Nier Automata: How To Self Destruct
NieR: Automata follows the story of two unlikely androids tasked with preserving the remains of planet Earth. The world has become habitable for human life, forcing humanity to leave the moon and seek shelter there until the androids make the planet habitable again. 2B and 9S regularly risk their lives on their journey, but their reasons for doing so are sometimes questionable.
As androids, 2B and 9S don’t function exactly like humans. They use plug-in chips to improve their offensive and defensive capabilities, but some choose not to. It is better to make use of these exceptions NieR: Automata‘s”Self-destruction” feature rather than upgrading an android’s hardware, an ability that works exactly as you’d expect.
The purpose of self-destruction
While some would argue that the self-destruct mechanic is a pretty useless action, it can sometimes mean the difference between life and death depending on when it’s used. When activated, it unleashes a devastating AOE attack, severely injuring surrounding enemies. Using it in melee can be extremely risky, but that seems to be the point. It allows for one last cheer before accepting defeat while giving the player a semblance of hope.
Some would guess so NieR: AutomataThe self-destruct feature of would kill her character instantly, but that’s not the case. Although it leaves the android with a small amount of health, the damage can be repaired if the player is fast enough. The only real thing that affects Self-Destruct is the clothing items worn by the android that activates it. 2B and 9S several pieces of their outfit will be removed when using the ability, but 2B will remain the most scantily clad. It’s undoubtedly an odd mechanic to put in a game, but fans of Yoko Taro’s previous work will expect nothing less.
How to self-destruct
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Activating Self-Destruct can be done easily by Hold down the R3 and L3 buttons for two seconds. It’s important to note that this leaves the player open to attacks, so it may be best to try its activation in a secluded area with few enemies first. Once the two seconds have elapsed, the android explodes and falls to the ground, losing some clothing. You’ll get up shortly after, but remain vulnerable for a few moments. The enemies surrounding the android will take heavy damage, but those who survive have a chance to exploit the android’s weakened state and destroy it.
A2 cannot activate the self-destruct function and instead enters berserk mode when the R3 and L3 buttons are pressed. Instead of exploding, she will take on a more ethereal appearance and win, and each attack will deal a greater amount of damage. There are no cosmetic changes associated with Berserk mode, but its activation retains similarities to the self-destruct animation.
NieR: Automata can be played on Switch, PC, PS4 and Xbox One.