Replay, routes & global progress

There is no conventional New Game+ menu

The game uses Replay rather than a separate New Game+ label. After completing a Part I path, reported guides say you can select Replay from Any Chapter and load a chapter-start bookmark. Nintendo confirms that chapter-start saves are preserved for each protagonist and that players can revisit chapters, scenes and battles. Source 51 ↗ Source 63 ↗

What the replay model is good for

Reported carryover boundaries

The following is the current guide-reported model and should be checked against the installed version:

• Starting a replay from Chapter 1 carries map exploration and subquest completion forward.
• Support levels and Notable Deeds are global save progress.
• Replaying Part I Chapter 12 can update the party imported into that protagonist’s Part II.
• A clear save can reopen replay access across the campaign and adds extra Prologue scenes.
• Chapter bookmarks preserve the earlier state; later changes do not automatically rewrite every older bookmark.

Nintendo’s developer interview adds the broader design rule: characters developed differently across routes are merged later so earlier work is not discarded. That makes experimentation a feature, not a reason to restart the entire game. Source 51 ↗

A safe campaign plan

1. Finish one Part I path before trying to optimize every other path.
2. Use a chapter bookmark for experiments, not your only ongoing save.
3. Keep a short record of recruits, classes, Paralogues and support targets.
4. Replay the final Part I chapter when you want to revise that hero’s imported party.
5. Start the next path knowing that the game is designed to preserve and combine progress.

This does not mean there is one best route order. The official guidance says players can focus on one protagonist or progress several in parallel. Use Parallel paths & the Pale Raven for the story structure and Paralogues & deadline quests for optional content that still has an in-run calendar window.