Developed by Santa Monica Studio, God of War: Ragnarok has announced the release of a New Game+ mode that will be available immediately. This mode will include new armors, increased level cap, and new Enchantments for players to experience. Once players have completed the game, the option to start a NG+ save will be available immediately, which allows players to replay the story with access to a wider range of gameplay features right from the beginning.
When starting a NG+ save, your original equipment, weapons, and skills will be inherited based on the previous save file, allowing you to access all your equipment right from the beginning of your journey. However, you will not be able to use Sonic Arrow and Hex Arrow in the early stages. Areas that require either of these arrows or the Draupnir Spear to enter will also not be immediately unlocked until you have progressed through the related stories.
- Armor of the Black Bear: At the request of players, this set of equipment will be worn by default at the beginning of the second round.
- Spartan Armor: Test your limits with this armor that has no Perks, no Stats, and is locked at Power level 1. Purchasable at the Huldra Brothers' shop with Hacksilver.
- Ares Armor: One of the popular equipment from the previous game, returning with new visuals and Perks. This armor offers the wearer with a chance to drop a Health Stone on hit, and stomping on the Health Stone will provide rage gain and a larger explosion range. Purchasable at the Huldra Brothers' shop with Hacksilver.
- Zeus Armor: For those who prefer the ultimate risk-reward playstyle, this armor significantly increases Melee and Runic damage, but also increases damage received. Obtainable by defeating Gná the Valkyrie Queen and completing certain Remnants of Asgard during your second playthrough.
- Spartan Aspis — New Shield: Similar to the Guardian Shield, but with shorter Parry window and higher Parry damage. Purchasable at the Huldra Brothers' shop with Hacksilver.
The game also introduced new color combinations and styles that were not available before for 13 of the existing armors. These appearances can be purchased at the Huldra Brothers' Shop and applied to any Level 9+ armor in the transmog menu. The new Berserker Armor can also be obtained by defeating the Berserker King in NG+.
In addition, in NG+, Kratos and all enemies will become stronger as the level cap increases. Players can convert all their Level 9 equipment (armor, weapons, weapon components, and shields) into new "Plus" versions, which allows additional level progression. These conversion will grant a Gilded Coin that can be used to purchase a new Enchantment from the shop. Moreover, adjustments have been made to the shop in NG+ mode, where players can gradually purchase and sell resources to ensure that their equipment is in optimal condition.
As mentioned above, Gilded Coins can be used to exchange for powerful perks from Armor (Engravings) and Shield Rönds (Badges), which could be equipped as Enchantments in your Talisman. It enables Kratos to utilize the Perks of two different types of armor. However, in order for the Enchantments to take effect, certain Stats threshold will have to be met to encourage carefully planned builds.
Other than that, there are also two new Enchantments, namely the Berserker Soul Drops and Burdens, the former of which can be obtained by defeating the Berserker Souls in NG+ and provides stats increases, while the latter can be purchased from the Huldra Brothers' shop and provides negative perks, making it suitable for players looking to heighten the level of difficulty.
Other new content for NG+ includes:
- New Skill Mod Plus: Use XP to upgrade existing Skill Mods to further enhance their effects.
- Platinum Tier Labors: Inherit previous Kill Labors or Ratatasks progress and move on to unlock a new Platinum Tier of rewards.
- Additional Stat Gains: Nornir Chests will now provide Yggdrasil Dew to allow Kratos' Stats to surpass their limits.
- Expanded Niflheim Arena: The challenges are more diverse, and you can fight new enemies, control Kratos or Atreus, and choose your fighting partners.
- Endgame Bosses: Changes have been made to the Berserker Souls and the Valkyrie Queen Gná in NG+, offering fresh challenges to players when facing them again.
- Other Enemy Adjustments: The Hateful and the Ormstunga in NG+ have new moves. In Give Me No Mercy and Give Me God of War difficulties, all bosses will have Runic Armor, and enemies can now turn elite.
- Black and White Render Mode: Experience the story again in a more cinematic way.
