a⋅chieve⋅ment
| 1. | something accomplished, esp. by superior ability, special effort, great courage, etc.; a great or heroic deed: his remarkable achievements in art. |
| 2. | act of achieving; attainment or accomplishment: the achievement of one's object. |
Whatever your motive for attaining achievement points - be it mindless competitiveness over the total number or genuine smugness at having overcome the difficulties presented by your experiences - achievements have found a way to be both enticing and entertaining to everyone.
I don't really understand the concept of simply playing stupid games for "easy points". To me that seems paradoxical. However to the credit of the system, this has created new incentive to play games that might have otherwise been ignored. In my opinion - the more accessible video games become, the more excuses people have to play them - the better.
I like to "perform stupidly hard tasks" (thank you Jensonb). I like knowing that I have the skills required to complete the challenges the game presents. I like knowing I have the ability to perform tasks that others do not. I also like the extra incentive to visit areas of the game I might have otherwise missed. These are the best achievements.
Instead of lecturing you on why achievements are so great, I would like to draw attention to the achievements I have gained and value most. These are the ones that were the hardest, the most thought provoking, the most entertaining. Enjoy.
∞ Mode
Get the true ending.
When I was trying to decide which "next gen" console to buy, the decision solved itself fairly quickly. Dead Rising was the first Xbox game I ever bought and it remains one of my favourite games of all time. It was such a humble remix of every key Zombie survival experience I had ever encountered. I loved the freedom to batter away at my enemies with whatever was nearest to hand - the moral choices of who to save and ignore that are so subtle they are hardly appreciated when considering the spectrum of games which present ethical decisions - yet so much more honest for not forcing you into awkward black-or-white decisions. I loved the brutal humour and comic attitude towards the violent nature of the game, mixed with a savage talent for storytelling and a true understanding of how any zombie conceptualisation should perform. Completing this game was a gruelling experience - as it should be considering the horrific magnitude of the situation - and completing the story mode revealed one of the most rewarding games I have ever played - with a genuine sense of accomplishment at having overcome such imposing challenges. Dead Rising is a winner.
Score 1,000,000
Earn 1,000,000 points
Geometry Wars was, for many, the first true example of the potential XBLA had to offer. This simple demo turned into one of the most competitive games I have ever played, and the first time I have ever paid any attention to any online leaderboard. Beating my friends soon became a matter of reaching 1 million - a number so high that it has become an abstract concept in itself. Reaching 1,000,000 took place over several weeks, with short bursts of enthusiastic Geometry Warfare punctuating my daily routine with savage tenacity. This game got stuck in my head for several months. Sometimes I would crash and burn at the beginning of the game sacrificing all three lives in the first minute of gameplay - but every new round was brimming with hope and optimism and the beauty was that the potential to succeed was always so accessible.
Vanilla Crazy Cake
Beat all six Portal advanced maps.
Portal is another one of those games which everyone should play. The valve aesthetic is simply fantastic at demonstrating such a broad depth of understanding when it comes to game design. Of all the titles that I have played I know I can rely on Valve to supply me with fresh games that brim with potential for exploration and manipulation. Valve has the ability to prioritise the core aspects of a game - those which matter most - and provide optional empathy for those that retain interest. I had a magical time paying Portal, the six bonus maps posed no threat to my inquisitive mind. The opportunity to play them was amazing, but the ability to display my success with such pride having gained this achievement was the cherry on the cake.
You Won!
You have completed the story.
The irony of the flashing "You Won!" achievement, having just experienced one of the most emotionally powerful twists any computer game could hope to deliver, really hit hard. The sense of "winning" was completely diluted by the understanding that the life of Nico was still very much a shit-house of murder and deceit. The characters that gave the city such life were dead, the very incentive of Nico's existence seemed to have been brutally removed. The question of "what the fuck do we do now?" is echoed magnificently in Nico's current mental state, a strong sense of helplessness. The game leaves you with such a strong sense of despair that the actual sense of achievement is given fresh perspective. Grand Theft Auto 4 really is a wonderful game...
Dead Giveaway
Heal a fellow Survivor when your own health is below 10.
I have always loved playing video games online, as I love the thrill of having to outsmart real opponents instead of the completely predictable AI. Left 4 Dead was the first real example of a game where teamwork remained at the core of the entire adventure - and this is summarised beautifully by the achievements rewarding you for working together as a team. "Dead Giveaway" promotes the selflessness that really bonds players together as a team and encourages communication and rewards the brave. These achievements act as a minute mental boost to watch out for your buddies as oppose to selfishly jabbing yourself with morphine syringes. Not that I needed to be told, this game is scary when you are by yourself...If you have any achievements that you feel are worthwhile, please let me know =)
Thanks for reading
Love Sweep
-- Grand Pearl Pooh-Bah
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