New Game +

[BG-57]

New Game + is one of the best features I've ever seen in RPGs, but the FF series rarely incorperates them. Just some of the peripheral ones like FFX-2 (CC has it too).

It makes replaying a lot more enjoyable because if you miss something you don't have to start over from scratch. Plus level grinding is a lot less of a chore.

So why aren't they used more often?

[LunarWeaver]

I definitely wish they would. And a good one, not the kind where everything carries over and you're too ridiculous for the game to be fun. Like X-2 didn't carry over your levels, so you weren't a goddess or something. Well, that's me anyway. They should copy off the Tales of [Funny Name] games :jess: Their + is amazing and promotes tons of playthroughs.

[Namelessfengir]

i carried over the items in x2 some of which were pretty damn powerful durring zanarkand chapter one i just chucked fire gems ate the protecter

[ljkkjlcm9]

The Ring of Fates New Game + is vastly different. The enemies are a lot stronger, all the equipment makes the old equipment look like trash, and there's a new area to explore. AND, even after you clear New Game +, there's New Game ++

Chrono trigger had new game plus and it was basically necessary to see all the different endings.

I will agree that Tales of has some of the best new game + stuff, but yet it still seems to lack something IMO... not sure what it is.

THE JACKEL

[Roto13]

New Game + got me to play through Tales of Symphonia, like, eight times or something. xP

[Marky Tee]

newgame+ rocks in x2
gettin to play the whole game as a dark night is one of the best things you can ever do while playing a video game

learning to play with one hand at the leblanc massage bit is another

[Elly]

my first Square game was Chrono Trigger and i thaught NewGame+ was the best idea ever, i felt so let down when i found no other Square game had it untill Parasite Eve came out... i honestly wish every game had it, it's perfect for increasing the replayability...

[Crossblades]

FF XII:International(JP exclusive)had a new game plus called Strong Mode, which all your characters start off at level 90, however, they don't keep the equipment you had in the original file. I haven't tried this mode yet, but I intend to in the future. But yeah, more FFs(or RPGs in general) should have this.

[Bolivar]

I think most FF's can live without it, as the character development systems in many installments allow you to play differently each time.

But I think it would be cool to see it more often as I usually re-play them anyway.

[Flying Mullet]

The Ring of Fates New Game + is vastly different. The enemies are a lot stronger, all the equipment makes the old equipment look like trash, and there's a new area to explore. AND, even after you clear New Game +, there's New Game ++
I wish the later Final Fantasy titles used this feature and the stronger optional bosses and areas were only unlocked through this feature.

[Roogle]

I would like to see a type of New Game + where levels are not carried over. This would allow a player to focus on other gameplay systems in the game like gaining new abilities while keeping old abilities, gaining new items while keeping old items, or something similar to that. I think Final Fantasy X-2 did something like that with its New Game +, right? I cannot recall if it was only the completion rate and the dressphere data carried over.

[Skyblade]

I would like to see a type of New Game + where levels are not carried over. This would allow a player to focus on other gameplay systems in the game like gaining new abilities while keeping old abilities, gaining new items while keeping old items, or something similar to that. I think Final Fantasy X-2 did something like that with its New Game +, right? I cannot recall if it was only the completion rate and the dressphere data carried over.

X-2 carried over all Dresspheres, Accessories, Al-Bhed Primers, and Items. Levels and Key Items (with the exception of the ones that let you learn new abilities for dresspheres) were not carried over.

Of course, since you have accessories, you can still break the game by using the really powerful ones. Iron Duke, Catnip, and Ragnarok let you tear through the game even at the low levels.

[BG-57]

Not to mention using The End GG and Mascots from the start.

The New Game+ in FFX-2 removes the Brave Sword/Chicken Knife type dilemmas. You can pick alternate paths each time and eventually get all the available items after three playthroughs.

[Skyblade]

Forgot to mention Garment Grids, thanks.

I've seen three types of New Game + continuations. In some, items are carried over, but not levels, as in X-2. In some, levels and stats are carried over, but nothing else, as in Golden Sun. And, in some, everything is carried over to the New Game, as in Chrono Trigger.

Generally, items are the things I want carried over the most. I gain new levels as I fight through the game anyway, but I like to accumulate items, instead of starting over with each game.

[Depression Moon]

It would be nice to see more games carry it. God of War should had and I hope XIII will too.

[Big D]

It's a cool feature, but I guess it's often left out for the sake of having a reasonable amount of challenge on replay, and for the sake of story continuity - since a lot of obtained items and skills can be relevant to the plot at times.

It worked well in X-2, since that game's so sidequest-heavy that it'd be nigh impossible to get it all in one go. The amount of flexibility and control that the player has in relation to each episodic plot is pretty huge; having a New Game + means you can gradually accumulate all the treasures from all the different possible storylines.

FFX kind of had a New Game +, in that you can retrieve the complete Al Bhed dictionary off your memory card at an early stage. No implications for the plot there; it just enables the player to understand what the Al Bhed are on about during the early hours of the game. There are some neat insights to be gleaned from their discussions.

Dirge of Cerberus also handled New Game + pretty well, I think. It's only available on the game's highest difficulty, but it means you can gather the most powerful weapons and equipment and have them at your disposal for more than just the last couple of levels, unlike a lot of other action games.