between 2B, 9S, and the other major characters were fine and had some good moments, but I didn’t feel quite as strong of a bond between them or enjoy their interactions quite as much as those of the original game’s cast. Some parts just had a stronger impact on me, as well.

That’s not a knock against Nier: Automata, though. It’s a thought-provoking game that took some wild turns (and even when, with a sinking heart, I predicted what would happen next, it often still ended up being worse) and was really a great experience all around.

Now, you might be wondering if you can or should play Automata if you haven’t played the first Nier, since I keep mentioning it. The connections are really just a lot of little nods and references rather than major story connections. Certain moments and characters will mean more to you if you’ve played the original, but Automata largely stands on its own. If you can, I say play Nier first, but if you really just want to jump into Nier: Automata, you’ll be mostly fine.

Nier: Automata is a great game, and I’m happy I played it. If you’re interested in a dark or thought-provoking action RPG, I definitely recommend it… and if you enjoyed the original Nier, then I absolutely recommend playing this as well.