NieR: Automata released in 2017 and it was the follow-up to NieR from 2010. The game was positively received by fans and critics alike, particularly for its story and underlying themes, and NieR: Automata went on to win multiple awards. The franchise already had a firm fan-following, but this community grew exponentially after the release of Automata.
Unsurprisingly, after such a successful release, PlatinumGames has decided to continue adding to the franchise and announced that NieR Replicant is in development, a remaster of the original NieR that will give western audiences the Japanese version of the game. Of course, if anyone can't wait that long to delve back into the world of NieR, they can always experience new ways of playing by adding mods to the PC version, and there are definitely some great mods out there.
10 The Master Sword Mod
If anyone happens to be a fan of The Legend of Zelda then it may be interesting to know that players can add the Master Sword into NieR: Automata, replacing the model for the Virtuous Contract sword with the legendary weapon of Hyrule with this particular mod. This model of the Master Sword is taken from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
If anyone likes the idea of taking weapons from other game franchises and inserting them into Automata, there is also a mod for Zero's Blade from Drakengard 3, a mod for the Red Queen sword from Devil May Cry 5, as well as others.
9 Petrarca's Pods
Both 2B and 9S have their own "Pod", a floating robot that accompanies them and helps them in battle or enables them to move around the map more easily, with upgrades being available to increase its usefulness. Additionally, the game has several Pod skins that players can collect, as well as others available as DLC, allowing players to change the look of their Pod.
Petrarca's Pods mod allows players to change up their Pods look with a taste of two other fan-favorite franchises, firstly being able to change it into Wheatley from Portal 2, or swapping it out for the Normandy ship from the Mass Effect franchise.
8 2B Player Model Replacement
In Automata, players mainly take control of android 2B, a character that quickly became a fan favorite. However, if anyone feels like a change and want to adventure as someone else, then the 2B Player Model Replacement mod offers players the chance to step into the shoes of other characters.
Fans were particularly taken with the character of the YorHa Commander, and this mod makes her one of the available choices, as well as Adam, Eve, Devola, Popola, and many more. However, it's worth noting that although the character models change, the voice and animations will remain unchanged.
7 NieR Reincarnation Pod Mod
Fans were delighted to hear that another NieR title was on the way, not just NieR Replicant, but also NieR: Reincarnation that will be a future mobile title. Footage of the game shows a small young girl as the protagonist, who is accompanied by a ghost.
If players want to share in the excitement for this new title, they can give their Automata Pod a new look and make it appear like the ghost from Reincarnation with this mod. The mod refers to the ghost as "Kaine's ghost", as fans mistakenly believed the Reincarnation protagonist to be a younger version of NieR's Kaine, but the game's director Yoko Taro has since dismissed this idea.
6 2B Hook
This particular mod is a collection of multiple mods, most of which fall into the category of game cheats, so it's best used when players have already experienced the game beforehand. This mod offers an easy playthrough by introducing god mode, no fall damage, no enemy damage, companion spawning, item spawning, and lots more.
As well as there being multiple facets of this mod that drastically changes the actual gameplay, this collection also offers some cosmetic changes to the game, such as changing the color of 2B's hair, or the color of the Pod.
5 NA Partial LOD Fix
The NA Partial LOD Fix mod offers players a visual improvement, rather than a performance-based improvement. This mod replaces long-distance and medium-distance levels of detail with the higher poly models of the closer items. This gives the game less of that "items popping into frame" issue and also loads the buildings more seamlessly.
Depending on the PC setup, this mod may actually make the game run worse, as it is more taxing on a computer. But if the system can handle it, it definitely makes the game a lot prettier and more immersive.
4 Vidsquish Cutscene Compressor
One of the main fan complaints of the PC version of NieR: Automata is that the cutscenes can be rather sluggish, as the game has them locked to the same framerate settings as the console versions, which is 30 FPS. It's a particularly frustrating thing to happen when you are trying to enjoy a game and the cutscenes, which are generally the best parts of the game, are ruined by their poor performance.
Fortunately, the Vidquish mod is here to help players out. This mod offers three different levels of compression, two resolution profiles, and an optional increase to 60 FPS, as well as other additional features so that players can find the best customization option for your PC.
3 NAIOM (NieR: Automata Input Overhaul Mod)
When it comes to PC gaming, many players choose to forgo the controller option and prefer the use of the keyboard and mouse partnership. However, when console games are ported to PC they don't always translate well when it comes to changing the controls. The NAIOM (NieR: Automata Input Overhaul Mod) addresses the keyboard and mouse issues present in the current PC version.
Some of the fixes include better camera movement in the third-person perspective, precise sensitivity configuration, raw mouse input without acceleration or smoothing, an optional crosshair aiming mode, and lots more.
2 NieR: Automata HD Texture Pack
NieR: Automata is a good few years old now, and technology advances so quickly that it's unsurprising that the game could do with a bit of a graphics overhaul. Fortunately, this NieR: Automata HD Texture Pack mod is available to give the game a much-needed face-lift.
This mod drastically improves the textures in areas of the game, resulting in a natural-looking improvement that enhances player immersion. However, this mod also requires the FAR mod to be installed for it to work.
1 FAR (Fix Automata Resolution)
As previously mentioned, the FAR (Fix Automata Resolution) mod is required for the HD Texture pack mod, but it's also an essential mod by itself too. This mod offers some much-needed fixes to the PC version of NieR: Automata, including the fullscreen issue and cutscene stuttering, as well as optimizing the games in other areas such as the frame limiter.
Additionally, this mod disables the anti-aliasing setting, as this is particularly taxing for most hardware, and instead offers Ambient Occlusion. This mod has a wide range of tweaks, fixes, and improvements available for players, so it's well worth checking out.