NieR: Automata on Switch ought to have come earlier but it’s nearly perfect

destructoid.com:

NieR: Automata was first released in 2017, just close enough to the Switch launch date that it could have helped define the console’s larger identity. It’s definitely a “Style over Horsepower” game, and did little to tax the hardware of the now last-gen PS4. It’s also developed by PlatinumGames, who’ve done a lot to build their audience on Nintendo consoles in recent years. Between The Wonderful 101, the full Bayonetta franchise, and Astral Chain, the Switch is where the bulk of their character action games live now. That’s another reason why it’s felt a little weird to see NieR: Automata on every major platform but Switch for all these years, but then again, weird has always been Nier’s thing.

Now the game is finally headed to Switch on October 4, 2022, and I’m happy to report it’s been made slightly more strange along the way.

Before we get into all that, let’s do a quick recap of some of what makes NieR: Automata different. You might not already know, because people really don’t like explaining this game. Even talking about how it plays may spoil some of it, because many of its mechanics are tied directly to its story. But it’s safe to tell you upfront that Automata is more “arcade-y” than most character action games. It even starts off with a traditional shmup-style sequence, setting the stage for a massive amount of mechanical death to follow.

After that opener, the action largely sticks to the third-person melee-and-guns action that fans of the genre have come to expect. The only initial clue that there’s more going on here comes from a short warning. Ironically enough, the game doesn’t “automatically” save, so you can’t turn it off anytime you want without killing your progress.

Again, there are story reasons for