I was worried that a NG+ might be punishing, but I'm finding it pretty fair. I think it will simplify doing runs for all the endings if the scaling doesn't start to ramp up a lot of subsequent cycles, because there's a huge advantage to starting with prosthetics upgraded, especially the ones that are basically an Off button for certain enemy types. You really can just "I would prefer not to" your way against apparitions or big groups of animals. My goal this time is to do everything else possible before reaching Genichiro, since I pretty much just did Hirata and then critical pathed it to Genichiro the first time.
Knowing the structure of the game as well as general geography and where the fast travel statues are, you can really blow through it when you're not incentivized anymore to search every nook and cranny and fight every mini-boss to find all the gourd seeds and prayer beads. Also, it turns out, you can do a lot before having to reach Genichiro. Seems like maybe basically the only thing Genichiro locks off is two bossfights before what I would consider to be the endgame (Fountainhead).
Knowing the structure of the game as well as general geography and where the fast travel statues are, you can really blow through it when you're not incentivized anymore to search every nook and cranny and fight every mini-boss to find all the gourd seeds and prayer beads. Also, it turns out, you can do a lot before having to reach Genichiro. Seems like maybe basically the only thing Genichiro locks off is two bossfights before what I would consider to be the endgame (Fountainhead).