NieR: Automata - Systems
The systems that carry NieR: Automata: the route structure that replays the war from three sides, the weapon set swapping and Pod programs that drive combat, the plug-in chip economy that replaces conventional armour and accessories, and the death and recovery loop. Most of the game's build depth si...
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· updated 2026-09-15
| Name | Type | Description | Cost | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route Structure (A to E) | Narrative System | The campaign is not one playthrough. Route A runs as 2B, route B replays the same events as 9S with hacking and new scenes, route C switches to A2 and forks into the C and D endings, and route E is the epilogue that unlocks after either branch. | Included in the campaign | Clear route A to unlock route B, and so on |
| Weapon Sets and Switching | Combat System | Each character carries two sets, and each set holds one light slot and one heavy slot. | None | Second weapon set unlocked early in route A |
| Plug-in Chip System | Progression System | Every passive effect in the game is a chip installed into a fixed memory pool, and each chip's cost eats into that pool. | Memory pool capacity, raised by levelling | Chip terminal in the Bunker |
| Chip Fusion and Upgrading | Crafting System | Two chips of the same type can be fused into a higher rank, which raises the effect and lowers the memory cost. | Two duplicate chips plus a gold fee | Chip fusion unlocked at the Bunker terminal |
| Pod Programs | Combat System | Pods fire a continuous machine gun stream and can equip up to three programs at a time. | Program cooldowns | Pod acquired at the start of route A |
| Hacking | Combat System | 9S's signature ability: intruding into a machine opens a top-down shooter sequence inside its network, and destroying the core ends the target outright. | None | Route B onward |
| Berserk Mode | Combat System | A2's unique state, toggled on and off in combat. | Continuous health drain | Route C onward |
| Death and Corpse Recovery | Progression System | Dying leaves the character's body at the death site with the equipped chips and unspent experience attached. | One recovery attempt per death | None |
| Difficulty and Auto Chips | Accessibility System | Four difficulty levels run from Easy to Very Hard, and Easy exposes auto-attack, auto-evade, auto-shoot and auto-use chips. | Chip memory if the assist chips are equipped | None |
| Flight Unit Sections | Mode Switch | The campaign periodically hands the player a YoRHa flight unit and switches to a shooter-style sequence with its own movement and lock-on. | None | Story gated |
| Fast Travel Terminals | Traversal System | Access terminals in each major area unlock point-to-point travel across the map for a small gold fee. | Small gold fee per trip | Terminal access in each area, unlocked by visiting it |
| Side Quests and Missables | Quest System | Optional quests carry most of the game's machine-society writing, and a number of them are tied to route progress: advancing the story can lock a quest out permanently. | None | Quest availability varies by route and chapter |
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