Summary
- Some games go beyond just increasing difficulty in New Game Plus, adding new missions, gear, or collectibles.
- Starfield reimagines the multiverse theory in its New Game Plus mode, offering unique starting points and scenarios.
- Games like Bloodborne and NieR: Automata integrate New Game Plus into the narrative, providing additional content and multiple playthroughs with new perspectives.
A lot of single-player games include a New Game Plus mode these days to add replayability and keep players engaged longer. These modes usually increase the game's difficulty and allow players to carry over previous progress to change the experience. However, few games take it a step further and add new missions, new gear, or new collectibles. Some games even lock much of the story behind NG+.
These New Game Plus modes can become entire selling points for the game and a crucial part of the experience. For players looking for a little extra content from their NG+ modes, here are the games that do it best.
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10 Starfield
Discover The Multiverse
Starfield
- Released
- September 6, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Suffice it to say that Starfield did not meet with a particularly enthusiastic reception from Bethesda fans. That is a real shame, because the game is quite unique in certain ways and takes an unexpected direction.
After finishing the first playthrough of Starfield, fans get the choice to start a New Game Plus. It differs from other NG+ modes because Starfield's story delves into the multiverse theory, and NG+ proves it. Each new playthrough can provide an entirely different starting point, with players encountering wildly different scenarios.
9 Bloodborne
Witness The Horrors
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
There are many good reasons why Bloodborne is one of the most beloved FromSoftware games, one of which is its New Game Plus mode. NG+ is a staple of the Soulslike genre, especially FromSoftware games.
What separates Bloodborne's NG+ from others in the genre is the Insight stat. As players' Onsight increases, they can see more of the world, much of which was hidden in plain sight before. NG+ starts players with high Insight. Enemies get new attacks and entirely new enemies appear, which changes the game significantly.
8 Dead Space (2023)
Somehow Even Creepier
Dead Space
- Released
- January 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- EA Motive
- Franchise
- Dead Space
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The 2023 Dead Space remake is as great as the original in every way. It adds a lot of content and makes tweaks without sacrificing any of the atmosphere and horror that made the original so beloved. One of these additions is a feature-complete NG+ mode that changes the experience.
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In addition to carrying over all previous weapons, upgrades, and equipment, it adds a new level 6 suit, making the experience a lot more fun. Furthermore, this mode unlocks a new, more horrifying ending that fans of the franchise should see.
7 Dishonored 2
Mix And Match To Your Heart's Content
Dishonored 2
- Released
- November 11, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Arkane Studios
- Franchise
- Dishonored
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Dishonored is one of the greatest stealth game franchises of all time. The suite of powers that players can experiment with gives the games a lot of potential for replayability. The second game expanded the powers with two playable characters, each with their own unique abilities, and the NG+ mode took it a step further.
Dishonored 2's NG+ mode allows players to use any of either playable character's powers on rotation for a second playthrough. That means players can play as their preferred character with powers from the other, giving them even more room for experimentation.
6 Oxenfree
Welcome To The Loop
Oxenfree
- Released
- January 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Night School Studio
- Franchise
- Oxenfree
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Oxenfree is one of the best narrative games of the 2010s, with a compelling story, great characters, and a beautiful artstyle. What makes the game's narrative even more compelling is how it integrates NG+ into the story itself.
Oxenfree follows a group of teenagers as they journey to a mysterious island and encounter some unsettling phenomena. The game's ending reveals that the characters are actually stuck in a time loop, allowing players to start the game again, but with marked differences, making repeated playthroughs an essential part of the experience.
5 Grime
The Same Horrors But A Different Experience
Grime
- Released
- August 2, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Clover Bite
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
An underrated metroidvania, Grime is one of the most visually appealing indie games in recent memory. It is a challenging experience that can almost be called a soulslike, with tough bosses, challenging platforming, and deeply disturbing lore. It also has one of the most impressive NG+ modes.
NG+ makes the game more challenging, as expected. It takes the difficulty one step further by changing the boss encounters, giving existing bosses new attacks to keep players on their toes. It even adds a whole new boss exclusive to this mode.
4 Armored Core 6: Fires Of Rubicon
New And Varied Missions
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
- Released
- August 25, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Franchise
- Armored Core
- Genre(s)
- Action, Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
While all FromSoftware games include an NG+ mode, the best one they have ever included is in Armored Core 6' The mode makes the game more challenging and players carry over all previous equipment and progress, as expected.
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Armored Core 6's additional twist to the mode comes in the form of new missions and subtle changes to existing missions, which make NG+ feel like a fresh experience. It keeps players on their toes and means the game requires two playthroughs for players to experience the full narrative.
3 Bravely Second: End Layer
Get It Right The Second Time Around
Bravely Second: End Layer
- Released
- April 15, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Silicon Studio
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- 3DS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Bravely Second weaves a dense and complicated narrative, even by the standards of other JRPGs. The game follows the protagonist and their party as they attempt to rescue the Pope of the Crystal Orthodoxy from the antagonist Oblivion.
The game eventually culminates with the antagonist escaping and dooming the world in the process. It is at this point that players discover that to experience the full story, they have to start the New Game Plus. This makes the mode essentially the halfway point of the game, making perhaps the most unique implementation of the NG+ idea.
2 Alan Wake 2
There Is More To This Story
Alan Wake 2
- Released
- October 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Franchise
- Alan Wake
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Remedy has built a reputation for weird and mind-bending games, and the trend continued with Alan Wake 2. The first playthrough of the game concludes with a hint that the narrative is not yet complete, directing players to the NG+ mode.
Alan Wake 2's NG+ adds a lot to the story by giving players an expanded intro alongside additional collectibles that reveal more of the narrative. It also subtly changes enemy placements and jump scare timings. Most importantly, it also expands on the ending, answering many of the questions left from the first playthrough.
1 NieR: Automata
One New Game Plus Is Not Enough
NieR: Automata
- Released
- March 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Franchise
- NieR
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The NieR franchise is a prime example of how to integrate an NG+ mode into the narrative, providing players with additional content and a reason for multiple playthroughs. NieR: Automata is the culmination of this ethos, requiring not just a second, but multiple playthroughs to fully reveal the entire narrative to players.
NieR: Automata's new game plus allows players to experience the story from 9S' perspective and serves up a different ending. Subsequent playthroughs unlock an additional playable character and further endings. All this additional content means that NieR: Automata's new game plus mode is arguably the best in gaming.
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