A quirky yet relaxing action RPG
Nier is an unusual game. The main protagonist is singularly ugly (he looks like Adam Sessler with a bad wig), spends lots of his time doing mundane tasks for his fellow villagers, oh and has a bunch of sidekicks that include a wise-cracking spell book with a posh British accent, and a foul-mouthed transsexual with a heart of gold.
In terms of gameplay too, the game doesn't fail to impress with its quirkiness mixing Zelda like dungeons with 2D platforming segments, and fights with enemies/bosses that have a large shooting element to them (think Raiden not Halo). If anything Nier reminds me of Treasure titles like Silhouette Mirage which whilst not being the most polished, were a truckload of fun.
So don't let the average game graphics put you off (especially since some of the artwork/designs are stunning). Don't ignore the game because people have labelled the sidequests boring (I find them quite relaxing to tell you the truth). Check the game out. You may be pleasantly surprised =).