The following contains spoilers for Episode 2 of NieR: Automata Ver1.1a, "city e[S]cape," streaming now on Crunchyroll.
NieR: Automata Ver1.1a had the same roadblock ahead of it that other video game-based anime do: explaining and jumping into the narrative of the source material in a way that pleased both newcomers and veteran fans. Its first episode had a surprising amount of fidelity to the game, though it came at the cost of contextualizing the plot for those who hadn't played it. Strangely enough, this issue is fixed in the next episode, making the show's continuity questionable.
Episode 2 not only offers a view at the world beyond what was shown in the game, but it makes the series' central conflict and premise crystal clear. The lack of doing so was a huge problem with the premiere, and this expanded scope might save what many feared would be a simple "speedrun" of the NieR: Automata game. Here's how Episode 2 might surprise even those who unlocked all the game's multiple endings.
NieR: Automata Ver1. 1a Episode 2 Explains Events Better Than the Pilot
The initial episode of NieR: Automata Ver1.1a had two major faults concerning its narrative: it was too much of what fans already expected, whereas newcomers likely experienced storytelling whiplash. Thrown into the fray without much context, the premiere didn't really go out of its way to explain what was going on or why viewers should care about the battle that 2B and 9S were engaged in. Thankfully, if they stuck around for the second episode, all is made much clearer.
"city e[S]cape" begins by laying out the feud between the remnants of mankind and the machines they war against, explaining that androids such as 2B and others of her ilk work on the side of humanity. Thus, when battles occur later on in the episode, there's a clearer reason as to why they're happening. In doing so, it retroactively makes Episode 1 a bit better, as it's now clear that the show won't simply retread the game's story without taking advantage of the new storytelling medium.
It does beg the question of why some of these elements weren't featured previously, namely the brief explanation of YoRHa and its battles against the machines. Everything after this, however, is a masterclass in expanding upon the source material.
The Machines Are the Highlight of the NieR: Automata Anime
Episode 2 goes against the grain of the premiere by not really focusing or even showcasing 2B and 9S. Instead, the main characters are a group of the antagonistic machines, all of whom seem to enjoy learning about the human culture that preceded them. One robot in particular takes time to plant and grow flowers, giving him and the others a sense of innocence and child-like wonder. Thus, even when they mercilessly crush the humans underneath the limbs of larger robots, they're shone in an almost sympathetic light.
This goes a long way to not only give NieR: Automata's audience someone to root for, but also give both sides of the conflict development and focus. That's important for both those lost after watching the first episode and those who blitzed through the game long ago. After all, this focus on the robots offers a side of the story unseen in the game, offering something new to the overarching story.
Given that it's still in line with the game's canon, NieR: Automata Ver1.1a achieves something few video game anime can: representing the original story without being boring to those who've already "seen it." It immediately redeems the first episode, which was something of a more generic version of the game's first level. By shifting the focus and making even the enemies more relatable, the result will hopefully be a version of the original story that's both streamlined and expanded.