The Point of No Return is a place in the story of a video game where it permanently becomes impossible to revisit earlier areas. Any optional sidequests or items (e.g. the Infinity +1 Sword) are effectively lost permanently from here on out. Show This often happens near the game's finale, such as before entering The Very Definitely Final Dungeon or just before challenging the Final Boss. You may even hear the narrator or another character warn you that "there is no going back" or "This Is the Final Battle". There may or may not be Save Points, Trauma Inns, or item shops past the Point of No Return. If there aren't, crossing this point without sufficient resources (health, ammo, etc.) to survive the challenges ahead can result in the game becoming Unwinnable, especially if there's a Save Point beyond it, but no means to heal or restock supplies. Advertisement: The point of no return comes in multiple flavors which basically correlate to points on Zarf's Cruelty Scale of Interactive Fiction (see Unwinnable by Design):
Advertisement: Another dimension to this is whether there is a Playable Epilogue or Endgame+ that lets you go back to the rest of the world again after you finish the game. Even if you can, it's cold comfort if you're trapped in The Very Definitely Final Dungeon with no way to go back or finish it. Games that regularly prevent you from returning to earlier completed areas are another trope entirely, although freeform or ability-based level exploration may blur the line. See also Plot Tunnel, which occurs mid-game and cuts off all the plot-irrelevant levels temporarily, until the current story arc is cleared. Often the point is marked by a Door of Doom and/or announced by an Ominous Save Prompt. This comes from the term used in air travel where after a certain point it becomes impossible to turn around and return to the point of origin (for example, not enough fuel); even if there is a sudden emergency, the plane must continue towards its destination. It's also a term used to describe an "event horizon," a point in spacetime (usually a black hole) where once crossed, gravity becomes so strong that it's physically impossible for anything (even light itself) to escape. Compare Point of No Continues, You Can Turn Back, Last Chance to Quit and Inescapable Ambush. Often goes hand-in-hand with Door Jam, where there's an in-universe explanation for why the hero can't turn back and is forced to face a danger alone. Warning! Expect spoilers ahead! Once you read through these spoilers, you won't be able to experience these moments blind! Video Game Examples:open/close all folders Action
Adventure
Alternate Reality
First-Person Shooter
Hack and Slash
Idle Game
Platform
Puzzle Game
Real-Time Strategy
Role-Playing Game
Sandbox
Shoot 'em Up
Simulation Game
Survival Horror
Third-Person Shooter
Turn-Based Strategy
Visual Novel
Webgames
Non-Video Game ExamplesAnime & Manga
Film
Literature
Theatre
Real Life
|