Cavia's 
Nier,  often touted in previews as being a spiritual successor to the 
Drakengard  series, hits stores April 27 here and April 22 over in Japan. 
Weekly  Famitsu published the first review of the Square Enix-published  title today, and evidently somebody on the staff really likes dark  fantasy and talking tomes of magic, because it earned one 10 and three  8's for a total of 34 points and a Gold award.  This, despite the fact that "the story is a lot less twisted than you'd  expect," as one reviewer put it. "It's more of a standard sort of drama  and you'll get into it that way." Another writer was harsher still on  the gameplay: "It's a nice enough action game -- simple, no needless  frills, lots of volume to it -- but it's just like the rest of the pack.  I also didn't see much purpose to the weapon customization and optional  quests, which is a shame." (Still, that editor joined others in  praising the soundtrack -- " a cut above, mixing well with the story's  combination of tranquility and insanity.") 
 As the editor who gave out the 10 score noted, though, Nier's real charm  comes in unlocking the whole story, like it was with Drakengard. "My  first impression was that the controls are comfortable, your companions  both eccentric and deeply portrayed, and the story packed with elements  of parody," he wrote. "I thought it all mixed together into a very  quaint and charming package. That was all blown away once I viewed all  of the endings -- you definitely want to see them for yourself; nothing  like it's been done in gaming."