diff --git a/Theriapolis.Godot/Platform/SaveSlotFormat.cs b/Theriapolis.Godot/Platform/SaveSlotFormat.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5eb5a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Theriapolis.Godot/Platform/SaveSlotFormat.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+using System;
+using System.Globalization;
+using Theriapolis.Core.Persistence;
+
+namespace Theriapolis.GodotHost.Platform;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Slot-picker label formatting. Pulls the in-game time from
+/// <see cref="SaveHeader.SlotLabel"/> (e.g. "Howlwind — Y0 Spring D5
+/// (Tier 1)") and appends the wall-clock saved-at time parsed from
+/// <see cref="SaveHeader.SavedAtUtc"/>, rendered in the player's local
+/// timezone with a relative label when recent.
+///
+/// Shared between <see cref="Scenes.SaveLoadScreen"/> (load picker
+/// from Title) and <see cref="Scenes.PauseMenuScreen"/>'s save picker
+/// so both surfaces present the same row format.
+/// </summary>
+public static class SaveSlotFormat
+{
+    /// <summary>Composed row label: "{slot} — {in-game} · saved {when}".</summary>
+    public static string FormatRow(string slotPrefix, SaveHeader header)
+        => $"{slotPrefix} — {header.SlotLabel()}  ·  saved {FormatSavedAt(header.SavedAtUtc)}";
+
+    /// <summary>Parses the SaveHeader's UTC saved-at timestamp and
+    /// renders it relative to now, in local time. Returns "&lt;unknown&gt;"
+    /// for empty / unparseable inputs so the row still shows something.</summary>
+    public static string FormatSavedAt(string savedAtUtc)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(savedAtUtc)) return "<unknown>";
+        if (!DateTime.TryParse(
+                savedAtUtc, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture,
+                DateTimeStyles.AssumeUniversal | DateTimeStyles.AdjustToUniversal,
+                out var utc))
+            return savedAtUtc;
+
+        DateTime local = utc.ToLocalTime();
+        DateTime now = DateTime.Now;
+        if (local.Date == now.Date)
+            return $"today, {local:HH:mm}";
+        if (local.Date == now.Date.AddDays(-1))
+            return $"yesterday, {local:HH:mm}";
+        if (local.Year == now.Year)
+            return local.ToString("MMM d, HH:mm", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+        return local.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/PauseMenuScreen.cs b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/PauseMenuScreen.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..023735f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/PauseMenuScreen.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,306 @@
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using Godot;
+using Theriapolis.Core;
+using Theriapolis.Core.Persistence;
+using Theriapolis.Core.Rules.Character;
+using Theriapolis.GodotHost.Platform;
+using Theriapolis.GodotHost.UI;
+
+namespace Theriapolis.GodotHost.Scenes;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// M7.4 — pause overlay. Pushed by PlayScreen when Esc is pressed.
+/// Halts the game clock via <c>GetTree().Paused = true</c> so the
+/// player + streamer + controller all freeze; the overlay itself
+/// runs with <c>ProcessModeEnum.WhenPaused</c> so it stays
+/// responsive to input.
+///
+/// Two sub-states: <see cref="BuildMain"/> shows the main menu
+/// (Resume / Level Up / Save Game / Quicksave / Quit). Clicking
+/// "Save Game" flips to <see cref="BuildSlotPicker"/> — a per-slot
+/// row list that calls back into <see cref="PlayScreen.SaveTo"/>.
+/// Esc backs out of the slot picker to main, then closes the
+/// overlay on a second press.
+///
+/// Save-from-pause shows a status line inside the panel (separate
+/// from PlayScreen's save-flash toast, which is suppressed while
+/// the tree is paused).
+/// </summary>
+public partial class PauseMenuScreen : CanvasLayer
+{
+    private readonly PlayScreen _playScreen;
+    private Control _root = null!;
+    private PanelContainer _panel = null!;
+    private VBoxContainer _content = null!;
+    private Label _statusLabel = null!;
+    private bool _showingSlots;
+    // Edge-detection for the Esc that opened the overlay — without this
+    // the same press both opens AND closes the menu on the next frame.
