Chaos language is fascinating in the Nier series. It allows the vocals to be used as an instrument that conveys intense feeling, but without the understanding of being able to parse the language.
This is precisely the reason I've always loved listening to music in languages I don't speak, because it lets lyrics function as an instrument without inherently tying the song to any particular meaning or anything. Having non-lyrical vocals just isn't the same; words sound and feel totally different. It's another of a million reasons why NieR: Automata has one of the best soundtracks in a video game ever, and really, in my opinion it deserves to stand among the ranks of the best _soundtracks_ period, across all types of media.
Which also helps them use lyrics even in gameplay/combat situations. In Drakengard 3 they use Japanese lyrics in boss-battle sequences but they drown the lyrics out with heavy-metal riffs (unless they want you to hear the lyrics in a sad scene)
I will forever be amazed by _how close_ composers that never played the game get to guessing what's going on. Goes to show how important well made music can be.
@@Noplayster13No joke, going through the vast caverns underground and then entering Emil's hideout with Emil Sacrifice playing, I got this intense sense of loneliness and loss. I immediately started thinking "man, I bet Emil lost the people closest to him and has been alone ever since. Looks like he's been alone a long long time, and this is probably the little he has left of the world he once knew." I had never played Replicant at that point. I didn't know anything about him other than he sells me things. And I'm not even a composer. Just a dude. To this day no other piece of media I have ever consumed managed to just convey a character's entire backstory through music and simple imagery alone, it's surreal. Okabe and Taro are absolute geniuses.
"Happy in an ironic way" That pretty much sums up the Amusement Park. The robots were trying to emulate human joy and happiness as they took on roles in the park but do so in a twisted (not necessarily gruesome, just weird) way in the middle of a wasteland of all places.
True, I was both surprised and unnerved when I first set foot in the Amusement Park, but as time went on and in my subsequent returns to the park for quests, the ambience I feel slowly went from unnerving to just somber and a little nostalgic in a way. Then the whole thing in Route C happens and it became just plain depressing seeing what the place has become.
8:26 “A Shadow of happiness and positivity” is CRAZY to find without any context. The entire point of the Amusement Park is machines pretending to be happy to emulate humans… or at least trying their best to be like them. They are literally shadowing happiness. This guy is good.
You've actually nailed the overall theme of the game. Not to spoil too much in case you decide to listen to more (the OST is amazing), but the conclusions you've arrived at at the end of the video are dead-on.
12:00 You're absolutely correct! There are technically several versions of this track in the game. Depending on what's going on or where you are, the game will switch between different versions of the track. These versions are: 1) Vocals only 2) Quiet (with or without vocals) 3) Medium (with or without vocals) 4) Dynamic (with or without vocals 5) 8bit Quiet, Medium, and Dynamic are each more intense than the last. The idea is that in calm areas with no combat it will switch to quiet, then in areas with more activity but no combat it will switch to medium, then in areas with combat it will switch to dynamic. The 8bit track is used during a special attack that temporarily changes the gameplay when used. I don't remember what causes vocals to be added in since it's been a while since I played but I think it's during story related situations (as opposed to just random exploration), but I could be wrong. Every track in the game has several versions like this. Some tracks have multiple sets of versions altogether depending on area or story progression or event. Some tracks have multiple sets of vocal tracks (different vocals used in different parts of the story or depending on the language settings of the game for the few tracks that have English/Japanese lyrics). Some tracks also have an extra choir track that can come in as well. Boss music also uses this to signify different phases. The game really has to be played to be fully experienced. Keichi Okabe put a ton of thought into composing the music to be intentional with the gameplay. As far as the "Chaos Language" vocals, Emi Evans first used it in Nier Replicant. There the idea was to base each track on a real language but after over a thousand years of linguistic drift. So, "Chaos Language" doesn't really refer to a specific language but rather to her creative process and it's definitely not a proper constructed language. Emi Evans studies sounds from real world languages and uses them in her lyrics with the focus on conveying emotion. It's kind of amazing when you think about it, the idea of conveying specific emotions without intelligible lyrics. I don't know if Nier Automata bases each track on a different language like Nier Replicant or if it uses a mix of them, though either makes sense since Automata takes place almost ten thousand years after Replicant.
This game is a masterpiece, but the soundtrack elevates even above the game itself it’s that good. Song of the Ancients from the first game was played during the Japan Olympics opening ceremony
I have one massive criticism of the game’s story that is like a sliver I can’t quite get out. The revelations about the true nature of 2B and 9S’s relationship happen WAY too late in the story and should have happened right before… you-know-what happens so that 9S could struggle with it for 5 real time hours instead of 2 minutes.
@@thebygoneking He knows only subconsciously. Most of his dialog shows that it’s not conscious knowledge. In beginning of the game, he clearly doesn’t know 2B and wonders why she’s being assigned to work with him, calling her ma’am and generally just doesn’t know anything about her (even though it’s implied that she’s been killing him and resetting his memory for years, maybe centuries). More evidence: He’s shocked that Executioners exist in the ‘executioner’ side quest, when they are tasked to ‘eliminate deserters’, he can hardly believe that Yorha would execute their own, in the ‘couple’ quest, he’s shocked and horrified by the female android reformatting her lover over and over again even though that’s what’s been happening to him (the very idea of doing that to someone never occurred to him), and he is also caught by surprise when Adam tells him he wants to **** 2B, having no conscious desire to do that, but realizing that Adam is correct. So he wants to **** 2B but doesn’t know why until he learns how Yorha truly operates. By the end of the game, he has figured it out. He clearly didn’t know when the game started though. Point is, if it had been revealed to him before 2B’s death, it would have been soul crushing to him. It being mentioned after he’d already given up all hope makes it a non-event and practically irrelevant. It was a bad storytelling move on the part of the writer.
@Noplayster13 Automata is quite literally designed to be replayed over and over again to get the full story and understanding. I dont think a person is done when they get ending E. The reason this revelation of his is saved until right before the end of the story is because its supposed to instantly flip the narrative of their relationship on its head. It hits the player like a train because of just how much of their experience and time spent with these characters that they now have to revaluate in such a tense moment. All of the tower sequence is supoosed to be a sensory overload for the player but in a good way. The story is climbing and climbing building tension like a crescendo. If you drop the info of 2B being 2E early into route C, or even half way through, it gives the player too much time to analyze, understand and accept the information. It changes the context and tension of the moment greatly if the player already knows. For the player not to know, the characters cant know either. Also 9S knew, not subconsciously but consciously. I dont know if you've read the side materials at all but 9S frequently correctly guesses or comes to the conclusion of 2Bs secret. It happens all the time. He never mentions it or makes a big deal out of this because he doesnt want to accept it. His life is crumbling around him and its taking everything to keep it together just barely enough to commit to killing A2 then himself. He loves her and she means everything to him, so he refuses to accept the hard to swallow pill. During the soul box terminal he stabs a black mass in hacking space that then morphs into 2B. 9S is stabbing a 2B lookalike while their memories float around them, and 9S is crying out that these are his memories and to leave them be. He breaks down crying but then starts to laugh out of insanity. This scene is symbolic of 9S knowing about 2Bs mission and what shes done to him. This scene portrays his love for her, and his hate for her. 9S also just never mentions this stuff because who does he really have to talk to about this?
