- Primary Subject: Game Design Mechanics (Save Systems)
- Key Update: This article explores the transition of save points from technical hardware limitations of the PS2 era to essential, atmospheric pillars of modern game design and pacing.
- Status: Confirmed / Opinion
- Last Verified: June 17, 2026
- Quick Answer: Save points remain relevant in modern gaming as intentional design tools that control pacing, increase tension, and create "safe zones" for immersion and preparation.
After years of being a complete coward and avoiding one of 2023’s best games to ever release, I’ve finally built up the courage to play through the fantastic Dead Space remake. Words can’t express the appreciation I have for the amount of care and polish put into this game, but there was still one thing that really stuck with me. Although games have been modernized and polished, mechanics once put in place due to hardware limitations have now become staples regardless of generation. One of these mechanics is the almighty save point, and I don’t think it’s going away any time soon. And for good reason.
To give a bit of background, save points were primarily implemented by developers due to hardware limitations. If you think about it, a game constantly creating save states on the player’s whim would lead to tons of memory bloat. The game has to record the player’s, the world’s, and the enemy’s health, items, status, position, etc. To put things into perspective, the usual 825 GB smallest capacity of the PS5 is equivalent to 103,000 standard Sony memory cards from the PS2 era of gaming.
So now that we’ve confirmed that the hardware limitations of the past don’t matter to the advanced technology of today, why the heck are we still using save points? What was once a hindrance brought about by hardware limitations, save points are now an intuitive and purposeful part of the gameplay experience. You’d usually find these save points in video games like Resident Evil, Persona, Dead Space, and Silent Hill. All of these games benefit from save points in the same way - pacing and evoking the feeling of sheer desperation.
Pacing-wise, we need to look at how JRPGs and other dungeon crawlers use save rooms to great effect. JRPGs are often structured around these long, tedious journeys from one point to another, challenging the player with constant resource management. The pacing of a JRPG game can depend a lot on how few and far apart each save point is. If the distance between save points is closer to each other, then players will have a much more relaxed time surviving the journey. But if you put players in a situation where getting to the save points is a death wish, then you’re telling players to slow down and pace themselves.
One of the greatest examples of how save points control the pacing of a game is how they’re used within the Persona series. Persona’s safe zones within mementos and the metaverse are amazing because they aren’t just for utility but for flavor as well. In the safe areas, you get to save your game, organize your loot, and connect with your party in small ways. This approach to save points, and every safe room in Atlus games for that matter, helps the game blend utility with flavor. Elden Ring is also great when it comes to this approach to save points, using bonfires as a way to trigger certain story events that make the game feel just that much more alive.
And now it’s time to address the elephant in the room: save rooms are a nightmare to deal with, and horror games know this the most. I’ve spoken about how save points can make the pacing feel more or less tense depending on the distance and obstacles between saves, and that can’t be any truer than when in horror games. Every time I was going through a difficult area that I knew was rife with horrors beyond my comprehension, I found myself praying for the next save point to be closer so I could finally breathe.
One of my favorite ways that save points have evoked horror is the subversion of what’s supposed to be “safe”. Every time you enter an area with a save point, it’s assumed that you’re already safe from the enemies, giving you a chance to get your bearings. But then, what’s once perceived as safe is taken away from you, leaving you double-guessing your own safety even during the quiet sections. This was the case in Resident Evil 3, where big boss Nemesis suddenly started slithering his way into safe rooms when you’re hoping to catch a breather, and I’ve been having trust issues ever since.
As amazing as save points are, they still aren’t perfect, and it all comes down to personal preference. One of the biggest gripes I could see players having is that not everyone has the time or the patience to play until they reach a save point. I’ve also read that some players, specifically in JRPGs, are often turned off by the time investment needed to reach the next save point.
Be that as it may, I still believe that the pros of using save points in your game far outweigh the cons, and in the future, I’d love to see developers get more creative with these save points and jump genres.
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