+    private bool _consumedOpeningEsc;
+
+    public PauseMenuScreen(PlayScreen playScreen)
+    {
+        _playScreen = playScreen ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(playScreen));
+    }
+
+    public override void _Ready()
+    {
+        Layer = 50;
+        ProcessMode = ProcessModeEnum.WhenPaused;
+        GetTree().Paused = true;
+
+        _root = new Control
+        {
+            MouseFilter = Control.MouseFilterEnum.Stop,
+            ProcessMode = ProcessModeEnum.WhenPaused,
+        };
+        _root.SetAnchorsAndOffsetsPreset(Control.LayoutPreset.FullRect);
+        AddChild(_root);
+
+        // Half-opaque scrim so the world reads as backgrounded.
+        var scrim = new ColorRect
+        {
+            Color = new Color(0, 0, 0, 0.55f),
+            MouseFilter = Control.MouseFilterEnum.Ignore,
+        };
+        scrim.SetAnchorsAndOffsetsPreset(Control.LayoutPreset.FullRect);
+        _root.AddChild(scrim);
+
+        var center = new CenterContainer { MouseFilter = Control.MouseFilterEnum.Ignore };
+        center.SetAnchorsAndOffsetsPreset(Control.LayoutPreset.FullRect);
+        _root.AddChild(center);
+
+        // Apply the codex theme on the panel root so the cascade reaches
+        // every button (overlays mount outside the PlayScreen Control tree,
+        // so the parent theme doesn't cascade automatically).
+        _panel = new PanelContainer
+        {
+            ThemeTypeVariation = "Card",
+            Theme = CodexTheme.Build(),
+            CustomMinimumSize = new Vector2(360, 0),
+        };
+        center.AddChild(_panel);
+
+        var margin = new MarginContainer();
+        margin.AddThemeConstantOverride("margin_left", 28);
+        margin.AddThemeConstantOverride("margin_right", 28);
+        margin.AddThemeConstantOverride("margin_top", 20);
+        margin.AddThemeConstantOverride("margin_bottom", 20);
+        _panel.AddChild(margin);
+
+        _content = new VBoxContainer();
+        _content.AddThemeConstantOverride("separation", 10);
+        margin.AddChild(_content);
+
+        BuildMain();
+    }
+
+    private void BuildMain()
+    {
+        _showingSlots = false;
+        ClearContent();
+
+        _content.AddChild(new Label
+        {
+            Text = "PAUSED",
+            ThemeTypeVariation = "H2",
+            HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center,
+        });
+
+        AddSpacer(8);
+
+        var resume = MakeMenuButton("Resume", primary: true);
+        resume.Pressed += Close;
+        _content.AddChild(resume);
+
+        // Level-up affordance — only when eligible. Disabled in M7 with a
+        // tooltip; the actual LevelUpScreen ships with M8.