Went to the NieR Orchestra in Dallas, they absolutely killed it with all the songs they played but Amusement Park is one of the few that really stood out
If you do a Nier: a tomato can playthrough, the second you see this area, you'll know this is the theme for it. This is unironically my favorite theme of the game cause of how unsettled you feel coming in.
Are those fireworks I hear? Who the hell is celebrating in a world like this?... to the exhilaration of battle on a moving rollercoaster with the full dynamic theme pumping...to Simone. Def one of my fav gaming moments.
Its the perfect song for a amusement park full of machines without purpose, waiting in a dead world without visitors and trapped in an endless loop of fun without laughter.
The idea is to make machines search what humans did, in a machinery way, its trying to show the man by the machine, it is the human that replaced itself by the machine.
Music is indeed dynamic and there are several layers that ease in and out depending on what's going on. ..hell, there's is even a hacking mini game which plays MIDI version of the track while you do so, seamlessly transitioning between the songs in and out. For EVERY SINGLE TRACK IN THE GAME.
@@ExileTwilight This game is in my opinion one of the best jrpgs ever made although not everyone would agree lol. Nier (both replicant and automata) games are such an experience no other game can give I can't recommend it enough.
The language being used is called "Chaos" language is a made up language by the signer Emi Evans along with the composer of the all the music for the nier game Keiichi Okabe. She was selected to lead the vocals on the project after working on a small project with Okabe and that she speaks 6 languages, they developed it so that it has storng emotional tones to fit which ever feeling they need throughout the games
Nier's chaos language is beautiful, and it really illustrates the capacity of vocals to convey meaning and feeling to us without knowing what the words are: you don't need to know the words or the language to understand perfectly well what it's saying, and the feeling that the singer is feeling. Themepark is full of the sense of trying to be positive on a background of hoplessness, and of smiling through tragedy; there's so much pain buried in a track that is still *trying* to welcome. Please, please do more tracks from Nier, they are masterful and beautiful.
Nier Automata is a voyage into pain, loneliness, melancholy and what used to be. I have been composing for three years and playing games for 30, and nier's soundtrack, as much as the game, are truly both surprising and very inspiring for me. I think that you should play this game, it will stay with you, and I think it will give you immense perspective on game design and composing for games in general. The feelings both this soundtrack and the game will illicit in you, no other games will.
Oh man, you're finally getting to Nier music. I can't wait for more, probably one of my favorite soundtracks of all time! Beware though, for anyone wanting to play the game and hasn't; the titles to a lot of the songs are just straight-up spoilers if you know where in the game they play lol.
Your analysis on the mood and themes of the song are so accurate it's insane. Nier Automoata (deservedly) get's a lot of love for its soundtrack, but make sure to check out some of the songs from the original game as well like: Snow in Summer, Shadowlord's Castle Memory and Shadowlord, as they established the style that the series is known for.
Those gestalt/replicant songs arent quite the defining NieR series "sound" theyre very specific to replicant/gestalt, and very specific to specific parts of the story. The rest of the soundtrack does not sound as churchly, holy or unholy, or doomsday like as those songs. I personally call that group of songs the narrative or story songs of replicant. They all sound like they belong together, but they sound separate from the rest of the games soundtrack. Still fitting, but i can easily segregate these specific songs from the rest of the games soundtrack as being the story or narrative driving songs of the game. Automata also has music that sounds specific to it that doesnt really show up in replicant like possessed by a disease, alien manifestation, the forest kingdom. They all have that high pitched nasal singing tone. Blu bird is the one song that kind of has this but isnt quite there.
You nailed everything about the music and specifically that most songs are dynamic. The game does a really good job of not only upping the intensity during combat, but also based on where you are in an area, with the full range not coming in until you are standing in the spot you that you can get a good view of the area. In terms of the choice to use vocals I think it works really well in Nier Automata since no one understands the language so its not distracting. The vocals just function as another instrument which I have always thought was very cool. Nier Automata is one of my favorite games and easily my favorite video game sound track, glad you are listening to it!
The language is called chaos language, a made-up language specifically made for the NieR by Emi Evans :] It's like a mix-up of Japanese-French-English-German and I think something else, but I can't remember haha EDIT: NEVERMIND I didn't watch the video to the end, my bad :(
Seeing people discover the magic of NieR's music is always great. The whole soundtrack is beyond incredible, one of the best I've ever heard. I'm sure you'll be doing more soon, and it's going to be a hell of a ride. NieR does things to people. NieR: Automata isn't one of my favorite "games" of all time (specifically in regards to being a video game,) but even though it wasn't one of the most "fun" video games I've played (even though it was still very good in that regard, just not one of the best,) it is without a doubt one of my favorite _experiences_ in any form of media. The entire experience was powerful, complex, and emotional in a way few things manage to do. There's many things I've played/heard/watched etc. that have left a strong and lasting impression on me, but NieR: Automata was one of those extremely rare, very special ones where it didn't just stick with me afterwards, but I felt like I came out the other side a different person than before. I'm sure that sounds very dramatic, but it's true, and I'm far from the only person who feels that way about it. Obviously you can't expect to get that kind of experience out of just the music alone, but it's still amazing to listen to, and I'm looking forward to seeing more. As far as song recommendations, some popular choices would be 'A Beautiful Song,' 'Dependent Weakling,' 'Bipolar Nightmare,' and 'City Ruins - Rays of Light.'
I've noticed something about your reviews. The less familiar you are with a game or track, the more in-depth and technical your dissection of its mechanics and intended emotions. When you have a familiar song, you seem to sit and jam out to it more than break it down.
Once again impressed by your ability to perfectly grasp the emotions and themes of a song. This is definitely one of the most favored songs by the NieR fanbase, I remember being completely entranced by this track when I came into the level and honestly spent a good amount of time just standing in the park square listening and taking in the sights it was just so powerful.
14:52 Вау, прямо в точку! Сложно объяснить смысл двумя строчками, но суть там такая - это действительно парк развлечений, но больше заброшенный и разрушенный, в котором нелепо выглядящие роботы, которые в игре твои враги, пытаются подражать давно вымершим людям. При этом в этой локации они не нападают первыми, а бросают конфетти, танцуют, исполняют простые акробатические трюки, даже танк чуть дальше по локации украшен гирляндой и разноцветными флажками, а из пушки стреляет конфетти. некоторые роботы мирно общаются с главным героем. Сами роботы в карнавальных смешных костюмах. Короче говоря, если никого не трогать, то можно пройти почти по всей локации мирно и смотреть на эту удручающую картину как раз под этот трек. Который как раз символизирует далекое, ностальгическое, счастливое воспоминание из прошлого, которое не вернуть. Вообще есть другая версия этого же трека - ещё более мрачная, она играет во время возвращения в эту локацию после определенных событий, которые заставляют этих роботов сойти с ума.
