Tips and tricks for NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...

Starting to explore the evocative world of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...? Here’s some handy advice to help you and the Protagonist on your way to save your sister.
Autor: Duncan Heaney

The world of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is a dangerous one.

Sinister Shades and cantankerous creatures roam the plains, ever-ready to send our Protagonist into early retirement. If you’re going to embark on a journey into this beautiful, but hostile land, you should make sure you’re armed not just with swords, but knowledge too.

Fortunately, we have some to give you with these 11 tips and tricks for NieR Replicant.

NieR replicant combat

Stay on the move

Shades aren’t going to wait patiently for you to decide what to do in NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... - they’ll come at you with unbridled aggression. For that reason, it’s never a good idea to stand in place for too long - particularly if your foe has access to ranged attacks.

Fortunately, your character is incredibly agile, capable of moving at high speeds, dodge-rolling and even getting behind enemies in a flash. Changing position regularly means that it’s harder for enemies to get a bead on you and lets you control the flow of the fight.

Remember that you can use and charge magic while on the move. If you’re building up multiple Dark Lance attacks at once, for example, keep moving at a distance while you do so to avoid having it interrupted by one of your Shade-y nemeses.

Don’t neglect your counter

If the Protagonist blocks an attack at exactly the right time, he’ll retaliate with a powerful counter-attack. The timing can be tricky so watch your opponents’ animation to judge when best to block.

Going for counters is riskier than both blocking ahead of time and evading attacks, but the pay-off is well worth it, particularly with some bosses, as you can deliver some serious damage.

Mix up your skills throughout the game

As you progress through the story of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139..., Grimoire Weiss will gain access to lots of different magical attacks, from the fast-firing Dark Blast to crushingly effective Dark Hand. These can be leveled up to become even more powerful - and useful.

Bear in mind that each one has their own strengths and weaknesses - there’s no ‘one spell fits all’ solution in the game. Make sure you mix things up as the scenario demands it.

For example, if you’re facing a difficult melee attacker that’s capable of cleaving your health bar in two with a single hit, switch to Dark Lance and Dark Blast, and whittle them down from afar. If you’re facing an enemy that’s blasting you with bullets, use Dark Wall to give yourself some necessary protection. Or, if you’re going toe-to-toe with a foe, give them an up-close pounding with Dark Hand.

So don’t be afraid to mix and match - your setup can mean the difference between dominating the fight or scraping through by the skin of your teeth.

Experiment with different combos

Your combat moves in NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... can differ dramatically based on which type of weapon you have equipped - one-handed, two-handed and lances.

Experiment with each type, mixing up light and heavy attack to learn how the combos flow together. Don’t immediately reject one type of weapon because you’re more experienced with another - take the time to understand its ins and outs because it may be more effective.

For example, one-handed weapons are super-fast, letting you get in lots of attacks very quickly - the proverbial ‘death by a thousand cuts’.

In contrast, two-handed weapons can feel slow and unwieldy at first, but by chaining attacks together, and dashing at the right time, they can be massively effective - and intensely satisfying to use.

Lances have great reach, and decent speed, but they’re less capable against for mobs of enemies, as they’re more focused on stabbing than swiping. Their combos can take a bit of practice, but don’t give up because in experienced hands, they can absolutely brutalize the opposition.

Use magic against armored foes

Having trouble with armored enemies? Try using magic - it works really well against these enemies.

Here’s a strategy to try: use Dark Lance to knock them down, then close in to finish them off with physical

Magic works especially well on armored enemies. Try to use “Dark Lance” to knock down enemies, so you can close in and finish them with physical attacks. Since “Dark Blast” doesn’t drain your magic gauge as fast as it refills by itself, you can use it for a very long time to keep you safe from enemy projectiles. Since time also slows down a bit when using it, it can be very helpful against fast moving enemies.

NieR Replicant shade

Pick your battles carefully

The world of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is a dangerous one, and there are many hazards to end an inattentive hero. You’ll sometimes encounter foes roaming the fields that might be too much for you to handle at that point in the game.

For example, early on, you may encounter a giant Shade roaming the plains around your village. These bad boys are big, buff and burly, and depending on your level when you encounter them, capable of taking you down in a single hit.

Remember that not every shade or giant spider needs to be dealt with then and there. Sometimes avoiding a fight is the better option - you’ll usually be able to circle around them, or - if they do engage - use your speed to make some space. You can always come back later when you’ve leveled up.

Mind your language!

When you defeat an enemy, you may collect a ‘word’. These give you buffs for weapons, spells, attack and defense. They’re collected under their own tab in the Grimoire Weiss menu and you should check in periodically to make sure you have the best ones equipped.

You can either set them manually or use an auto-equip function to set the most powerful worlds instead. It’s not necessary to do this after every single battle - what a hassle that would be! - but do check your equipped words every now and then because they can make a massive difference to your character’s effectiveness.

Auto-battle is there to help

If you’re having trouble with a particular boss, or section of the game, or are simply more interested in the fascinating story and evocative world of NieR Replicant than the action, you can set the game to auto-battle.

Available in easy mode, it means the Protagonist will make his own decisions in battle - all you have to do is sit back and watch the mayhem unfold.

It’s there so that everyone can enjoy the game and there’s no penalty for using it - so give it a go!

Always buy maps

You’ll usually be on a mission when you enter a new area, but don’t be too goal-oriented. Make sure you take time for a little personal shopping - particularly for maps.

Maps you an overview of the area and make navigation considerably easier - they’re quite important. Fortunately, local vendors sell maps of their region, so get them - it’ll be some of the best investments you can make.

Hunt the boar early

Want to get around the world faster? Ride a boar!

Early in the game - almost the beginning, in fact - you’ll be able to pick up a side quest from the old man next to the item shop in your home village. He’ll ask you to deal with a troublesome boar that roams the Northern Plains.

Defeat this problematic porcine and collect its tusk. Report your success to the old man, and he’ll reward you with 1000 gold and the tusk, which lets you ride the sleeping boars outside of settlements for speedier (and safer) travel around the world.

Watch out though - the boar can put up a tough fight early on. We recommend waiting until you have access to the Dark Lance spell so you can attack from a safe distance, and use rocks to stay out of reach of its deadly charge attack.

The ending is not the end

This is one that NieR series veterans will know all too well. When you first complete the game and see credits, you’ll hit Ending A. This is not the end of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139....

Playing the game again will add additional scenes and additional context that expand the story even more. We’ll say no more to avoid spoilers, but bear this in mind: the end is merely the beginning.

Ooh cryptic…


We hope that advice helps you get to grips with NieR Replicant ver1.22474487139...’s many mysteries and exciting combat.

The game is available from April 23, 2021 for PS4, Xbox One and Steam:

For more information and updates about the game, make sure you follow the team on social media:

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