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NieR: Automata's captivating narrative unfolds across three distinct playthroughs. While the first two playthroughs share some overlapping content, the third playthrough unveils a significant amount of additional story elements, even after the initial credits roll. To fully experience the game, you'll need to complete these three main playthroughs and explore multiple endings, each requiring specific actions and character selections. Here's an introduction to the three playable characters and guidance on how to switch between them.
All Playable Characters In NieR: Automata
The narrative of NieR: Automata centers on three key characters: 2B, 9S, and A2. 2B and 9S, partners in the story, will be your main focus during the initial playthroughs, though the time spent with each can vary based on your engagement with the game. Each character brings a unique combat style to the table, providing a fresh gameplay experience even with the same plug-in chips equipped across playthroughs. While 2B, 9S, and A2 are all playable at different points, transitioning between them isn't always immediate.
How To Switch Characters In NieR: Automata
During your first playthrough, character switching is not available at will. The sequence of character play is as follows:
- Playthrough 1 - 2B
- Playthrough 2 - 9S
- Playthrough 3 - 2B/9S/A2, with the game dictating when you switch between characters.
Upon completing one of the main endings, you'll unlock Chapter Select mode, allowing you to choose your character. This mode lets you jump to any of the game's 17 chapters. The numbers on the right side of the screen in these chapters indicate completed or incomplete side quests. If a character has any numbers in a particular chapter, you can replay that chapter as that character.
In later chapters, especially during the third playthrough, certain segments are restricted to specific characters, and this cannot be altered. Through Chapter Select, you can freely change characters, but you must also adjust your position in the story to where that character was playable in the main narrative. Importantly, progress made in Chapter Select mode will carry over if you save before switching chapters, enabling you to level up all three characters' shared levels as you aim for the maximum level.