Oh! Nier Automata finally! I love this game and its OST. This track in particular is where a lot of players have that "woah" moment when they heard it. I think Davi would enjoy to play this game, good gameplay with deep meanings, and isn't necesary to play previous games (they give you some background, but this story is enough by itself).
So I'm not sure if the music is really dynamic in game (can't recall) but the long gone memory thing is pretty spot on. Now I hope the next video will be on "a beautiful song"
It's kind of dynamic, when I played it seemed like certain zones within the main areas held different sets of BGM stems, so some instruments would only play in certain parts of the Amusement Park.
In game music is absolutely 100% dynamic. The theme is the same, but there are different versions of it that weave in and out depending on what you're doing. It fades in and out, switches to background/foreground music, and converts to chiptune during hacking sequences.
I want to see him react to "a beautiful song" so much. The Amusement park music and setting got me absolutely hooked on the game and a beautiful song at the end turned it instantly in one of my most favorite games.
i love when you explain transitions between the chords bc i would not be able to tell what the chords mean also i can highly recommend playing this game, amazing OST, amazing story with great characters, fun gameplay, very atmospheric overworld. i would love to fully re-experience it again. as for other nier songs you might wanna check out: From Automata: A Beautiful Song Song of the Ancients Atonement Bipolar Nighmare City Ruins Rays of Light Grandma (Destruction) Dark Colossus Kaiju Weight of the World the End of YoRHa (if you wanna play the game i'd suggest not listening to the last one bc its such a treat) From Gestalt/Replicant: Shadowlord Grandma Song of the Ancients Fate The Dark Colossus Destroys All those are my favorites alongside Amusement Park
For not having played the game you kinda nail a lot of the things. Especially figuring out how it's dynamic through gameplay, though in game there's well over a dozen variations per track so the soundtrack can't have them all. You'll find as you go on (and I very much hope you do) that the Neir games are very heavy on vocals during gameplay. Just about the entire game has vocals while you're playing normally, which I think this series is unique for as it's not just a few times, but it's nearly the entire game (both of them) that has vocals going on during normal gameplay whether it's action or exploration. You should play Automata for sure though. A few tracks (like Weight of the World) pretty much demand you experience the entire game all the way to the final final ending to actually contextualize the music/lyrics, and it's the type of gameplay experience you have to personally play, watching a video or reading a synopsis isn't quite enough for what it does to you.
I'm so happy youve decided to cover some Nier music! If you're interested in hearing more, some of my favorites from both Nier games are A Beautiful Song, Grandma, and Shadowlord
I love it when composers can infer the story and intentions from another composer's work. You are absolutely 100% correct in calling the amusement part section of the game "ironic happiness." Like there is no better explanation.
Yay! Please tell me this means you'll make your way through the whole soundtrack, there's so many beautiful pieces in there, there's one that is literally called "A beautiful song" lol
"shouldn't be this sad" is what could easily apply to almost all NieR and NieR Automata tracks xD. Am not joking, when playing those games, if you're someone who easily cry, you better prepare tissue nearby. Anyway, thanks for this review : )
If I remember correctly, the made up language for the lyrics represents how languages change during the course of thousands of years. NieR Automata is set in 11945 AD.
Me looking at the thumbnail: "Hey this guy reminds me of Dan Vasc" Me looking at the channel name: "Hey this guy's name is very similar to Dan Vasc" Me doing a quick google search: "Hey this guy is Dan Vasc's brother, neat!"
The way you articulate the chords and the music bits into words.❤️ And the way you articulate the chords and the music bits into words.❤️ Truly one of the most beautiful things I have seen on yt yet.
I think I always have had the same emotional reaction to this piece in particular as you did, but I wouldn't describe it as nostalgic. I would call it melancholy.
These sorts of videos are always interesting to see. It's amazing just how well the music itself must tell the story on it's own given what you pick up on in this video. it's basically a perfect depiction of what you're meant to be feeling as you go through there. It's a happy surface level, but it's entirely unsettling and somber on your first visit at least. I'd love to see something from the original Nier, where the Chaos language originated. Not sure whether something like "Song of the Ancients" or "Shadowlord", maybe "Hills of Radiant Wind" or instead one of Kaine or Emil's themes. A lot of good choices to see on an analytical level.
It's impressive that you nailed the feelings of the Amusement Park, but also impressive that they injected those feelings into the song in the first place. Literally the ruins of an Amusement Park. The faded memories of good times this place once represented and the twisted undercurrents of what it has become now. Amazing.
It’s truly incredible how music producers like you can listen to these songs without having played their respective games and still perfectly summarize what the song is meant to convey in the context of the game‘s story/world. Like, that was spot on.
That was seriously impressive how you managed to summarize the entire feeling of the game by listening to just ONE song. The robots in the amusement park tries to imitate human joy, but being robots, it ends up being a bit weird and tense.
You should definitely play this game, music in this game is fully dynamic, they have 4 versions of each track and they change seamlessly during gameplay according to the scene, it's just so good
watching the gears turn in his head as he tries to figure out the language is so satisfying. Even though I know it's a chaos language my brain is still automatically trying to parse the language every time I hear it.
Welcome to Nier, my friend. The music and vocals are an absolute integral part of it all, it's an experience. You understood the Amusement Park section of the game
U would absolutely love the nier series davi, they all have music this beautiful and tragic. The chaos language is a masterfully constructed its a mixture of alot of languages that seem to be able to tell multiple emotions all at once. Its one of a kind. You mind if i send you a video about chaos language? And how it was constructed? Sorry i gotta gush cause nier is not only my fav game series of all time but it has the best soundtrack of all time.
The game and soundtrack go hand in hand. The music in the game definitely makes the gameplay experience exponentially better. When you go through the story and as you experience everything, the music and the sad tones makes more sense.
Nailed it, what’s happening in this game is that humanity is just gone. It’s just the robots and androids left. The robots (mind you the robots were created by aliens) were the ones who build the amusement park based solely around reading up on old human writings, they wanted to understand the concept of “fun” and made the park, thing is while they are doing all the motions, going on parades, playing games, going on rides and talking about how much fun they are having. It’s just an emulation They read up “humans did this thing and they said it was fun…..doing that same thing and saying it was fun should help us understand what fun is”
Man, I love Nier automata so much. So sad, so nostalgic, and sometimes so funny... I sure that you're heard that already a million times but that a game so worth playing. It's a masterpiece. And the OST is brilliant.
This "neutral-to-tense" chord progression that you speak about in the first half of your video is actually *the* theme of most Nier songs. It is everywhere! But I think that, if you have never heard Nier's OST, you should go listen to a song called "Grandma". It is one of my favorite, and is 100% worth one of your videos. (the whole soundtrack is awesome by the way)
(or... just to be clear: with "theme" I mean a thing that appears a lot. Maybe the right word would be "motif"? It is something that just became "synonym with Nier" in my mind)
Oh boy! wait till you here A Beautiful Song or Bipolar Nightmare, heck the whole sound track is incredible, but those two have very polarizing sounds going on. Look forward to seeing you react to more of the nier tracks.
