Games Where Your Choices Echo in New Game Plus

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New Game Plus has become much more than just a way to replay a game after beating it. It’s now a clever tool developers use to add depth to the story. Many games use this feature to unlock different endings, show secret conversations, or let players keep their skills and access new areas. When you replay a game knowing what happened before and being more powerful, it can completely change the story and how characters respond to you. The games mentioned below are great examples of how a second playthrough can offer a new look at the impact of your choices.

‘Starfield’ (2023)

In this expansive space RPG, completing the main story doesn’t end the adventure—it unlocks a ‘New Game Plus’ experience seamlessly integrated into the narrative. You continue as a ‘Starborn,’ retaining your memories, and can even skip previously completed quests by letting characters know you already know what happens. The game world itself changes, sometimes subtly and sometimes dramatically, presenting a familiar but altered reality that requires adaptation.

‘Nier: Automata’ (2017)

Finishing the game once isn’t the end – it’s where the story truly begins. Each time you play, you experience the events from the perspective of different androids and even the enemies, learning their motivations and inner thoughts. This makes you rethink all the battles from your first playthrough, seeing them in a new, more sympathetic light. To reach the real ending and make the final, defining moral choice, you’ll need to complete the game multiple times.

‘Chrono Trigger’ (1995)

This influential role-playing game is famous for introducing and perfecting the ‘New Game Plus’ feature. Players can revisit the final boss with their powerful, leveled-up characters at different points in the story, unlocking more than a dozen unique endings. These endings vary wildly, from lighthearted scenes with the game developers to dark portrayals of a world left to suffer. The game really encourages players to explore how their choices impact the story, something very few games have done as well.

‘Undertale’ (2015)

The game keeps track of what you do in each playthrough, and characters will sometimes mention feeling like you’ve been here before. Even if you reset the timeline, your past choices – like whether you killed or spared certain monsters – still have an impact. A peaceful playthrough feels more meaningful when the game hints at a previous, more violent one. This system makes your save file a storytelling tool, prompting you to think about the moral implications of your actions.

‘Oxenfree’ (2016)

Once you finish the story, you’ll unlock a ‘Continue Timeline’ feature. This isn’t just a restart; it’s like a loop where Alex, the main character, faintly remembers what happened in previous cycles. She can use these memories to unlock new conversation choices, which are key to ending the strange, repeating events and saving her friends from the ghostly fate they’re caught in. The game continues the story directly from where you left off, building on the horror you already experienced.

‘Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon’ (2023)

This mech action game’s story unfolds much more fully with each playthrough. After you finish the game once, New Game Plus adds brand new missions and choices that weren’t available before. These new paths reveal more about the different groups fighting over the planet Rubicon. By completing a third playthrough, you can unlock a ‘true’ ending that offers a completely different resolution to the main story.

‘Alan Wake 2’ (2023)

The ‘Final Draft’ is a New Game Plus mode that provides the definitive ending to the game’s unsettling story. It adds new story elements – pages and videos – that change how you understand everything that’s happened. To truly break the time loop and reach the real ending, you need to play through ‘Final Draft’ while keeping all the improvements you’ve already earned. The story explains this replay as the main character perfecting his writing to finally escape the Dark Place.

‘Dragon’s Dogma 2’ (2024)

A key idea in the game is that the hero’s journey repeats. Even after finishing the main story, players can start the world over, making previously difficult battles much easier. This lets you feel powerful and shows how much your character has grown, while also resetting the world to its original, chaotic state. The game encourages you to find anything you missed and see how different choices affect the characters you meet.

‘Persona 5 Royal’ (2020)

Okay, so if you replay the game, all your social stats and Persona collection carry over, which is awesome for saving time. Seriously, maxing out those social stats unlocks so much extra dialogue and lets you build relationships with everyone – stuff you can’t even see in one playthrough. It means I can really get to know all my teammates and unlock the best Personas. The main story stays pretty much the same, but getting to connect with everyone on a deeper level is a huge improvement.

‘Elden Ring’ (2022)

The Lands Between are so vast that it’s hard to experience everything in a single playthrough. New Game Plus lets you keep your equipment and quickly revisit bosses to unlock different endings. You can choose to repair the Elden Ring or destroy the world with the Frenzied Flame. Because you keep your strength, you can try out different character builds and story paths without having to spend time leveling up again.

‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’ (2015)

As Geralt, I get to keep all my alchemy stuff and potions, which is awesome because it lets me really dive into the story and choices instead of constantly worrying about surviving. What’s really cool is how different things can be if you make different decisions – you can play through the game again and completely change who lives or dies. Seriously, saving or letting characters go affects the whole world and how the game ends! If you want to see everything the writers put into this game, New Game Plus is a must. It’s the only way to experience the full story.

‘Mass Effect Legendary Edition’ (2021)

Starting a new game with a powerful Commander Shepard lets you breeze through fights and concentrate on making diplomatic choices. Because you’ll already have strong skills and a good reputation, you can experiment more with both good and bad decisions. Seeing how the galaxy responds to a drastically different Shepard – whether a kind hero or a cruel leader – completely changes the feel of the entire story. The fact that your choices carry over throughout all three games makes the series incredibly replayable.

‘Silent Hill 2’ (2024)

This updated version of the classic horror game keeps the tradition of unlocking additional endings after you finish it once. A ‘New Game Plus’ mode adds items like the Chainsaw and new ways to interact with the game, leading to different outcomes – some are serious, while others, like the famous ‘Dog Ending,’ are quite silly. To get these different endings, players need to complete certain actions and rituals that alter the story of James Sunderland’s experience.

‘Resident Evil 4’ (2023)

Keeping your upgraded weapons makes the scary survival experience more of a fast-paced, revenge-driven adventure. The hardest difficulty level becomes easier when Leon begins with powerful, fully-equipped weapons and unlimited ammo. The game then becomes ideal for trying to complete it quickly or tackling different challenges, which are much more achievable with the extra gear from New Game Plus. This change transforms the game’s feeling from one of stressful survival to one of confident, arcade-like control.

‘Dead Space’ (2023)

So, I just found out this remake has a totally hidden ending! You can only get to it if you start a New Game Plus, which is cool. Basically, while replaying, I had to hunt down twelve pieces of these ‘Marker’ things all over the ship – they weren’t there the first time around. Once I collected them all and put them in this one specific room, it unlocked a seriously dark new ending that actually connects to what happens in the later games. It’s a great reason to go back and really explore the Ishimura again, to get the whole story.

‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ (2020)

Hard Mode is only available after completing the game once in New Game Plus. It dramatically changes gameplay by preventing you from using items, forcing you to depend on your materia and skillful play to overcome challenging bosses. Completing Hard Mode unlocks extra manuscripts, which give you more points to upgrade your weapons. This higher difficulty encourages you to fully master the combat system, making the story feel even more exciting and fast-paced.

‘Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’ (2024)

This new game builds on what players loved about the first one by adjusting difficulty based on your team’s level, making each playthrough unique. Once you finish the game, you can pick any chapter and start from there, keeping track of your progress and character relationships. This means you can quickly revisit moments or try for different dates at the Gold Saucer without having to play through everything again. A challenging hard mode is also included, requiring careful planning and the best gear to succeed.

‘God of War Ragnarok’ (2022)

In New Game Plus, Kratos can get Zeus’s armor, which completely changes how you approach fights. It massively boosts his attack power, but makes him very fragile – he can be defeated in just one or two hits. The game also offers new ways to customize Kratos’s abilities and playstyle, something you couldn’t do in your first playthrough. Wearing the armor changes how you experience the story, as Kratos starts with the power of a god.

‘Horizon Forbidden West’ (2022)

In New Game Plus, Aloy can earn unique, powerful weapons and dyes from a special merchant. The Ultra Hard difficulty is designed for experienced players who are skilled at fighting machines and have the best equipment. Playing through the story again lets you make different choices in conversations and experience new results in side quests with the Tenakth. Plus, you can further customize Aloy’s appearance for this new playthrough.

‘Ghost of Tsushima’ (2020)

In the second game, Jin Sakai starts with all his skills and weapons already unlocked, giving players tons of ways to tackle challenges with both stealth and combat. A new shopkeeper offers special dyes and charms that let you try really difficult, high-reward playstyles, even a one-hit death mode. The story of a noble samurai becoming a ghostly warrior feels more impactful when you’re playing as a powerful, relentless fighter right from the start.

‘Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’ (2023)

Ultimate Levels let players continue to upgrade Peter and Miles even after reaching the normal level cap. You can now create Golden Gadget styles and unlock powerful suit tech combinations that were previously unavailable. Plus, the new Ultimate difficulty setting provides a real challenge for players who want to push their fully powered symbiote abilities to the limit. With everything unlocked and upgraded, swinging around New York feels incredibly satisfying and makes the heroes feel truly unstoppable.

