Question on game loop philosophy

[DirectOrder]

I've got a question on the nature of the game loop, as I'm very particular about this, and I haven't found a video that really speaks to this.

From what I understand, when you reach the "final" boss (I know the FINAL final boss isn't in the game yet), the games loops - basically a New Game+

Games like this almost always follow one of two main designs, and I would like to know which one this game follows:

1) The first time through the loop is pretty easy, but is more to gear up for later loops. Loop 2 can be somewhat challenging, loop 3 gets a bit harder. The point is NOT to beat the game, but to see how far you can get (how many times you can loop). The game has no end. It's about how far you can get, not about crossing the finish line.

2) The first run really IS the game. It's very difficult, challenging, and even though the game actually does loop, getting all the way through that run and to the first loop is an achievement, and you could pretty much stop playing at that point and say "alright I've beat that run". Looping at that point is just to mess around if you have a stupidly overpowered build, but you're not MEANT to do it....you've beaten the run. You can keep going if you want, but it's not the point of the game, unlike #1 above.

I would very much appreciate it if someone could tell me which philosophy is used in this game, or perhaps it's neither of the above, and something altogether different. Thanks!

[squat_instructor]

I'd say runs follow 2 scenarios:

- you reach obliteration opportunity and you see that you are not up to speed so you either take a risk and continue hoping to gain power or finish the run
- you hit that power spike that allows you to loop as many times as you want as long as you keep gaining power at normal pace

For me personally the first struggle part is the fun and once you melt everything by looking at it - I stop. I agree with philosophy of each loop getting progressively harder, some games like Synthetik did it well and it breaks you sooner or later.

[Buffmania]

In the first game, you would progress through several levels then have the option of looping or going to the final level to beat the final boss and end a run. I assume that pattern is still being used in ROR2 where the final level is going to branch off in a similar manner as the option to obliterate currently exists.
In my opinion, It's closer to your option 2.

[DirectOrder]

Thank you both!

[Pmk]

I personally think it's more like the first option.

Currently, I think loop 2 and 3 are the highest difficulty in the game, but after that, everything becomes very easy and there are just two things that can really kill you, malachites and scavengers. Point is, those two enemies only appear after the first loop (if you take an average amount of time to complete the first loop), but you won't be overpowered by that point.

I think we have to wait for the final level and boss to know if it's more option 1 or option 2: in the first game, I think the last level and boss where most difficult after only one loop, so ROR1 was more like option 2.
I personally don't think that will be the case for ROR2, because the 3d environment makes the first loop easier than 2D.