To avoid spoiling you, the addition of the vocals is actually a very important element to emphasize one of the main plot points of the game! Music and the neir story line are soooooo intertwined with each other that even the music title adds nuances to the overall story! I highly recommend this game, it's been years since I last played it, but this is my all-time favourite game. It essentially changed my life
I never knew about "happy chords" and "sad chords" but its so appropriate the way Okabe is using them learning about it now. The music in this series is seriously next-level.
Wait, this is your first NieR track? Hoooly, you took your time 😂 But i am glad there is another person finally experiencing this amazing soundtrack! I really recommend listening to Replicant music as well (the prequel to Automata) a lot of tracks come from there as well :)
The idea to create the Chaos language was also to have vocals to the songs without distrecting the player. Also Emma Evens one of the main singers of the Nier franchise has create the language. So I guess her goal was also be able to express emotions as good as possible with this language. Also for different songs she leans more into on part (e.g. italien) then other parts to get different vibes. E.g. for deserts, costline or city. Can wait to hear her live. Will have the chance in Paris this month.
That ironic happiness comment was spot on. The world in Nier Automata is a very bleak place, and the amusement park is kind of an anomaly where everything seems happy and friendly in spite of what's going on outside. Enemies dress as jesters and dance instead of trying to kill you, it feels very strange overall. I really want to see how he'd react to the Route C version of this song
Yes, it's a made up language. It's a mix of Japanese, English, German, French, and (if I'm remembering correctly) Latin. The idea behind was wondering what the human language might sound like in the far future, how it might evolve into a mixture of all common languages. Very glad you're now delving into the music of Nier. Arguably some of the best video game music out there
Huh, I never noticed the accordion! When you said at the beginning there's this accordion, I was like, what accordion? It took me a few seconds to notice even after you started playing it!
i would love you to react to Mourning from this OST ^^ and the hard R also make me think of Celtic laguages too , especialy on the Kaine track ( now you are starting to fall into the Nier Rabbithole )
There is a couple of hard Rs in the Metal Gear Solid OST The Best is Yet to Come (I believe it's sung in Irish). Actually, I think I mistook it for Love Theme from the same game. That's Hebrew
Did you know, that there is an Undertale fangame called Undertale Yellow, it is an amazing piece of content, and contains amazing music, i think you will really enjoy reacting to music and playing it. Please, i watch your videos and want to see UTY on this channel
When I first played this game, I kept killing things on sight mindlessly. Then I arrived to this part of the game, and just stood there for 2 minutes, taking in what I was seeing and hearing. I legit felt so evil because of this.
Honestly surprised you haven't jumped into Nier Automata sooner. I would also like to suggest to check out their 8-bit versions too. Looking forward to you covering more of it.
For those of you who like the Nier Automata soundtrack, might i recommend the soundtrack for Harvestella, since both the soundtrack and second half of the game itself can be best described as "We have Nier at home."
You guessed it right about the connection of the three versions. Many songs have three, some even four, versions and depending on the situation you are in, it seamlessly fades between the tracks. The three ones are called calm, medium and dynamic and the occasional 4th one is an 8-bit version, for when you do computer stuff.
hahaha was wondering if he knew the language was fictional going into this. It's so funny watching his brain freeze trying to pick out sounds to determine the language without knowing it's sounds from many languages.
Emi Evans dubbed it Chaos Language, its a mixture of different languages fernetics and speech patterns over lapped, like she would sing parts english and japanese in what would be french speech patterns but its constantly shifting those, at least thats how I understood it from the few interviews she has given on the subject.
So before I played Nier: Automata, this was the first part of the game I watched someone play on twitch. After hearing the song, I knew that it had to be a game I had to play. I was not disappointed. The sound track and story line is incredible. For anyone just listening to his break down of the song, this game is definitely worth playing.
The amusement park music (hopefully you saw the video that is along the snog) is the music of that whole area. there is a particularity on nier automata: as I heard from another video, the music is "layered" and it changes mostly depending on the area you are on.
![Subaru Plays NieR: Automata For The First Time [HOLOLIVE / ENG SUB]](/img/n.gif)
"Sometimes happy, but generally sad" Welcome to the world of Neir.
Amen.
Neir or Nier?
@@JdjdjdSjdjj-wk8wrNieR
Chaos language is fascinating in the Nier series. It allows the vocals to be used as an instrument that conveys intense feeling, but without the understanding of being able to parse the language.
This is precisely the reason I've always loved listening to music in languages I don't speak, because it lets lyrics function as an instrument without inherently tying the song to any particular meaning or anything. Having non-lyrical vocals just isn't the same; words sound and feel totally different.
It's another of a million reasons why NieR: Automata has one of the best soundtracks in a video game ever, and really, in my opinion it deserves to stand among the ranks of the best _soundtracks_ period, across all types of media.
Goes to show that the actual words are just a part of a message.
Yeah, it remind me "Hymnos" from Ar Tonelico.
Which also helps them use lyrics even in gameplay/combat situations. In Drakengard 3 they use Japanese lyrics in boss-battle sequences but they drown the lyrics out with heavy-metal riffs (unless they want you to hear the lyrics in a sad scene)
@@Terranigma23 haven't seen someone talk about ar tronelico in years. love those games.
I will forever be amazed by _how close_ composers that never played the game get to guessing what's going on. Goes to show how important well made music can be.
Or how talented the composers were to be able to convey the themes and major plot points of the story without a single word being spoken. Marvelous!
@@Noplayster13No joke, going through the vast caverns underground and then entering Emil's hideout with Emil Sacrifice playing, I got this intense sense of loneliness and loss. I immediately started thinking "man, I bet Emil lost the people closest to him and has been alone ever since. Looks like he's been alone a long long time, and this is probably the little he has left of the world he once knew." I had never played Replicant at that point. I didn't know anything about him other than he sells me things. And I'm not even a composer. Just a dude. To this day no other piece of media I have ever consumed managed to just convey a character's entire backstory through music and simple imagery alone, it's surreal. Okabe and Taro are absolute geniuses.
"Happy in an ironic way"
That pretty much sums up the Amusement Park.
The robots were trying to emulate human joy and happiness as they took on roles in the park but do so in a twisted (not necessarily gruesome, just weird) way in the middle of a wasteland of all places.
True, I was both surprised and unnerved when I first set foot in the Amusement Park, but as time went on and in my subsequent returns to the park for quests, the ambience I feel slowly went from unnerving to just somber and a little nostalgic in a way. Then the whole thing in Route C happens and it became just plain depressing seeing what the place has become.