‘Dishonored 2’ (2016)

New Game Plus lets you play with both Emily and Corvo’s powers at the same time, opening up incredible possibilities for how you approach challenges. This leads to unique and unexpected gameplay moments you wouldn’t get in a normal playthrough. You can combine abilities – like using Domino and then Bend Time – to take down enemies in really creative ways, and generally have more control over how chaotic or subtle your approach to the story is.

‘Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’ (2016)

Because Jensen still has his cybernetic implants, players have a ton of options for how to approach each mission, including hacking and finding hidden pathways. You can crawl through vents and blast through walls that used to be impassable, giving you the freedom to play however you want – whether you prefer sneaking around enemies or going in guns blazing – all while still fully exploring the game world. The detailed levels really come alive when you have the tools to overcome challenges in creative ways.

‘Prey’ (2017)

Morgan Yu’s unique abilities, combined with the powers of the Typhon aliens, give players a significant advantage against them on Talos I. Skilled hacking and repair work allow immediate access to all areas of the station, simplifying resource gathering and focusing the experience on uncovering its disturbing secrets. A powerful character makes it easier to achieve the different endings, which are determined by choices focused on empathy and survival.

‘Deathloop’ (2021)

Although the game involves repeating cycles, becoming truly skilled means remembering important details and upgrading your equipment between each attempt. You play as Colt, who can use the weapons and tools he collects to set up the island’s leaders for a complete takedown in a single day. Success depends more on remembering enemy patterns and unlocking codes than on quick reactions. The game uniquely connects the player’s understanding of the world with the protagonist’s, creating a seamless experience.

‘Returnal’ (2021)

Selene’s story unfolds as a repeating cycle, similar to a roguelike game, where you permanently unlock better gear to explore new areas. You need to finish the game at least once to start finding Sunface Fragments, which are key to seeing the real ending. As you play, the story becomes more broken and unsettling, with scenes in the house revealing increasingly painful memories. The only way to understand the full story and solve the mystery is to keep playing the cycle over and over again.

‘Hades’ (2020)

Okay, so as Zagreus, I’m constantly trying to escape the Underworld, and it’s not just about getting out – it’s about fixing things with my mom and dad. Every time I make a run, the Olympian gods have more to say, and it slowly unravels this whole family story. Plus, there’s this cool system called the Pact of Punishment where I can add extra challenges to keep things interesting, even after I’ve ‘beaten’ the game. Honestly, the real ending doesn’t unlock until you’ve really gotten to know everyone and built relationships with pretty much all the characters, so you have to keep going back and chatting with them over and over.

‘Bastion’ (2011)

In New Game Plus, you keep all your weapons and spirits, but enemies are tougher. The game’s narrator, Rucks, comments on how you play and the weapons you use. You can also challenge yourself by making enemies stronger at shrines in exchange for better rewards. The story of the Calamity is quite sad, and a second playthrough will help you truly understand the impact of your final decision.

‘Transistor’ (2014)

Red keeps her abilities and levels as she faces tougher versions of the Process in the second playthrough. The game remixes enemy types, challenging players to try out different ability combinations. Fully unlocking all upgrades reveals more about the history and people of Cloudbank. The emotional love story at the heart of the game feels even more impactful when you play through it a second time.

‘Triangle Strategy’ (2022)

This game features a story that changes based on your choices, and you’ll need to play through it at least four times to experience everything it has to offer – all the characters and battle locations. Your decisions on the ‘Scales of Conviction’ heavily impact who you ally with and the overall political landscape. ‘New Game Plus’ lets you revisit choices you didn’t make before, while keeping your army intact. A secret path, called the ‘Golden Route,’ is unlockable by carefully planning your convictions from the beginning.

‘Tactics Ogre: Reborn’ (2022)

The World Tarot system lets players revisit key moments in the game after finishing it. This means you can experience the Law, Chaos, and Neutral storylines without having to start over with a new team. To collect all the characters, you’ll need to explore these different timelines, effectively turning the game’s story into a map you can fully understand and control.

‘Fire Emblem: Three Houses’ (2019)

The house you choose determines which version of the war’s story you see and which characters live. New Game Plus lets you quickly rebuild relationships and skills using a reputation system. This helps you jump right into the new story battles for that house. To fully understand why the villains are doing what they’re doing, you need to experience the conflict from all three houses’ perspectives.

