Side Quests in Nier: Automata are covered on this page. Side quests can be acquired in the Resistance Camp and other hub locations as you complete main quest steps and unlock new regions. These side quests can usually be spotted on the map marked as "red dots". There are a total of 60 side quests, divided into six categories (four categories in game):

  • Shared (can be done by both 2B and 9S). 31 in total, 2 of them you get from the bunker only and one of them is easily overlooked.
  • 2B (can only be done by 2B). 4 in total, all on your first playthrough
  • 9S (can only be done by 9S). 13 in total, 11 of them on your 2nd playthrough and 2 of them on your 3rd playthrough
  • A2 (can only be done by A2). 3 in total
  • A2 & 9S (can be done by both A2 and 9S). 5 in total, both on your 3rd playthrough
  • All Three (can be done by all three characters 2B, 9S, A2). 4 in total, 1 of them you need all weapons fully upgraded and it can be done with all three characters through chapter select 

Notes: Completing the main quest 'Missile Supply Mission' will make most side quests in the game unavailable until the next playthrough. It is therefore recommended to check the map for "red dots" after completing a main story quest.

This table is presented by in-game log order. You can change the sorting by clicking the header of each column. The Chapter column represents the chapter towards it counts in the chapter selection.

Quest Name

Giver

Rewards

Category

Chapter

Jean Paul's / Sartre's Melancholy

Machine Village: Jean-Paul   Shared

 

Machine Examination 1

City Ruins: 9S   Shared

05-03, 05-04

up to 07-03

Machine Examination 2

City Ruins: 9S   Shared

05-03, 05-04

06-01, 06-02, 06-03, 06-04, 06-05

07-01, 07-02, 07-03

Family Squabble

Machine Village: Mother Machine   Shared

 

Animal Care

Forest Zone: Animal-loving Machine   Shared

 

Turf War

Forest Zone: Animal-loving Machine Shared

 

Robo Dojo--White Belt

City Ruins: Father Servo Shared

 

Robo Dojo--Brown Belt

City Ruins: Father Servo   Shared

 

Robo Dojo--Black Belt

City Ruins: Father Servo   Shared

 

Robo Dojo--Red and White Belt

City Ruins: Father Servo   Shared

 

Robo Dojo--Red Belt

City Ruins: Father Servo Shared

 

Lost Girl

Machine Village: Big Sister Machine Shared

 

The Supply Trader's Request

Resistance Camp: Supply Trader Shared

 

The Manager's Request

Resistance Camp: Manager Shared

 

Camp Development

Resistance Camp: Anemone   Shared

 

Anemone's Past

Resistance Camp: Anemone   Shared

 

Amnesia

City Ruins: Resistance Member   9S

 

Resistance Disappearance

Resistance Camp: Resistance Member Shared

 

Jackass's Research

Desert Camp: Jackass 2B

 

Improving Communications

The Bunker: Commander Shared

02-02 through 05-01

Investigating Communications

City Ruins: Operator 60  
  • 320 EXP
Shared

 

Terminal Repairs

City Ruins: Operator 60 2B

07-01, 07-02, 07-03

Find a Present

Inbox: Operator 60 2B

07-01, 07-02, 07-03

Data Analysis Freak

The Bunker: Operator 210 9S

 

Data Analysis Freak 2

Inbox: Operator 210 9S

 

Lord of the Valley

Forest Zone: Canyon Machine   Shared

 

Vanquish the Bad Bot

Machine Village: Pascal A2

 

Play With Us!

Machine Village: Machine Children   A2

 

Storage Element

Machine Village: Pascal   A2

 

Half-Wit Inventor

Machine Village: Scientist Machine All Three

 

Idiot Savant

Machine Village: Weird Machine 9S

 

Game Dev Machine Lv 1

Amusement Park: Game Creator Machine 9S

 

Game Dev Machine Lv 2

Amusement Park: Game Creator Machine   9S

 

Game Dev Machine Lv 3

Amusement Park: Game Creator Machine   9S

 

Speed Star

City Ruins: High-speed Machine Shared

 