@XG417 Not gonna lie, i felt almost depressed in route C when i came back to amousement park. Poor happy machines, they didn't deserve that 😥
8:26 “A Shadow of happiness and positivity” is CRAZY to find without any context. The entire point of the Amusement Park is machines pretending to be happy to emulate humans… or at least trying their best to be like them. They are literally shadowing happiness. This guy is good.
You've actually nailed the overall theme of the game. Not to spoil too much in case you decide to listen to more (the OST is amazing), but the conclusions you've arrived at at the end of the video are dead-on.
just hearing say stuff like "fate/finality/delaying the inevitable/shadow of happiness" makes almost tear up knowing this game
When he started talking about the irony of the sound I was like "ah he gets it already"
12:00 You're absolutely correct! There are technically several versions of this track in the game. Depending on what's going on or where you are, the game will switch between different versions of the track. These versions are:
1) Vocals only
2) Quiet (with or without vocals)
3) Medium (with or without vocals)
4) Dynamic (with or without vocals
5) 8bit
Quiet, Medium, and Dynamic are each more intense than the last. The idea is that in calm areas with no combat it will switch to quiet, then in areas with more activity but no combat it will switch to medium, then in areas with combat it will switch to dynamic. The 8bit track is used during a special attack that temporarily changes the gameplay when used. I don't remember what causes vocals to be added in since it's been a while since I played but I think it's during story related situations (as opposed to just random exploration), but I could be wrong.
Every track in the game has several versions like this. Some tracks have multiple sets of versions altogether depending on area or story progression or event. Some tracks have multiple sets of vocal tracks (different vocals used in different parts of the story or depending on the language settings of the game for the few tracks that have English/Japanese lyrics). Some tracks also have an extra choir track that can come in as well. Boss music also uses this to signify different phases.
The game really has to be played to be fully experienced. Keichi Okabe put a ton of thought into composing the music to be intentional with the gameplay.
As far as the "Chaos Language" vocals, Emi Evans first used it in Nier Replicant. There the idea was to base each track on a real language but after over a thousand years of linguistic drift. So, "Chaos Language" doesn't really refer to a specific language but rather to her creative process and it's definitely not a proper constructed language. Emi Evans studies sounds from real world languages and uses them in her lyrics with the focus on conveying emotion. It's kind of amazing when you think about it, the idea of conveying specific emotions without intelligible lyrics. I don't know if Nier Automata bases each track on a different language like Nier Replicant or if it uses a mix of them, though either makes sense since Automata takes place almost ten thousand years after Replicant.
I think the vocals fade out when your off the main path, like for the side alleys n stuff
@@staceyb1873 they do, when going through the alley ways it's soften and get quieter.
I've heard that "A Beautiful Song" is kinda reminiscent of Italian so they might have based the sounds off of specific languages for each song
This game is a masterpiece, but the soundtrack elevates even above the game itself it’s that good.
Song of the Ancients from the first game was played during the Japan Olympics opening ceremony
So I wasn't the only one who notice it
I have one massive criticism of the game’s story that is like a sliver I can’t quite get out.
The revelations about the true nature of 2B and 9S’s relationship happen WAY too late in the story and should have happened right before… you-know-what happens so that 9S could struggle with it for 5 real time hours instead of 2 minutes.
@@Noplayster13 9S knows, he’s always known. It isn’t a revelation to him, it’s a revelation to the player.
@@thebygoneking He knows only subconsciously. Most of his dialog shows that it’s not conscious knowledge. In beginning of the game, he clearly doesn’t know 2B and wonders why she’s being assigned to work with him, calling her ma’am and generally just doesn’t know anything about her (even though it’s implied that she’s been killing him and resetting his memory for years, maybe centuries).
More evidence: He’s shocked that Executioners exist in the ‘executioner’ side quest, when they are tasked to ‘eliminate deserters’, he can hardly believe that Yorha would execute their own, in the ‘couple’ quest, he’s shocked and horrified by the female android reformatting her lover over and over again even though that’s what’s been happening to him (the very idea of doing that to someone never occurred to him), and he is also caught by surprise when Adam tells him he wants to **** 2B, having no conscious desire to do that, but realizing that Adam is correct.
So he wants to **** 2B but doesn’t know why until he learns how Yorha truly operates. By the end of the game, he has figured it out. He clearly didn’t know when the game started though.
Point is, if it had been revealed to him before 2B’s death, it would have been soul crushing to him. It being mentioned after he’d already given up all hope makes it a non-event and practically irrelevant. It was a bad storytelling move on the part of the writer.
@Noplayster13 Automata is quite literally designed to be replayed over and over again to get the full story and understanding.
I dont think a person is done when they get ending E.
The reason this revelation of his is saved until right before the end of the story is because its supposed to instantly flip the narrative of their relationship on its head. It hits the player like a train because of just how much of their experience and time spent with these characters that they now have to revaluate in such a tense moment.
All of the tower sequence is supoosed to be a sensory overload for the player but in a good way. The story is climbing and climbing building tension like a crescendo.
If you drop the info of 2B being 2E early into route C, or even half way through, it gives the player too much time to analyze, understand and accept the information. It changes the context and tension of the moment greatly if the player already knows. For the player not to know, the characters cant know either.
Also 9S knew, not subconsciously but consciously.
I dont know if you've read the side materials at all but 9S frequently correctly guesses or comes to the conclusion of 2Bs secret. It happens all the time.
He never mentions it or makes a big deal out of this because he doesnt want to accept it. His life is crumbling around him and its taking everything to keep it together just barely enough to commit to killing A2 then himself.
He loves her and she means everything to him, so he refuses to accept the hard to swallow pill.
During the soul box terminal he stabs a black mass in hacking space that then morphs into 2B. 9S is stabbing a 2B lookalike while their memories float around them, and 9S is crying out that these are his memories and to leave them be. He breaks down crying but then starts to laugh out of insanity.
This scene is symbolic of 9S knowing about 2Bs mission and what shes done to him. This scene portrays his love for her, and his hate for her.
9S also just never mentions this stuff because who does he really have to talk to about this?
I love when composers discover the Chaos language :D
Went to the NieR Orchestra in Dallas, they absolutely killed it with all the songs they played but Amusement Park is one of the few that really stood out
That sounds like such an incredible time I’m so jealous!
going to the one in Atlanta next month, so excited I can barely stand it :). Glad you had a great time!
@@Inara-Serra Trust me, you won't be disappointed lol, aside from being such a huge nerd for NieR it was an amazing experience for my first concert.
Fuck me I havent heared about this! Only Bangkok and Atlanta are left now, rip me poor european ass
But I hope at least you guys have fun🎉
@@IZINA1997 i know a lot of places are still reselling for decent prices. the night before LA concert people were selling under ticket prices
If you do a Nier: a tomato can playthrough, the second you see this area, you'll know this is the theme for it. This is unironically my favorite theme of the game cause of how unsettled you feel coming in.
Autocorrect 💀
Automata --> a tomato
Near aww tomatah
I can confirm
Are those fireworks I hear? Who the hell is celebrating in a world like this?... to the exhilaration of battle on a moving rollercoaster with the full dynamic theme pumping...to Simone. Def one of my fav gaming moments.
