How do I save before starting a high-risk mission?

Saving your progress before starting a high-risk mission in Red Dead Redemption 2 is crucial to avoid losing hours of gameplay if things go wrong. The game features an autosave system, but it often overwrites your progress during missions, making manual saves essential. To save manually, you need to access the game’s pause menu and navigate to the Story tab. From there, select Save Game and choose an empty slot or overwrite an existing save. This ensures you have a checkpoint to return to if the mission doesn’t go as planned.\n\nTo manually save, press the Options button on PlayStation or the Menu button on Xbox to open the pause menu. Navigate to the Story tab, which is the first option on the left. Scroll down to Save Game and select it. You’ll be presented with multiple save slots, so choose one that’s empty or overwrite an older save. It’s a good idea to create multiple saves at different points in the game, especially before high-stakes missions, to avoid being stuck with a single corrupted or unfavorable save file.\n\nAnother way to save is by using the camp system. If you’re near your gang’s camp, you can sleep in Arthur’s tent to trigger a manual save. Approach Arthur’s cot, interact with it, and select the option to sleep. After waking up, the game will prompt you to save your progress. This method is particularly useful if you’re preparing for a mission and want to ensure your inventory, health, and stamina are fully restored before heading out.\n\nFor players who prefer a more immersive approach, you can also save at hotels or rented rooms in towns like Valentine, Saint Denis, or Rhodes. Simply interact with the bed in your rented room and choose to sleep. This will trigger a save prompt, allowing you to secure your progress before embarking on a dangerous mission. Keep in mind that saving at hotels costs money, so this method is best used when you have spare cash.\n\nOne common challenge players face is forgetting to save before a mission, only to realize they’ve lost progress after failing or encountering a glitch. To avoid this, make it a habit to save frequently, especially after completing side activities like hunting, fishing, or collecting valuables. Additionally, always check your mission log to identify high-risk missions, which are often marked by red icons or warnings from NPCs. These missions typically involve intense combat, stealth, or moral decisions that can significantly impact the story.\n\nFinally, here are some practical tips for saving effectively: First, always carry a backup save from an earlier point in the game. This ensures you have a fallback option if your most recent save becomes corrupted or leads to an unfavorable outcome. Second, pay attention to the game’s autosave notifications, which appear in the top-left corner of the screen. If you see an autosave occur right before a mission, you might not need to manually save, but it’s still safer to do so. Lastly, consider saving before making major decisions, such as choosing to help or abandon an NPC, as these choices can have lasting consequences.\n\nBy following these steps and tips, you can ensure your progress is secure and avoid unnecessary frustration during high-risk missions in Red Dead Redemption 2.