+        var pc = _playScreen.PlayerCharacter();
+        if (pc is not null && LevelUpFlow.CanLevelUp(pc))
+        {
+            var lvlBtn = MakeMenuButton($"★ Level Up ({pc.Level} → {pc.Level + 1})", primary: false);
+            lvlBtn.Disabled = true;
+            lvlBtn.TooltipText = "Level-up screen ships with M8.";
+            _content.AddChild(lvlBtn);
+        }
+
+        var saveBtn = MakeMenuButton("Save Game", primary: false);
+        saveBtn.Pressed += BuildSlotPicker;
+        _content.AddChild(saveBtn);
+
+        var quickSave = MakeMenuButton("Quicksave (autosave slot)", primary: false);
+        quickSave.Pressed += OnQuicksave;
+        _content.AddChild(quickSave);
+
+        var quitBtn = MakeMenuButton("Quit to Title", primary: false);
+        quitBtn.Pressed += OnQuitToTitle;
+        _content.AddChild(quitBtn);
+
+        AddSpacer(6);
+
+        _statusLabel = new Label
+        {
+            Text = " ",
+            ThemeTypeVariation = "Eyebrow",
+            HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center,
+            AutowrapMode = TextServer.AutowrapMode.WordSmart,
+        };
+        _content.AddChild(_statusLabel);
+    }
+
+    private void BuildSlotPicker()
+    {
+        _showingSlots = true;
+        ClearContent();
+
+        _content.AddChild(new Label
+        {
+            Text = "SAVE TO SLOT",
+            ThemeTypeVariation = "Eyebrow",
+            HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center,
+        });
+        AddSpacer(4);
+
+        for (int i = 1; i <= C.SAVE_SLOT_COUNT; i++)
+        {
+            int slotNum = i;
+            string path = SavePaths.SlotPath(slotNum);
+            string prefix = $"Slot {slotNum:D2}";
+            string label = prefix;
+            if (File.Exists(path))
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    var bytes = File.ReadAllBytes(path);
+                    var header = SaveCodec.DeserializeHeaderOnly(bytes);
+                    label = SaveSlotFormat.FormatRow(prefix, header);
+                }
+                catch { label += " — <unreadable>"; }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                label += " — <empty>";
+            }
+
+            var btn = new Button
+            {
+                Text = label,
+                CustomMinimumSize = new Vector2(0, 36),
+                SizeFlagsHorizontal = Control.SizeFlags.ExpandFill,
+                Alignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left,
+            };
+            btn.Pressed += () => OnSaveToSlot(slotNum, path);
+            _content.AddChild(btn);
+        }
+
+        AddSpacer(6);
+        var back = MakeMenuButton("← Back", primary: false);
+        back.Pressed += BuildMain;
+        _content.AddChild(back);
+
+        _statusLabel = new Label
+        {
+            Text = " ",
+            ThemeTypeVariation = "Eyebrow",
+            HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center,
+            AutowrapMode = TextServer.AutowrapMode.WordSmart,
+        };
+        _content.AddChild(_statusLabel);
+    }
+
+    private void OnQuicksave()
+    {
+        bool ok = _playScreen.SaveTo(SavePaths.AutosavePath());
+        ShowStatus(ok ? "Quicksaved." : "Quicksave failed.");
+    }
+
+    private void OnSaveToSlot(int slotNum, string path)
+    {
+        bool ok = _playScreen.SaveTo(path);
+        if (ok)
+        {
+            BuildMain();
+            ShowStatus($"Saved to slot {slotNum:D2}.");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            ShowStatus("Save failed.");
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void OnQuitToTitle()
+    {
+        // Autosave on quit-to-title, matching MonoGame behaviour. A failed
+        // autosave doesn't block the quit — better to let the user leave
+        // than trap them with an angry dialog.
+        _playScreen.SaveTo(SavePaths.AutosavePath());
+
+        GetTree().Paused = false;
+        var playParent = _playScreen.GetParent();
+        if (playParent is not null)
+        {
+            foreach (Node child in playParent.GetChildren())
+                child.QueueFree();
+            playParent.AddChild(new TitleScreen());
+        }
+        QueueFree();
+    }
+
+    private void Close()
+    {
+        GetTree().Paused = false;
+        QueueFree();
+    }
+
+    public override void _UnhandledInput(InputEvent @event)
+    {
+        if (@event is not InputEventKey { Pressed: true, Keycode: Key.Escape } key) return;
+        if (key.Echo) return;
+
+        // The same physical Esc press that *opened* this overlay produces
+        // exactly one event. We're routed via _UnhandledInput on the layer,
+        // which dispatches AFTER PlayScreen.Input has run + consumed the
+        // event with SetInputAsHandled — so this branch fires on the NEXT
+        // Esc press. The _consumedOpeningEsc guard is a belt-and-braces
+        // for the case where input routing skips the consumed flag.
