Is New Game Plus worth it in Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey?

The short answer is: it depends.

For players craving more overpowered mythic combat, New Game Plus is incredibly rewarding. But for those seeking fresh challenges and narrative tension, moving on to new games may be preferable. By weighing key factors like combat, progression, and appreciation of story details covered here, you can decide what‘s best for your own needs and interests.

Clear Reasons New Game Plus is Worth It

Here are the biggest benefits that make a New Game Plus playthrough an exciting option for many gamers:

Breeze Through Early Grinding

Starting overpowered means no tedious low-level fights or carefully avoiding deadly enemies early on. You can take on the game’s greatest challenges right away!

Replay With Your Favorite Build

Keep all your abilities and weapons fully intact. Enjoy your perfected character build from the very beginning.

Appreciate Subtleties You Missed

Focus more on subtle story details now that you know the major plot points.

Experiment with Different Romances

Experience all the varied romantic subplots without meticulously replaying each one.

100% Completion Made Easier

Maxed out character and abilities make completing all side content and objectives far less frustrating.

Valid Reasons to Skip New Game Plus

However, there are also good arguments against starting another playthrough:

Repetitive and Redundant Gameplay

Re-treading old ground may start to feel repetitive and boring after already spending 100+ hours in ancient Greece.

Lack of Ongoing Progression

The rewarding loop of growing stronger is diminished when you already start nearly maxed out.

Trivialized Combat

Enemies pose little threat when you‘re massively over-leveled, making fights dull.

Diminished Narrative Tension

Breezing through major story beats with ease lessens dramatic impact.

Experience Fresh Games Instead

100+ hours replaying could be spent on new open world adventures like RDR2 or The Witcher 3.

Key Factors to Consider

Below are some of the most important elements to weigh when deciding if New Game Plus is worthwhile for you personally:

Appreciating Story Details

• Starting overpowered allows focusing more on subtleties you missed before.
• But narrative tension and drama are reduced when major events pose little challenge.
• Ask yourself what’s more rewarding: powering through the story or earning it through struggle?

Challenge and Progression

• Initially exhilarating to dominate with end-game abilities.
• But combat/progression may become trivialized and boring over time.
• Consider if you’d enjoy slowly re-earning skills/powers again in a fresh run.

Replay Value

• Opportunity to try different romance options without multiple playthroughs.
• However, the world holds less wonder and exploration value the second time.
• Determine if you’d prefer new stories in different open worlds instead.

Time Investment

• 100+ hours is a huge timesink – make sure it’s not spent better elsewhere.
• But starting overpowered does help make completionist goals like 100% less daunting.
• Decide if maximizing more value from Odyssey is worth extended playtime.

In-Depth Pros and Cons Analysis

To help make the most informed decision possible, let‘s dive deeper into analyzing the major pros and cons:

Major Pros

Shorter Grind to Endgame Power

• In a New Game Plus run, you retain all abilities, mastery levels and legendary gear that required dozens or hundreds of hours to unlock originally.
• This allows you to experience being near end-game powered within the first few hours rather than needing to grind extensively again.
• For example, players report being able to defeat epic boss battles like Medusa or the Minotaur right after leaving the starting island of Kephallonia. These were major milestone battles originally reserved for the end of lengthy quest lines.
• If quick access to end-game power sounds exciting, NG+ allows that instant payoff.

Table showing examples of tasks requiring far fewer hours in New Game Plus

Experience Story with Fuller Context

• It can be easy to miss subtle dialogue hints, character development and other story details that have greater meaning once you know all the major plot twists and turns.
• A New Game Plus playthrough lets you experience the full story again with proper context to better notice and appreciate nuances you may have overlooked or forgotten.
• For example, seemingly minor exchanges with modern day characters like Layla take on far more significance once you understand their true importance to the events unfolding.
• Catching this added depth and connectivity can increase narrative appreciation.

Romance All Characters Easily

• One of Odyssey‘s most acclaimed features are the varied and sensitively-handled romance options with well-developed characters like Kyra, Alkibiades and Daphnae.
• These require extensive focus within a single playthrough to successfully romance just one.
• But through New Game Plus, you can easily experience the touching character moments and unique conclusions of all these romantic subplots within a single playthrough rather than repeated tedious replays.
• This saves dozens of hours while allowing completionists to see the arcs play out.

