 The regular combat was reviewed as solid , if not exceptional , and the sidequests were seen as repetitive , with Quillen saying that " the side quests in Nier are about as numerous as they are totally mindless , " VanOrd calling them " a series of monotonous events , often connected only by long stretches of nothing , " and a Famitsu reviewer saying that they " didn 't see much purpose " to them . Clements said that the combat had " a fair amount of satisfaction " , though players should " not expect anything too extraordinary " , and Kolan termed the combat as " moderately deep " . Critics gave a generally positive review to the plot and characters ; VanOrd liked most of the characters but thought Nier was bland and the story " soggy " , while Schiesel called the story " provocative " and " profound " , saying that it " succeeds at fostering an emotional investment in its characters and in its world " . Quillen said that the plot " takes some fascinating and truly original turns " and that Nier has " a supporting cast of genuinely interesting folks , " and Schilling said that the story made the game " difficult to dislike " . The Famitsu reviewer that viewed the game the most favorably said that he was " blown away " by the multiple endings , and that " nothing like it 's been done in gaming " . 
