Should Returnal Add Saves to Combat Lengthy Runs?

There are a lot of Roguelikes that thrive on short-burst gameplay. The best part? No run is the same. That spirit, or at least the latter spirit, is alive and well in Returnal. The Housemarque release from last Friday dominated the news all weekend long. One of the hottest points to make about the game is debating the lack of in-game saves while you make a run. There are some good points on both sides here, but this is what I’m thinking in terms of the game’s long runtimes and progression saves.

The best part of Returnal is that we’re getting the AAA Roguelike we all dreamed about for years. Sure, things like Enter The Gungeon and Dead Cells are wonderful. They are limited, however, but stylistically agree to not be the massive blockbuster-level experience. Sony specializes in games of that sort, so it makes sense to see Returnal find a home on the PS5. The game is a Sci-Fi Shooter with gameplay akin to any great Third-Person Shooter and a narrative filled with lore akin to Annihilation and Alien.

While you’re making runs in the game to progress the overall story and experience, a single run can last hours. Some players are saying that deeper runs can last nearly 120 minutes, which is great for immersion but rough on our busy schedules. As of now, the game doesn’t allow you to make a save point mid-run, but it absolutely should. I rarely have two uninterrupted hours to play a game. When I do, it’s usually a fluke and unplanned. That’s the key difference between whether you think the saves should exist or not.

If I know something might pull me away from Returnal in the next couple of hours, let’s say, I’m probably going to not feel confident in booting up a run. It’s going to force me to hesitate to play the game. I’m sure a lot of others are in the same camp. I’d rather not start a run and end up losing it than play it and at least get some time in the game. Where do you stand on the issue? Let us know in the comments.