The Achievements & Trophies Thread

[Wedgie]

Life is strange Platinium'ed.

Well that last episode was weird and very disappointing.

Now what next...

Lolwut? Life Is Strange is amaze.

Yeah it is amazing but I don't like the last episode that much.

[BID0]

I'm trying to finish up my 360 games before I pack it away for retirement. I have quite a few I can't even get now where Microsoft have closed the games down

Closed servers are the bane of my life. I'm frantically trying to get Project Spark finished before it shuts down on the 12th.

I never started that, it looked like too much grinding/creating rather than playing a game. Do you have enough time? There's a few where you have to play X amount of days/weeks.

[more heat than light]

Life is strange Platinium'ed.

Well that last episode was weird and very disappointing.

Now what next...

Lolwut? Life Is Strange is amaze.

Yeah it is amazing but I don't like the last episode that much.

Ah fair enough, I thought the last episode was really clever and original personally.

I'm trying to finish up my 360 games before I pack it away for retirement. I have quite a few I can't even get now where Microsoft have closed the games down

Closed servers are the bane of my life. I'm frantically trying to get Project Spark finished before it shuts down on the 12th.

I never started that, it looked like too much grinding/creating rather than playing a game. Do you have enough time? There's a few where you have to play X amount of days/weeks.

I should have time, save for one achievement which is unattainable for me now. Sadly I'd misread it as 'Finish 10 Weekly Challenges' when it's actually 'Finish one Weekly Challenge on 10 different weeks'. I'll be two short.

[BID0]

I should have time, save for one achievement which is unattainable for me now. Sadly I'd misread it as 'Finish 10 Weekly Challenges' when it's actually 'Finish one Weekly Challenge on 10 different weeks'. I'll be two short.

ouch! maybe you'll get lucky and the servers will stay up longer than planned

[Cumberdanes]

It's not just shut down servers that are the problem but often that nobody is playing the game. I was hoping to try the online mode of DOA5 at the weekend with a view to getting a couple of extra trophies but the servers are just dead. I managed to find one game in an about half an hour of trying and he quit before the match started.

[more heat than light]

Here are your results for this week. Once again, GRcade proves itself a fan of synthwave with another storming victory for Cora. One of the most clear cut wins we've ever had in the competition. Nice to see every playlist picking up some points this week too.

Slightly less engagement than I was hoping for but I'll still be pressing on with a Christmas special in December. Hopefully you'll all be back then to join in some festive fun.

1st. GRCade Presents: Maniac by Retrocora

5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 3 + 3 = 26

2nd. Lewis's Horrifying Ordeal by more heat than light

5 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 17

3rd. The Haunting of Johnny Park by Tomous

5 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 15

4th. Sountrack to an imaginary film by Ironhide

5 + 4 + 2 + 2 = 13

5th. THE NICE GUY by Dowbocop

4 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 12

6th. Arachnophobia 2: kill it with fire by Rex Kramer

5 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 1 - 5 = 11

7th. Untitled by Skarjo

3 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 9

=8th. The Kids Left Are Right by Dan

4 + 4 + 3 + 2 - 5 = 8

=8th. Die Screaming With Sharp Things In Your Head by Jenuall

4 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8

10th. /scary Film of My Own Design by mcjihge2

4 + 2 = 6

[samoza]

Just started Spelunky. Not sure how many achievements I will be getting out of that game!

[Saint of Killers]

PSA: Free trophies!

SteamWorld Heist on PlayStation 4 and Vita is cross-buy enabled but they don't share the same trophy unlocks. (Trophies are the same across both versions, but gaining one on PS4 doesn't automatically unlock it on Vita.)

[more heat than light]

Album Of The Year 2023

5: Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

Mitski's fascinating pivot away from incoming pop stardom looked like burning out before it even started. Last year's release 'Laurel Hell' was a mess of an album, seemingly alienating all but her most ardent of fans. Thankfully this second shot at going all 'serious musician' is a resounding success.

