But after you finish Route B (and gain the ability to understand Shades), the Codex becomes a tragedy.

Often overlooked by players rushing to save Yonah, the Codex is the single most important text in the game. It isn't just a glossary; it is a horror novel written in the language of anthropologists.

Weiss isn't just a book. He is the memory of a specific researcher. The Codex hides this fact in plain sight, referencing "Project Gestalt" only in the highest tiers of weapon upgrades. With the release of ver.1.22 , we got the "Ending E" material—the true final chapter. To understand what happens to Kainé in that lunar tear field, you need to understand the Lunar Tear weapon story.

If you have played NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 , you know the feeling. You finish the final Ending (E), stare at the title screen, and suddenly realize you have more questions than answers. Who was the original Gestalt? What exactly is a "Relic"? And why does a random piece of rusty metal in a desert have a 3,000-word backstory?

Spend an hour in the menu. Upgrade the weapons you never use. Read the stories. The Shadowlord isn't the villain. He is just the last paragraph of a codex entry nobody else bothered to read. Did I miss your favorite weapon story? Let me know in the comments below—just keep it spoiler-free for those still on Route A!

Initially, the Codex describes Weiss as a "forbidden tome" of unknown origin. But if you dig deep enough (specifically, by reading the Grimoire NieR companion book, which the Ver.1.22 codex references), the weapon stories for the "Fool's" weapons tell the truth.