NieR:Automata novel: Differences from other material
Lists about differences between the novel and the game, strategy guide snippets, and concert recitals.
@didrun
Strategy Guide differences
Mostly pertaining to route C. Also I didn't buy the guide so I'm just going off the translations for this, but:
- 9S does not once think about being outmatched by A2. Nothing about her aside from her life and resemblance to 2B was considered.
- He also doesn't think much about Devola and Popola (no mentions about how he would've previously wanted to know more about their past), only "well if you want to atone for your sins then go ahead, I just want to know where A2 is". However he does look at their surviving data after they throw him into the tower because he thought they might've deliberately sent it to the pod as a will.
- Not a change but worthy of note: A2 explicitly decides not to kill Pascal—not because of any sudden compassion, but because of how fluent his speech was and how he lowered his head and steadily waited for her sword to come down, she was filled with an inexplicable restless feeling and couldn't deal the blow. (Then Pascal flies away while she gains disdain for herself for not being able to kill a machine)
- When 9S found out that their black boxes were made from machine cores, he pretty much didn't believe it at all (or forced himself not to instead of being confused) and thought that it was false info made for messing with him. "They're definitely looking at my reaction from somewhere and enjoying it." Despite that he continued opening treasure boxes—not because he had no other paths to take, but (implicitly) because he had doubts deep down and wanted to know more.
- Of course, the scene where he stabs 2B and the core has been dramatically reduced in epicness too.
- 9S showed no signs of infection during his fight with the 2B clones.
- At the end, 9S did not question why everything turned out like this—he was just in too much pain and confusion to think anything but 'it hurts' and 'what's going on'.
Game differences
To come!
Concert differences
Also to come.