This is an early game guide for NieR Replicant (Remake/PS4). We cover things to do during the Boyhood arc, including leveling up and collecting weapons.
Table of Contents
Efficient Early Game Progression
Advance the Story at your Destination
When Part One begins, a red X will appear on the map. An event to advance to the next part of the story will occur at the location of the X. This mechanic remains the same throughout the game until the end, so if you get lost, press the Select button to check the location of the X.
Progress the Story
By progressing through the main story and some quests, you will unlock more things to do in the game. Quests and weapon upgrading, in particular, play an important role in game progression, so you'll want to unlock them early.
List of Unlockable Features
| Unlockable Feature | Effect/Timing |
|---|---|
| Magic | Allows you to use magic attacks Event before the boss fight in the Lost Shrine (Unlocked after clearing each subsequent boss) |
| Quests | You can take on requests from townspeople On the way to the Aerie for the first time |
| Weapon Upgrading | You can level up weapons After giving the Titanium Alloy in the Junk Heap |
| Fishing | Allows you to fish in bodies of water After clearing the Aerie (1st time), talk to the old man by the sea in Seafront |
| Desert Wells | Allows you to shortcut through the desert After clearing the Barren Temple |
| Boar | You can ride boars to travel After clearing the quest "Boar Hunt!" |
| Cultivation | Allows you to grow crops After clearing the quest "Shopping List" |
Buy the Beastbain Early
The "Beastbain," which can be purchased in the protagonist's village, is one of the strongest one-handed swords in the early game. It's powerful enough to be used without upgrades until the end of Part One, so buying it early will make the game much easier. It's expensive at 16,800G, so save up your money before you go to buy it.
Save Money by Farming the Junk Heap
You can accumulate a large number of materials by repeatedly entering the Junk Heap, defeating all the enemies on the 1st floor, and then leaving. You can earn money by selling these materials. This is a recommended way to make money in the early game as you can both gather materials needed for weapon upgrading and level up at the same time.
Things to Do in Part One
| To-Do | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Part One-Exclusive Quests | ★★★ |
| Gathering Animal Materials | ★★・ |
| Collecting Weapons/Words | ★・・ |
Clear the Part One-Exclusive Quests
Most of the quests available in Part One cannot be progressed in Part Two. If you want to achieve 100% quest completion, be sure to clear all Part One quests before proceeding to Part Two.
All Can Be Cleared Before Going to the Manor
All Part One quests become available to accept after clearing the Barren Temple and before going to the Manor. If you proceed with the Manor, Yonah's quests will become unavailable, so it's ideal to finish them before going to the Manor.
Gather Animal Materials
It's also important to gather animal materials during Part One. In Part Two, the number of animals decreases significantly, and some animals will no longer appear. This makes it harder to gather materials, so it's a good idea to collect Scorpion Claws for weapon upgrading.
Materials to Gather in Part One
| Material | Required Amount |
|---|---|
| Scorpion Claw | 10 (Needed for weapon upgrading) |
| Goat Hide | 3 (Needed for a quest) |
Also Get the Trophy for 100 Sheep
If you're aiming for trophy completion, don't forget to defeat 100 sheep. They become extinct in Part Two, so you won't be able to achieve this without starting a new game.
Don't Overdo Weapon Collecting and Upgrading
In Part One, the store-bought "Beastbain" is stronger without upgrades than other partially upgraded weapons, so there's no need to force weapon upgrades. Also, any weapons you miss can be obtained in Part Two, so you can proceed without worry.
Words Can Also Be Reacquired
Words that drop in Part One can also be reacquired in "Tokyo," which becomes accessible during the late-game quest "The Magical Stone." It's more efficient to farm them in Part Two than to farm them in Part One with weaker weapons.
