Ecodystopian Narratives and Mechanics in NieR: Automata

In recent decades, dystopian narratives have become established as a conventional resource for video game designers. Similarly, many stories revolve around representations of natural environments suffering from ecological crises. This study explores the intersection between dystopia and environmentalist discourses, which elucidates the worst possible scenarios as a consequence of passivity in the face of environmental problems. Specifically, the study aims to analyse how a contemporary Asian video game, NieR: Automata (Platinum Games, 2017), uses its narrative and mechanics to convey environmentalist concerns. This study examines how the virtual-world representation conveys the human conflict between nature’s destruction and technological development. This perspective is achieved through the game’s artistic style, scenario design, plot, rules, and user experience. Moreover, it evaluates how game mechanics are used to decentralise and deconstruct a player’s role, thereby increasing the relevance of the environment. The lack of control over the camera and the switch between playable characters, along with different interactions and variations in the virtual world, place the focus on ecology, making it the chief character in the narrative. These features make this title a contemporary icon of the reach of video games that inspire awareness and involvement in the environment.