In the original Resident Evil, an Ink Ribbon is required to save game progress.
Players save at typewriters placed throughout the Spencer Mansion and other locations. Each save consumes one Ink Ribbon from the inventory, making the item an important resource rather than a simple menu option. The game’s limited-save system helped create its survival-horror tension.
Ink Ribbons are found at fixed locations and occupy inventory space. Because the original game limits carrying capacity, players must decide when saving is worth using both an item and an inventory slot. Later Resident Evil games changed or removed this requirement, so newcomers may associate typewriters with saving but not with consumable ribbons.
The original Resident Evil was released for PlayStation in 1996 and established many conventions of the series, including fixed camera angles, puzzle-solving, restricted supplies, and safe-room typewriters. In modern versions, the same save mechanic remains a recognizable part of the game’s design and atmosphere.