While some see Octopath Traveler as a tribute to Final Fantasy VI, others praise Square Enix's latest HD-2D entry as a nostalgic throwback to Final Fantasy Tactics. On the other hand, some believe that Triangle Strategy's story and political setting bear an uncanny resemblance to the plot of Game of Thrones. Regardless of the parallels drawn, many players who complete Triangle Strategy's campaign will likely want to relive its masterful, branching story in New Game+.

There is no doubt that Triangle Strategy's lush character pixel art and the three-dimensional world appeal to veteran and new gamers alike. However, the game's true beauty lies in the complexity of its overall design, not just the visuals. It is apparent that the developer did not cut corners in its creation of the inner workings of Triangle Strategy, as its value system, core mechanics, and narrative remain closely entwined. Aside from an exceptional level design and difficulty tuning, Triangle Strategy ensures that players' actions, no matter how small or insignificant at first, count toward events that will unfold further down the line.

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Screenshot depicting Serenoa standing next to Scales of Conviction in Triangle Strategy.

The Conviction system is a prime example of how the game handles branching storylines. It is also one of the many reasons why players will want to revisit their adventure in a New Game+. Based on the general overworld actions and dialogue choices throughout the game, Utility, Morality, and Liberty values realign accordingly. This ensures that the protagonist goes down particular paths while unlocking various side characters, their respective flashbacks and ultimately, one out of four endings. Although reaching the True Ending during the first playthrough is entirely possible, players should consider pursuing it in a subsequent visit because of the benefits introduced in New Game+.

After completing Triangle Strategy's campaign and seeing one of its endings, players will be prompted to create a Clear Data save file, granting them access to a New Game+. The mode ensures that all of the player's acquired and remaining items, recruited units, and unlocked character notes carry over into the new save file. This will undoubtedly make their journey to unlocking the True Ending less taxing, but that is not to say that they will not face new challenges with the game's updated features.

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While New Game+ ramps up the difficulty of normal enemies and bosses, it does not directly impact Mental Mock Battles. Instead, it addresses them separately and makes Hard Mental Mock Battles accessible at the Tavern. In line with presenting the players with an opportunity to test their skills against tougher opponents, the New Game Plus lends them a hand in unlocking new content by providing a summary of the first playthrough and making the Conviction system and its effects visible.

Screenshot depicting the unfolding conflict in Triangle Strategy.

Thanks to the transparency of the Conviction system in the New Game+, players can keep track of the aftermath of their actions and decisions, which will help them recruit the remainder of playable characters. Aside from the fact that the dialogue choices reveal which Conviction value is affected and to what extent, the system also notifies the players about the potential changes as they arise. Furthermore, they are able to view their current Conviction values alongside the information on allies they are yet to meet and recruit.

In addition to providing the players with bonus tips on how the Conviction system works, New Game+ also reveals a list of exact actions that contribute to a rise in Utility, Morality, and Liberty stats. With such an extensive range of benefits that practically gift the players with a blueprint to success during subsequent playthroughs, Triangle Strategy continues to put its best foot forward by increasing the replay value through a seamless balance of adjusted difficulty and reintroduced opportunities.

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