Guide: 5 NieR: Automata Questions You May Need Answering

NieR: Automata doesn't care for convention in the slightest. Yoko Taro's madcap action RPG actively does its best to defy expectations, but that means that it can be confusing at times. Because we're lovely folks who just can't resist helping you out, we've put together a list of some of the most commonly asked questions you may have about the Platinum Games developed adventure. This is going to be as spoiler-free as we can possibly make it, but do be aware that we're going to have to reveal some things about the release in order to answer you queries.

How do you save in NieR: Automata?

There is no auto-save in NieR: Automata. We repeat: there is no auto-save in NieR: Automata. You need to get into the habit of saving regularly, otherwise you're going to lose a lot of progress – especially given the fact that the game has a penchant of stopping abruptly if you make the wrong kind of move. To save, simply approach an Access Point on the map and push the circle button. This will give you the Quick Save option. You can also Quick Save when you're in the general vicinity of an Access Point by pushing the right-side of the touchpad and selecting the option in your menu.

Access Points in the open world aren't unlocked by default, as you'll usually find them cordoned off and under attack by machines. Simply kill your robotic enemies to unlock the Access Points and open up a new fast-travel and save point.

How do you fast travel in NieR: Automata?

Firstly, we can confirm that you can fast travel in NieR: Automata, but you need to have reached a certain part in the story – it's after you encounter two humanoid characters, let's say. Beyond this point you'll be able to travel between Access Points that you've unlocked in the world. Refer to 'How to save in NieR: Automata' for more information on how this all works.

How do you open NieR: Automata's locked chests?

A very good question. You may have encountered dozens of locked chests around NieR: Automata's open world that you can't interact with as 2B. These may come in useful after you've completed the game for the first time, so just sit tight and wait until you're on your second playthrough. Everything will be revealed.

Where can you find Machine Cores in NieR: Automata?

Machine Cores are super valuable crafting materials in NieR: Automata that can be exchanged for money. You'll find one quite early on when you kill the Goliath Tank in Amusement Park, but they'll become much more common with multiple playthroughs. If you want to increase the likelihood of these dropping when you kill an enemy ensure that you have the right chips attached to your POD, as some enhance the likelihood of you getting good item drops when you defeat an enemy.

How do you increase Pod chips capacity in NieR: Automata?

If you're playing NieR: Automata then you may have noticed that you can attach different chips to your Pod in order to reap gameplay bonuses. However, by default you won't have much space to attach your chips. So how do you increase the capacity of your Pod?

Well, it actually took us a little time to figure this one out, but if you head to The Bunker and go up the Terminal elevator, you'll find a vendor who'll sell you Pod programs and more storage space for chips. They're quite expensive so you may need to return on later playthroughs to be able to afford a full inventory, but the first few upgrades don't cost much so you should at the very least be able to give yourself a little extra space to play with early on.