RETURN Machine.Love() Prestige Guide: How to Reset & Rewards

What Is Prestige in RETURN Machine.Love()?

Prestige is a special meta-progression system available after you complete at least one of the three story campaigns. It allows you to reset your current progress in exchange for permanent account-wide bonuses, unique cosmetic unlocks, and access to hidden narrative paths. Unlike a simple New Game+, Prestige resets your inventory, upgrades, and character levels but grants Prestige Tokens that can be spent at the Memory Kiosk.

The system is designed for players who want to experience the stories from a fresh perspective while carrying over meaningful advantages. It is completely optional and not required to see any of the standard endings. However, if you aim to unlock all achievements or discover secret dialogue variations, Prestige is essential.

How to Unlock the Prestige System

To unlock the Prestige option, you must first complete a full playthrough of any single story arc. This means reaching the credits roll for that character's route. After finishing, a new menu option labeled "Memory Reset" will appear in the main menu under the Systems tab.

You do not need to complete all three stories to Prestige. However, completing additional routes before resetting will grant bonus starting tokens. Each finished route adds 2 extra tokens to your initial pool.

What Carries Over and What Resets

Understanding what persists through a Prestige is critical for planning your runs. Below is a breakdown of everything that resets and everything that remains.

Resets completely:

• Character levels and experience
• All equipped upgrades and gear
• Inventory items and consumables
• In-game currency (both standard and premium)
• Progress in all incomplete story branches

Carries over permanently:

• Prestige Tokens earned from previous resets
• Cosmetic unlocks (skins, title cards, profile banners)
• Memory fragments collected across all runs
• Achievement progress and unlock conditions
• Secret lore entries discovered in any playthrough

Prestige Rewards and Unlocks

Each Prestige level grants a set of exclusive rewards. You can view your current Prestige rank in the profile screen. The rewards are cumulative, so you keep everything from earlier levels.

Prestige 1: Unlocks the "Echo" title card and 5 Prestige Tokens Preciige 2: Grants the "Copper Heart" profile banner and 7 Prestige Tokens Prestige 3: Unlocks a hidden dialogue option in the first story arc Prestige 4: Grants the "Steel Memory" character skin for all protagonists Prestige 5: Unlocks the secret ending "Return to Zero" and 15 Prestige Tokens

Prestige Tokens can be spent at the Memory Kiosk on permanent stat boosts, exclusive lore fragments, and rare cosmetics that cannot be obtained through normal gameplay.

Best Strategy for Prestige Farming

If your goal is to reach Prestige 5 efficiently, follow this recommended path. Start by completing all three story campaigns in a single run before your first reset. This maximizes your starting token count.

After each Prestige, focus on speedrunning the shortest story route. The first arc is generally the fastest to complete. Use your Prestige Tokens to purchase the "Quick Memory" boost, which reduces dialogue delay timers and skip cooldowns.

1. Complete all three stories

   Finish every available route to collect maximum Memory Fragments and bonus starting tokens.

2. Spend currency before reset

   Visit the Memory Kiosk and use all standard currency on permanent upgrades.

3. Prestige and invest tokens

   Reset your progress, then immediately buy speed-related boosts from the Kiosk.

4. Speedrun the shortest route

   Play through the first story arc as quickly as possible, skipping optional content.

5. Repeat until Prestige 5

   Continue the cycle, adjusting your token purchases based on which rewards you still need.

For more details on completing each story arc efficiently, check our story campaign guide.

Common Questions About Prestige

Can I revert a Prestige? No. Once you confirm a Memory Reset, the action is permanent. Make sure you are ready before proceeding.

Do Prestige Tokens expire? No. Tokens remain in your account across all resets and are never lost. You can save them indefinitely.

Is Prestige required for all achievements? Yes. Two achievements are exclusive to Prestige 5: "Return to Zero" and "Eternal Memory." You must complete five resets to unlock them.

Can I Prestige on different save slots? Prestige is tied to your account profile, not individual save slots. All progress is shared across slots.

For a complete list of all unlockable achievements, see our achievements guide.