It's a graceful, spacious record. Her airy vocal lights up these songs which build slowly and playfully, like cinematic epics in miniature. 'Heaven' is a beautiful acoustic country pop song which climaxes with an orchestral flourish. The outstanding highlight 'Star' is almost ambient, gradually building and ascending into ether. It's utterly captivating stuff. Perhaps the most telling song here is 'When Memories Snow', a crashing epic which conjures up vivid imagery like very few songs do. Inexplicably, it's all over in 1 minute and 44 seconds.

4: Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)

Sean Lee Bowie, the brainchild behind experimental outfit Yves Tumor, is an oddity. Not content with picking that as an album title, they then had the audacity to fill it with more twists and turns that your average Shyalaman movie.

Opening with a thrilling bass riff which leads 'God Is A Circle', the album just continues to intrigue and surprise. There are shades of Smashing Pumpkins on 'Meteora Blues'. And 'Echolalia' closes with synths that wouldn't be out of place on a Portishead record. It's incredible that despite all these constant shifts in tone, the album hangs together as well as it does. It's an oddity, sure, but sometimes that's what the music world needs.

3: Creeper - Sanguivore

Creeper last hit my Album Of The Year list in 2020, when I was blown away by the theatrical nature of their album 'Sex, Death and the Infinite Void'. Well, turns out they were just getting started, as for this year's record they've dialled up the theatre levels tenfold. Sanguivore is a vampire album, and this plays out like those classic movies from the 80's like The Lost Boys or Near Dark.

Musically we're digging into territory explored previously by Jim Steinman and Meatloaf, notably the opener 'Further Than Forever' which is basically a goth Bat Out Of Hell. From here the story goes in familiar directions, but the songs are fresh and exciting throughout. 'Cry To Heaven' is Sisters Of Mercy given a modern makeover. 'The Ballad Of Spook and Mercy' even employs some Nick Cave tricks, right down to the graphic shots of violence.

It's not going to appeal to everyone, it's all a bit camp and silly, but it's so much fun that it's difficult to care. A fantastically realised blood-soaked treat.

2: Sufjan Stevens - Javelin

Sufjan Stevens' tribute to his late partner Evans Richardson is a beautiful and touching return to form after 2020's misfiring The Ascension. A study on grief doesn't sound like the basis for such an exquisite collection of songs, but for Stevens it seems to work, after all, his last great record 'Carrie & Lowell' was recorded after the death of his mother.

Every one of these songs feels deeply personal, but never depressing. Even something as lyrically sad as 'Will Anybody Ever Love Me' bristles with optimism and hope. Opener 'Goodbye Evergreen' has blasts of dense instrumentation peppering the otherwise acoustic track. And 'My Little Red Fox' has a pretty choir of vocals at the end which is just heavenly.

The album climaxes with the incredible 8 minute epic 'gooseberry fool Talk', Stevens intoning 'I don't want to fight at all' like a mantra over and over. Except that's not the end, and there's a final cover of 'Theres a World' by Neil Young. Rather than being some important statement, I like to think of this as a song that he and Richardson simply enjoyed together. The album ends with Sufjan's ghostly vocals paying tribute to his memory.

1: The Armed - Perfect Saviors

There's a moment in every band's career where they hit the sweet spot. Some bands start in the mainstream and move towards more experimental territory. Others, like Michigan's The Armed, move the other way. 2021's Ultrapop received widespread critical acclaim, but whilst impressive, I found the record to be too abrasive for my tastes. This, however, is total gold.

It's an interesting dilemma for musicians, and already there are criticisms from many deriding Perfect Saviors for selling out. Yes, there are tunes here. But oh my word what tunes they are. 'Everythings Glitter' is an absolute glam rock stomper, as if The Killers suddenly decided to go hardcore. 'Patient Mind' is a genuine fists in the air anthem. More surprising still is 'Liar 2', which is playful disco, albeit with a killer buzzsaw solo to round it off.

