Nier Replicant Ver. 1.22474487139 has had many eyes across the world on it since its release as of Friday, April 23rd, 2021. After the smash hit, Nier AutomataReplicant has gigantic shoes to fill in many peoples' perspectives. While originally released only in Japan back in 2010 (the West got the Nier Gestalt title, which was essentially the same game but with a different protagonist and a change in the relationship with Yonah), Nier Replicant has captured the attention of fans who were introduced to the series with Nier Automata.

RELATED: 10 Mistakes Everyone Makes While Playing Nier Replicant

A common question being asked by said fans is how exactly does Nier Replicant connect to Nier Automata? The two games take place in completely different times - thousands of years have passed in Automata since the end events of Replicant, but that does not mean that there are not hints to one another or any lore to bridge them.

Spoilers ahead.

10 Emil Is Present in Both Games

Emil as he appears in Nier Automata and Emil from Nier Replicant

In Nier Replicant, Emil is a sweet child and the younger twin brother of his sister Halua, who is cursed with the ability to turn anyone who looks at him in the eyes to stone. During the second act of the game, Emil reveals to the player that he is a weapon created by the National Weapons Laboratory to keep his sister, Halua, under control after being driven mad during NWL's experimentation to create a weapon that can defeat the Legion. After defeating his sister with Nier, Emil fuses with her becoming a powerful nightmarish creature - albeit with his mind and personality intact.

In Automata, Emil shows up throughout the game as a vendor for the YoRHa units. His head now attached to a giant metal scooter and his memories of times past gone, Emil is a pale shadow of his former self. All the more tear-jerking when compared to the child he once was.

9 Devola and Popola's Eternal Tragedy Is Present

Devola and Popola from Nier Automata and Nier Replicant

Devola and Popola are two characters many players of both Nier Automata and Replicant are familiar with. The two redheaded android twins work on the Gestalt Project and eventually have to confront Nier while he is on his journey for the sake of protecting its safety. Unfortunately for them and the rest of humanity, they fail in their duty. Due to their failure, the Devola and Popola units that were stationed across the world were systematically destroyed.

The Devola and Popola players meet in Nier Automata are not the same as the pair in Replicant, but the legacy of the original carries on in their programming. While the memories of their past have been wiped from their database, they are hated by most other androids who come by and require their services.

8 Project Gestalt: The Failed Hope of Humanity Pops Up

Project Gestalt in Nier Automata

As players find out during the course of Nier Replicant's gameplay, Project Gestalt is humanity's last saving grace for the species to continue to survive. Maso, a dangerous particle that spread from a Giant that was killed in the middle of Tokyo thousands of years prior, created a world-ending virus known as White Chlorination Syndrome.

RELATED: NieR Replicant: 10 Things To Know About The Remaster

To survive, Project Gestalt was created with the intent of separating a human soul, the Gestalt, into a cloned body, the Replicant, when the danger had passed. As discovered in Nier Automata through reports and a short conversation with Devola and Popola, the Project failed because of Nier's intervention, and humanity was doomed.

7 A Certain Iron Pipe Appears In Both

Iron Pipe from Nier Automata and Nier Replicant Weapon Story

In the English version of the game, the iron pipe alludes directly to papa Nier, the protagonist in Nier Gestalt and not Nier Replicant. However, if the language is switched to Japanese, the weapon story for the Iron Pipe in Nier Automata changes to reflect that of the brother protagonist in Replicant instead.

The pipe's appearance is also nearly 1:1 from how it appears at the beginning of Nier Replicant as well, making for a really subtle but appreciated hint of the bygone old world.

6 An Eternal Library Is Explored Again

The Library inside of the Tower in NIer Automata and the Library as it appears in Nier Replicant

Another subtle nod to Nier Replicant, the library where players frequently pick up quests and the pseudo home of Popola, the library appears in Nier Automata as a copy created by the machine lifeforms left behind by alien invaders to take over the Earth.

While exploring the Tower, a sprawling building created by the machine, the Library can be found within the lower section. Another reference to Replicant can be found within the Library in the form of an intel drop, Class 1 Patient, that describes the treatment of Yonah, Nier's sister.

5 Grimoire Weiss Persits Even When It's Gone

Grimoire Weiss as it appears in Nier Automata and Nier Replicant

Grimoire Weiss is a sarcastic, pompous, and egotistical magical tome that accompanies Nier in Replicant after finding the book magically suspended between two suits of armor. The relationship starts off rocky and vitriolic, but as they continue to travel together, a mutual understanding and friendship blossoms between the two and the rest of the party members.

While Grimoire Weiss has no real role in Automata, there is an item exclusive to the day one and YoRHa Edition of the game that can change the appearance of your Pod to that of Weiss.

Facade Machine lifeforms in Nier Automata, the Sand King item and the King of Facade from Nier Replicant

In Nier Replicant, Facade is a city located in a sprawling desert inhabited by The Masked People, loyal subjects to the King of Facade and a people who live according to thousands of laws. Players visit this location in both acts of Replicant. Initially, they are unable to understand their language until it is translated with the combined efforts of Kainé and Grimoire Weiss.

RELATED: Nier Replicant: 10 Details About The Main Characters You Didn't Know

Automata players may find this location familiar as it is both the area where the arena trials DLC is located and where the secret boss fight for Emil takes place. Keener eyes may notice that the machine lifeforms have taken their style of dress after the lineage of the King of Facade.

3 The Junk Heap Turned Into The Abandoned Factory Appears Again

The Abandoned Factory from Nier Automata and The Junk Heap from Nier Replicant

It is strongly hinted that the area where Nier and his party fight Defense System Geppetto, the junk heap, is the exact same place where 2b and Pascal go where a group of crazed cultist machine lifeforms is held up.

While the area is not an exact one-to-one picture of the original, the machine lifeforms have already been shown previously to mimic and recreate the architecture of the old world. The plate also serves as a boss fight arena for a giant spider robot named So-Shi in Automata.

2 Virtuous Dignity's Weapon Story Pops Up

Virtuous Dignity Weapon Story Details Nier from Replicant as an owner

Another weapon story on the list. The tale of the Virtuous Dignity, a spear featured in Nier Automata, includes a passage that obviously references Nier from Nier Replicant as its fourth owner, his struggles throughout the story, and the cataclysmic occurrence that happened due to his actions.

This one is a little odd compared to the rest in that it references Nier as a past owner of the weapon, but the spear never appears inside of Replicant itself as a weapon to be collected and used.

1 Kaine's Home Lasts Generations

Kaine's Hut as it appears in both Nier Replicant and Nier Automata

A secret location related to the Emil boss fight, Kaine's hut is shown to be still standing in Automata after Emil moved it underneath the City Ruins area sometime after the events of the first game ends.

Everything is exactly how it appears in Nier Replicant, and the sweet but sorrowful melody that plays in the area is one of Kaine's renditions from the prequel as well. For some extra Kaine in Automata, there is also a piece of bonus content that allows 2b to change her outfit into Kaine's if you have the YoRHa Edition of the game.

NEXT: 10 Anime To Watch If You Like Nier Replicant