History Main / JustifiedSavePoint

** 'Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar'' does away with diaries OR Save Anywhere, only letting you save when you go to sleep. It also doesn't mention writing in your diary when you pick it - you just save your game and go to sleep, [[AvertedTrope thus averting justification.]]

* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'': In all ''Animal Crossing'' games, the player character is depicted as having been staying inside their house inbetween saves. That means if you don't PlayEveryDay and stop for periods of time, your player character is [[TheShutIn stuck in their house]] for that period. It gets noted by villagers and, starting with the Wii title, you'll even get Bedhead when you start up your file after at least a week of no activity. In certain games, the player can invoke a save by lying in a special bed at home and falling asleep, however in others it's off-screen.

** ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon Colosseum}}'' has the protagonist save their progress on [=PCs=] found around Orre, while the [[PokemonXD sequel]] used the journal method.

Sometimes, because gamers these days expect higher amounts of realism, video game designers try to justify standard game mechanics. This is easier with some functions than others; game mechanics may be explained by story easily, but [[SavePoint save points]], not so much. Many times, this is an [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality Acceptable Break From Reality]], because, hey, you want to be able to save, yes?

Sometimes, because gamers these days expect higher amounts of realism, video game designers try to justify standard game mechanics. This is easier with some functions than others; game mechanics may be explained by story easily, but [[SavePoint save points]], not so much. Many times, this is an [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality Acceptable Break From Reality]], because hey, you have to be able to save, yes?

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' justifies its save points as MentalTimeTravel on the part of the protagonist. What makes it ''really'' interesting is that some characters have RippleEffectProofMemory, and will react to things you've undone. Flowey even tells you early on that ''he'' used to be able to do the same until the player came along. At the end of the neutral path, [[spoiler:Flowey regains control of this power--not only does he take over the player's SavePoint system, so that they can only load into the battle against him, he uses emulator-esque [[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/savestate savestates]] to [[SaveScumming repeatedly reset your position and his attack to the beginning he misses]]... And just like any careful player that has savestates, he also has the beginning of the battle ready to reload just in case he loses.]] ''Why'' you can do this is only fully explained [[spoiler:in the True Pacifist route's extra segment. [[HumansAreCthulhu Humans in this setting]] are able to come back from the dead and reverse time through [[{{Determinator}} sheer force of will]]--thus why every SavePoint is the sight of something that "fills you with determination". Flowey was the result of experiments to give determination to monsters, but the player's power was still stronger until he stole the [=SOULs=] of ''several'' humans.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Faxanadu}}'' for the original UsefulNotes/{{NES}} had save codes, presented in the game as "mantras"; you went into a temple to obtain the mantra for your particular save point.

** GTAIV and GTAV also had hideouts that you could sleep in to save. Presumably, any time you restarted the game, anything you lost without saving was assumed to be just a dream.

* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'':
** The ''Harvest Moon'' series has your character's diary as the save point. Some later games let you save anywhere, but keep the diary because "some people liked it", other later games add completely non-justified save points at convenient locations.
** 'Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar'' does away with diaries OR Save Anywhere, only letting you save when you go to sleep. It also doesn't mention writing in your diary when you pick it - you just save your game and go to sleep, [[AvertedTrope thus averting justification.]]
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/RuneFactory4'' seems to attempt this trope: there is a very normally-placed diary next to your bed. It's when you find floating diaries outside dungeons that it starts to break down a bit.

* The ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' series has your character's diary as the save point. Some later games let you save anywhere, but keep the diary because "some people liked it", other later games add completely non-justified save points at convenient locations.
** The latest DS title, ''Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar'', does away with diaries OR Save Anywhere, only letting you save when you go to sleep. It also doesn't mention writing in your diary when you pick it - you just save your game and go to sleep, [[AvertedTrope thus averting justification.]]

* Every game in the main ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' series has progress saved by the protagonist writing down the details of their journey in a journal. This is even called 'Report' in the Japanese versions. ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon Colosseum}}'' has the protagonist save their progress on [=PCs=] found around Orre, while the [[PokemonXD sequel]] used the journal method.

* ''VideoGame/{{Faxanadu}}'' for the original {{NES}} had save codes, presented in the game as "mantras"; you went into a temple to obtain the mantra for your particular save point.

