A fan mod project has successfully reintroduced the older, 'Father' Nier protagonist from the original Nier Gestalt into the PC remaster of Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… The mod, developed by user Elevna and available on the Nier Replicant Nexus, replaces the younger 'Brother' Nier from the 2022 remaster with his aged, forty-something counterpart from the 2010 original release.
Originally, the 2010 Nier was released in two distinct versions: Nier Replicant for the PlayStation 3, which featured the younger 'Brother' Nier as Yoko Taro envisioned, and Nier Gestalt for the Xbox 360, which featured the older 'Father' Nier. This older version was created to appeal to Western audiences. Western players predominantly received the Nier Gestalt version regardless of their console.
The 2022 remaster, Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139…, marked the first time 'Brother' Nier was officially released in the West, following the increased popularity of the series after Nier: Automata. Despite Square Enix reportedly considering an official 'Father' Nier DLC at one point, it never materialized. This led to the creation of Elevna's mod.
The Gestalt mod offers a comprehensive 'Father' Nier experience for the remaster. It not only restores the original character model, enhanced for the remaster, but also meticulously ports the complete voiceover work of prolific actor Jamieson Price from the original Nier Gestalt. Elevna's dedication extends to updating alternate character skins to reflect 'Father' Nier and repurposing Price's voice lines for the game's bonus chapter to ensure a cohesive experience.
Further attention to detail includes the restoration of dialogue from other characters that references Nier's age. A notable inclusion is the swap of 'Brother' Nier back into the dream arena segments, which originally allowed players to fight as the alternate protagonist. This mod aims to provide a faithful and immersive 'Father' Nier playthrough for fans.