There's a Good Reason for Returnal's Lack of a Save Function

Returnal is an excellent game, but its lack of a save function has many players irked. But there's a good reason for it.

[GamingSinceForever]

I get that a lack of save points is part of the game, but damn it would be nice to have access to more health. I finally reached the 2nd boss fight and almost beat it on my first try and then suddenly I was killed. It took me forever to get to that point in the game so I had to cut if off for the night. So disappointing.

[Applejack]

You gotta use the replicators, buy the astronaut figure or have a parasite to survive a killing blow. The game was designed to be difficult but the only real problem is not having a save and quit option if for example you can’t keep your PS5 in rest mode or the power goes out.

[NecrumOddBoy]

What they should have is a drop pod as a save point. You drop it from the menu and save right there. So when you turn the PS5 and game back on, you are back in the game.

[CaptainHenry916]

Or just keep upgrading your health and find a parasite that adds more health

[WantedTnR]

Or they release a patch to fix something and instead delete my save permanently when I almost had a platinum and would have finished the game within roughly 20-25 hours. So yes a save function would’ve been nice especially if it was anything like most games with a few save slots just in case something like this happened. Just a function to save your progress after a boss fight would’ve been enough. Whatever though unfortunately I’m out $70 for buying digital and won’t be playing again. Which is even more unfortunate because it was an awesome game.

[GamingSinceForever]

I came across some of those parasites and the trade-off didn't fit my style. One gave me a lot of health but the cooldown on the melee and dash was unforgivable. Lol!

[buffig]

After you've fought the second boss once, you can get back there very quickly. There's a portal to the second biome and then another portal at the foot of the mountain, taking you straight to the boss. When I lost the first time I fought him, I was back fighting him again within 15 minutes. I do think the lack of save is slightly overblown. Looking at my stats, I've played 16 hours. I've died 20 times and I've just unlocked the boss of the 4th biome

[GamingSinceForever]

Hey I did find the portal that you spoke of getting back to the 2nd boss so I was able to finally beat him. Then I died in the 3rd biome, but found out that you can get back to it from the opening biome. This game is starting to connect areas similar to Bloodborne which is ok with me.

[jznrpg]

Go to your ship too

[RosweeSon]

I hear that. Normally I’ll either do it first time or get very close or then spend an hour trying to replicate and do that one extra little something to finish it 😏😑🤣 if I had more time great but I don’t 😅😏🤣 maybe when I finally clear up my backlog around 2024 🥴🤣 I will play it before then but yeah games like this just so annoying things to take you out and oh that’s an hour down the drain 😏🤷🏻‍♂️ 🤣

[Bathyj]

I just beat the second boss and man, I don't think I've ever feel adrenaline like that playing a game in over 40 years of gaming. My run was so good but took me over an hour. It was my 3rd attempt at him and I knew how much was on the line.

That's what makes this game what it is. Save points would ruin that. If you don't see that then this game just isn't for you and that's fine. I'm not even gonna say git gud or anything. It's just not your game.

I'll say this, each time you get a bit further, it's not so hard to get back there. Portals open. I just got the best grapple hook ever. The game does open up. And I'm told after the 3rd be boss you actually restart from there. Can't wait.

[CaptainHenry916]

The third is a lot easier too. That's a relief lol . It's a reason for that grapple hook. You're definitely going to need it

[buffig]

That's true. After the third boss, you don't have to start all over. That's part of why I'm having trouble understanding what all the fuss is about. You can go straight to the 2nd and 3rd biome from biome 1. You can teleport to the top of the mountain in biome 2, from the base. And after biome 3, you restart from that point. Even in biome 3, I think I'm right in saying that you can teleport to the base of the tower from any teleporter. I'm currently on biome 4 and I dont yet think I've had a run long enough to warrant having to save.

[GameZenith]

Its not my game cause I am an adult with a full-time job, wife, and 2 kids. I do not have the time to binge 2-3 hours into something because I know my progress would be loss if I turned it off or if my console kicked back to the launch screen.

I seek games that respects my time.

[FlavorLav01]

Same story here, I’m still enjoying it though somehow. Maybe I’m decent at the game...dunno. Either way it’s a great game, and progression is had in every run. This type of game just redefines conventional progress in games. You do lose stats after every life lost, but if you’re attentive you pick up several permanent upgrades as well as enemy and map knowledge along the way. This game totally respects my time with the quality of detail and design that went into creating this game. Likely my most highly recommendable game so far this year.

