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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Start on Normal if you’re new to NieR:Automata or unsure which setting fits. It gives you room to learn the game’s combat without Easy-mode automation. Choose Easy if you want selected actions handled for you; choose Hard or Very Hard if you’re looking for a more punishing challenge. You can change difficulty while playing, so your opening choice isn’t permanent.
What changes between the difficulty settings?
NieR:Automata has four settings: Easy, Normal, Hard and Very Hard. The clearest documented distinction is Easy’s optional Auto Chips, which can automate actions such as attacking and evading. On higher settings, the choice is chiefly about how much combat pressure you want; the official descriptions available here do not provide a detailed mechanical comparison between Normal, Hard and Very Hard.
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Easy: automate selected combat actions
On Easy, Auto Chips can take care of actions such as attacking and evading. The automation is configurable: choosing different chips lets you adjust which behaviors are handled for you. This is useful if executing action inputs is getting in the way of enjoying the game, or if you want assistance with only certain actions. It does not mean you have to hand over every combat action.
Normal: learn the combat directly
Normal is the straightforward starting point if you want to learn the game’s action system yourself. Combat combines fast attacks, heavy attacks and evasion, while plug-in chips let you customize abilities. That gives you room to develop your approach without Easy’s automated assistance.
#1 Best Overall
- Action-Packed Battles - Players will switch between using melee and ranged attacks in battle against hordes of enemies and challenging bosses across a variety of open field maps.
- Beautifully Desolate Open-World - The game seamlessly joins together hauntingly beautiful vistas and locations with no area loading.
- Masterfully Crafted Story and Characters - NieR: Automata tells the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 and their ferocious battle to reclaim a machine-driven dystopia overrun by powerful weapons known as machine lifeforms.
- Elements of an RPG - Players will obtain a variety of weapon types, level up in battle, learn new combat skills, and customise a loadout that caters to their playstyle.
- Utilise the Pod Support System to Assist In and Outside of Battle - Pods can attack the enemy in both manual and lock-on modes.
Hard and Very Hard: choose more pressure
Hard is an option for players comfortable with action games who want a tougher experience. Very Hard is the setting to consider if you want a severe challenge: a 2017 PlayStation Blog explanation describes the hardest mode as one-hit-death play. Treat that as the key documented warning, not as a complete breakdown of every difference between the two hardest settings.
Which setting should you choose?
| If you… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Are new to the game or uncertain | Normal | You can learn the combat without Easy-mode automation, and change difficulty later if you prefer. |
| Want help performing some combat actions | Easy | Auto Chips can automate selected actions, with behavior adjusted through chip choices. |
| Know action games and want more pressure | Hard | It is a higher-challenge option; the official descriptions cited here do not establish a full mechanical comparison with Very Hard. |
| Want the harshest documented challenge | Very Hard | PlayStation Blog characterized the hardest mode as one-hit-death play. |
These are practical recommendations based on the documented features, not a developer-prescribed order.
Rank #2
- Developed by Platinum Games, the studio behind the action hits like Bayonetta, Vanquish and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Die Expansion DLC "3C3C1D119440927"
- Dynamic Design & PS4 15 PSN Avatare
- All digital content of the Day One Edition
Can you change difficulty after starting?
Yes. Square Enix says difficulty can be changed during play, so you do not need to restart just because your initial setting feels wrong. If Normal feels like too much, switch to Easy and configure Auto Chips for the assistance you want. If you want a greater challenge, try a harder setting instead.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWhat the published descriptions don’t establish
The official material cited here confirms Easy’s automation, the ability to change difficulty during play, the four setting names and the hardest mode’s one-hit-death framing. It does not establish exact damage multipliers or a complete Hard-versus-Very-Hard comparison. It also does not directly establish whether difficulty changes the story, endings or rewards, so those should not be assumed from the descriptions above.
Rank #3
- NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition is the Nintendo Switch version of NieR:Automata, a multi award-winning post-apocalyptic action RPG that has achieved deep-rooted popularity around the world.
- Invaders from another world attack without warning, unleashing a new type of threat: weapons known as “machine lifeforms.” In the face of this insurmountable threat, mankind is driven from Earth and takes refuge on the Moon. As 2B, a member of the newly organized android military force YoRHa, players will immerse themselves in a ferocious battle to take back the planet.
- Experience a captivating story that goes beyond simple entertainment, inspiring a wide array of emotions as it unfolds through genre blending action in a beautifully desolate open world.
- Includes the content of the "3C3C1D119440927" DLC
- Please note that although this game is Region Free or Region Unlocked and will work on all systems, this is the international version and may differ from the local version in age rating, labeling or instructions.
Sources: Square Enix’s official battle page; Square Enix’s official PC Game Hub; PlayStation Blog, February 13, 2017; PlayStation Blog Japan, December 22, 2016; and PlayStation Blog, March 9, 2017.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- A Good Smile Company import
- From the anime NieR:Automata Ver1.1a
- The unique reflection caused by the outfit has also been recreated using silver paintwork
- Includes an interchangeable face plate without a Visor
Rank #4
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