Its the perfect song for a amusement park full of machines without purpose, waiting in a dead world without visitors and trapped in an endless loop of fun without laughter.
That's deep man very deep 😢
The idea is to make machines search what humans did, in a machinery way, its trying to show the man by the machine, it is the human that replaced itself by the machine.
Music is indeed dynamic and there are several layers that ease in and out depending on what's going on.
..hell, there's is even a hacking mini game which plays MIDI version of the track while you do so, seamlessly transitioning between the songs in and out. For EVERY SINGLE TRACK IN THE GAME.
That's amazing :D
I've had the game on my to-play list for the longest time.. Will have to get to it soon.
@@ExileTwilight This game is in my opinion one of the best jrpgs ever made although not everyone would agree lol. Nier (both replicant and automata) games are such an experience no other game can give I can't recommend it enough.
@@ExileTwilightman, I'm so jealous... I wish I could go back and discover Nier for the first time again...
@@profilore This! I absolutely would go back in time just to get the feeling of discovering Nier again.
The language being used is called "Chaos" language is a made up language by the signer Emi Evans along with the composer of the all the music for the nier game Keiichi Okabe. She was selected to lead the vocals on the project after working on a small project with Okabe and that she speaks 6 languages, they developed it so that it has storng emotional tones to fit which ever feeling they need throughout the games
Nier's chaos language is beautiful, and it really illustrates the capacity of vocals to convey meaning and feeling to us without knowing what the words are: you don't need to know the words or the language to understand perfectly well what it's saying, and the feeling that the singer is feeling. Themepark is full of the sense of trying to be positive on a background of hoplessness, and of smiling through tragedy; there's so much pain buried in a track that is still *trying* to welcome. Please, please do more tracks from Nier, they are masterful and beautiful.
Nier Automata is a voyage into pain, loneliness, melancholy and what used to be. I have been composing for three years and playing games for 30, and nier's soundtrack, as much as the game, are truly both surprising and very inspiring for me. I think that you should play this game, it will stay with you, and I think it will give you immense perspective on game design and composing for games in general. The feelings both this soundtrack and the game will illicit in you, no other games will.
Oh man, you're finally getting to Nier music. I can't wait for more, probably one of my favorite soundtracks of all time!
Beware though, for anyone wanting to play the game and hasn't; the titles to a lot of the songs are just straight-up spoilers if you know where in the game they play lol.
"WHAT LANGUAGE IS THIS??" The experience of everyone who's ever heard Emi Evans's vocals.
Your analysis on the mood and themes of the song are so accurate it's insane. Nier Automoata (deservedly) get's a lot of love for its soundtrack, but make sure to check out some of the songs from the original game as well like: Snow in Summer, Shadowlord's Castle Memory and Shadowlord, as they established the style that the series is known for.
oh gosh, yes, please do Replicant! As Aaron said, so much goodness in that OST
Those gestalt/replicant songs arent quite the defining NieR series "sound" theyre very specific to replicant/gestalt, and very specific to specific parts of the story.
The rest of the soundtrack does not sound as churchly, holy or unholy, or doomsday like as those songs.
I personally call that group of songs the narrative or story songs of replicant.
They all sound like they belong together, but they sound separate from the rest of the games soundtrack. Still fitting, but i can easily segregate these specific songs from the rest of the games soundtrack as being the story or narrative driving songs of the game.
Automata also has music that sounds specific to it that doesnt really show up in replicant like possessed by a disease, alien manifestation, the forest kingdom. They all have that high pitched nasal singing tone. Blu bird is the one song that kind of has this but isnt quite there.
You nailed everything about the music and specifically that most songs are dynamic. The game does a really good job of not only upping the intensity during combat, but also based on where you are in an area, with the full range not coming in until you are standing in the spot you that you can get a good view of the area. In terms of the choice to use vocals I think it works really well in Nier Automata since no one understands the language so its not distracting. The vocals just function as another instrument which I have always thought was very cool.
Nier Automata is one of my favorite games and easily my favorite video game sound track, glad you are listening to it!
The language is called chaos language, a made-up language specifically made for the NieR by Emi Evans :] It's like a mix-up of Japanese-French-English-German and I think something else, but I can't remember haha
EDIT: NEVERMIND I didn't watch the video to the end, my bad :(
NieR: Automata is one of my all time favourite games.
If there is anything I can do, it would be to play this game blind again
Seeing people discover the magic of NieR's music is always great. The whole soundtrack is beyond incredible, one of the best I've ever heard.
I'm sure you'll be doing more soon, and it's going to be a hell of a ride. NieR does things to people.
NieR: Automata isn't one of my favorite "games" of all time (specifically in regards to being a video game,) but even though it wasn't one of the most "fun" video games I've played (even though it was still very good in that regard, just not one of the best,) it is without a doubt one of my favorite _experiences_ in any form of media.
The entire experience was powerful, complex, and emotional in a way few things manage to do. There's many things I've played/heard/watched etc. that have left a strong and lasting impression on me, but NieR: Automata was one of those extremely rare, very special ones where it didn't just stick with me afterwards, but I felt like I came out the other side a different person than before.
I'm sure that sounds very dramatic, but it's true, and I'm far from the only person who feels that way about it.
Obviously you can't expect to get that kind of experience out of just the music alone, but it's still amazing to listen to, and I'm looking forward to seeing more.
As far as song recommendations, some popular choices would be 'A Beautiful Song,' 'Dependent Weakling,' 'Bipolar Nightmare,' and 'City Ruins - Rays of Light.'
I've noticed something about your reviews. The less familiar you are with a game or track, the more in-depth and technical your dissection of its mechanics and intended emotions. When you have a familiar song, you seem to sit and jam out to it more than break it down.
Once again impressed by your ability to perfectly grasp the emotions and themes of a song. This is definitely one of the most favored songs by the NieR fanbase, I remember being completely entranced by this track when I came into the level and honestly spent a good amount of time just standing in the park square listening and taking in the sights it was just so powerful.
This song really got me hooked into the game. Before amusement park I was pretty uninterested but the atmosphere there caught me
14:52 Вау, прямо в точку! Сложно объяснить смысл двумя строчками, но суть там такая - это действительно парк развлечений, но больше заброшенный и разрушенный, в котором нелепо выглядящие роботы, которые в игре твои враги, пытаются подражать давно вымершим людям. При этом в этой локации они не нападают первыми, а бросают конфетти, танцуют, исполняют простые акробатические трюки, даже танк чуть дальше по локации украшен гирляндой и разноцветными флажками, а из пушки стреляет конфетти. некоторые роботы мирно общаются с главным героем. Сами роботы в карнавальных смешных костюмах. Короче говоря, если никого не трогать, то можно пройти почти по всей локации мирно и смотреть на эту удручающую картину как раз под этот трек. Который как раз символизирует далекое, ностальгическое, счастливое воспоминание из прошлого, которое не вернуть.
