Is Dark Souls New Game Plus Hard? A Veteran’s Perspective
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Yes, Dark Souls New Game Plus (NG+) is definitively harder than your initial playthrough, but with a significant caveat: the difficulty increase is most pronounced at the beginning. Imagine starting a marathon already warmed up and carrying all your best equipment. That’s essentially what NG+ offers. Enemies hit harder, have more health, and can sometimes have slightly altered placements. However, you retain your character level, upgraded weapons, armor, and accumulated items. This initial advantage often makes the early areas of NG+ feel surprisingly manageable. The real challenge comes later, as the game’s difficulty scales to match your power. Mastering NG+ requires a blend of strategic thinking, honed combat skills, and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics. Prepare to adapt, learn, and die… a lot. But remember, overcoming these challenges is what makes the Dark Souls experience so rewarding.
Understanding the NG+ Difficulty Curve
The difficulty spike in NG+ is not uniform across the entire game. While early areas might feel trivial due to your superior equipment and stats, the difficulty ramps up significantly as you progress, particularly in later areas and boss encounters.
Early Game Trivialization
Your previously hard-earned gear and levels give you a substantial advantage in the early stages. Enemies that once posed a threat become trivial encounters. This can lead to a false sense of security, so don’t let your guard down.
Mid-Game Challenge
As you progress, the scaling of enemy health and damage becomes more noticeable. Bosses that were once manageable now require precise timing and execution. This is where your upgraded equipment and experience truly come into play.
Late-Game Brutality
The late-game areas and DLC content (if applicable) in NG+ become brutally difficult. Enemies are relentless, bosses are unforgiving, and even the smallest mistake can be fatal. This is where you’ll need to leverage every advantage you can muster, including optimized builds, strategic item usage, and a deep understanding of enemy attack patterns.
The Advantages You Retain
Despite the increased difficulty, NG+ provides several advantages that can help you overcome the challenges:
- Character Level: You start with your existing level, allowing you to continue investing in stats and further refine your build.
- Equipment: You retain all your weapons, armor, and items, providing a significant edge in combat.
- Spells and Pyromancies: You keep all your spells and pyromancies, giving you access to powerful offensive and defensive options.
- Covenants: Your covenant progress carries over, allowing you to continue earning rewards and participating in multiplayer activities.
- Knowledge: Perhaps the most important advantage is your experience and knowledge of the game. You know enemy placements, boss attack patterns, and optimal strategies for overcoming challenges.
Strategic Preparation for NG+
Before embarking on NG+, consider these strategies:
- Maximize Your Build: Optimize your stats, weapons, and armor to create a powerful and versatile build.
- Upgrade Your Gear: Fully upgrade your favorite weapons and armor to maximize their effectiveness.
- Stock Up on Consumables: Gather a plentiful supply of healing items, buffs, and utility items to help you survive challenging encounters.
- Complete Optional Content: Explore any areas or bosses you may have missed in your first playthrough to acquire valuable items and experience.
- Refine Your Skills: Practice parrying, dodging, and other combat techniques to improve your reflexes and reaction time.
Is NG+ Right for You?
NG+ is not for everyone. It’s designed for players who crave a greater challenge and want to delve deeper into the world of Dark Souls. If you’re struggling with the base game, it’s best to focus on improving your skills and understanding the game’s mechanics before attempting NG+. However, if you’re looking for a fresh and rewarding experience, NG+ offers a compelling way to revisit a beloved game with new challenges and opportunities.
Consider exploring resources and communities such as the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/, to connect with fellow players and expand your knowledge of the game and its strategic elements. The GamesLearningSociety.org is great for learning game strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Dark Souls NG+
1. What exactly carries over to NG+ in Dark Souls?
Almost everything carries over: your character level, stats, weapons, armor, rings, spells, pyromancies, consumables, covenant progress, and key items (like Estus Flask shards and Bone Shards). What doesn’t carry over are key story items (like Lord Souls, the Key to New Londo Ruins, etc.), which are necessary to progress the main story again.
2. How much harder is NG+ compared to the first playthrough?
Most players estimate it’s roughly 50% harder in terms of enemy health and damage output. However, this increase scales with each subsequent NG+ cycle, up to NG+7, where the difficulty plateaus.
3. What are the benefits of playing NG+?
Besides the increased challenge, NG+ offers opportunities to acquire unique items, complete missed quests, experiment with different builds, and further master the game’s mechanics. You also gain significantly more souls from enemies and bosses, facilitating faster leveling.
4. At what level should I start NG+?
There’s no strict level requirement, but most players recommend being around level 90-120 before starting NG+. This ensures you have a solid foundation of stats and equipment to tackle the increased difficulty.
5. Do I lose my Estus Flask upgrades in NG+?
No, you retain all your Estus Flask upgrades and the number of Estus Flasks you’ve acquired. This is a significant advantage in NG+.
6. Does the game get harder with each subsequent NG+ cycle?
Yes, the difficulty continues to increase with each NG+ cycle, up to NG+7. After NG+7, the difficulty plateaus, meaning enemies won’t get any stronger.
7. Are there any new items or enemies in NG+?
While there are no entirely new enemy types, some enemies may be placed in different locations or have slightly altered behaviors. More importantly, NG+ introduces new rings that offer unique benefits, providing additional incentives to replay the game.
8. Can I skip NG+ and go straight to a higher cycle?
No, you must complete each NG+ cycle sequentially. You cannot jump from NG to NG+2, for example.
9. Is it possible to complete NG+ at level 1?
Yes, it’s possible, but extremely challenging. It requires a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics, perfect execution, and a lot of patience.
10. Does covenant progress reset in NG+?
No, your covenant progress carries over to NG+. This allows you to continue earning covenant rewards and participating in multiplayer activities.
11. Are there any new endings in NG+?
No, there are no new endings in NG+. The available endings remain the same as in the first playthrough.
12. How does multiplayer work in NG+?
Multiplayer functionality remains the same in NG+. You can still summon other players for assistance or invade their worlds, regardless of your NG+ cycle.
13. Are the DLCs harder in NG+?
Yes, the DLCs are significantly harder in NG+ due to the increased enemy health and damage. They represent some of the most challenging content in the game.
14. What’s the best class to start with for NG+?
The “best” class is subjective and depends on your playstyle. However, classes that focus on melee combat with a mix of pyromancy tend to be effective in NG+.
15. Is NG+ worth playing?
Absolutely. For players who enjoy a challenge and want to experience Dark Souls in a new way, NG+ offers a rewarding and engaging experience. It allows you to further refine your skills, experiment with different builds, and delve deeper into the game’s lore and secrets.