They certainly haven't lost their knack for noise either. Lead single 'Sport Of Form' contains ten seconds of absolute carnage in the middle of an otherwise relatively sedate tune. And the colossal highlight 'Modern Vanity' is more brutal still, screaming choruses with one of the most exciting outros in years. If this is selling out, then why on earth does it sound so thrillingly vital?

[more heat than light]

Through on GTASC again, managed to pull off the bonus too.

[JediDragon05]

PSA: Free trophies!

SteamWorld Heist on PlayStation 4 and Vita is cross-buy enabled but they don't share the same trophy unlocks. (Trophies are the same across both versions, but gaining one on PS4 doesn't automatically unlock it on Vita.)

Heyooooo,
What is PSA?.

[Saint of Killers]

Public service announcement

[jawafour]

It's a rarity that I'll be making an appearance in the this thread, so I guess I'd better make the most of it.

Last night I reached Superstar class (rating 2000+) in 10-pin bowling in Wii Sports Resort . I'd achieved it in the 100-pin bowling and in Table Tennis (reached the max rating 2,500 ) but it is a tough challenge in 10-pin.

I enjoyed the moment... albeit briefly, as I only scored 202 in my next game and dropped back down to Pro Class .

[more heat than light]

It's a rarity that I'll be making an appearance in the this thread, so I guess I'd better make the most of it.

Finding enjoyment by playing crap games or doing repetitive tasks that others find dull? You'd think achievements would be made for you Jawa.

[more heat than light]

There's a new free game on the US Xbox Store based on Ben Hur. Apparently it's a very very quick completion, although I've yet to play it myself.

[finish.last]

i'd add Song of The Deep to the easy list. as in VERY easy.

Really? It has a ratio of almost 2 and just 15% completed it. Is it a recent release? If so that will probably change fairly soon.

Now, I'm not the best gamer in the world but I'm not the worst either......and this game is not that easy! In some parts it is pretty hard work (mainly due to some frustrating controls).

It goes on a bit, too......

[Cumberdanes]

True trophies doesn't seem to be updating at the moment. I earned a bunch of new trophies in Fallout 4 at the weekend and none of them are showing on my profile there yet.

[more heat than light]

True trophies doesn't seem to be updating at the moment. I earned a bunch of new trophies in Fallout 4 at the weekend and none of them are showing on my profile there yet.

It seems like they're having trouble with the scanners at the mo.

[_/\_YUNGSTAR_/\_]

i'd add Song of The Deep to the easy list. as in VERY easy.

Really? It has a ratio of almost 2 and just 15% completed it. Is it a recent release? If so that will probably change fairly soon.

Now, I'm not the best gamer in the world but I'm not the worst either......and this game is not that easy! In some parts it is pretty hard work (mainly due to some frustrating controls).

what parts were hard work?

It goes on a bit, too......

WOW, complaining that a game is to long?

[finish.last]

i'd add Song of The Deep to the easy list. as in VERY easy.

Really? It has a ratio of almost 2 and just 15% completed it. Is it a recent release? If so that will probably change fairly soon.

Now, I'm not the best gamer in the world but I'm not the worst either......and this game is not that easy! In some parts it is pretty hard work (mainly due to some frustrating controls).

what parts were hard work?

It goes on a bit, too......

WOW, complaining that a game is to long?

Well, the bits I think are quite hard work are pretty much anywhere you have to move stuff around using the submarine to nudge them - the controls are quite floaty and imprecise (notwithstanding the underwateryness) and so sometimes it becomes a bit of a battle. Plus, some of the puzzles (turning on the DeepLight, for example) require a bit of thought. I wouldn't have said it was 'VERY easy'.

And, 'WOW'! I'm not really complaining that it's too long per se, but I think games can outstay their welcome and this could be one because it is quite repetitive with similar puzzles, enemies and so on throughout the whole thing.

I still like the game, and especially for the price. But I don't agree that it is 'VERY easy'.