NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition Port Report – The Best PC Version?

Conclusion – The best PC version of NieR: Automata

NieR Automata’s BECOME AS GODS Edition for PC is a gamechanger. No longer will PC gamers be forced to mod the game to achieve what should be standard functions.

Before adding NieR Automata to Xbox Game Pass for PC, Microsoft, Square Enix and QLOC addressed the game’s major issues on PC, its stutters, resolution issues and other performance issues. Sadly, this is a port and not a remaster, so many of the issues present in the original PC/console versions remain.

As it stands, the Microsoft Store/Xbox Game Pass for PC version of NieR: Automata is the best download and play version of NieR Automata on the market, but that does not mean that the game’s BECOME AS GODS Edition is perfect. 

Lingering issues

The BECOME AS GODS Edition of NieR Automata is a port, not a remaster, so the game’s visuals are still marred by low-resolution textures and low-resolution framerate (900p/30FPS) cutscenes. While distracting, these issues are present within all versions of NieR Automata and are not something that we expected to be addressed with a surprise PC port of the game. 

Like the original PC version of NieR Automata, the game’s framerate is capped at 59 FPS, which means that NieR Automata is not playable at higher framerates for those with compatible monitors. While this is not ideal, it is an acceptable issue. The BECOME AS GODS Edition of NieR Automata on PC has addressed some of the original PC version’s stuttering issues. 

We have also noted that NieR Automata’s Anti-Aliasing and Ambient Occlusion settings are incompatible, causing jarring draw-in transitions as new LODs load for the game. This issue is present within the original PC version of NieR Automata, and it has not been fixed for this new release of the game on Xbox Game Pass. 
  

  
Performance

Even today, NieR Automata is a demanding PC title. There’s a reason why the original Steam version of the game has mods that are designed to lower graphical settings to enable higher performance levels. Sadly, we did not have the time to test this new version of NieR Automata with existing mods, though we would doubt that any of them would work as this is a new version of NieR Automata, not an updated version. 

Those who are playing NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition on PC should first lower the game’s anti-aliasing if they want to increase the game’s framerate. This is the fastest and easiest way to give the game more GPU headroom. If using the game’s Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) options, you should disable the game’s Ambient Occlusion setting to create less jarring LOD transition effects.  

Square Enix needs to update the Steam version

The only reason that NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition is good is because the Steam version is bad. Most PC gamers will agree that the Steam version of NieR Automata requires mods to work properly. 

NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition gets the basics right, and while the game is far from perfect on PC, it is workable, and that is good enough for PC gamers. The original PC version of NieR: Automata was not good enough for Xbox Game Pass for PC, and Square Enix should be ashamed of that. 

What’s more damning for Square Enix is that they have not updated the Steam version to address the game’s longstanding issues on PC. A better version of NieR Automata is available on PC, and Square Enix should give NieR Automata’s Steam users access to it. There is no excuse for the PC version of a 2017 game lacking basic features like proper resolution support. 

Final Thoughts

What’s good about NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition is that it provides PC gamers with a great download-to-gaming experience. Nobody wants to download a new game to find out that it doesn’t offer support for basic PC features. Yes, mods can address these issues, but gamers should not have to do that kind of work to get basic features from such a recent PC release. 

NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition gets the basics right, but that does not mean that this version of NieR: Automata is perfect. As we have previously mentioned in this report, several bugs from the game’s original PC version remain. As it stands, NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition is the best download-and-play version of NieR Automata on PC, but that doesn’t mean that this version of the game is perfect. 

Right now, modding the Steam version of NieR Automata delivers the best PC possible PC experience, but those who are not looking to mod the game will have a good experience with Xbox Game Pass, assuming that they avoid mixing MSAA with Ambient Occlusion. 

You can join the discussion on NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition on the OC3D Forums.