New Game+

Upon successfully completing the main narrative of Tales of Arise, players are granted access to the highly anticipated New Game+ (NG+) mode. This feature is meticulously designed to allow players to carry over a significant portion of their accumulated progress from a completed save file, offering a familiar yet substantially enhanced experience. NG+ is the definitive way to pursue missed collectibles, conquer challenging side quests, master higher difficulty settings, and unlock any remaining trophies or achievements. Prepare to embark on your second journey through the vibrant world of Dahna with a significant advantage.

What Carries Over to New Game+

When initiating a New Game+ playthrough in Tales of Arise, the following key elements from your completed save file are preserved:

Character Levels and Stats: Your entire party will retain their current levels, accumulated experience points, and base statistical attributes. This means your characters will be as powerful as they were at the end of your first playthrough.
Skills and Titles: All learned character skills and acquired titles, including those unlocked through specific achievements or quests, are carried over. This grants immediate access to your most potent abilities and passive bonuses.
Equipment: Every weapon, armor piece, and accessory you possessed at the end of your previous game will be available from the outset of your NG+ journey. This includes any rare or powerful gear you may have crafted or found.
Gald (Currency): Your accumulated in-game currency, Gald, is fully retained. This allows for immediate purchasing of high-level equipment or crafting materials.
Crafting Materials: All collected crafting components, from common herbs to rare ores and monster parts, are carried over. This significantly speeds up the crafting process for advanced gear.
Recipes: All learned cooking recipes are preserved. You can immediately prepare any dish you've unlocked, providing early access to powerful buffs.
Arte Proficiency: While the specific usage counts for certain Artes might reset (see below), the core proficiency and mastery levels of your Artes are generally maintained. This means your characters will still be adept at using their learned techniques.

What Does NOT Carry Over to New Game+

To ensure a fresh and challenging experience, certain aspects of your game progress are reset:

Story Progression: The narrative will reset to the very beginning of the game. You will re-experience all story events and cutscenes.
Quest Progress: All main story quests and side quests will need to be undertaken and completed again. This includes any associated rewards or progression markers.
Inventory Items (Consumables): Consumable items such as Potions, Gel, outright healing items, and any other single-use items will be reset to their initial quantities.
Arte Usage Progress: While you retain access to all learned Artes, the specific usage counts for individual Artes that contribute to certain skill unlocks or titles may reset. This encourages re-engaging with your combat repertoire.
Key Items: Story-critical items and quest-specific items will be reset as part of the narrative progression.
Arte Skill Tree Progress: While learned skills are retained, the points or specific progression within the Arte skill trees themselves might reset, requiring you to re-allocate or re-earn certain aspects of skill mastery.

New Content and Challenges in NG+

New Game+ in Tales of Arise is not merely a replay; it introduces specific enhancements and opportunities for dedicated players:

Higher Difficulty Settings: The most significant addition is the unlocking of more demanding difficulty levels. You can now select "Chaos" difficulty from the start, presenting formidable challenges with significantly tougher enemies, more aggressive AI, and increased damage output from foes. This mode offers the greatest rewards and a true test of skill. Other higher difficulties may also become available depending on your initial playthrough's completion.
New Titles and Skills: Certain unique titles and advanced skills are specifically tied to completing the game on higher difficulties or fulfilling specific NG+ objectives. These often provide powerful passive bonuses or new combat capabilities that can only be acquired through a second playthrough. For instance, mastering certain combat feats on Chaos difficulty can unlock exclusive titles for each character.
Faster Progression: With your characters at high levels, equipped with powerful gear, and possessing all learned skills, you can blitz through the early and mid-game sections of Dahna at an accelerated pace. This allows you to quickly reach content you may have missed or focus on specific challenges without the initial grind.
Enhanced Collectible Hunting: NG+ is the ideal time to achieve 100% completion. You can efficiently hunt down all Dahnan Owls scattered across the world, collect all artifacts for the museum, and complete the challenging fishing log with all types of fish.
Revisiting Story and Side Content: With a deeper understanding of the game's mechanics and narrative, you can approach side quests with more strategic insight and potentially uncover nuances in dialogue or character interactions that were missed on a first playthrough.

How to Start New Game+

Initiating your New Game+ adventure is a straightforward process:

Complete the Main Story: Ensure you have finished the main narrative of Tales of Arise and reached the final save point.
Save Your Progress: After the credits roll, save your game. This creates the necessary clear save file.
Access the Main Menu: From the game's main menu, select the 'Load Game' option.
Select Your Clear Save: Choose the save file that corresponds to your completed playthrough.
Choose New Game+: Upon loading the clear save, you will be presented with an option to start a 'New Game' or a 'New Game+'. Select 'New Game+'.
Select Difficulty: You will then be prompted to choose your starting difficulty for the NG+ playthrough. This is where you can select 'Chaos' or any other unlocked higher difficulty.

New Game+ in Tales of Arise offers a robust and rewarding experience for players looking to delve deeper into the game's mechanics, challenges, and completionist goals. It transforms a familiar journey into an epic quest for mastery.