The Ascent

The Ascent

62 ratings
New Game +0 (possibly broken since Patch #3)
By Darkness
Finished the game and want to replay the whole campaign, but keeping your character and everything it has? It's currently possible with a local co-op trick!
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Requirements
Two controllers plugged
Since the "trick" requires you to use local co-op, you'll currently need two controllers plugged to trigger it.

It *might* be possible to get around this by using some software for controller emulator/virtual gamepad, though, but I can't really support those.
Steps
Step 1: Creating a new profile
Go to "Singleplayer" -> "New Game" and create a new profile on an empty slot.

Skip the intro video, go to the Creator tab and just confirm it. You won't be playing this character anyway.

Quit to main menu as soon as the game starts.


Step 2: Hosting a local co-op game
Make sure your newly created profile is selected

Using your "first controller", select "Couch Co-op" -> "Hosted Saved Game" on the main menu.

Press A on the second controller to join, and select your "main character" save profile on the list.

Use the first controller to "Resume" and start the couch co-op session.

Quit to main menu using the first controller as soon as the game starts.


Step 3: Job's Done
Basically, you just "erased" the world of your main character: when you join a local co-op game as player 2/3/4, the game will override the world of your characters with the player 1 character, meaning it'll respawn pickups, chests, and reset the flags of the whole world state: unlocked areas, main and sidequests as well.

You'll keep everything that matters: skills, armor, weapons, level, XP, and so on. It also seems that vendors will still keep selling late-game gear to you for some reason.


Advanced usage
If you want to keep a save profile to "save" your current main character's world state (main quests, side quests, and so on), you can host a local co-op session with it and join with a newly created profile, before "reseting" it.

This way you'll be able to "load" its state later if you wish, without having to redo everything. It also allows you to have multiple save slots reserved for a certain main quest for example to redo it and farm XP.
Why +0?
Doing this will just reset the world to a "clean state": it won't make enemies tougher or anything, meaning you'll probably have a much easier time redoing the game with everything kept.

It also allows you to easily upgrade your Cyberdeck (as the world pickups respawn), as well as score extra skill points due to the same reason.

Leveling gets really slow near level 30 and beyond, due to required XP per level.
100% Save on NG+0
Download
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uNZcl4-wL7Cv9mfGmieToehkoLPGkN6p?usp=sharing

Steam installation
Place it on the following folder:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\TheAscent\Saved\SaveGames\

It might be needed to disable steam cloud for the game to not have the save overwritten by your last save.

Profiles
Slot 1
Main character, finished the game 3 times, all items included. NG+0 just loaded, resets its worlds and quests.

Slot 2
Main Mission Root_Access (11/12). Host a local co-op session with it in case you want to change your world to its state.

Slot 3
Main Mission Trace_Protocol (7/12). Host a local co-op session with it in case you want to change your world to its state.

Slot 4
All main missions and sidequests finished. Host a local co-op session with it in case you want to change your world to its state.
23 Comments
spartan343 27 Jun, 2022 @ 1:43am 
is this eligible now ?
Space Odin 24 May, 2022 @ 8:18pm 
I'm now unable to start a new game + for real with my character :[
0TooL0 31 Oct, 2021 @ 11:47am 
Did they patch this? Not working for me
Darkness  [author] 18 Oct, 2021 @ 8:20am 
Seems like The Ascent Patch #3 from 2 weeks ago changed a few stuff on saving, which might have broken this. From the changelog I wasn't certain if it only affected online games or local as well, might have to try it later.
Ash 18 Oct, 2021 @ 7:49am 
Looks like this method no longer works. I was able to run couch co-op and exit successfully, but my main char kept his progress (i.e. complete game) when I loaded his profile. Pity, I wanted to re-run main quest and try to get Hung enemy entry for the achievement.
👤The🐼MT🎮 9 Oct, 2021 @ 2:07pm 
still working ? 09/10/21 ? i tried but this time, fail idk why...
VIPER-ULTRA 9 Oct, 2021 @ 10:11am 
Just an FYI for y'all;

I tried this method using an Xbox One controller and a PS5 DualSense controller and it does *not* work.

I first started the game using the PS5 controller but as soon as you plug-in the Xbox controller, Steam automatically turns off the DualSense, unfortunately.
؏. 30 Aug, 2021 @ 2:11am 
does it reset your codex ?
Svaykhorn 23 Aug, 2021 @ 6:06am 
Hey ppl can any1 with 2 controllers restart world progress in my save?
The Nothing Man 14 Aug, 2021 @ 6:45pm 
well methinks dlc will be end game for non Co-op online
and hell no no
most games DO have endings , its rare that the dont have end game
even fallouts etc you can do stuff after, but its mainline has ended.
I can only think of a handful of games that DONT have endings and most are mmos or online crud
and again co-op is to wonky, last i tried it erased my character
and I really keep trying to play this game and noooothing is fixed.
ugh facepalm