Arcaea

Unlocking free content involves playing World Mode, which uses an energy system. While it's implemented far more leniently than in other games, and can be alleviated through strategy, it's still worth a mention. It is not necessary to play content you already have unlocked, or to experience (most) of the game's story. (Some side stories are locked behind World Mode content, although brief.)

Memories is Arcaea's premium currency, $1USD for 100. It's used for purchasing DLC and replenishing Stamina. It is also used to boost progress in World Mode. That's about it.

The game has Events which run for a limited amount of time, although it's fairly generous, lasting several weeks and usually only requiring a handful of sessions for established players. Events unlock special Partners, whose abilities are unique but not overpowered. They are also occasionally rerun, and old Event Partners have become permanently available in the past. As far as AS goes, Arcaea's implementation is *very* lenient. YMMV.

Unlocking free content involves playing World Mode, which uses an energy system. While it's implemented far more leniently than in other games, and can be alleviated through strategy, it's still worth a mention. It is not necessary to play content you already have unlocked, or to experience (most) of the game's story. (Some side stories are locked behind World Mode content, although the maps for this content are brief.) Notably, the Switch version of Arcaea cuts out the stamina system entirely.

Stamina, which is required to play World Mode, costs 50 Memories for 6. This is enough for three plays in most maps, up to 6 in its "legacy" first chapter, or 2 in the bonus Beyond chapter. However, the player can also use (non-premium) Fragments to replenish stamina, but only once a day. In this way, it mimicks the way arcade rhythm games structure their sessions. (This is ONLY necessary for unlocking content.) Outside the Beyond chapter, Memories can also be spent for a 4x boost to progress.

Arguably, this is not intentional. Partners from earlier versions of the game often end up superseded by newer ones, especially for powering through World Mode, or farming for Fragments. The game takes reasonable steps to manage power creep, even at the cost of new partners occasionally not being all that practical, and more powerful Partners often come with a disadvantage, usually making the track harder to clear or adding some gimmick.

Events, however lenient, *are* still a form of FOMO, and I am currently kicking myself for missing an event partner because I took a months-long break recently. However, I also know that this partner will be rerun at some point, which is an effective balm for me.