History Main / PointOfNoReturn

** The first game had a surprise '''Nasty''' example in that when you enter the lab in Chapter 5, you can't go back. So if you hadn't found all of the optional items or D's memories, you're locked into the bad ending.
** The second game prevented further backtracking after entering J.C. Valley, but since it has only the one ending and nothing you can miss will change that, it's a '''Mericful''' example even if it doesn't say that.

* In ''Theatre/DukeBluebeardsCastle'', Bluebeard gives Judith several chances to stop, including at the very start, but once the seventh door is opened her fate is sealed.

** The first game is '''merciful''' in that you cannot qualify for the true ending unless you [[HundredPercentCompletion collected every item]] in the other eight areas. [[spoiler:The other boss Invem are interfering in the search for the Mutant Core, which is in Earth's super-dimensional space, and Eve's plan to save Earth from it won't work out with SOPHIA III alone.]]

** ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankRiftApart'' features a ''Polite'' example. Towards the end the game, at Zurkie's, approaching Captain Quantam and talking to him will trigger a warning prompt saying that "this is your last chance to acquire armor and collectibles" and giving you a buttom prompt asking if you're sure you want to start the endgame.

** ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankRiftApart features a ''Polite'' example. Towards the end the game, at Zurkie's, approaching Captain Quantam and talking to him will trigger a warning prompt saying that "this is your last chance to acquire armor and collectibles" and giving you a buttom prompt asking if you're sure you want to start the endgame.

* The final level of ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' involves a Point Of No Return when you attempt to infiltrate the heart of [=DreadZone=] Station to confront [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Gleeman Vox]] once and for all. Once you leave you won't be able to use [=DreadZone=] as your base of operations anymore, not to mention that pesky detail that [[spoiler:the entire place explodes because Gleeman laced it with [[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale 'six gigatons of nitroglycerin']]]]. This is the "No more save points" variety since you still get a weapons vendor right at the very start (and after you defeat Vox, you get to either start a NewGamePlus or go right back to just before you left), but you can still get "stuck" here if you didn't grind enough earlier to max out your weapons/ammo/nano. The only other way is to reset the console.

* ''Film/TheMatrix'': The trope namer for the RedPillBluePill choice is this either way: either lose your ignorance to the AwfulTruth, or lose the ability to ever confirm it.
-->'''Morpheus''': This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.

** ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' straddles the line between Polite and Tough, as the game will typically advise that you're certain that you've finished everything you want to in the areas you've explored before entering a new area that would typically begin the next act of the game's story (as well as warning you if you're underleveled for what is to come). These points include [[spoiler:entering the Shadow-cursed Lands at the beginning of Act 2 (which still gives you leeway to finish some content in Act 1), entering the Nightsong's Prison (closes off Act 1's content), and leaving the Shadow-cursed Lands for Baldur's Gate (closes off Act 2's content).]]

* The ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' game has an example best described as '''Cruel'''. When you enter the Chamber of Secrets, there's no way to go back, and you'll need a lot of potions in order to make it through, which can only be brewed before you enter the chamber. What makes it Cruel? The game ''auto-saves'' after you enter. (In fairness, anyone who is at all familiar with the story will be aware that they're about to fight a giant snake, and will likely do everything they can to prepare.)

* '''Polite:''' [[OminousSavePrompt The game explictly warns you that the point of no return is ahead.]] You are encouraged to save the game before heading out, and to keep that slot preserved in case you need to go back. If you neglect this advice, you will put yourself in either a Tough or Nasty situation depending on the game.

* The ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' game has an example best described as '''Cruel'''. When you enter the Chamber of Secrets, there's no way to go back, and you'll need a lot of potions in order to make it through, which can only be brewed before you enter the chamber. What makes it Cruel? The game ''auto-saves'' after you enter.

** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': The last door in each game is a point of no return; the [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork3 3rd game]] onwards breaks the 4th wall to tell the player to save first. ExtendedGameplay is featured so you don't permanently lose the ability to return to earlier areas afterwards.

*** The first point is a slightly nasty example, as securing the help of one of the factions (the Circle of Magi, the Dalish Elves, Orzammar, or Redcliffe) for the war against the Blight seals off the town of Lothering, which, storywise, has been overrun by the darkspawn.
*** When you go to the Circle of Magi and agree to enter the tower to destroy the rampaging [[DemonicPossession Abominations]] inside, Knight-Commander Greagoir warns you that he and his Templars will bar the doors behind you once you enter, [[PlotTunnel forcing you to complete the quest line]]. If you go to the Circle for allies first (or go there to ask for the Mages' help to save Connor without sacrificing Isolde), this can coincidentally become a "polite" PONR for Lothering as well, as once you complete the "Broken Circle" quest, Lothering will be gone.
*** The first ''endgame'' PONR is a "tough" scenario, as it isn't fully obvious for first-time players. After completing the Landsmeet [[spoiler:and deciding Loghain's fate]], some quests and locations became unavailable, especially for Redcliffe. It would be inadvisable to go to the Landsmeet if you have some unfinished business there, as the darkspawn attack Redcliffe Village after the Landsmeet is settled. In fact, Redcliffe becomes the entry point for the second and final PONR of the story; deciding to enter Redcliffe Castle and learning [[spoiler:that the Archdemon is leading the darkspawn horde to Denerim]] is what ultimately sets you on the one-way path to the final battle.

