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Playing a video game and finishing it for the first time is a great experience. Whether it’s a game that lasts eight hours or something that lasts fifty – it’s important that it makes you feel fulfilled by the time you reach the end.
But once you’ve completed your adventure, it’s reasonable to expect not to be bored if you play the game for a second time. But if everything’s the same as before, then it’s only natural to feel some repetition.
Fortunately, New Game Plus is something that allows developers to switch things up for your subsequent playthroughs without having to develop entirely new scenarios for replay value. And the fact that you can spend more time with the abilities that you only unlock later on in the game is always a treat too.
So, what are the best games with New Game Plus that you can play in 2024? With many options to choose from, let’s take a look at our favorites.
The Best Games with New Game Plus in 2024
New Game+ is a feature that we can expect to see in most video games ever since we entered the 3D era of gaming. But not all of them are created equal, so let’s go over our handpicked list.
1. NieR: Automata
NieR Automata raises the bar for what New Game Plus can offer a player. The first time you beat the game, things seem to be somewhat concluded and you get an ending as you’d expect.
But when you replay the game, you immediately notice that things are different as you play as a different character this time around.
When you play the game a third time, you enter a completely new scenario that features a new chapter of the game. New endings, new characters, and the true conclusion to the story.
It’s a unique way to bring the player back for more which almost no other game offers on the same scale. This applies to NieR Replicant too – although on a smaller scale.
2. Elden Ring
Elden Ring follows the tradition of other Soulslike games and lets players keep their stats for their subsequent playthroughs. Since the game has so many unique classes and weapons to try, no two playthroughs feel the same.
Using NG+ lets you take on enemies at a higher difficulty than before and it also gives you the chance to max out your stats which is normally difficult to do in the first time around. It’s a great challenge that hardcore players can enjoy and adds more life to the experience.
3. The Witcher 3
Using New Game Plus is ideal for players who replay The Witcher 3 on the hardest difficulty as it balances things out. And on top of that, you can consider it the lore-accurate way to play as Geralt since he should be that powerful, to begin with against the enemies that you faced earlier in the game.
It’s a great idea to further expand your build options with the DLCs of the game, which then lets you have even more fun when you start the game over with your preferred options.
4. Devil May Cry 5
Devil May Cry is a game that has great replay value due to how entertaining the gameplay is. It’s a bit difficult to unlock everything on your first playthrough, so starting over and filling in all the gaps is a very fun experience.
What sets Devil May Cry 5 apart from the other games in the franchise is that one of the characters unlocks an entirely new power at the end of the game. And that power is not just a gimmick either – it adds a lot more fun to the experience that you missed out on before.
So, New Game Plus in Devil May Cry 5, especially on harder difficulties, is very fun to experience.
5. God of War: Ragnarok
Like other games in the franchise, God of War: Ragnarok features many weapons that the player only unlocks after reaching certain points in the story. And since Ragnarok has a few RPG elements as well, your build and stats get better after you grind throughout your playthrough too.
When you finally start New Game Plus in God of War: Ragnarok, you get to keep all of your weapons and upgrades from the very beginning of the game.
This makes the experience much more fun since you have so many unique ways to kill your opponents without being restrained by the shackles of the storyline.
To make things even better, the free Valhalla DLC lets you enjoy the game for hours even after you’re done with your subsequent playthroughs.
6. Dark Souls and Bloodborne
Dark Souls (1, 2, & 3) and Bloodborne are games that are meant for hardcore players due to their unforgiving difficulty and grim-level design. People who want things to be even more challenging for themselves can go ahead and start New Game Plus, which makes all the enemies more difficult than before.
The enemy placement and movements differ a bit too in some cases, so you won’t be already prepared for everything based on your first playthrough. And you get to keep all your stats, so you stand a better chance at tackling the hordes of enemies thrown in your path. Plus, you’ll finally get to max out your stats.
7. The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda franchise is famous for its creative use of New Game Plus, and this applies to everything from the first NES game to the more modern entries. Enemy placement, locations of Heart Containers, and floor layouts change in your second playthrough.
In some cases, such as The Wind Waker, the game also lets you learn more about the lore as you can understand the Hylian text which opens the door to many new interactions. The Zelda games have an addictive gameplay loop, so you’ll always be coming back for more.
8. Batman: Arkham Knight
If you know anyone who played Arkham Knight, chances are they have 8 different save files. This is because Batman: Arkham Knight’s gameplay loop is incredibly addictive, and it still features some of the best graphics that you’ll see in a modern video game.
When you start a New Game Plus in Batman: Arkham Knight, the Counter icons are removed, the difficulty is amped up, the AR challenges become more difficult, and a few tiny details are altered too. For example, there’s a little surprise in the opening cutscene for when you start NG+ for the first time.
9. Starfield
Whether Starfield is a great game or not is something that is up to debate as the reception to it has been very polarizing. However, one thing that we can’t deny is that the game has one of the best uses of New Game Plus that we have seen in modern gaming.
The final mission of Starfield lets players continue their journey after the endgame – or they can choose to start NG+ instead. This resets the universe and gives the player the ability to start over with better chances of success.
The NG+ mode erases a lot of the player’s progress, but some things such as stats and abilities remain. And you get an upgraded suit that makes the game even more fun to play with, granted that you had fun playing it the first time around.
10. Pokémon Gold & Silver
Pokémon Gold & Silver is considered to be one of the best games in the franchise, and rightfully so. It’s a game that already takes many hours to beat and it’s filled with a great selection of Pokémon, tons of Gyms to visit, a large region to explore, and more.
But one thing not many people know about the game is that once you complete the game’s final challenges, the player is given the option to explore the entirety of the Kanto Region – which was originally featured in Red & Blue. This means that you essentially have an entirely new game to play with new Gym Leaders and Pokémon to catch.
It may not be NG+ by conventional means as the game isn’t starting over – but the fact that you can keep all your upgrades and then explore an entirely new region from scratch does fall under that category.
That’s it for our list of the best games with New Game Plus that you can play in 2024. We’ve included games from a plethora of different genres, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. And we know that we’ve missed out on many great alternatives, but the point of making lists is finality, after all.
We hope that you found this guide useful, and while you’re still here, feel free to check out many of our other guides too!
