10 Most Confusing Video Game Plots

9. Nier: Automata

Nier Automata
Platinum Games

Every inch of Nier: Automata is designed to confuse players, so it's no surprise that its plot takes at least three playthroughs and the read of an entire Wiki page to properly understand. The first 10 hours or so are kinda straightforward, as you follow androids 2B and 9S to wage a war against aliens on Earth on behalf of the surviving human race.

About half way through it's revealed that, actually, the war has long since ended and the aliens have all been killed, with their robotic helpers gaining a strange sentience and being controlled by Adam and Eve. Then it's revealed that there are no humans left either, and the androids have been fighting a war for pretty much nobody.

Also, at one point there's a virus that wipes most of the machines out so the cycle can eventually continue without anyone realising, while 2B's real purpose is to assassinate 9S when he finds out the truth. This is all on top of the philosophical, meta commentary as well, which would take this entire list to properly dive into.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.