Complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding ending. There are a total of 26 endings, with endings A-E being the normal endings and endings F-Z the comical endings.
Ending A: One Battle Ends: Successfully complete the game.
Ending B: Or Not To Be: Load the save date after getting Ending A, then complete the game again.
Ending C: Meaningless Code: Load the save date after getting Ending B. When A2 and 9S confront one another during the final battle during your third playthrough, select A2. Defeat 9S, then traverse the area to reunite with him. Watch the credits play.
Ending D: Childhoods End: Load the save date after getting Ending B. When A2 and 9S confront one another during the final battle during your third playthrough, select 9S. Defeat A2, then select "I'll go with you" in the text section. Watch the credits play.
Ending E: End Of Yorha: This is a continuation of Ending C or D. When A2 and 9S confront one another, select 9S or A2. Complete the battle and watch the credits play. Select "Yes" for all the questions that appear, then complete the credits mini-game.
Ending F: Mission Failed: During the second playthrough, hack the machine with attack units and wait until the time runs out.
Ending G: Hungry For Knowledge: Get Ending A and fail the mission when you see 9S arrive at the crane.
Ending H: A Mountain Too High: Abandon the missing to fail the mission when the Goliath is in the city.
Ending I: No I In Team: During the first playthrough, take down the Boss in the Copied City but run from 9S.
Ending J: Bad Judgement: Kill the pastor during Chapter 09-01_3.
Ending K: Aji Wo Kutta: Eat Mackerel fish at the Desert Camp after meeting with Jackass.
Ending L: Lone Wolf: Run from the Sphere boss in Chapter 10-02.
Ending M: Break Time: While playing as A2, do not enter Pascal's Village.
Ending N: No Man's Village: Kill villagers in Pascal's village.
Ending O: Just You And Me: Run away from the final Boss fight during Ending C.
Ending P: Corruption: During the third playthrough, let 2B die while it has the virus.
Ending Q: Questionable Actions: During the third playthrough, lose 2B while playing as 9S.
Ending R: Maverick: Take down friendly robots near Pascal in Chapter 14-05.
Ending S: City Escape: During the third playthrough, run away from Popola and Devola after the tower section begins.
Ending T: Fatal Error: At any point during the game, open your menu and select the "Skills" tab. Select "Plug-in Chips", "Destroy Chip", "Equipped Chip", "OS Chip". Selecting this will display the following warning: "An android's central system. Removal means death." Remove the OS Chip to reboot and view the credits.
Ending U - Debunked: Use the self-destruct command (press L3 + R3) inside the bunker.
Ending V: Reckless Bravery: In Chapter 17-01, fight alongside Popola and Devola.
Ending W: Broken Wings: Die during the first mission of the game (Ace Combat Arcade).
Ending X: Time To Relax: Do not help A2 and 2B meet when they are meeting at the commercial center.
Ending Y: Heady Battle: Make Emil self-destruct during "Emil's Determination".
Ending Z: Overzealous: Save Pascal and kill her.
Debug Mode
Have a save file with all three stories cleared. A confornation message will be displayed letting you know the command to go into the mode upon completion of your 1st A2 playthrough.
Easy "A Scanner's Power" Achievement
This can't be unlocked on your first playthrough as it requires you to be playing as 9S. Whilst playing as 9S your heavy attack (Y, Triangle or by default) is replaced with a hacking minigame. Hold the button to fill up a meter and the hack will be initiated. The aim is then to shoot the black sphere. If you hack friendly machines then you need to select the destroy option for it to count towards the achievement. This is best achieved against the standard smaller machines as they only require one hit to charge the meter and have no additional defences during the miningame. If you happen to miss it you can also purchase the achievement from the Strange Resistance Woman in the Resistance Camp after obtaining Ending C or D for 50,00G.
Easy "Animal Rider" Achievement
Lure an animal with animal bait and then mount it with the action button (B button on the 360 controller) and ride it for five minutes. You can get an item that lets you mount any animal without wasting animal bait later on in case you don't want to waste money getting animal baits.
Easy "Cherish Our Resources" Achievement
This requires the network connection to be on. While playing, you'll see android bodies on the ground. You need to collect 100 of these dead androids to get the achievement. You can find many bodies near bosses in the world, so if you want to focus on getting this achievement I would search near those areas.
