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How 2B?: The Narrative Mechanics of Posthumanism in NieR: Automata
Key insights
6 takeaways- 01NieR: Automata uses narrative mechanics to foster 'affinity' between the player and nonhuman android avatars, encouraging the adoption of a posthuman subjectivity that transcends traditional anthropocentric frameworks.See it on page 1
- 02The game deconstructs humanist philosophy by portraying androids and machines as entities trapped in cycles of violence due to their futile attempts to deify or mimic absent human creators.See it on page 12
- 03The user interface functions as a critical narrative mechanic, blurring the boundaries between player and avatar through features like plug-in chip management and visual feedback during character death.See it on page 10
- 04Route E serves as the game's ultimate posthuman act, where the player must navigate a 'bullet hell' sequence to destroy the names of the development team to secure a hopeful future for the androids.See it on page 4
- 05The final choice to delete one's save data represents a surrender of player power, allowing users to aid others and break the cycle of conflict, effectively moving beyond the 'absence of time' inherent in static save files.See it on page 19
- 06The game satirizes existentialist humanism through machine characters like Jean-Paul, who attempt to find meaning through introspection but fail because they remain tethered to the concept of a human-centric universe.See it on page 22
Summary
How 2B[?]: The Narrative Mechanics of This article examines how posthumanism operates through the player- avatar relationship in NieR: Automata (Platinum Games, 2017). NieR: Automata takes place on a 120th century Earth and sees the player control three android soldiers who fight to retake the planet from an enigmatic force of alien machines on behalf of humanity. However, no humans appear in the game itself.
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