Playthrough B

Lore & Background

In this timeline, the veil over the war's true nature is lifted. While the first playthrough treated the conflict as a straightforward proxy war between alien-created Machines and human-crafted androids, Playthrough B exposes the truth that humanity was extinct long before the alien invasion. This revelation recontextualizes every battle and every sacrifice, highlighting the tragic cycle that binds both YoRHa androids and their Machine enemies. The world itself remembers. NPCs in major settlements acknowledge previous encounters with 2B, offering new dialogue options that hint at the consequences of earlier choices. Environmental storytelling becomes more prominent, showing how the destruction caused by the logic virus and the Machine conflict has scarred the land permanently. This persistence of memory underscores the theme that actions have lasting repercussions across time. Ultimately, Playthrough B challenges the player to confront the nature of sacrifice. The truth about YoRHa's purpose and 9S's recurring discoveries becomes undeniable. The narrative pushes toward a climax where the protagonist must decide whether to break the cycle or perpetuate it, setting the stage for the final endings that question the very definition of humanity.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled through the skeletal remains of the City Ruins, carrying dust that tasted like old ash. 9S stood before the Bunker's holographic displays again, but this time, the silence felt heavier. The data streams on the screen seemed to stretch longer than they had during his first visit. 2B leaned against a nearby console, her white hair stark against the dark interior. "You remember," she said softly, not turning her head. "It changes things when you know what's waiting inside." 9S gripped his scanner tighter, feeling the weight of memories that didn't belong to him. The world had shifted beneath his feet; he was no longer just fighting for YoRHa, but for understanding.

Reader's Guide

To begin this journey, players must first complete the initial playthrough and achieve Ending A. Upon restarting the game for Playthrough B, the world retains memories of previous actions; NPCs will reference past encounters, and certain areas may be altered by prior choices made during the first run. This second iteration focuses heavily on uncovering hidden truths regarding the Machine Network and the fate of humanity that were previously obscured from 2B's perspective. Key progression involves revisiting major hubs like the Resistance Camp and Pascal's Village with new dialogue options available due to accumulated knowledge. The primary objective remains defeating the Machines, but the context shifts significantly as 9S discovers the glitch in YoRHa's servers when syncing himself and 2B, learning humanity was extinct long before the alien invasion. Players will encounter different enemy placements and witness environmental storytelling that explains why certain characters behave strangely in this timeline. To unlock Ending B specifically, players must navigate the final confrontation with Eve differently than before. This often requires accepting specific narrative outcomes regarding 9S's infection with the logic virus and 2B's subsequent actions. Unlike the first run, choices here carry heavier emotional weight and alter the game's conclusion permanently for that save file. Completing this path is mandatory to access subsequent endings in later playthroughs, making it a pivotal bridge between surface-level adventure and deep existential mystery involving the cycle of life and death across timelines.

Did You Know?

• Playthrough B follows the perspective of 9S, a male 'scanner' reconnaissance android who displays more emotion than other YoRHa units.
• During this playthrough, 9S discovers a glitch in YoRHa's servers when syncing himself and 2B, learning humanity was extinct long before the alien invasion.
• The story is set in 11945 AD, thousands of years after the original Nier game's events.
• 9S becomes infected with Eve's logic virus during the final confrontation, forcing 2B to kill him, though his consciousness survives within the local Machine Network.
• The game has 26 different endings total, with five main endings lettered A to E and 21 additional endings lettered F through Z.