Checkpoints

Checkpoints allow you to restart (after dying) at a particular point within the chapter. Checkpoints occur on a sliding scale, one that adjusts to your style of gameplay. The more you get stuck the more help you receive. Features that are adjusted include: combat difficulty, ammo pickup frequency, amount of checkpoints reached after objective completion, and stealth or combat kills in a row. For more information on the gameplay assistance feature, see “How Difficulty Settings Change Gameplay.”

When you use a checkpoint to return to the game, you should respawn in the exact position and state you were in when the checkpoint occurred (crouching, in cover, hanging, etc). Enemies respawn at their last position, and any dead enemies remain dead through checkpoints.

Here are some interesting details about checkpoint occurrences:

• Stealth checkpoints occur on a timer but infrequently (one for every minute of stealth).
• Exploration checkpoints can only occur once the appropriate Gameplay Assistance stage has been triggered (see “How Difficulty Settings Change Gameplay”).
• Combat checkpoints occur after full waves of enemies have been cleared, or if you’ve attempted the task twelve or more times and have killed six or more enemies during the attempt.
• Combat checkpoints do not occur if only one enemy remains.

The following conditions must be met to reach a checkpoint:

• You cannot be in the act of: falling; dropping from a ledge; climbing a ledge; jumping; sliding; hanging from a rope; involved in a melee attack; driving; in an explosion; in an enemy knock down; or dying.
• You cannot have your rope attached, or be swinging, or be entirely in midair.
• If you are hanging, the edge must not be one that crumbles.
• You must be able to breathe (i.e., not underwater, unless breathing with an air tank).
• You cannot have an enemy grenade near you.
• You cannot have an enemy within five meters of your location.
• You must have more than 90% health remaining.