‘Shin Megami Tensei V’ (2021)

After finishing the game, you can start a New Game Plus in one of two ways: you can keep all your character’s stats, or start over at level one but still have access to your collected information. The story has multiple endings depending on your choices, which affect the future of the world. To fight the toughest bosses, you’ll need to replay the game and build a powerful team. The story delves into ideas about gods and control, and how things unfold depends on who you choose to side with.

‘Persona 4 Golden’ (2012)

This murder mystery game set in the countryside has a yearly schedule that restricts player progress. Starting a new game after completing it lets you keep your relationship stats, giving you more time to build connections with other characters. Unlocking the final dungeon and the true ending depends on making specific conversation choices that are hard to find during your initial playthrough. It’s possible to solve every mystery and achieve a perfect outcome during your second year in the town of Inaba.

‘Persona 3 Reload’ (2024)

This updated version of the game lets players keep their character and social progress from previous playthroughs. This gives them more time to enjoy the new side quests and story additions. Building strong relationships with characters unlocks the strongest abilities needed to defeat a hidden boss. The game’s emotional story feels even more impactful when players can connect with the characters on a deeper level, knowing their fates.

‘Yakuza: Like a Dragon’ (2020)

Ichiban Kasuga’s story continues as he rebuilds his life, retaining his progress and gear. A special ‘Premium Adventure’ mode lets you tackle challenging dungeons after the main story. If you want a real challenge, replaying the game on harder difficulties will push your turn-based combat skills to the limit. And while the main story is a serious crime drama, the side quests are delightfully wacky, offering a fun contrast with each playthrough.

‘Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’ (2024)

This sequel adds a New Game Plus mode for players who want to continue after finishing the story. It’s a paid feature with three difficulty levels. You can start over with your existing Sujimon and resort progress, letting you focus on the story again. The level cap is also raised, so your characters can become even stronger. Replaying the game lets you try out different team setups and skill combinations, changing how battles play out.

‘Judgment’ (2018)

As a huge fan, I was so glad Yagami kept all his awesome detective skills and fighting moves! It made tackling the main murder case feel really satisfying. Plus, all those side cases? Way easier to handle when you’ve powered up Yagami! Honestly, the combat is incredible now – you can really juggle enemies and pull off those EX moves without worrying. The story itself is pretty straightforward, but they’ve given you so much more freedom in how you play, which is fantastic.

‘Lost Judgment’ (2021)

This game improves on the original with smoother fighting and detective work, and you keep everything you unlocked during your first time through. You won’t have to repeat tedious tasks – your progress in the high school story and boxing gym carries over. Plus, new fighting techniques let you easily defeat bosses you struggled with before. The story, which deals with serious themes of bullying and finding justice, returns with a powerful, nearly invincible detective.

‘Tales of Arise’ (2021)

Throughout the game, you’ll find items that let you customize your New Game Plus playthrough with helpful boosts like extra damage or faster leveling. Bringing your equipment with you makes the beginning of the game much easier, letting you jump right into the story and character interactions, which are the best part of the game. It’s also easier to unlock those interactions when you’re already making progress. The game encourages players to revisit and finish any side quests they missed.

‘Scarlet Nexus’ (2021)

The game follows two main characters, Yuito and Kasane, letting you experience the story from both of their viewpoints. New Game Plus lets you replay the game as the other character, keeping all your progress. Understanding the complete story and its political complexities requires playing through both of their campaigns, which ultimately come together in a final, unified conclusion that reveals the full scope of the game’s sci-fi world.

‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ (2023)

As a huge fan, I’m really excited about how they’re letting you customize Cal Kestis in the new game! You can tweak his lightsaber style and skills to handle totally new enemy combinations. They’ve added perks that can even change how things look randomly, or make both you and the enemies way more dangerous. It seriously amps up the tension and makes the lightsaber fights feel so much more real. And get this – you can even start as a fully-trained Jedi Master instead of starting over with barely any Force abilities! It makes every playthrough feel fresh and different, like a completely new journey.

‘Control’ (2019)

As a huge fan, I was so glad my progress carried over! Starting with Jesse’s awesome abilities and the Service Weapon already made me feel powerful. Being able to access areas I couldn’t before with my clearance cards was a great feeling. Honestly, once the combat got easier, I could really dive into the weird and wonderful story of the Oldest House. And collecting all those documents? It totally helped me piece together just how crazy things are inside that building – it really painted a clear picture of the whole bureaucratic mess.

Tell us which of these games is your favorite!

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2025-12-16 17:51