
The PS5 exclusive action game Stellar Blade launches tomorrow, 26th April, and as with most game launches these days, a day one update will arrive alongside it. While the patch will no doubt fix some bugs and get the title in better shape for release day, this one also throws in a big new feature: New Game+ mode.
New Game+ is a fairly common feature that allows you to carry over some of your progress from a completed campaign to a new one. With action games like Stellar Blade, that usually means you'll keep all the abilities, levels, and other upgrades, meaning you'll start the next run fully powered up.
As spotted by GamesRadar+, the game's New Game+ mode does pretty much exactly that. An in-game prompt will pop up once you've completed the game normally; it explains that "all your equipment, currency, items and records, character enhancements, drone upgrades, acquired skills, and owned SP" will carry over to New Game+, but that you'll start the game over from the beginning. So, your amped-up Eve can be taken into a second run with all her skills and other upgrades ready to roll.
Over on the PS Blog, there are some more details on what to expect. New Game+ will also feature new costumes and accessories to unlock for Eve, as well as her allies Adam, Lily, and even the drone. There are 34 new cosmetic items to earn, most being new costumes for Eve, such as the Crew Style outfit.
Furthermore, Eve's Weapon, HP, Beta Energy, and Tumbler stats can be enhanced beyond what's possible in the standard game. The drone can also be upgraded for more powerful ranged attacks.
There are even new skills to unlock in Stellar Blade's New Game+. This includes four new Beta skill moves, eight enhancements to existing skills, and five new drone skills.
Developer Shift Up previously said that New Game+ would arrive as part of its post-launch plans, but it's good to see it arrive just in time for launch day. It's always a nice extra for fans, letting them go through a game again with a slightly different experience. Will you be playing Stellar Blade's New Game+ mode once you're done with your first playthrough? Tell us in the comments section below.
[source gamesradar.com, via videogameschronicle.com, blog.playstation.com]
Comments 27
I wonder how the NG+ plays, is it just tougher enemies or are there are other differences?
Updated with more info.
I do enjoy meaningful new game pluses.
I always like it when New Game+ has a bunch of unlockable stuff. Gives the NG+ run more incentive.
Day one patch also appears to alter a couple outfits, reducing the amount of skin shown. If you have the physical version and don't update it the original version is intact on disc. Just a friendly warning for those that want an uncensored experience.
And an extremely bizarre situation since Shift Up specifically marketed the lack of censorship as a selling point recently. Why crow about that only to have a bit in a day one patch?
@glennthefrog Source ?
@glennthefrog the uncensored stuff was regarding the violence and gore. Not the outfit.
@glennthefrog luckily, it seems like the outfit in question, is unedited.
Quick question, @Quintumply, do you happen to know if New Game Plus allows you to increase the difficulty? So if you were to complete the game on Normal, could you then play through on Hard in a New Game Plus...? Thanks...
@Fiendish-Beaver Yes I believe you can do that
I’m genuinely curious what the heck happened with Spiderman 2. Basically this day one update adds far more content than Spiderman 2 did for its new game plus and wasn’t delayed by six months. I call BS on the whole “we were hacked and data was leaked” excuse, as horrible as that was. As consumers we really need to have higher standards. Loyalty is worth nothing if it’s given blindly.
@TheUnSeen it does alter one thing which is a Hard R graffiti sign thing at a certain spot in the game. Which is clearly an oversight and I’m genuinely fine and supportive of them removing that.
@glennthefrog
WTF!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for letting me know. I’ll delay purchase and keep an eye on it.
Hopefully this becomes more widely known and they can get deserved backlash rather than trying to sneak it in after release uncontested.
@Yorozayu that’s not what I said but ok. They can’t blame getting hacked on the poor quality of replay ability and late/subpar new game plus. The hack itself is horrible though, and I genuinely hope those affected by the data leaks can get some measure of reparation.
@thefourfoldroot1 I don't seem to see any sources that corroborate that claim, so I would be skeptical of what he says about the outfits.
@Silenos Apparently enemy placement is different, so that's something to look forward to
@ErrantRob
Well, OK, as I can’t corroborate myself I’ll remove the comments. But it seems legit from the posts and pictures I see. I’ll certainly not be buying it until I know for certain.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner https://ibb.co/M5MF8t5
Looks like he speaks the truth :/
Edit: It seems some people have provided proof that both outfits shown in the image are in the game.
@Nepp67 thanks, good to know!
@Nepp67 Will be fun seeing all the chuds turn against the game now 😂😂😂
Wait am I right in thinking that people on here will refuse to buy the game because... * re-reads comments *.... you'll see a little less skin on a digital character?
I thought the censorship was regarding violence anyway.
@DennisReynolds Well looking more into it it seems that it is BS because there are reviewers such as Fightin Cowboy even providing proof that the sexier version is still in the game.
@Nepp67 Could you point me to where Fightin Cowboy said both versions are still in the game? I saw their post showing that pre and post update the outfit was unchanged (it was the allegedly censored version in both pics) on their digital copy.
I thought I'd been had and the purported original version was in the NG+, or a photoshop, however there is also this video, from the 1.0 build of a disc version which shows the 'original' costume so it can't have been NG+:
https://streamable.com/tbvmoy
So honestly don't know what to believe at this point. I wasn't trying to spread disinfo or anything. At this point it appears IF the difference is there it only occurs on unpatched disc versions but not digital, even pre-patch digital review copies. It's possible there was a day zero patch that all digital versions have that the physical print predates. Maybe the risque version was moved to NG+ as reward. Maybe it's all a hoax. Will have to just play it tomorrow and see.
@DeathlySW SM2 actually added a fair bit. Most NG+ modes actually add nothing.
@DennisReynolds my issue with it is less about what it adds and more about the fact that it came out extremely late when the game’s overall design is lacking a lot of replay value as it stands. If the base the game feels barren and lacking a reason to stay then new game plus has an additional barrier to pass when it comes to quality.
At the end of the day I was immensely disappointed with SM2 and felt its replay value was non existent due to the pesky minigames and empty world. But that’s just me.
@glennthefrog Indeed, we will just have to wait at this point to get better proof about it.
@glennthefrog Baldurs gate 3 also did a bait and switch but from EA to full release
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