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I think this restart ability counts the same way as saving/loading. I have forgotten that "iron man" mode is not universal, but indeed, some games are not bala

I think this restart ability counts the same way as saving/loading. I have forgotten that "iron man" mode is not universal, but indeed, some games are not balanced enough by default to play without saving and loading (UFO: Aftermath would have been very nice otherwise). So yes, the save/load facility is rather normal and a departure from roguelikes.

usrusr 5y ago
I think "ironman mode" deserves a separate discussion, because there is such a wide gap between games where it's merely a higher stakes setting and games where recovery from setbacks is a core element, and not just as a lofty goal ("wouldn't it be nice if people played that way?") but made so interesting that players actually play that way, and not just a tiny fraction of the most masochistic. That difference is best illustrated comparing Crusader Kings and its seemingly similar sibling Europa Universalis: (I'm talking about recent incarnations, I don't know CK1 or EU[123]) CK is full of rebound mechanics that work for both bad decisions and for RNG setbacks, whereas EU is mostly straight-forward 4X where any bit of falling behind ruthlessly compounds.