Breeze Through Completionist Goals

• For players aiming to 100% complete every activity, location, mission and objective, New Game Plus makes this far less arduous.
• You retain completion progress, so only need to mop up leftover tasks rather than redo everything.
• And your overpowered character can speed through mundane activities like enemy camp clearing and artifact hunting that were previously time consuming.
• Full completion is satisfying, and NG+ enables achieving it quicker and less frustrations.

Major Cons

Repetitive and Redundant Gameplay

• Even diehard fans can grow weary retreading all the same ground completing identical gameplay objectives they‘ve already poured 100+ hours into previously.
• Yes, you‘re overpowered, but the core loop of sailing between islands and clearing out copy-paste enemy outposts still becomes repetitive and dull over the course of another full playthrough.
• There are only so many satisfying ways to one-shot assassinate the same grunt enemies and captains before it grows stale.
• At a certain point, boredom outweighs power fantasy.

Trivialized Combat and Progression

• Initially, it‘s hugely satisfying to steamroll formidable enemies and bosses that previously challenged you thanks to retaining extremely powerful gear and abilities.
• But this novelty wears off over the course of a complete playthrough as even notorious enemies like mercenaries and mythical beasts cease being threatening.
• Without challenge and struggle, combat loses emotional weight and satisfaction.
• Similarly, your character is already nearly maxed out from the start, so that rewarding sense of growth and new unlocks is minimized.

Table showing how New Game Plus trivializes major enemy challenges

Diminished Narrative Engagement

• Combat challenges and struggle are essential to making narrative moments feel earned and emotionally resonant.
• When you can brainlessly smash through climatic boss fights and story missions, their gravitas and impact are lessened.
• Similarly, blowing through revelations like reuniting your family or the cultist web lose dramatic weight when not earned through gameplay challenge.
• Rather than increased emotional engagement, New Game Plus often distances you from narrative stakes and events since minimal effort is required.

Missing Out on New Experiences

• The sunk cost fallacy can push us to over-invest additional time into existing hobbies or entertainment rather than trying new ones that may also be rewarding.
• Rather than another 100+ hours in a familiar world you‘ve already thoroughly explored and completed everything in, that same time could be spent on amazing new open world games.
• Rich adventures full of surprise and discovery await in huge RPGs like Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3 and Elden Ring. Why miss out on these fresh experiences?
• Odyssey will always be waiting if you someday wish to return via New Game Plus.

Key Questions to Ask Yourself

• Do you care more about combat challenge/progression or efficient completionist goals?
• Is maintaining narrative stakes and tension important to your experience?
• Are you someone who appreciates all subtleties and details in a favorite story?
• Does experiencing content like romances fully matter to you?
• Is maximizing entertainment time through variety of experiences preferable to sunk cost repayment?
• Would you enjoy a more relaxed OP run or prefer重新earning power again?

Thinking through your personal preferences and playstyle regarding questions like these will help determine if New Game Plus sounds exciting or unappealing.

Weighing Your Options

Hopefully this deep dive analysis gives you a clear sense of the major selling points and potential downsides to initiating a New Game Plus run in Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey. Here are a few closing tips to help decide if it‘s the right choice for you:

• If you really love the combat, exploration and RPG systems, NG+ lets you enjoy more of that core gameplay loop while powered up.
• If you‘re less obsessive about games and okay moving on, try a fresh open world adventure for more novelty.
• There are persuasive arguments either way rather than a definitively right or wrong choice.
• Your personal playstyle preferences and completionist tendencies should guide you.
• An informed decision is best so expectations align with reality – both the ups and downs.
• Remember you can always revisit Odyssey later on if nostalgia calls!

Ultimately, whether New Game Plus feels rewarding or lackluster comes down to balancing your desire for more Odyssey gameplay against seeking new gaming challenges and narratives. There are good reasons for either choice, so pick the path that best fits your needs. Greece will be waiting if you ever wish to return for another epic odyssey down the road!