Prologue The story of NieR begins in the summer of 2049 in the ruins of an unidentified city. A prolonged snowstorm envelops the region, trapping the few survivors in a gripping cold with little shelter and minimal food. Two who have made it through the onslaught of climate change lie hunkered down in the remains of a grocery store—a man and his daughter or sister, depending on the version of the game. The girl suffers from an uncontrollable cough, while her weary father/brother weighs a fateful decision. A mysterious book lying on the ground between them taunts the man with its power to help. He only needs to hand over his soul to receive the tome's power. A number of monsters known as Shades appear and the father/brother fights them off to protect the girl with the help of the book. After defeating the Shades, the child grows sicker. Act I The story continues some 1,312 years in the future where a man named Nier endures a similar struggle. His only daughter/sister has succumbed to a violent cough and must remain in bed while he searches for a cure. Though much time has passed, the world in which this family resides is, in many ways, one of a simpler time. Villagers live in modest homes and work together to ensure a better life for their community. The entire village knows of young Yonah's illness, and lends their support by hiring Nier for numerous odd jobs and errands. Some would say the work is beneath a man of his caliber, but he holds his head high and does whatever he can to provide for Yonah, all the while hoping that the village's wisest member, Popola, and her twin sister Devola can discover a cure. One day, Yonah leaves to seek out the Lunar Tear flower Nier told her about, and may have gone off in search of the Lost Shrine where Popola told Yonah the flower blossoms. Upon searching the Lost Shrine, Nier stumbles upon a talking book capable of wielding magic, calling itself Grimoire Weiss. The two team up to defeat the army of Shades and two living guardian statues to save Yonah. It is discovered that Yonah is suffering from the Black Scrawl virus, which is linked to the Shades. This partnership with Weiss allows Nier to use magic, and the two begin their quest to search the lands to collect all the Sealed Verses that Nier hopes will give Weiss the power to destroy the darkness and save Yonah. In their search they encounter the hot-tempered, foul-mouthed Kainé, who is herself part-Shade, and a young boy Emil, whose eyes petrify anyone that gazes upon them. Their quest sees many hardships, culminating in Kainé becoming petrified in order to seal a deadly Shade beneath the library, while Yonah is carried away by the master Shade, known as the Shadowlord, who carries his own book, Grimoire Noir.

Prologue The story of NieR begins in the summer of 2049 in the ruins of an unidentified city. A prolonged snowstorm envelops the region, trapping the few survivors in a gripping cold with little shelter and minimal food. Two who have made it through the onslaught of climate change lie hunkered down in the remains of a grocery store—a man and his daughter or sister, depending on the version of the game. The girl suffers from an uncontrollable cough, while her weary father/brother weighs a fateful decision. A mysterious book lying on the ground between them taunts the man with its power to help. He only needs to hand over his soul to receive the tome's power. A number of monsters known as Shades appear and the father/brother fights them off to protect the girl with the help of the book. After defeating the Shades, the child grows sicker. Act I The story continues some 1,312 years in the future where a man named Nier endures a similar struggle. His only daughter/sister has succumbed to a violent cough and must remain in bed while he searches for a cure. Though much time has passed, the world in which this family resides is, in many ways, one of a simpler time. Villagers live in modest homes and work together to ensure a better life for their community. The entire village knows of young Yonah's illness, and lends their support by hiring Nier for numerous odd jobs and errands. Some would say the work is beneath a man of his caliber, but he holds his head high and does whatever he can to provide for Yonah, all the while hoping that the village's wisest member, Popola, and her twin sister Devola can discover a cure. One day, Yonah leaves to seek out the Lunar Tear flower Nier told her about, and may have gone off in search of the Lost Shrine where Popola told Yonah the flower blossoms. Upon searching the Lost Shrine, Nier stumbles upon a talking book capable of wielding magic, calling itself Grimoire Weiss. The two team up to defeat the army of Shades and two living guardian statues to save Yonah. It is discovered that Yonah is suffering from the Black Scrawl virus, which is linked to the Shades. This partnership with Weiss allows Nier to use magic, and the two begin their quest to search the lands to collect all the Sealed Verses that Nier hopes will give Weiss the power to destroy the darkness and save Yonah. In their search they encounter the hot-tempered, foul-mouthed Kainé, who is herself part-Shade, and a young boy Emil, whose eyes petrify anyone that gazes upon them. Their quest sees many hardships, culminating in Kainé becoming petrified in order to seal a deadly Shade beneath the library, while Yonah is carried away by the master Shade, known as the Shadowlord, who carries his own book, Grimoire Noir.