There’s nothing quite as nerve-wracking as diving into a game of R.E.P.O. and hoping your squad doesn’t face an untimely demise, forcing you to restart from scratch without any of your hard-earned upgrades or purchases.
In light of this anxiety, players are constantly seeking methods to manually save or back up their game data to preserve their progress in the face of adversity. So, how exactly does saving work in-game?
Understanding Save Mechanics in R.E.P.O.

Manual saves are not available in R.E.P.O.. The game automatically saves your progress at the end of each level or when you exit the store. If you leave a game midway through a level, you will have to restart from the beginning when you load your save file, and you may even find yourself spawning in a different level entirely.
Auto-save features activate upon death. If you’re not quick enough to exit the game during a tense moment, dying will trigger an auto-save that wipes out all your progress, forcing you to restart regardless of how far you’ve advanced.
Regarding backing up your game saves, there is a method available, but it can be quite complex, and success isn’t guaranteed for all players—proceed with caution if you choose to try this.
It’s important to note that gameplay saves are tied to the original players in a game, meaning new players can’t join an established save file. To include additional players, a new game must be initiated from scratch, which may be frustrating for those hoping to play alongside friends on an existing file.
To summarize, if you sense an impending doom and worry about losing your progress, quickly back out to the main menu to retain your current save. You can then reload your game and invite other players back in. The moment a character dies, the save file is permanently erased, leaving you to rely on random chance (RNG) for a successful run.
FAQs About Saving in R.E.P.O.
Can I manually save my game in R.E.P.O.?
No, R.E.P.O. does not allow manual saving. The game saves automatically at key checkpoints, making it crucial to complete levels to ensure your progress is retained.
What happens if my character dies in R.E.P.O.?
When your character dies, the game triggers an auto-save that erases all your previous progress. You will have to restart from the beginning of the level you were on.
Is there a way to back up my saves in R.E.P.O.?
While there are convoluted methods to back up your save files, they are not guaranteed to work consistently. Exercise caution if you attempt this and be prepared for potential complications.
Can new players join an ongoing game in R.E.P.O.?
No, new players cannot join an existing game save. A new game must be created from scratch to include additional players, which can limit the game’s social aspect.
How can I prevent losing my progress in R.E.P.O.?
If you feel the situation is turning dire, quickly back out to the main menu to preserve your game progress, then reload and invite other players back.