Easy "Come Take a Look!" Achievement
Emill eventually appears in the world map riding a scouter. You can tell when he's present by looking at your map, there will be a strange mark that looks like his face. Go to that place and shoot him with your pod to stop him, then you can talk to him and gain access to his shop.
Easy "Desire Without Emotion" Achievement
You can get this with ease during your standard playthrough by defeating strong machines and getting machine cores that can be sold for around 20K each. Fishing also results in good profit if you're lucky.
Easy "Lunar Tear" Achievement
To get the "Lunar Tear" trophy, a Lunar Tear item, and revisit Kaine's house from the original NieR, first unlock the "Emil's Memories" side quest. To start the "Emil's Memories" side quest, successfully complete the main story mission that takes you to the forest. Defeat the Castle boss, then return to Pascal to complete it. Next, find Emil's traveling shop. It is located northwest from the City Ruins: Center, near the Desert zone entrance path. Shoot his car to stop him. Do not worry, as it will not hurt him. After talking to Emil, you will need to interact with a Lunar Tear. Lunar Tears are found throughout the open world. You can find one easily in the Shopping Mall area or the Amusement Park. Cross the long bridge by the City Ruins: Near The Tower marker to enter the Shopping Mall. From the entrance doors, pass under the escalators and look in the overgrown trees. It is on the right side - look for a bright light to find the Lunar Tear. Collect the Lunar Tear to begin the "Emil's Memories" side quest. Emil will appear right behind you and give you the quest. There are five Lunar Tears available to collect. After finding the first one and starting the quest, the rest will appear on your map as large red areas to explore. Search the indicated locations to find all five Lunar Tears:
Shopping Mall: At the entrance, look behind the escalators near the trees.
Forest Zone: It is found in the caves south of the entrance.
Park Ruins: Proceed down the central path of the ruins, then take a right and enter the area with the shop vending machine. It is found in the back-right corner.
Desert: Look for the large rocky hill in the center of the desert zone. There is a narrow cave. Drop into the hole, then navigate to the exit that leads back up and out of the underground. Once you are back up top, long jump to the platforms ahead, staying up high until you reach an alcove with a tree. It is found to the right of the withered tree.
Flooded Coast: Travel south from the Flooded Coast: Coast marker. Look on the very edge (lowest point) to find it on the mud beneath the ruined concrete.
Once you have collected all five flowers, Emil will give you the Elevator Key item that opens a special elevator in the Shopping Mall area. Use the key on the elevator located to the left of the Shopping Mall entrance. The elevator is up a small set of steps, covered with the roots from a huge tree. Take the elevator down to view a secret cutscene with Emil explaining his past and filling in some of the gaps between the original NieR and NieR: Automata. There are Lunar Tears everywhere, and Emil will give you one. The house itself is Kaine's —- her home from the cliffside village in the original NieR.
Easy "Not That I Mind" Achievement
Activate self destruct (LS + RS) while playing as 9S and then heal yourself and play for an hour afterwards. Do not use quick transport and avoid cutscenes and whatnot so 9S won't automatically get his pants back and the achievement will pop up. Better done while farming for materials out of story relevant areas.
Easy "Pod Hunter" Achievement
You can find Pod C in the desert area, shortly after entering the large open sand dunes area. It's sticking out of the ground slightly, so walk up to it and investigate it to grab it. Pod B can be found in the flooded city, you'll need to go fishing in the water in order to obtain it.
Easy "The Minds That Emerged" Achievement
This is obtained at the end of the third playthrough with the special credits screen and it's part of the 5th core ending (Ending E) so don't worry if you don't get it after your first or second playthrough.
Easy "Wait! Don't Kill Me!" Achievement
Kill any ten friendly machine lifeforms. These are the ones with a green lifebar (Like the ones in Pascal's Village or the Amusement Park). Don't worry about them, they'll respawn once you leave and enter the area again.
Easy "What Are You Doing?" Achievement
Move the camera to look up 2B's skirt 10 times. You pervert.
Easy trophies
Unlock the secret trophy shop, then upload your save game file to the cloud or use a USB drive to create a backup save file. Spend all your money on unlocking trophies. Reload your backed up save file to still have the trophies unlocked and all your money back. Buy more trophies. Repeat this until you unlock all trophies.