" ''VideoGame/DragonBallZKakarot'' has a Polite example, which warns you that once you enter the tournament in the Buu saga, you won't be able to access certain features until you beat the game.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' technically has 2. The first one has you go to World 2 (Galuf's World) and you cannot return to World 1 (Bartz's World). The second one, after completing Exdeath's Castle, merges both world into 1; while they are merged, there are many noticeable differences due to the void's power sucking up various areas in the game.

*** Disc 1 has a minor one: the Temple of the Ancients. Once entered, it can't be exited until it's completed, though you do get a warning about it when trying to save and enemies to grind on in case you're underleveled. However, this is also the last dungeon where Aeris can be used; once completed she leaves the party, never to return. If you want to obtain her final LimitBreak, you're gonna have to do it before entering the temple.

** There is an in-universe example concerning both the [[spoiler: Berlin/ICA Agents]] level "Apex Predator", and the [[spoiler: Chongqing/Hush and Imogen Royce]] level "End Of An Era". Completing both of these missions will [[spoiler: destroy the ICA]]. Oliva Hall even laments this. 47's only possible response? Kill the ICA, which then sets the facility both into lockdown mode, but also ablaze.
*** '''Oliva:''' [[spoiler: When you press that button, it's up there and the whole world will know. There's no undo, 47. This will shut the ICA down for good. You really okay with this? It's who you've been for so long.]]

** ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' has a point of no return after [[spoiler: you're kicked out of Jubilife Village and are forbidden to return]]. Any side quests that you haven't finished in that area can't be completed until you finish the main story and are allowed to go back afterwards.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' series uses the Polite approach, showing a text popup that directly tells the player, "You're about to begin the final story sequence, this is your last chance to save your game and replenish your resources" right before you initiate the game's final chapter. This isn't exactly true, though, since you're also given the chance to begin a "premium adventure" with your newly cleared save file, which basically lets you [[PlayableEpilogue play in a free-roaming mode that allows you to finish the remaining side stories]].
** ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'': The point of no return is in the final chapter, when [[spoiler: each of the two characters decide to go on their respective raids, towards the Nikkyo Consortium for Kiryu and the Dojima Family HQ for Majima.]] The game makes it crystal clear that you won't be able to return after you've crossed that point, but interestingly, you can choose to cross the point of no return with one of them and continue playing with the other; the game doesn't proceed with the main quest until you cross the point with ''both'' Kiryu and Majima.
** ''[[VideoGame/Yakuza1 Yakuza Kiwami]]'': The point of no return is when [[spoiler: Kiryu takes Haruka to meet Yumi at Ares.]]

** ''VideoGame/SonicHorizons'' has a mildly Tough variant: once you collect the sixth Chaos Emerald on Ouranos Island, [[spoiler:Dr. Eggman will give you the seventh and final Chaos Emerald needed to fight the boss. From there, you will proceed immediately to the final boss fights.]]

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':

* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' has what an [[LampshadeHanging in-game prompt]] labels an "Autosave of No Return" near the end of the game immediately after you [[spoiler:free Lili.]] Luckily, it's saved as a separate file, just in case you weren't totally ready [[spoiler:to sneeze your own brain out and enter a creepy mishmash of yours and the bad guy's childhood fears]]. Although real-world locations are no longer available for you to explore, and anything left behind there is lost, you can still go to other mental worlds via the Collective Unconscious. In the final mental realm, there's a booth that allows you to convert Cobwebs to Psi Cards and Psi Cards into Challenge Markers.

* In ''VideoGame/Jak3Wastelander'', you reach the Point of No Return when you meet up with Damas [[spoiler: in the ruins, shortly before he dies]]. Though once you reach the final boss, you will be allowed to re-enter Spargus City, as well as take the nearby vessel back to Haven City. The game does not warn you when you cross it.

** The Ruins will be permanently sealed off after you leave. You can miss out on getting a slice of pie from Toriel and getting some spider food from the local spider bake sale if you didn't get them before leaving the Ruins. [[spoiler:Both items will make certain boss fights, namely Asgore, easier. Buying, and still having, a Spider item from the Ruins and then using it during Muffet's fight will skip her fight entirely]].

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/point_6.png]]]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' has an Autosave of No Return ([[LampshadeHanging that's what an in-game prompt actually calls it]]) near the end of the game immediately after you [[spoiler:free Lili.]] Luckily, it's saved as a separate file, just in case you weren't totally ready [[spoiler:to sneeze your own brain out and enter a creepy mishmash of yours and the bad guy's childhood fears]]. Although real-world locations are no longer available for you to explore, and anything left behind there is lost, you can still go to other mental worlds via the Collective Unconscious. In the final mental realm, there's a booth that allows you to convert Cobwebs to Psi Cards and Psi Cards into Challenge Markers.