One of the more interesting little aspects of the game is how there are so many different beings that try to find meaning in their lives by pursuing one thing endlessly. Some seek beauty. Others competition. Some serve a mythical 'god' (humanity). Others a king long dead. Some seek revenge. Others truth. Some fight because that is all that they know. Others imagine joy to be the reason to continue existing. None of them are truly content. A few even end themselves.
Some read this as Yoko Taro struggling with valued reasons for living and how so many come up short. However, it has been argued that this is a critique of Japanese work culture, or 'ganbaru!' - the idea that you find satisfaction in life by mastering a single element, or going all-in on all activities. You can notice that there are even critiques of several prominent Western existential philosophers in the game, from Nietszche to Sartre to Pascal.
What Yoko Taro seems to be saying - or so this particular theory goes - is that work to death is not the meaning we should seek in life. Rather, that meaning is found in the struggle, our relationships, and or ability to aid each other in the struggle. This theory also goes into how Yoko Taro keeps getting projects at Square-Enix due to a close relationship with one of the Dragon Quest developers (producer?) who really cares for his work.
But, yeah, it's not that important. I just thought it was an interesting extra little tidbit about the game. The game has so many levels and ideas in it beyond just the possibility of that one.
@mike: I think most people are just going to be happy to see NieR that high. I was. I totally expected it to get dropped entirely or get one of the honorary 7th-10th place spots.
The two games that are starting all the discussion are PUBG and Dream Daddy.
Not as much as seeing Automata that high. The few podcasts I heard this year made it sound like Brad & Jeff were enjoying the game, but maybe not in love with it. I'm glad to see it do so well, even if it still won't make the #1 spot for the website's GOTY. Maybe top 3-5.
viking_funeral's comments