P-Vock's Music Box: Existentialism, But It's Hot

Hello and welcome to P-Vock's Music Box, the show where I pull a tune from my massive Music Box to help carry you to the weekend. You know, I think everyone is a little too happy. So, let's have an existential crisis, but make it really hot. I believe that is the mindset that Yoko Taro and the team at Square Enix had when they decided to create the NieR series. This series boasts incredible gameplay, incredible-er sadness, depressing lore that makes the player feel like an absolute piece of shit (and you kind of are, depending on how you look at it), wonderful characters with striking designs that are beyond ridiculous, and phenomenal music. Oh yeah, and like every character is made to be impossibly hot if you're into that.

Whether you're talking about the iconic lady 2B, the wholesome boy 9S, the absolute Chad known as NieR, or the hilariously foul-mouthed Kainé, everyone is hot in this series. Everyone also has a great ass which just makes me happy. Even the literal talking book, Grimoire Weiss, is kind of hot if you're into paper cuts (I don't judge). Everyone also represents sheer unending existential depression because the team behind NieR refuses to let you be happy. But we're not here to talk about that, so let's listen to some tunes.

In a previous blog post talking about why I love this stupid medium so much, I alluded to how the true-ending credits gameplay segment to NieR: Automata is one of the coolest things I have ever experienced in this medium. But I can't properly explain that in a mere blog post, and I absolutely cannot do it without spoiling it all and ruining why it is so unexpected and incredible. But what I can do, is drop the music that plays during and hope you enjoy:

I still get chills, and slight tears, every time I hear this absolute gem. I love everything about this: the lyrics just strike a chord with me and manage to be dramatic and philosophical without being too pretentious, the changing instrument keeps it varied and interesting, and it accompanies a moment when you truly realize how powerless you are and begin to ask if your life has any meaning at all because of that fact (Ah, there's the existential crisis I wanted). This version of Weight of the World very much echoes the feeling of playing NieR Automata: After a nice and relaxing build-up that is intentionally kind of mundane, it transitions and envelopes you in a tidal wave of emotion. This is a tune that I would say is so good that it alone makes the game worth playing (though the game itself is also great and this is far from the only banger in this OST). I also have to give it points for having multiple languages within the lyrics because I think that is just neat.

Because this track is so good, it has been covered and remixed more times than I can count. This makes choosing a version to recommend very tough. But I have to go with my heart (the very same one that barely works because the NieR series has shattered it) and recommend this absolutely stellar metal version that I may just love more than the original song.

I think this is another song that just speaks for itself. There is little that I can offer besides saying I love it so much. The NieR music is so beloved that another track from the series was played at the Olympics. By the way, I think now is the perfect to mention that the series is essentially about a post-apocalyptic Earth that was ravaged by a deadly virus, and the tune they played perfect captures that being played at the Olympics that were delayed because of a deadly virus is endlessly funny to me. Joking aside, I hope your weekend is as beautiful as this music, but nowhere near as depressing. I'll see you back here next week with another suggestion from my music box, stay brutal.

P.S. I just can't help myself, if you're interested, here is one more version of this tune. I just love this song so much!