Permadeath

A game mechanic where the death of the player's character is permanent — there is no respawn or save reload. When you die, the run ends and you start over, usually from the beginning. Permadeath is central to roguelikes and roguelites. Some games offer permadeath as an optional hardcore mode (Diablo IV Hardcore, Minecraft Hardcore). The mechanic raises the stakes of every decision and makes each run feel meaningful.