The save stations ruin the game for me

[Crizzo]

Why wouldn't they just make the game autosave at certain points? It's infuriating to lose a bunch of progress because you missed a save station and then the alien popped out of ♥♥♥♥ing nowhere to kill you.

Also they ruin the immersion. The last thing I would be thinking about doing after running down a corridor to an elevator to escape a bunch of killer androids is stopping and sticking my ID card into an emergency console.

[¤ βℓооđч ¤ Nico-Kun!]

The game does autosave at certain points, but it mostly does it after loading screens. As for the save stations themselves, I think they are a great mechanic. After all, this game is all about survival, and I think it's cool that the Xenomorph can still get to you while you're trying to save; that means that simply finding a save station isn't enough, you must be sure that the coast is clear, or take the risk while the Xeno is still lurking around. The feeling you get when you reach them, and see the lights go off is great, it really adds to the tension.

[NinthElement]

Manual saves are a great survival horror tradition. Most of the playthroughs I've watched have demonstrated how this system significantly ramps up the tension. At least you don't have limited saves in awkward places like in the original Resident Evil games.

[Crizzo]

Tradition or not, autosaves should at least be an option I can switch on. If I lose a significant amount of progress and have to repeat a bunch of stuff I already did to get back to where I was, I will often just stop playing a game. I hate repeating things I've already done, especially in a story-driven game such as this one. I want to progress in the story and find out what happens next, not spend another 30 minutes hiding in vents from androids.

[¤ βℓооđч ¤ Nico-Kun!]

Well, no offense, but if you're spending 30 minutes hiding from androids you're doing something wrong.

[Grandpa Who]

There are people enjoying games with a save system like this one. Fine!
There are people who can't stand games where they can't save as they please. Fine too!
An argument about this is like an argument about blue is more beautiful than red.

Just add a hardcore mode and let the player save anywhere if it's turned off.
Problem solved, everyone is happy.

For me, the game died over the save stations.

[Sagit84]

I always thought that they add to the tension and force you to be more careful or resourceful due to losing your progress. In some sticky situation getting to save station always felt like a small success or reward for me. I like this mechanics especially since they are very well placed.
On the other hand I'm a hardcore Alien fan so probablyI'm biased here.

[-|Nur|-]

The system is meant to encourage you to be careful instead of playing like an idiot. Being able to savescum your way through this game would instantly kill any immersion and challenge.

[-OrLoK- Слава Україн]

I like the fear of using them and the fact they make noise.

Id prefer them to an autosave but can understand op's frustration of not havng the option of an autosave

[BROOD-SkorpioN]

Originally posted by Korahan:

There are people enjoying games with a save system like this one. Fine!
There are people who can't stand games where they can't save as they please. Fine too!
An argument about this is like an argument about blue is more beautiful than red.

Just add a hardcore mode and let the player save anywhere if it's turned off.
Problem solved, everyone is happy.

For me, the game died over the save stations.

You can't let the player save anywhere because of the mechanics this game is designed around. The randomized behavior of the AI requires it to be reset to the vents every time the game loads, which means that being able to save whenever you like would allow the player to avoid the alien indefinitely. It would literally break the game.

[Crimsomrider]

I personally love this as it drastically changed my experience for the better. Not being able to save until you reach the station is a phenomenal and fun thing for me because I know I would be saving every 5 metres otherwise.

This way it's more challenging and it's why I love this game so much ^^

[truz]

Just my two cents here. I'm about 6 hours in (just got to the part where you jettison the alien), but one thing that bugged me was the save point frequency.

Typically in a modern game with designated save points like this, it's supposedly to add both tension and relief, but I find the save points are so frequent that I rarely feel either of these things. I can't recall thinking "I need a save point!" or "Thank goodness, a save point!" either. So I was left wondering, since they apparently don't want to send players back very far, why didn't they just have autosaves (besides the beginning of missions) instead? Aside from interacting with a cool wall-mounted retro device, obviously. I don't know about quicksaving, though, even if the game is heavily stealth based.

[Dayve]

Originally posted by Truz:

Just my two cents here. I'm about 6 hours in (just got to the part where you jettison the alien), but one thing that bugged me was the save point frequency.

Typically in a modern game with designated save points like this, it's supposedly to add both tension and relief, but I find the save points are so frequent that I rarely feel either of these things. I can't recall thinking "I need a save point!" or "Thank goodness, a save point!" either. So I was left wondering, since they apparently don't want to send players back very far, why didn't they just have autosaves (besides the beginning of missions) instead? Aside from interacting with a cool wall-mounted retro device, obviously. I don't know about quicksaving, though, even if the game is heavily stealth based.

It only took you 6 hours to get to that part? Damn. It took me 2 hours just to meet Axel. (I watched the Alien movies when I was 5 years old and they've been my ultimate nightmare monster ever since so I spent a lot of time hiding from nothing).

But if you watch most playthroughs on Youtube you'll see tons of people saying "Oh thank God" when they find a save point.

[World Eater]

Originally posted by Truz:

Just my two cents here. I'm about 6 hours in (just got to the part where you jettison the alien), but one thing that bugged me was the save point frequency.

Typically in a modern game with designated save points like this, it's supposedly to add both tension and relief, but I find the save points are so frequent that I rarely feel either of these things. I can't recall thinking "I need a save point!" or "Thank goodness, a save point!" either. So I was left wondering, since they apparently don't want to send players back very far, why didn't they just have autosaves (besides the beginning of missions) instead? Aside from interacting with a cool wall-mounted retro device, obviously. I don't know about quicksaving, though, even if the game is heavily stealth based.

save points will be your angel when you proceed enough towards the end of the game... wait till alien spawns every three secs no matter what you do and there are shooters everywhere

[mlesch]

The save stations are absolutely essential to this games intergrity. Adding the option for casual players would destroy it. Don't like manual saves - don't play this game. Easy!!! You is what is wrong with the gaming industry, executives listening to whining p**sies like you and making watered down garbage with mass appeal. I despise gamers like you. Leave hardcore games to people who like a challenge and go play COD.

[¤ βℓооđч ¤ Nico-Kun!]

Originally posted by mlesch:

You is what is wrong with the gaming industry, executives listening to whining p**sies like you and making watered down garbage with mass appeal. I despise gamers like you. Leave hardcore games to people who like a challenge and go play COD.

Even though I like the way saves work in this game, that was entirely uncalled for. There's no need to insult people just because they have a different taste in games. I dislike "hardcore" gamers who feel the need to constantly show their "superiority" more than I dislike casual gamers who enjoy easy games.