* ''Persona'' series
** In the original ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}'', the save points are the Agastya Trees which appear to be sentient and asks if the protagonist would like to record their journey so far on them. An earier comment from an NPC encourages you to talk to the new tree she put in the school hospital, stating that it is [[LampshadeHanging is good for you]]. Considering that [[spoiler:there is an entire forest of them in Maki's Dream World, its implied to be a product of Maki's mind.]]
** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' has the Blue Butterflies, a representation of Philemon, the series-wide BigGood who explictly has had the power to pull a CosmicRetcon if your party desires since ''Persona 2: Innocent Sin''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon Colosseum}}'' has the protagonist save their progress on [=PCs=] found around Orre. ''PokemonXD'' had you save like in the handheld games though.
** Meanwhile, in some games of the main series, progress is saved by the protagonist writing down their journey in a journal. This is even called 'Report' in the Japanese versions.

* The ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series generally doesn't even attempt to explain away its save points. In ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'', however, various [=NPCs=] tell you to "perform suit maintenance and data backup" before heading off on important objectives. Also in ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'', the announcer refers to using a HealingCheckpoint as a "Data recording and shield restoration sequence."

* VideoGame/TheEvilWithin's Mirror Room, a strange and out-of-place pocket dimension, acts as a breather episode between waves of fighting obsessed undead from the pits of hell. You can save, talk to the receptionist, upgrade your abilities, the good stuff. The characters in the room lampshade on how such a merciful place exists in a world where everything and their mother wants to kill you, which alternate dimension is the 'real' one, and whether or not the save room will one day get infected / betray the residents and become just another hellhole in this alternate dimension.

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' justifies its save points as MentalTimeTravel on the part of the protagonist. What makes it ''really'' interesting is that some characters have RippleEffectProofMemory, and will react to things you've undone. Flowey even tells you early on that ''he'' used to be able to do the same until the player came along. At the end of the neutral path, [[spoiler:Flowey regains control of this power--across ''multiple'' save slots this time. He continues reloading the game because he wants to kill you again.]] ''Why'' you can do this is only fully explained [[spoiler:in the True Pacifist route's extra segment. [[HumansAreCthulhu Humans in this setting]] are able to come back from the dead and reverse time through [[{{Determinator}} sheer force of will]]--thus why every SavePoint is the sight of something that "fills you with determination". Flowey was the result of experiments to give determination to monsters, but the player's power was still stronger until he stole the [=SOULs=] of ''several'' humans.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' justifies its save points as MentalTimeTravel on the part of the protagonist. What makes it ''really'' interesting is that some characters have RippleEffectProofMemory, and will react to things you've undone. Flowey even tells you early on that ''he'' used to be able to do the same until the player came along. At the end of the neutral path, [[spoiler:Flowey regains control of this power--across ''multiple'' save slots this time. He continues reloading the game because he wants to kill you again.]] ''Why'' you can do this is only fully explained [[spoiler:in the True Pacifist route's extra segment. [[HumansAreCthulhu Humans in this setting]] are able to come back from the dead and reverse time through [[{{Determinator}} sheer force of will]]--thus why every SavePoint is the sight of something that "fills you with determination". Flowey was the result of experiments to give determination to humans, but the player's power was still stronger until he stole the [=SOULs=] of ''several'' humans.]]

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoII'' had save points in churches, but [[ContinuingIsPainful you had to pay]] 50000 dollars to save your game. The preacher would declare "HALLELUJAH! Another soul saved!" if you had the money, or "DAMNATION! No ''donation'', no ''salvation''!" if you didn't.
** ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII GTA 3]]'' had a more sensible way: you walked the [[NoNameGiven nameless character]][[note]][[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas later dubbed "Claude"]][[/note]] into the hideout-crashpad where you could see a bed, a fridge and a microwave oven and the door closed behind him. You saved the game, and when he came out it was six hours later. In later games, you could buy more well-appointed property, so your save-points were more luxurious and more befitting a man who probably owned half the city.

* In ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', you save by calling Ness's dad and telling him about your journey.

* In ''VideoGame/AxiomVerge'', the save capsules are revealed to be cloning chambers.

