N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure Reviews
A little below the technical standards of this generation, and not so brilliant in terms of puzzles, N.E.R.O. manages to narrate an intimate and devastating tragedy, in a very touching way.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you're interested in an emotionally charged puzzler for less than $20 (before tax), then NERO (Nothing Ever Remains Obscure) could be a solid buy.
I had a good time with N.E.R.O. Sure, some people don't like the "walking simulator" genre in which the game will probably be included, but for me, it felt more like an interactive visual novel with a solid narrative that kept me interested from start to finish. After doing my N.E.RO.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure review, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you buy this PlayStation 4 release.
N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure is a walking simulator that's stuck somewhere in the middle of the road. It hides plenty of secrets, the atmosphere is also there, but the technical issues and unnecessary simplicity drag the title down.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
N.E.R.O. fails at generating an exciting or mentally challenging experience, but it really doesn't try to. This visually stunning title places a great emphasis on its narrative, which is both uplifting and devastating – you'll be thinking about this one for a long time afterwards.
As a story-focused first-person adventure game, NERO is quite remarkable. It's surreal, heartfelt, bittersweet, and thought-provoking, and that should have been more than enough to carry it without the need for shoehorned-in "gameplay". As it is, it's a very good game, but it would have been so much better if it hadn't tried so hard to avoid the "walking simulator" criticism and just ran with its strengths.
N.E.R.O. relies on philosophical lessons in order to create its story, but in terms of gameplay it feels too clumsy and simple.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NERO is not fun. NERO might have a powerful story. NERO might look pretty. But NERO is not fun. Nor enjoyable. Or engaging. Or really anything that may have driven me to want to keep playing. The only thing that kept me playing was the review, because dammit I'm a games writer and that's what I do. For its few successes in deep storytelling and pretty visuals, it fails to come together in any meaningful way. Less interactive than a game. Slower to consume than a book. Not as visual as a movie. NERO takes storytelling's greatest mediums and takes away the reasons you would use each particular canvas to tell a story. The result is a slow technical mess that has something deep to say but doesn't know how to say it.
A visually beguiling though relaxing explorative adventure, N.E.R.O fails to properly capitalise on its unique setting as its simple puzzles, brief duration, and lack of replayability ultimately damages its long-term appeal.
N.E.R.O is a short game that can be completed in a handful of hours, but there is a lot more to the game than meets the eye. The game is well worth your time and I was very happy that I got a chance to do this N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure review because this is a great game you have to play on PlayStation 4.
N.E.R.O. intrigues as an interactive visual novel, but it fails in its attempts to be a game. The puzzles here are laughably easy, and they subsequently get in the way of the storytelling. There are some beautiful cutscenes and an interesting story here, but they're too often impeded by unenjoyable gameplay.
N.E.R.O: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure isn't your typical game but is instead an experience worthy of your time, provided you've got a bit of maturity about you. The story is excellent, if a little predicatable, and it moves along nicely thanks to the expertly deployed music, creepy yet fantastical world, and strong controls that keep you in the moment. The only real downside I can think of is that its running time is just a couple hours too short for my greedy self.
N.E.R.O is a beautiful game, but it lacks puzzle depth and the story will not be for everyone. That is not to say it isn’t good. It just won’t hit all the right notes with everyone.
N.E.R.O. has the potential to be very deep if you can connect with it and fully understand it.
The story-telling in this game is actually really beautiful, and it'll always hold a special place in my heart (it'll also always remind me that a great story doesn't always really have to have a happy ending. Rather, a great story is when everything said would make sense, and that everything in it would teach you a lesson after the story's been done). Although some may have a lot more questions as to what happened to this part, of if that part really ended that way, it seems to me that the game has proven its point, and that it succeeded in delivering on what it intended to deliver.
Nero should be experienced, but never under these circumstances.
Nero calls itself an interactive story, and does fine by itself with the story aspect, however interaction is sorely lacking. Nero is an ambitious project and an obvious labour of love, and may be a worthwhile purchase for any gamer with a taste for story and mature subject matter, but be prepared for painfully dull puzzles and a few other blunders.
A few interesting puzzles can't save Nero from being an overwritten, mawkish plod that runs so poorly on the Xbox One it's tough to play without feeling sick.