Emil's Memories

City Ruins: Emil   Shared

 06-03, 06-04, 06-05

07-01, 07-02, 07-03

Photographs

Resistance Camp: Resistance Member   Shared

 

11B's Memento

The Bunker: 16D

2B

 

Treasure Hunt at the Castle

Machine Village: Weird-talking Machine All Three

 

The Wandering Couple

Machine Village: Resistance Member Shared

 

Data on the Old World

Machine Village: Pascal   9S

05-03, 05-04

06-01, 06-02, 06-03, 06-04, 06-05

07-01, 07-02, 07-03

Culinary Researcher

City Ruins (Forest Camp): Resistance Supply Trader Shared

 

YoRHa Betrayers

City Ruins Operator 60 Shared

 

Reconnaissance Squad

Forest Zone: 4S 9S

13-03, 13-04

15-01, 15-02, 15-03, 15-04

16-01, 16-03, 16-04

17-01, 17-02

Devola's Request

Resistance Camp: Devola A2 & 9S

 

Popola's Errand

Resistance Camp: Popola A2 & 9S

 

The Twins' Request

Resistance Camp: Devola A2 & 9S

 

Heritage of the Past

Desert Zone: Resistance Researcher All Three

 

Retrieve the Confidential Intel

City Ruins: Resistance Member Shared

 

Sorting Trouble

Resistance Camp: Resistance Member   Shared

 

Sorting Trouble 2

Resistance Camp: Resistance Member A2 & 9S

 

Sorting Trouble 3

Resistance Camp: Resistance Member A2 & 9S

 

Stamp Collecting

Amusement Park: Receptionist Machine Shared

 

Parade Escort

City Ruins: Active Machine   Shared

 

Gathering Keepsakes

Resistance Camp: Resistance Member   9S

 13-01, 13-02, 13-03, 13-04

15-01, 15-02, 15-03, 15-04

16-01, 16-03, 16-04

17-01, 17-02

The Weapon Dealer's Request

Resistance Camp: Weapons Trader Shared

 

The Recluse

Machine Village: Overprotective Machine 9S

 

The Recluse Stays Home

Machine Village: Overprotective Machine 9S

 

The Permanent Recluse

Machine Village: Overprotective Machine 9S

 

Emil's Determination

City RuinsEmil   All Three

 

 Notes

  • Various players have reported to be stuck at 98% quest completion after seemingly finishing all the quests in the game; i.e. no "red dots" showing up on the Earth-map. This is because of an easily overlooked quest called Improving Communications. This quest becomes available in chapter (CH)02_02: Traveling to the Desert, and is given by the Commander (found in the Bunker Command room, ground floor, dressed in white and with the beige text: "quest" above her head). Players are advised to use the Resistance Camp transport to go to the Bunker the moment they start the main story mission The Machine Surge to pick the quest up as soon as possible, as this quest is easily overlooked and needs to be completed before starting CH05-02: Goliath Attack.
  • It is recommended that players finish quest The Wandering Couple and Emil's Memories before triggering the main story quest Missile Resupply. Triggering this main story quest before completing these side quests, erases their progress entirely from the Active Quests menu and the player is subsequently locked out from completing the quests until a next playthrough (if playing as 2B) or until Chapter Select is unlocked (missing the quest as both 2B and 9S) . These quests are accessible and completable after CH05-02: Goliath Attack.



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    • Anonymous

      Doing the sidequest with one or another character changes de dialogues? Like missing with 2B and doing afterwards with 9S will change it?

      • Anonymous

        What about the quest Mysterious Letter? It's the last element in my list when I open All Quests in the game.

        • Anonymous

          There's this specific "side quest" with 9S where you have to hack 3 robots (one in a rooftop, one on the tower near bridge to the mall and another one on the edge of a branch closr to the broken bridge near the crater) and I have NO IDEA how to "finish" this side quest. I mean, I just hack the 3 of them and then a scene strarts were the last robot jumps to kill itself.
          Does anyone know what am I supposed to do next? Or is that a "side quest" with no end? I've done it at least 5 times already and I've got no clue how to end it.