+        if (!_consumedOpeningEsc)
+        {
+            _consumedOpeningEsc = true;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        GetViewport().SetInputAsHandled();
+        if (_showingSlots) BuildMain();
+        else               Close();
+    }
+
+    // ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    // Layout helpers
+
+    private void ClearContent()
+    {
+        foreach (Node child in _content.GetChildren()) child.QueueFree();
+    }
+
+    private void AddSpacer(int height)
+        => _content.AddChild(new Control { CustomMinimumSize = new Vector2(0, height) });
+
+    private static Button MakeMenuButton(string text, bool primary)
+    {
+        var btn = new Button
+        {
+            Text = text,
+            FocusMode = Control.FocusModeEnum.None,
+            SizeFlagsHorizontal = Control.SizeFlags.ExpandFill,
+            CustomMinimumSize = new Vector2(0, 40),
+        };
+        if (primary) btn.ThemeTypeVariation = "PrimaryButton";
+        return btn;
+    }
+
+    private void ShowStatus(string text)
+    {
+        if (_statusLabel is not null) _statusLabel.Text = text;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/PlayScreen.cs b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/PlayScreen.cs
index 697ebc3..b07397d 100644
--- a/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/PlayScreen.cs
+++ b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/PlayScreen.cs
@@ -269,6 +269,12 @@ public partial class PlayScreen : Control
     public override void _Input(InputEvent @event)
     {
         if (@event is not InputEventKey { Pressed: true } key) return;
+        if (key.Echo) return;
+        // Skip key events while the game is paused — the pause overlay
+        // owns input handling for itself; PlayScreen shouldn't see Esc/F5
+        // again until the overlay closes.
+        if (GetTree().Paused) return;
+
         switch (key.Keycode)
         {
             case Key.F5:
@@ -277,11 +283,17 @@ public partial class PlayScreen : Control
                 break;
             case Key.Escape:
                 GetViewport().SetInputAsHandled();
-                BackToTitle();
+                AddChild(new PauseMenuScreen(this));
                 break;
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>Read-only accessor for the live player Character — used
+    /// by <see cref="PauseMenuScreen"/> to surface the level-up affordance
+    /// when eligible.</summary>
+    public Theriapolis.Core.Rules.Character.Character? PlayerCharacter()
+        => _actors?.Player?.Character;
+
     private Vector2 ScreenToWorld(Vector2 screenPos)
         => _render.Camera.GetCanvasTransform().AffineInverse() * screenPos;
 
@@ -594,7 +606,7 @@ public partial class PlayScreen : Control
             $"{viewBlock}\n" +
             $"Time: Day {_clock.Day}, {_clock.Hour:D2}:{_clock.Minute:D2}\n" +
             $"{status}\n" +
-            "F5 quicksaves · Esc → title (pause menu lands M7.4)";
+            "F5 quicksaves · Esc opens pause";
     }
 
     // ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/SaveLoadScreen.cs b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/SaveLoadScreen.cs
index 115a0e8..d4b31cd 100644
--- a/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/SaveLoadScreen.cs
+++ b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/SaveLoadScreen.cs
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public partial class SaveLoadScreen : Control
                 var header = SaveCodec.DeserializeHeaderOnly(bytes);
                 if (SaveCodec.IsCompatible(header))
                 {
-                    text = $"{label} — {header.SlotLabel()}";
+                    text = SaveSlotFormat.FormatRow(label, header);
                     clickable = true;
                 }
                 else
diff --git a/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/TitleScreen.cs b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/TitleScreen.cs
index aff246d..50ae3ce 100644
--- a/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/TitleScreen.cs
+++ b/Theriapolis.Godot/Scenes/TitleScreen.cs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ namespace Theriapolis.GodotHost.Scenes;
 /// </summary>
 public partial class TitleScreen : Control
 {
-    private const string VersionLabel = "PORT / GODOT · M7.3";
+    private const string VersionLabel = "PORT / GODOT · M7.4";
     private const string WizardScenePath = "res://Scenes/Wizard.tscn";
 
     public override void _Ready()