Game · in order
NieR Games in Order
For the story, play NieR Replicant first, then NieR:Automata. The two core games tell one connected tale, with Drakengard as optional deep-lore prequel context.
NieR Games in Order โ complete list
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Why this order?
NieR is one of director Yoko Taro's strangest, most rewarding sagas, and its viewing order trips people up because release dates and story chronology disagree. The short version: for story, play NieR Replicant first, then NieR:Automata. Replicant is the beginning; Automata is set thousands of years later in the same broken future. Our default chronological order reflects exactly that.
Here is the famous gotcha. NieR:Automata came out in 2017, but it comes second in the timeline. The game that comes first, NieR Replicant, only got its modern remaster (the wonderfully named NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...) in 2021, eleven years after the 2010 original. So if you follow release order you experience the sequel before the origin. We list both orders so you can pick: chronological for clean storytelling, release for the historical experience.
There is also the Replicant-versus-Gestalt wrinkle. The 2010 original shipped as two builds: NieR Gestalt (a grizzled father protagonist, released in the West) and NieR Replicant (a young brother, released in Japan). The 2021 remaster is the Replicant version, finally giving everyone the brother story plus extra content. Same world, slightly different framing of the same protagonist.
Finally, the Drakengard connection. NieR began as a spin-off: it branches from the bizarre Ending E of Drakengard (2003), where a dragon and its rider crash into modern Tokyo, seeding the catastrophe that becomes NieR's world. Drakengard is optional deep-lore context, not required play, but it explains where everything started. Yoko Taro fans treat the whole tangled web as the real reward.
Timeline 2003โ2021
Every entry plotted by release year โ see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I play NieR in?
For story, play NieR Replicant ver.1.22 first, then NieR:Automata, which is set thousands of years later. That chronological order tells the saga cleanly. If you prefer the historical experience, release order puts Automata (2017) before the Replicant remaster (2021).
How many NieR games are there?
There are two core NieR games: NieR Replicant (originally 2010, remastered in 2021) and NieR:Automata (2017). Drakengard (2003) is a related prequel that NieR spun off from, so counting it you reach three relevant titles.
Do I need to play Drakengard before NieR?
No. Drakengard is optional deep-lore context. NieR's world grows out of Drakengard 1's bizarre Ending E, but both NieR games stand on their own and explain what you need. Play Drakengard only if you want the full Yoko Taro tangle.
What is the difference between NieR Replicant and NieR Gestalt?
They are two versions of the same 2010 game. Replicant stars a young brother protecting his sister; Gestalt stars a father protecting his daughter and was the Western release. The 2021 remaster is the Replicant version with extra content.
Why did NieR:Automata come out before NieR Replicant's remaster?
Automata released in 2017 as a new sequel. The original NieR (Replicant/Gestalt) launched in 2010, but its modern remaster, NieR Replicant ver.1.22, did not arrive until 2021. So the sequel got a current-gen release before the origin did.
Is NieR connected to Drakengard?
Yes. NieR started as a Drakengard spin-off. It branches from Drakengard 1's Ending E, in which a dragon crashes into modern Tokyo, an event that seeds the apocalypse underpinning NieR's setting. Both series share director Yoko Taro.
Last updated · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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