I've reached the point of no return in Bastion's story. I know that there is a New Game+ option, however, my decision on whether or not to go forward with the story at this point hinges on what is kept and what is reset. For example, I don't want to drive myself crazy trying to finish all the Proving Grounds if they're just going to be reset in New Game+.
I'm currently running on the assumption that your level is kept, but otherwise, I'm unsure as to what all resets. I'm wondering about:
- Vigils?
- Proving Grounds?
- Weapons and their upgrades?
- Buildings and their upgrades?
- Accessibility of Secret and Weapon Skills?
- Who Knows Where progress?
- Items in my Pack?
- Number of Fragments?
Please feel free to mention anything I may have forgotten that is not included in this list.
Best Answer
Things Kept
Things Lost
Additional Information
Weapon Swapping
While you'll have all your weapons for the new game, you won't have the ability to swap right away. Because of this, if you pick up a weapon during the story, you'll be stuck with it until you find an Arsenal. This adds a little motivation to upgrade weapons you don't use often that are also part of the first part of the game, where Arsenals are scarce and don't appear in each level shortly after you find the new weapon (like they do in later levels).
Proving Grounds
You mentioned that you don't want to finish the proving grounds if they will reset. While they will reset, you still get to keep the skills, items, and fragments collected by completing them before the game resets. Depending on how worried you are about updating or getting skills, it may be worth it to you to complete at least the vigils for your go-to weapons anyway.
Bonus Fragments on Level Completion
Since I built the Shrine in my New Game Plus, I've been playing with all but two of the idols active. I've also been receiving 2500 bonus fragments when I finish a level. I think it's tied to the idols and not some combination of idols and New Game Plus, but I can't confirm since I never played with more than one idol active in my original play-through.