NieR: Automata Part #79 - Episode LXXVII: Look My Way

Part 79: Episode LXXVII: Look My Way

Episode LXXVII: Look My Way

I’m going to be really disappointed when those curtains open and it’s not another one night only machine lifeform production of a Shakespeare play.

“Laaaaaa. Laaaaaaaaaaaaa...”

“LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

Music: A Beautiful Song

What the hell?
Our records don’t say anything about a machine like this!
Actually, I have an intel file on this machine already in my archives.
What? Oh... Huh... That’s strange. Now that I look, me too. This unit is called “Simone,” huh?
Mine lists it as “Beauvoir.”
...That’s weird.
Hahahahahaha!

So right off the bat, we have a bit of an issue with Simone this go around as 9S: she cannot be hacked. At least not initially. Hacking is sort of 9S’s bread and butter, so this is awkward. Especially since Simone has been buffed to our level for this fight.

As such, 9S will have to spend most of the early part of this battle chipping away at the mechanical opera singer with Pod fire and Pod Programs. Melee is an option as well. But 9S’s attacks are so slow to come out that at best he can muster maybe a single swipe before having to pull back to avoid further attacks. There’s nothing new here mechanically. It’s all the same business we saw with 2B.

Luckily, we only need to bring Simone down to 80% health to move on to the next phase. Once Simone is sufficiently damaged, she’ll retreat to the stage and unleash an unavoidable hacking attack across the battlefield.

Music: A Beautiful Song (Chiptune)

Boy, remember the first time we encountered hacking ages ago? Who’d have thought this mini-game would be less a boss fight novelty and more one of the primary gameplay elements a dozen hours down the road. Once 9S blazes through this quaint original hacking challenge, we’re treated to something a touch different from 2B’s experience...

Music: ENDS

Adding lots of adornments will make me beautiful.

If we take hacking damage, it’ll affect our bodies as well! Good thing that was some beginner level stuff, right 2B?
<sparks and starts convulsing>
Oh... Right. You don’t do hacking...

Music: A Beautiful Song

Pod... I don’t suppose those android black box signals are further in the area?
Negative.
<sucks teeth> They’re all in this room, aren’t they?
Affirmative.
Oh boy...

On to Phase 2 of the battle we go as Simone takes a breather and touches up her makeup backstage.

Actually, I think their bodies have been turned into weapons as they are trapped in a perpetual state of unlife against their will.
...Can machines do that?
I... guess so...? We should DEFINITELY report this one in, regardless.
All right. This ends now!
Wait, 2B! They’re still ali—
<begins slashing enthralled androids into bits and opening fire with her Pod>
Never mind...

This is a running down the clock phase of this fight taking on countless entrapped androids as they fire out hacking beams. Since they’re all still Level 1 enemies, Pod’s fire being even in the general vicinity of one of the androids will blow it to bits. But more will just pop up in their place until a minute or so has passed. 9S can counter-hack the androids but all that accomplishes is destroying them much slower. So meh...

After a minute does pass, Simone decides to grace us with her presence again and...

I’m going to try to hack it back. Keep it busy!

You got it!

Music: A Beautiful Song (Chiptune)

Simone will busy herself focusing on 2B, giving 9S ample time to perform a quick counter-hack and treat us to another scene as soon as he’s successful...

Music: ENDS

I’ve accentuated my beauty with parts of my machine friends. I’m more beautiful than ever now. So? Will you tell me you love me?

Music: A Beautiful Song

I somehow don’t think Simone’s story is going to end well considering she was trying to gain Jean-Paul’s affection and that guy is a fucking asshole and I doubt he was much better whenever these flashbacks took place.

All that’s left to do now is to finish off Simone. Hacking proves to be a bit more difficult to pull off with Simone resorting to a lot of room filling attacks or strikes that require jumping over to avoid damage. But hacking is also the quickest way to end this fight since 2-3 more successful hacks will bring her down for good.

Music: ENDS

Music: Amusement Park (Quiet)

Do these clothes make me look cute?
Would he like it if I walked like this?

I still don’t understand what it means to love someone.
But I’ve made up my mind.

I will do whatever it takes to capture his affection.

Long ago, an old machine lifeform told me something:
“Beauty is what wins love.”

But what is “beauty”?
After researching the old world, I finally learned the truth.
Beauty is pretty skin.
Beauty is stylish accessories.
Beauty is looking one’s best.

I will become beautiful. I will do it for him.

I once heard tell of a precious jewel far to the east.
It was said to be located on a terribly dangerous mountain.
But I did not care.

I slipped on cliffs. I fell on rocks. But eventually I claimed the jewel.

Blue stone. Brilliant blue. So beautiful.

I lost many parts obtaining this jewel. I lost... myself.

But my wounds are badges.

There’s a rumor floating among the other machines lifeforms lately:
“Devour the body of an android to gain eternal beauty.”

Such nonsense.
It is physically impossible to obtain beauty by consuming an android.

But I tried anyway.
I would try anything.
I wanted to vomit, but I kept going.
It tasted like oil.

Not a moment passed where I didn’t strive to become more beautiful.
But he still won’t look my way.

I even tried to learn what is called a “song.”
Songs can make someone have feelings for you.
That’s what they say.
So I practiced every day.
But he still won’t look my way.

I ate more androids. I even ate machine lifeforms.
But he still won’t look my way.

That’s when I realized he cares not for jewels.
Or songs or beauty or appearance or anything else.
I cannot win his love.

Why have I done this to myself?

Meaningless.
Meaningless.
MEANINGLESS.

I gaze into the mirror. In its reflection, I see only my own meaninglessness. And so I scream.