Вообще есть другая версия этого же трека - ещё более мрачная, она играет во время возвращения в эту локацию после определенных событий, которые заставляют этих роботов сойти с ума.
Oh! Nier Automata finally! I love this game and its OST. This track in particular is where a lot of players have that "woah" moment when they heard it.
I think Davi would enjoy to play this game, good gameplay with deep meanings, and isn't necesary to play previous games (they give you some background, but this story is enough by itself).
I would love of you would listen to the entire ost. Every single track is incredible
So I'm not sure if the music is really dynamic in game (can't recall) but the long gone memory thing is pretty spot on. Now I hope the next video will be on "a beautiful song"
It's kind of dynamic, when I played it seemed like certain zones within the main areas held different sets of BGM stems, so some instruments would only play in certain parts of the Amusement Park.
@@JammieBearit also depends on whether you're in a fight or not
In game music is absolutely 100% dynamic. The theme is the same, but there are different versions of it that weave in and out depending on what you're doing. It fades in and out, switches to background/foreground music, and converts to chiptune during hacking sequences.
I want to see him react to "a beautiful song" so much. The Amusement park music and setting got me absolutely hooked on the game and a beautiful song at the end turned it instantly in one of my most favorite games.
i love when you explain transitions between the chords bc i would not be able to tell what the chords mean
also i can highly recommend playing this game, amazing OST, amazing story with great characters, fun gameplay, very atmospheric overworld. i would love to fully re-experience it again.
as for other nier songs you might wanna check out:
From Automata:
A Beautiful Song
Song of the Ancients Atonement
Bipolar Nighmare
City Ruins Rays of Light
Grandma (Destruction)
Dark Colossus Kaiju
Weight of the World the End of YoRHa (if you wanna play the game i'd suggest not listening to the last one bc its such a treat)
From Gestalt/Replicant:
Shadowlord
Grandma
Song of the Ancients Fate
The Dark Colossus Destroys All
those are my favorites alongside Amusement Park
For not having played the game you kinda nail a lot of the things. Especially figuring out how it's dynamic through gameplay, though in game there's well over a dozen variations per track so the soundtrack can't have them all. You'll find as you go on (and I very much hope you do) that the Neir games are very heavy on vocals during gameplay. Just about the entire game has vocals while you're playing normally, which I think this series is unique for as it's not just a few times, but it's nearly the entire game (both of them) that has vocals going on during normal gameplay whether it's action or exploration.
You should play Automata for sure though. A few tracks (like Weight of the World) pretty much demand you experience the entire game all the way to the final final ending to actually contextualize the music/lyrics, and it's the type of gameplay experience you have to personally play, watching a video or reading a synopsis isn't quite enough for what it does to you.
Without a doubt my all time favorite soundtrack. I went to the live performance in Chicago and it was one of the best live experiences I've ever seen
I'm so happy youve decided to cover some Nier music! If you're interested in hearing more, some of my favorites from both Nier games are A Beautiful Song, Grandma, and Shadowlord
I love it when composers can infer the story and intentions from another composer's work. You are absolutely 100% correct in calling the amusement part section of the game "ironic happiness." Like there is no better explanation.
Yay! Please tell me this means you'll make your way through the whole soundtrack, there's so many beautiful pieces in there, there's one that is literally called "A beautiful song" lol
PLEASE do “a beautiful song” and “Song of the ancient”.
Also, flawless video as always
Great video, dude! I think basically every NieR music (replicant/gestalt and automata) has some interesting topics to talk about!
"shouldn't be this sad" is what could easily apply to almost all NieR and NieR Automata tracks xD.
Am not joking, when playing those games, if you're someone who easily cry, you better prepare tissue nearby.
Anyway, thanks for this review : )
Woah!!! Davi! NIER OST! Match made in heaven!
If I remember correctly, the made up language for the lyrics represents how languages change during the course of thousands of years. NieR Automata is set in 11945 AD.
Me looking at the thumbnail:
"Hey this guy reminds me of Dan Vasc"
Me looking at the channel name:
"Hey this guy's name is very similar to Dan Vasc"
Me doing a quick google search:
"Hey this guy is Dan Vasc's brother, neat!"
The way you articulate the chords and the music bits into words.❤️
And the way you articulate the chords and the music bits into words.❤️
Truly one of the most beautiful things I have seen on yt yet.
I think I always have had the same emotional reaction to this piece in particular as you did, but I wouldn't describe it as nostalgic. I would call it melancholy.
I'll always be fascinated by the way he can pick apart songs and their stories by almost just chords alone
These sorts of videos are always interesting to see. It's amazing just how well the music itself must tell the story on it's own given what you pick up on in this video. it's basically a perfect depiction of what you're meant to be feeling as you go through there. It's a happy surface level, but it's entirely unsettling and somber on your first visit at least.
I'd love to see something from the original Nier, where the Chaos language originated. Not sure whether something like "Song of the Ancients" or "Shadowlord", maybe "Hills of Radiant Wind" or instead one of Kaine or Emil's themes. A lot of good choices to see on an analytical level.
It's impressive that you nailed the feelings of the Amusement Park, but also impressive that they injected those feelings into the song in the first place.
Literally the ruins of an Amusement Park. The faded memories of good times this place once represented and the twisted undercurrents of what it has become now. Amazing.
Just waiting for the day you will start Nier Automata gameplay
It’s truly incredible how music producers like you can listen to these songs without having played their respective games and still perfectly summarize what the song is meant to convey in the context of the game‘s story/world. Like, that was spot on.
Lovely in-depth analysis on a great song of my favourite game ever
Bravo on an exquisite analysis of both the technical music and the themes behind the song
That was seriously impressive how you managed to summarize the entire feeling of the game by listening to just ONE song.
The robots in the amusement park tries to imitate human joy, but being robots, it ends up being a bit weird and tense.
Amazing to see you doing NieR! Can't wait for you to hear Bipolar Nightmare!
You should definitely play this game, music in this game is fully dynamic, they have 4 versions of each track and they change seamlessly during gameplay according to the scene, it's just so good
watching the gears turn in his head as he tries to figure out the language is so satisfying. Even though I know it's a chaos language my brain is still automatically trying to parse the language every time I hear it.
Welcome to Nier, my friend. The music and vocals are an absolute integral part of it all, it's an experience. You understood the Amusement Park section of the game
Your skill in articulating your first impressions of a piece of music will always impress me.
U would absolutely love the nier series davi, they all have music this beautiful and tragic. The chaos language is a masterfully constructed its a mixture of alot of languages that seem to be able to tell multiple emotions all at once. Its one of a kind. You mind if i send you a video about chaos language? And how it was constructed? Sorry i gotta gush cause nier is not only my fav game series of all time but it has the best soundtrack of all time.
I loved Nier Automata and Touhou, so I enjoyed watching your video! Thank you!
and "Bipolar Nightmare (Nier Automata)" is also interesting!
