Metroid Dread: When is the point of no return?

Points of no return are handled differently from game to game. Some games let you know outright that once you reach a particular point, that’s it. You’re locked into finishing the story. Others let it slip quietly by, and might even prevent you from accessing whole parts of the game upon passing it, which can be a tad frustrating if you were planning to revisit some earlier areas. Metroid Dread’s point of no return fits better into the latter category, but thankfully, it’ll only cut you off from the rest of the game for a short time.

After obtaining the power bomb in Hanubia, you’ll be able to board a transport capsule from Hanubia to Raven Beak’s sky fortress, Itorash. Upon landing on Itorash, in the upper-right-hand corner of the map, you’ll find an elevator that will take you to the game’s final boss. This elevator ride is the point of no return.

As soon as you answer “yes” to the on-screen prompt asking whether you would like to take the elevator or not, you’re locked into the game’s ending sequence. The sequence includes the tough-as-nails final boss fight against Raven Beak, and one of the fast-paced, timed escape sequences that the Metroid series is known for. 

But don’t fret if you still want to explore ZDR some more; you’re not going to lose your progress by finishing the game. After the credits roll, you can resume your game from your last save made before fighting Raven Beak. Since there’s a save station right next to the final boss’ elevator, we recommend you save your progress there before you finish the story, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve saved your game.