Easy XP
This XP farming method is only available in the second playthrough. First, go to Emil's Shop (near the Desert Zone entrance from City Ruins: Center) and purchase the +3 XP Plug-In Chips. Equip these before farming to earn more XP and level up faster. Go to the Amusement Part (9S Story). Hack the large friendly robot (wearing a top hat) in the fountain square at the Amusement Park entrance. Select "Remote Control" after a successful hack. Clear out all the smaller enemies in the square. Hack the golden robot statue in the center of the fountain to get a lot of XP for hacking and destroying it. Return to a save point, then exit and reload. Return to the same area and farm the golden robot statue for a lot of XP. Repeat this as many times as desired. You can easily earn 3-4 levels per kill, even at high levels. Lower level players will not be able to damage the statue at all -- make sure you are Level 55 or higher.
Secret Emil battle
Emil is one of the surviving characters from the original NieR. He returns in NieR: Automata as a traveling item shop on wheels. He is located near the Desert Zone entrance from the City Ruins: Center area. Shoot him once with your blaster to stop him and purchase items. Go to Emil's house near the City Ruins: Center crater. There is a large sewer pipe sticking out of the crater wall, with water flowing out of it. Jump inside and use the elevator to find Emil's house. Emil's house will only open after you have completed the "Lunar Tears" side quest. The solution to that side quest can be found under the "Easy "Lunar Tear" trophy". Loot the treasure chest in the final room of the black cave. Once you reach the house with all the Emil faces, take one of the masks on the display. Return to Emil and talk to him. You can find him driving around the Desert Zone entrance from the City Ruins: Center area. After exiting his shop, Emil will complain that someone is stealing from his house. Go back to his house a second time with 9S to find a treasure chest inside. Hack into it with 9S to take what is inside. As you leave, Emil will ambush you in the dark chamber outside his house to start the secret Boss battle. Emil is Level 99 -- so you must be high level to damage him. You also cannot access Emil's treasure without 9S -- so you will need to complete the game at least once to earn 9S and his hacking ability.
Secret Level 4 blacksmith
To find the only blacksmith (Masamune) that can upgrade weapons to Level four, you first need access to the Forest Castle. This area can be revisited later. In the Forest Castle: Royal Chamber, go right to find the exterior broken bridge. Drop down through the hole in the bridge to land on the walkway below. Move left and interact with the wall to discover a hidden block. Pull it back to reveal a secret path to the blacksmith. This blacksmith can upgrade Level three weapons to Level four for 10,000 per upgrade. His store carries the following three weapons: Machine Sword, Machine Axe, and Machine Spear. These are all weapons wielded by machine lifeform enemies.
Secret trophy shop
To unlock the secret trophy shop, successfully complete three playthroughs of the game to complete the full story. Then, find the Strange Resistance Woman in the Resistance Camp. Talk to her to see a large list of options. Select the "Request unlocking you-know-what" option at the bottom of the list to display the trophies list. Each trophy is numbered, so you will have to check the description to view which trophy you are buying. The prices are 50,000 for Bronze trophies, 100,000 for Silver trophies, and 200,000 for Gold trophies. They are very expensive, and buying them all can be extremely costly, but this is an alternate method to getting the Platinum trophy.
Various Achievements
Complete the following achievements to unlock Microsoft Gamerscore points.
Achievement
How to unlock
A New Battle Begins (30 points)
Achieve ending B.
A Round by the Pond (15 points)
20 different kinds of fish caught.
A Scanner's Power (15 points)
100 machine lifeforms destroyed by hacking.
Animal Rider (15 points)
Any animal ridden for 5 kilometers.
Beautiful World (30 points)
Achieve A2's ending.
Cherish Our Resources (30 points)
Have 100 bodies collected.
Chip Collector (15 points)
80% of all plug-in chips collected.
Come Take a Look! (15 points)
Emil's shop used for the first time.
Creation and Insurrection (15 points)
Complete the alien ship.
Crime and Punishment (15 points)
Watch the final moments of Devola and Popola.
Desire Without Emotion (30 points)
At least 100,000 G in possession.
Destruction is My Job (15 points)
80% of all unit data unlocked.
Farewell, Pascal (15 points)
Grant Pascal's final request.
Fighting's Not My Thing (15 points)
Play your first hacking game.
Final Wish (15 points)
Watch 2B die.
Final Words (0 points)
Thank you for playing.
First Errand (15 points)
Complete your first quest.
Harvest King (30 points)
Materials gathered at a hidden harvest point 10 times.