[[folder:MMORPG]]
* The ''Franchise/DotHack'' games give a rather obvious explanation: you're playing a person who is ''playing a video game''. When you save the game and log off for a while, that's what the character is doing in-game as well.
[[/folder]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' justifies its save points as MentalTimeTravel on the part of the protagonist. What makes it ''really'' interesting is that some characters have RippleEffectProofMemory, and will react to things you've undone. Flowey even tells you early on that ''he'' used to be able to do the same until the player came along. At the end of the neutral path, [[spoiler:Flowey regains control of this power--across ''multiple'' save slots this time. He continues reloading the game because he wants to kill you again]]. ''Why'' you can do this is only fully explained [[spoiler:in the True Pacifist route's extra segment. [[HumansAreCthulhu Humans in this setting]] are able to come back from the dead and reverse time through [[{{Determinator}} sheer force of will]]--thus why every SavePoint is the sight of something that "fills you with determination". Flowey was the result of experiments to give determination to humans, but the player's power was still stronger until he stole the [=SOULs=] of ''several'' humans.]]

** In the original ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}'', the save points are the Agastya Trees which appear to be sentient and asks if the protagonist would like to record their journey so far on them. An earier comment from an NPC encourages you to talk to the new tree she put in the school hospital, stating that it is [[LampshadeHanging is good for you]]. Considering that [[spoiler: there is an entire forest of them in Maki's Dream World, its implied to be a product of Maki's mind.]]
** In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'', the save point is one of the contraptions built into Tartarus. There's also the one in the dorm lobby, which is a check-in book.
** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' had the Blue Butterflies, which are all Philemon, the [[BigGood big good]] from the first and second games.

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' justifies its save points as MentalTimeTravel on the part of the protagonist. What makes it ''really'' interesting is that some characters have RippleEffectProofMemory, and will react to things you've undone. Flowey even tells you early on that ''he'' used to be able to do the same until the player came along. At the end of the neutral path, [[spoiler:Flowey regains control of this power--across ''multiple'' save slots this time. He continues reloading the game because he wants to kill you again]]. ''Why'' you can do this is only fully explained [[spoiler:in the True Pacifist route's extra segment. [[HumansAreCthulhu Humans in this setting]] are able to come back from the dead and reverse time through [[{{Determinator}} sheer force of will]]--thus why every SavePoint is the sight of something that "fills you with determination". Flowey was the result of experiments to give determination to humans, but the player's power was still stronger until he stole the SOULs of ''several'' humans.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' justifies its save points as MentalTimeTravel on the part of the protagonist. What makes it ''really'' interesting is that some characters have RippleEffectProofMemory, and will react to things you've undone. Flowey even tells you early on that ''he'' used to be able to do the same until the player came along. At the end of the neutral path, [[spoiler:Flowey regains control of this power--across ''multiple'' save slots this time. He continues reloading the game because he wants to kill you again]]. ''Why'' you can do this is only fully explained [[spoiler:in the True Pacifist route's extra segment. [[HumansAreCthulhu Humans in this setting]] are able to come back from the dead and reverse time through [[{{Determinator}} sheer force of will]]--thus why every SavePoint is the sight of something that "fills you with determination". Flowey was the result of experiments to give determination to humans, but the player's power was still stronger until he stole the hearts of ''several'' humans.]]

* Although they aren't save points, the revival checkpoints in ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' are similarly justified. They're even a plot point: [[spoiler:they work for you and not the Splicers because they're coded to Andrew Ryan's DNA, and you play as his son. Also note that when you kill Ryan, the Vita-Chamber in his office is deactivated.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' introduces "New U"-Stations provided by the in-game manufacturer "Hyperion" where you can save your game by creating digital copies of yourself that will be recreated as clones in case you die. In the sequel ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'' this gets ironically subverted on various occasions, most noticeable on a mission where the main antagonist offers you the option to kill yourself and getting paid in return. [[spoiler:If you do it he will mock you after you respawn for selling your pride,]] showing him completely aware of the fact that the player characters cannot actually die because of the respawn-system.
** In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'' the New-U stations make a cheerful recorded announcement when they respawn you, (even ''referring'' to the process as respawning) happily mocking the existential questions this process raises:
-->'' • Hyperion suggests that you do not think about the fact that this is only a digital reconstruction of your original body, which died the first time you respawned. Do NOT think about this!''
-->'' • The Hyperion corporation wishes to clarify that the bright light you saw after death was our digistruct technology, and not a higher power. Not higher than Hyperion, anyway.''
-->'' • By using this New-U station, you have forfeited your right to reproduce.''
-->'' • The Hyperion corporation is sure none of that was your fault.''

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' has the Bonfires that act as checkpoints. An explicitly spelled-out part of the Darksign curse is that an Undead will revive at the last Bonfire they visited if they are killed.