Games where you can save anywhere

[Apollo Chungus]

For a while now, I've been wanting to play games where you can save anywhere. Things have gotten a little bit hectic in my life due to some personal stuff, and I'd like to be able to save exactly where I am in case I need to stop playing at that exact moment and help out with things. I know there are countless PC games that offer this functionality, but I'm mainly a console/handheld person so I'd like that to be my focus.

To clarify, I'm talking specifically about games where you can do this in the game itself, not through save states or emulation. I'm also not referring to games with auto-saves; I want to be able to save exactly where and when I like.

I'll update this post with examples so anyone who might be similarly interested in these games have somewhere easy to pull from. I'll start with a few examples off the top of my head:

Ace Attorney (multi) - Every game in the series lets you save anywhere. The more recent games offer two or three slots, whereas the DS-era games only give you one slot.

Darkened Skye (GameCube) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Dishonored (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

DOOM I/II/64 (seventh gen consoles onward) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. The 2018 port allows for quick saving/loading with the shoulder buttons.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS360) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (GBA) - You can save from the menu anywhere. Three save slots are allowed.

Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (Game Boy) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Two save slots are allowed.

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Professor Layton (multi) - I know the original trilogy lets you save anywhere, so I'd assume that's also the case for the second trilogy and the Mystery Journey game on the 3DS/Switch.

Quake 2 (Xbox 360) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

River City Ransom EX (GBA) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. [suggested by Snake ]

Shenmue I (PS4/Xbox One)* - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. (*This refers to the "Shenmue I & II" version of the game. The original Dreamcast release only allows you to save at Ryo's bed, or use temporary suspend saves that quit the game and then delete themselves when you reload them.)

Shenmue II (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Splinter Cell 1-3 (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. (haven't played the sequels in years; need to check on those)

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Xbox) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. I presume this carried forward to the recent ports to PS4/Switch

Tomb Raider II/III/Last Revelation/Chronicles (PS1/Dreamcast) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. [suggested by spanky ]

Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (PS2) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

[Snake]

Crystalis, NES - You can virtually save and load your data anywhere, except during boss fights and some key areas.

Ys Book 1 & 2

Ys 3   

Ys 4   - Similar to Crystalis, you can virtually save and load your progress at any point.

River City Ransom, Gameboy Advance - Been a while since I played this one, but I'm pretty sure they ditched the password feature in favor of being able to save.

[spanky]

I think the Pokemon games allow you to save in most places as long as you're not in a battle.

Kirby's Pinball Land has an interrupt save feature.

Tomb Raider II let's you save anywhere.

Lots of strategy games, turn based or real time. Off the top of my head Blizzard RTS games allow you to do this.

[excelsior]

Some more strategy games:
Modern XCOM series (and it's a god send considering the harsh rng)
Valkyria Chronicles
Fire Emblem - only in casual mode

Some games such as Zelda you can save anywhere but the resume state is not the same. For e.g. if you save in a dungeon you get sent back to the beginning (although it stores your progression). I'm not sure if that's a consideration for you.

[Apollo Chungus]

Mar 22, 2021 12:33:54 GMT -5 excelsior said:

Some games such as Zelda you can save anywhere but the resume state is not the same. For e.g. if you save in a dungeon you get sent back to the beginning (although it stores your progression). I'm not sure if that's a consideration for you.

It is a consideration. Ideally, I'd like to be able to resume from the exact spot I saved.

[ommadawnyawn2]

I would say this is rather common on PC, possibly featured in the majority of games since a long while back. Just a few:
Heroes of Might and Magic series
Deus Ex
Warcraft and Starcraft
Command & Conquer

[jorpho]

I seem to recall that Final Fantasy Legend II also let you save anywhere. Not sure about the other games in the series.

[Apollo Chungus]

It's been a couple days, so I'll add a few more suggestions that have since occurred to me. I'll put these in the opening posts, along with suggestions from y'all that I'm able to confirm:

Darkened Skye (GameCube) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Dishonored (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (Game Boy) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Two save slots are allowed.

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Quake 2 (Xbox 360) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Shenmue I (PS4/Xbox One)* - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. (*This refers to the "Shenmue I & II" version of the game. The original Dreamcast release only allows you to save at Ryo's bed, or use temporary suspend saves that quit the game and then delete themselves when you reload them.)

Shenmue II (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Splinter Cell 1-3 (multi) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. (haven't played the sequels in years; need to check on those)

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Xbox) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed. I presume this carried forward to the recent ports to PS4/Switch

Tomb Raider II/III/Last Revelation/Chronicles (PS1/Dreamcast) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.

Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (PS2) - You can save from the pause menu anywhere. Multiple saves are allowed.