Games That Are Better on a Second Playthrough

Certain games, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, offer incredible depth and can keep players engaged for hundreds of hours. Other games are enjoyable initially, but truly shine on a second playthrough, particularly if they include a New Game+ feature that lets you start over with your progress intact.

People replay games for lots of different reasons. Often, it’s fun to experiment with new items or abilities in a fresh playthrough, which New Game+ allows. Some players also enjoy revisiting the story, especially to see how characters act after a major reveal, now that they know what’s coming. Ultimately, these games can be even more satisfying the second time around.

Persona 5

Becoming A Better Student

Persona 5 is a long game, typically taking around 80 hours to finish, and even then, completionists might find there’s still more to do. The game features Social Stats, which influence your ability to unlock extra conversations and interactions with your teammates and other characters.

Players with limited time might skip optional activities that boost their character’s relationships (Social Stats) to focus on other things. Restarting the game can be helpful, though, because players can unlock character interactions earlier by carrying over their existing Social Stats and continue to improve those relationships.

Chrono Trigger

Time Is Of The Essence

Chrono Trigger is a classic role-playing game where you battle enemies in turns and travel through time. It was also one of the first games to let you start a new game while keeping your powerful items and unlocking previously inaccessible content.

The game features unique gear sets where players often have to choose one over the other, but can obtain the opposite one by replaying to complete their collection. A key feature is the multiple endings available, and these become easier to unlock with each playthrough. Plus, the more familiar players become with Chrono Trigger, the faster they can complete it.

Triangle Strategy

The Scales Of Justice

Triangle Strategy is a tactical role-playing game where your choices matter. Throughout the story, you’ll make decisions that influence the plot and impact your character stats – specifically, Morality, Utility, and Liberty. Reaching certain levels in these stats is key to unlocking specific characters.

Characters like Narve become available as you play, once you’ve earned enough Morality and Liberty points. You can unlock other characters by progressing through the story, but to collect them all and experience every story path, you’ll need to play the game multiple times.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain Of Memories

And Riku Was His Name-O

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a unique action role-playing game that uses a card-based battle system. Players revisit events from the original Kingdom Hearts through Sora’s memories, but with a new twist. Once you finish the game, you can unlock Riku, Sora’s friend who was missing from the first game, and play as him.

This new campaign revisits familiar worlds, but this time in reverse order. While playing as Riku, you’ll encounter unique bosses and conversations. Although the original Game Boy Advance version is often considered the best, the PlayStation 2 and HD remasters also allow you to play as Riku.

Parasite Eve

Gotta Get To The Chrysler Building

Parasite Eve is an action RPG where you play as detective Aya, battling a mysterious supernatural threat in New York City. Once you beat the game, you can start a new game with a special key that opens up a challenging, randomly generated dungeon inside the Chrysler Building.

So, beating the final boss unlocks what a lot of people consider the real ending for Aya. And once you’re done with that, you can grab all the stuff you stashed away – seriously, everything! – to make your second playthrough way easier. Plus, you earn BP just for finishing the game, which you can use to upgrade things and get even stronger for that next run.

Resident Evil 3 (2020)

Taking Another Stab At Nemesis

A fun part of finishing a scary game is often playing it again, especially if it has a New Game+ mode. In the updated version of Resident Evil 3, players will collect points during their first playthrough that they can then use to buy items in a shop when they start a new game.

Getting powerful, unlimited-ammo weapons like the Rocket Launcher is the quickest way to enjoy a replay. The game is short and has lots of unlockables, making it perfect for playing through with Jill in Raccoon City and battling Nemesis every year.

Dead Space (2023)

Getting A Better Toolkit

The remake of Dead Space is a solid horror game, and its New Game+ mode is identical to the original, making either version a great choice. Restarting the game unlocks the option to buy a new, stylish white combat suit called the Advanced Soldier RIG.

Players also carry over all their weapon, suit, and item upgrades from each round, making subsequent playthroughs rewarding. Since you can’t upgrade everything in a single game, replaying allows you to become even more powerful and better equipped to fight the alien mutants in space – it’s a lot of fun!

Silent Hill f

Solving The Mystery

I just finished Silent Hill f, and honestly, while it’s cool you keep your upgrades for New Game+, that’s not why you’d play it again. The first time through, you only get one ending, and even if you’re a completionist and read everything, you’ll likely still be scratching your head about what actually happened. It’s a confusing, but compelling, experience!

On a second playthrough, you’ll notice small differences in the story scenes and find extra notes hidden throughout the game. These details can unlock different endings, each with a unique boss to defeat. While the game doesn’t necessarily get simpler, you’ll have a better grasp of what’s happening.

Ninja Gaiden 4

The Ryu Way

As a huge Ninja Gaiden fan, I was really excited for Ninja Gaiden 4! It’s a super fast-paced action game where you mostly play as a new character, Yakumo, which is cool. But the best part? Once you beat the game, you can replay everything with all your unlocked abilities, and switch to playing as the classic ninja, Ryu! It’s awesome to be able to experience the whole game as him.

This change won’t alter the main story, which is different from what happened in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. However, it does give players a good reason to play through the game again. Ryu has some unique moves, and dedicated fans will likely enjoy this addition.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Testing Your Stealth Limits

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a complete remake of the classic game, and unlocking new outfits for camouflage works the same way as the original. Players will explore the Russian wilderness and earn different suits to help them blend in.

Players will receive a powerful new weapon after finishing the game for the first time, if they didn’t have one already. While the initial playthrough is best experienced with a stealthy approach, similar to other Metal Gear games, it could be enjoyable to try a more direct and aggressive combat style just for the experience.

2026-01-20 02:38