One of the biggest changes that players will immediately notice in the new NieR Replicant soundtrack is how similar it sounds to NieR Automata. Composer Keiichi Okabe takes the same approach in redesigning the songs so they have a fuller, cinematic feel to them. With the unique tribal percussion and chanting vocals, the original NieR soundtrack felt powerful as it drove the action sequences forward. As elements of the game were often modified to match the music, this gave Okabe the freedom to express the acoustic sounds with melancholy without ever feeling heavy-handed. One of the most notable aspects of NieR's original soundtrack was that the percussion was often emphasized in conjunction with the vocals.
Furthermore, as director Yoko Taro favors vocal tracks, Okabe ensures that vocalists or choirs are always breathy or atmospheric to avoid distracting players. In previous interviews, composer Keiichi Okabe talked about the importance of designing a soundtrack to match a game's thematic elements. Highlighting the importance of swirling different emotions together, Okabe stated that he wants players to experience a multitude of conflicting emotions such as hope within sorrow. The original NieR soundtrack was one of the most memorable aspects of the game as the ethereal sounds set a backdrop for the decaying world.