The game and soundtrack go hand in hand. The music in the game definitely makes the gameplay experience exponentially better. When you go through the story and as you experience everything, the music and the sad tones makes more sense.
And the song being made up of multiple languages kind of makes sense considering the humanity aspect of the story.
Nailed it, what’s happening in this game is that humanity is just gone. It’s just the robots and androids left. The robots (mind you the robots were created by aliens) were the ones who build the amusement park based solely around reading up on old human writings, they wanted to understand the concept of “fun” and made the park, thing is while they are doing all the motions, going on parades, playing games, going on rides and talking about how much fun they are having. It’s just an emulation
They read up “humans did this thing and they said it was fun…..doing that same thing and saying it was fun should help us understand what fun is”
Man, I love Nier automata so much. So sad, so nostalgic, and sometimes so funny... I sure that you're heard that already a million times but that a game so worth playing. It's a masterpiece. And the OST is brilliant.
I hope you do more Nier music. Imo it is one of my all time favorite game soundtracks and this is only the tip of the iceberg.
This "neutral-to-tense" chord progression that you speak about in the first half of your video is actually *the* theme of most Nier songs. It is everywhere! But I think that, if you have never heard Nier's OST, you should go listen to a song called "Grandma". It is one of my favorite, and is 100% worth one of your videos. (the whole soundtrack is awesome by the way)
(or... just to be clear: with "theme" I mean a thing that appears a lot. Maybe the right word would be "motif"? It is something that just became "synonym with Nier" in my mind)
Oh boy! wait till you here A Beautiful Song or Bipolar Nightmare, heck the whole sound track is incredible, but those two have very polarizing sounds going on. Look forward to seeing you react to more of the nier tracks.
To avoid spoiling you, the addition of the vocals is actually a very important element to emphasize one of the main plot points of the game! Music and the neir story line are soooooo intertwined with each other that even the music title adds nuances to the overall story! I highly recommend this game, it's been years since I last played it, but this is my all-time favourite game. It essentially changed my life
I actually am so insanely excited for you to listen to more NieR music. Adore these series.
I never knew about "happy chords" and "sad chords" but its so appropriate the way Okabe is using them learning about it now. The music in this series is seriously next-level.
Happy you got round to this games ost. I personally its one of best OSTs ever created , well its my favourite at least 😅
Man listen the whole OST, you'll have an amazing time, great video
Wait, this is your first NieR track? Hoooly, you took your time 😂
But i am glad there is another person finally experiencing this amazing soundtrack! I really recommend listening to Replicant music as well (the prequel to Automata) a lot of tracks come from there as well :)
The idea to create the Chaos language was also to have vocals to the songs without distrecting the player. Also Emma Evens one of the main singers of the Nier franchise has create the language. So I guess her goal was also be able to express emotions as good as possible with this language.
Also for different songs she leans more into on part (e.g. italien) then other parts to get different vibes. E.g. for deserts, costline or city.
Can wait to hear her live. Will have the chance in Paris this month.
Nier has one of the best soundtrack
youre just scratching the surface man!
That ironic happiness comment was spot on. The world in Nier Automata is a very bleak place, and the amusement park is kind of an anomaly where everything seems happy and friendly in spite of what's going on outside. Enemies dress as jesters and dance instead of trying to kill you, it feels very strange overall. I really want to see how he'd react to the Route C version of this song
Yes, it's a made up language. It's a mix of Japanese, English, German, French, and (if I'm remembering correctly) Latin. The idea behind was wondering what the human language might sound like in the far future, how it might evolve into a mixture of all common languages.
Very glad you're now delving into the music of Nier. Arguably some of the best video game music out there
This was so riveting. Your analysis was really fun to watch and listen to. Even to a "nongamer" like me ❤
Huh, I never noticed the accordion! When you said at the beginning there's this accordion, I was like, what accordion? It took me a few seconds to notice even after you started playing it!
OMG. your Reactions are spot on to the game. Subscribed ❤
Welcome to NieR brother
We're happy to have another muisc expert on board~
This guy gave me an even deeper appreciation for my favorite game and OST
i would love you to react to Mourning from this OST ^^
and the hard R also make me think of Celtic laguages too , especialy on the Kaine track
( now you are starting to fall into the Nier Rabbithole )
There is a couple of hard Rs in the Metal Gear Solid OST The Best is Yet to Come (I believe it's sung in Irish).
Actually, I think I mistook it for Love Theme from the same game. That's Hebrew
Did you know, that there is an Undertale fangame called Undertale Yellow, it is an amazing piece of content, and contains amazing music, i think you will really enjoy reacting to music and playing it. Please, i watch your videos and want to see UTY on this channel
When I first played this game, I kept killing things on sight mindlessly. Then I arrived to this part of the game, and just stood there for 2 minutes, taking in what I was seeing and hearing. I legit felt so evil because of this.
Another one has finally heard of this series! Your journey will be documented and analyzed for more branch opportunities.
Honestly surprised you haven't jumped into Nier Automata sooner. I would also like to suggest to check out their 8-bit versions too. Looking forward to you covering more of it.
For those of you who like the Nier Automata soundtrack, might i recommend the soundtrack for Harvestella, since both the soundtrack and second half of the game itself can be best described as "We have Nier at home."
You guessed it right about the connection of the three versions. Many songs have three, some even four, versions and depending on the situation you are in, it seamlessly fades between the tracks. The three ones are called calm, medium and dynamic and the occasional 4th one is an 8-bit version, for when you do computer stuff.
hahaha was wondering if he knew the language was fictional going into this. It's so funny watching his brain freeze trying to pick out sounds to determine the language without knowing it's sounds from many languages.
YESSSS you finally listened to nier automata. PLEASE do more of these I beg you
Emi Evans dubbed it Chaos Language, its a mixture of different languages fernetics and speech patterns over lapped, like she would sing parts english and japanese in what would be french speech patterns but its constantly shifting those, at least thats how I understood it from the few interviews she has given on the subject.
i absolutely love that music. the whole game is such a wild ride, but the music along with the game gives you such a strange feeling.
Love the way you broke down the song please keep it up, great video.
nice content. I hope you'll breakdown more nier automata songs in the future. One of the suggestion is Weight of the World.
oh hell yeah, Nier Automata is filled to the brim with banger OSTs!!
Love the indication of you not seeing the footage, some people who do reactions forgot to make that clear
So before I played Nier: Automata, this was the first part of the game I watched someone play on twitch. After hearing the song, I knew that it had to be a game I had to play. I was not disappointed. The sound track and story line is incredible. For anyone just listening to his break down of the song, this game is definitely worth playing.
This song is great. NieR A. can be pretty confusing or tedious but when it works it really brings the feels.
It’s glorious how universal the themes are. That’s the hallmark of genius.
The amusement park music (hopefully you saw the video that is along the snog) is the music of that whole area.
there is a particularity on nier automata: as I heard from another video, the music is "layered" and it changes mostly depending on the area you are on.