NieR: Automata takes place in a desolate wasteland in which only a few living organisms dwell. Following the stories of 9S and 2B, it is up to the player to see how their journey unfolds. If one wishes, one can explore the game's more optional content while taking a break from the main plot, but not all side quests are as important as others.

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Completing NieR: Automata without engaging in side activities will not affect the ending whatsoever, but certain missions will offer some much-needed information about the game's world. For those who want to experience everything NieR has to offer, these side quests should be sought out.

10 YoRHa Betrayers

The "YoRHa Betrayers" mission becomes available after the events of the flooded section of the city where 2B and 9S defeat the Goliath. It tasks the two protagonists with tracking a group of rogue androids and putting a stop to their treasonous ways.

At this point in the game, the player will likely see nothing wrong with YoRHa's agenda and follow its command without question. Each encounter with the betrayers, however, will encourage the player to question the council's goals. The androids know something important, but they never get the chance to explain what.

9 Terminal Repairs

Upon fixing the Access Point inside the cave, 2B will receive a call from 6O asking her to rid a nearby vending machine of the machines attacking it. It is a relatively easy mission to complete and will need to be done if the player hopes to utilize fast travel throughout their playthrough.

What's most interesting about this quest is the way 6O responds to its completion. She thanks 2B for her service before revealing her envious ways. She is jealous of 2B for being able to explore the planet while she is forced to remain at the base. Though this may not seem too important at first, it offers some vital insight into how YoRHa treats its members.

8 11B's Memento

The "11B's Memento" side quest becomes available after defeating the Goliath. It requires 2B to venture to the Bunker and interact with 16D, an android who cares deeply for 11B and asks for her belongings to be returned to the base.

Once the quest is accepted, 2B will venture to the factory by the City Ruins and stumble upon 11B's corpse. While searching her body, she learns that 11B had betrayed YoRHa and planned to flee. 2B can either lie to 16D about 11B's pursuits or tell her the truth, with the latter offering a far more interesting conversation.

7 The Wandering Couple

"The Wandering Couple" side quest unlocks after unlocking the Machine Trade main quest. To begin it, 2B must venture to the Machine Village and approach the two androids lurking on the ground level below. Each quest offered by the couple requires certain items to be found and given to them for them to maintain their bodies.

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2B and 9S will need to do several jobs for the Wandering Couple to fully complete the quest, but the end result of this effort isn't as happy as one would hope. Though the main quest attempts to humanize androids, the final moments of "The Wandering Couple" reveal exactly how robotic androids are.

6 Retrieve The Confidential Intel

The "Retrieve the Confidential Intel" mission becomes available after completing the Assault mission from the main story. 2B and 9S will happen upon an android in the Resistance Camp who will ask them to collect three plug-in chips.

After returning with all three, the Resistance Member will thank the androids and offer to introduce his family to them the next time they meet. It is later revealed that the Resistance Member was using these chips to construct his family, leading 2B and 9S to question his sanity.

5 Play With Us!

The "Play With Us!" side quest becomes available after completing the Maintenance mission during the third playthrough while playing as A2. A2 despises anything machine-related, but this side quest sees her opening up and somewhat changing her opinion.

The quest will begin after conversing with a group of children at the Machine Village. They ask A2 to retrieve five Toy Materials for them to play with. Though A2 is reluctant at first, she decides to help them on their quest. By the end of the mission, she begins to wonder if her hatred of machines is justified.

4 Storage Element

Like the "Play With Us!" mission, "Storage Element" unlocks during the third playthrough after completing the Maintenance quest. A child in the Machine Village is sick, and though Pascal knows A2 isn't fond of their kind, he asks her for a favor.

A2 will need to explore the Abandoned Factory in search of a Storage Unit if she hopes to save the child machine. Once found, it can be returned to Pascal, who thanks A2, even though he knows she has little interest in preserving machine life.

3 Animal Care

For those curious about if a machine can truly feel emotion, the "Animal Care" quest is the closest thing to an answer the game offers. It becomes available if 2B spared the Animal-loving Machine's boar during their time in the Forest Zone.

A moose belonging to the Animal-loving Machine has become sick, so 2B must set out in search of the correct means to cure it. After locating a toothbrush and a Medical Journal at the shopping complex and returning to the Forest zone, the Animal-loving machine will thank 2B for her help and reveal the reason he cares so deeply for his animals.

2 Amnesia

The "Amnesia" side quest can only be pursued during the second playthrough, where the player takes control of 9S. It becomes available upon exploring the Deep Cave and can only be activated by conversing with a Resistance Member west of the Resistance Camp.

9S will be asked by the Resistance Member to investigate the death of her friend. She has lost her memories as a result of being struck by a shockwave and wants nothing more than to uncover what befell her comrade. Upon regaining her memories, however, she reveals that she is a YoRHa E-Type whose sole purpose is to execute traitors. 9S asks 2B about the designation after completing the mission, but 2B insists that "Some things are better left unknown."

1 Emil's Memories

Those familiar with Emil from the previous game may be disappointed by how little he references his time with Nier and Kainé, but thankfully, the "Emil's Memories" side quest exists to remedy this. After completing the Forest Kingdom segment, the player will be able to find Emil admiring a Lunar Tear by the commercial facility and begin the quest.

2B and 9S will need to scavenge the entire map in search of four other Lunar Tears to help restore Emil's lost memories. Upon doing so, he will reveal what he got up to after the events of NieR, permitting the player a chance to understand his story more deeply.

Nier: Automata is available now on PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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