          • Anonymous

            Same here. I've cross checked the Completed Quests one by one.
            I've confirmed I completed 33 shared quests. But in game it shows 32/33

            • Anonymous

              You can do Culinary Research and Heritage of the Past as A2, as well. I did them in route C after talking to Pascal about the fuel filter (but before giving the parts to Anemone).

              • Anonymous

                There is a side quest at the bridge of the abandoned factory pointed on the map but when i get closer, it disappears. I don't know what quest it is and how to trigger it.

                • Anonymous

                  I thought I could take a year off from this game, come back, and find a list somewhere of the quests by chapter. I was wrong.

                  • Anonymous

                    Treasure Hunt at the Castle can be done as A2 which means it is an "all three" quest. I missed it on route A and B but was able to finish it as A2 on route C.

                    • Anonymous

                      Before I even say this, I want to point out that I 100% have done Improving Connections, so it’s not that one, but the game says I’m missing 2 2B quests in Chapter 6, The Forest King. I know one of then is Find a Present, but it won’t appear in my inbox, and another is one I haven’t identified. The map says it’s at the edge of the destroyed factory bridge but when I get there, there’s no quest or marker to say there was a quest there anymore and I don’t understand why it’s happening.

                      • Anonymous

                        Aren't "The Supply Trader's Request" and "The Weapon Dealer's Request" story quests? You got to redo them in Route B, like a story quest, unlike all other side quests.

                        • Anonymous

                          Most side quests add depth to or reveal important sides of the main characters, along with subtly explain why certain key characters are the way they are (YoRHa Betrayers, Wandering Couple, 11B's Memento, Jackass' Research, Find a Present, Data Analysis Freak 1&2, etc, etc). Some attempt to break the fourth wall or take a playful jab at the player, without breaking the immersive experience (Stamp Collecting, Father Servo, Game Dev Lv 1-3, and Parade Escort are some good examples of this). Some become more meaningful or even dubious after a second playthrough (Retrieve Confidential Intel is particularly chilling--did they really get killed by machine lifeforms or did Command cover up a dispatch?). Some refer to original Nier (Emil's Memories, Heritage of the Past). There's really a bit of everything you could ask for in an RPG, and sure there are going to be side quests you don't particularly enjoy, but perhaps knowing the above makes the side quests more palatable.

                          Yoko Taro and his team didn't squander time away with meaningless side quests meant to glaze your eyes over on. Some of them are pretty tedious or text heavy, but hey, you're playing a game with instances of unavoidable purple balls of doom. So to whoever wrote that inflammatory comment down there, or anyone who begins thinking that way, this long comment as a way to explain these side quests that somehow deem the comment that the developer(s) "must be crucified, burned at stake, eviscerated with a dull broken spoon and be hanged with his own intestines"? This comment is for your benefit. Hope. This. Helps.

                          • Anonymous

                            Hi, I'm playing route A now and i missed a lot of secondary quest because i decided to do a main mission. I know that i can't replay route A until i have beaten the game with 9S and 2A and i was wondering if the sidequest are the same in all routes? are some exclusive to route a,b or c?

                            • Anonymous

                              Whoever designed side quests in this game must be crucified, burned at stake, eviscerated with a dull broken spoon and be hanged with his own intestines. By all the gods that exist, does not exist and may someday exist, these are the most horribly written, dull and boring side quests i have ever played. I mean the contrast the side quests have with the games main storyline is amazing. It is as if the developers are trying to tell us that "dont waste your time on these stupid fetch quests and bullet sponge mini bossess, but playe the main story damn it!".

                              • Anonymous

                                looking at the japanese wiki for nier leads me to believe that the missing quest has to do with fighting emil.

                                • I don't understand what shared quest I'm missing. I've got 59/60 quests done, I've done Emil's Determination, and I've cross-referenced every quest on the list with my own... the only one that doesn't show up on my completed list is Improving Communications. I'm not sure how to trigger it; apparently the commander gives it somehow? I don't understand how these shared quests work, either.

                                  • Anonymous

                                    There's a quest missing and I can't figure out which one. This is 59/60 quests and to my dismay it's missing the very same one I can't seem to find, a Shared Quest unlocked sometime after visiting the Forest Castle.

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