[jukins]

Lol i love these kind of people. So busy with work and family. Such a unique situation. /s

Another fanboy who has such a strong opinion on something they havent played because someone else said it..and to justify this they act as if theyre the only person in the world who has a full time job and family lol. Crazy how im able to work TWO jobs 3 kids and a wife and still have time for returnal

[Paleblood]

I totally relate to your experience. While I was fighting bossess, knowing that I could loose EVERYTHING made my adrenaline and focus level get HIGH.

The feeling when beating a boss was like : oh my God!!!! I know that with a save option, I wouldn't have feel that adrenaline rush because I would have take it easy.

[--Onilink--]

How exactly? No one is asking for a save system that you can just load back at any point, what is being asked for is a Save & Quit option, which deletes the save once you resume, like many other rogue lites already have.

Having that option has nothing to do with being able to progress through the game, if you die then you go back to the beginning, same as it is now.
But that is if you DIE, not if I had to stop playing and there was a power outage, or a game update, or a system update, or just because rest mode failed, or maybe I just want to jump into another game at any time.

I would just save & quit and when I come back I will have the exact same pressure of knowing that if I die, I will be sent back to the beginning, because the save is deleted upon resuming.

The fact that a developer has to ask you to disable all auto updates (for their game, for the PS5 and for any other game) while you are playing Returnal should really tell you how wrong this idea is.

[Epicor]

There is a way to keep current intensity level while allowing gamers to pause their progress mid run and shut down their console in order to continue later: Create a save system that allows player to continue but not to load back to that state. Meaning that the system would delete the save file immediately after resuming the play. This way you would still need to do all in one run but at the same time you don't need to be stressed about "not having time to finish my run".

[wolf581]

Enough with the saving s.... Anyone that is a good at shooters like cod, destiny etc can with a little effort and little effort i mean when unstarstand how the upgrades works and weapons can beat the Game. After all after level 3 the Game soft save and you always begin from lvl 4.where y must defeat two boss.,the first is a joke.. And the second is Hard OK but then its over.. Stop crying and try.. Thats the beauty of It.. All have became soft with the easy open World games where y can save at every corner.. And be a collector.. Dont buy It or beat It end of story..

[jukins]

Exactly. Its crazy how people who havent played are ao worried about saving. I was aware of the lack of saves and still went in only to find that between transporters replicators space men i havent desired a save at all.

[sourOG]

Yeah, good points. Its a fancy looking shooter but it still has the old school arcade guts. I think that sums up returnal well in one sentence. It sums up house well, that’s just their style.

[Bronbron92]

I agree with the article I mean I see no problem with a non save feature it what the game is meant to be played as and I’ve said before it pushes you to explore and hopefully get better gear or take the risk of getting malfunctions that are buffs or debuffs but whenever you kill a boss your literally given a check point sure fight your way back isn’t that hard people just need to look back to when games were only restricted to lives systems 3 and done

[Paleblood]

Not having a save is what makes this game pump the adrenaline and so intense.
The game wouldn't be the same with a save. You either learn the mechanics and keep trying til you become better of just get away from this game.

This society wants everything without any sacrifice.

[Petebloodyonion]

The reason listed in the article is bogus at best and show that the author don’t understand the problem mentioned by numerous players.

The game could easily feature a temporary save state that is erased the moment you load it up.
It’s feature seen in other similar rogue like games.

Now the author assume that the majority of ppl are single ppl who can easily spare 3 hours playing a game. Unfortunately some us do have family and obligations and the console can also be shared between family members

[Hellcat2020]

I don't care for save points at the moment
This game ran flawlessly at launch and since they been patching the game recently it has been the buggiest shit ever.

[Nicknasty]

Not good enough

[Abear21]

I enjoy the challenge of beating a game in one run. It’s classic arcade difficult and Super Stardust HD was the same way—to do it you had to get off to a great start, have a little luck, and of course the skills. I suppose it’s possible for someone new to the game to beat it on their first try, but that arcade style boss difficulty rooted in patterned attacks you have to memorize makes it doubtful. For me this is a high watermark in game design with strong arcade fundamentals and I can’t think of another recent game that’s blended so many elements together so well. Easy 9/10 and if you remotely like this genre, this is imust play material. I’m a huge Resogun and Stardust fan so admittedly bias, but they don’t need to change a thing, other than bugs!

[Michiel1989]

I havent played returnal but what is the big deal about no save points? a LOT of roguelikes dont have saves for while you are in your run and all of a sudden its a big problem now? If the average run takes like 5 hours or something i can understand the uproar, but i cant tell if thats the case.