The save-file habit that changed how I actually play games

I used to save constantly, right before every remotely risky decision, which meant every choice in a game felt reversible and therefore weightless. At some point I switched to a self-imposed rule: save only at designated checkpoints, no manual saves outside of them, even when the game technically allows it.

The effect was immediate. Decisions started to matter again, because they were actually permanent within a play session. A fight I might lose felt tense instead of like a formality I'd just reload past. It made worse games feel better and good games feel genuinely gripping, purely by removing my own ability to undo consequences.

It's a small, entirely self-imposed constraint, and it's done more for my enjoyment of games than any graphics setting ever has.

Related reading: The Guide to What Actually Makes a Game Feel Good (or Bad) to Play.