It is definitely one of the biggest addition to gaming and has changed the way games are being played.
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I heard that old game is pretty good, I just might pick it up as it’s really cheap now.” and when you start playing it, you felt incomplete, like something was missing; because the game had no trophies or achievements. It could be a great game like Valkyria Chronicles for the PlayStation 3 but plenty of gamers out there I’m sure, have put down plenty a great game just because it didn’t have a trophy/achievement (T/A) feature or worse yet, judge it solely on it not having one.
They felt like they were not being rewarded for putting in the time when it’s always been that way before T/As were introduced and gamers got satisfaction from progressing through the story or finding a hidden secret. The game was rewarding on it’s own and T/As definitely took that away from games, a lot of the focus have been shifted from the actual game to collecting T/As. I really enjoyed Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction even though it had no Trophies to collect, I felt satisfaction just playing the game just as it should be.
It also has the opposite effect, lots of gamers buying really horrible games just because it contains more T/As for them to collect. If you were one of the people that bought Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters just to collect more T/As then shame on you.
And seriously, do we really need more things to brag about? Gamers already have a big ego without needing anything feeding it, just play some multiplayer and you would agree I’m sure. Websites like Raptr helps to fuel this ego with the ability to track T/As from your PS3, Xbox 360 and Steam, place them all in one profile and compare you with other gamers or friends that you’ve added.
But I have to admit, it does have its positive effects. Gamers will pay more attention to details and will probably tend to give a game more run than if it didn’t have any trophies but hopefully developers don’t get lazy and instead of working on putting more replay value into a title, they just throw in a whole bunch of T/As. I remember one trophy for The Beatles: Rock Band you can get just by setting an option, really? Is that even necessary?
In the end, does it really matter? Is having more trophies or a higher Gamerscore important? It’s not like you can trade it in for money. So stop wasting your time hunting them and just sit down and enjoy the game you’re playing.
You can follow me on Twitter at @pUpUnoob
![Week in Gaming [Feb 4-10 2013]: Dead Space 3, Dragonborn, Sly Cooper](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dead-Space-3-75x50.jpg)
![Week in Gaming [Jan 14-20 2013]: DmC: Devil May Cry, Bioshock Ultimate](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/dmc-devil-may-cry-screenshot-2-75x50.jpeg)
![New Games [May 13-19 2013]: Metro: Last Light, Dust 514](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Metro-Last-Light-170x100.jpg)
![New Games [May 6-12 2013]: Fatal Frame 2, Pinball FX 2](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Qube-Against-the-Qlock-170x100.jpg)
![New Game Releases [April 29-May 5 2013]: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Fez](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Far-Cry-3-Blood-Dragon-170x100.jpg)
![New Game Releases [April 22-28 2013]: Dead Island: Riptide, Star Trek](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Star-Trek-2013-game-170x100.jpg)
![New Game Releases [April 15-21 2013]: Injustice, Papo & Yo](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Injustice-Gods-Among-Us-170x100.jpg)
![New Game Releases [April 8-14 2013]: Guacamelee!, Age of Wushu](http://www.thebitbag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Guacamelee-170x100.jpg)
I disagree I think trophies can enhance the replayability of the games you enjoy for example I have a bunch of games I’ve beaten in the past on PS2 era but really don’t have a desire to replay them again but on the PS3 I have alot of games I’ve beaten but have other trophies to obtain by certain challenges or even just collecting stuff and seeing more of the game and that gives me a good reason to jump back in. Trophies and achievements may not have anything rewarding like free games or extras but it can make games you purchased last for years if you’re the collecting type.
I guess you can say that. But I feel trophies take away from the main focus and that is the game itself
How so? Most people don’t even go for them
I agree with iron dragon because achievements don’t always provide the ONLY reason to play a game rather than forcing a curious gamer to the far reaches of the game to obtain its accomplishments. If anything somebody can sit back and enjoy a game for what it’s worth, beat it and be happy, then at a later date or even immediately afterwards they can jump back in and go for platinum.
archievements are both good and bad, th good one is you can prove you have finish the game for others, bad is sometimes i play only to get them trophies is best things in my life i love avatar items my gt: LennartDK
Some of the games on PC do not have achievements while their console copies had so I never got bothered by them. But I take in-game rewards over trophies and achievements any day.
Blame Microsoft for starting this
#1 don’t tell people what to do #2 blame them for what? Coming up with a pretty good idea?
I think you mean blame Steam. As Steam had achievements well before 360 came out. achievements were a last minute addition to the 360 console, Microsoft even said that one. Also you do get rewarded for Gamerscore. If you’ve signed up for Xbox Live Rewards and have over 25,000 gamerscore, you get a permanent 2% rebate on everything that you buy from the marketplace, you can argue that it’s not much and you would be right but if I had to option to buy something 2% off i’d definitely take it. I honestly don’t mind achievements and trophies. Sometimes they give the game a little extra replay value I might not of gotten out of it the first time but at the same time that won’t stop me from playing games that don’t have achievements.
Achievements actually killed GTA4 for me. I was happily playing around in my favorite open world sandbox, driving around, doing missions when I felt like it… then I learned about the “Liberty City Minute” achievement. For those who don’t know, it’s an achievement for beating the game in under 30 hours. I had about 20 hours invested by this time. Did I have enough time left to do it? Hmm, maybe if I skip the cutscenes. Or maybe if I reload after each failed mission. I basically stopped playing because I was afraid to run the clock. I never finished the game, and probably never will. I know it’s idiotic, but that’s what happened.
That’s exactly what I mean. It takes away from the whole point of us playing the game in the first place and makes us focus on useless things like trophies
in a case like that you just forget about that ONE trophy, and play normally who knows some others might pop u as a surprise, and if at any other point in time you feel like trying it, Create a new save file… easy.
I wouldn’t buy a game for a trophy but if it didn’t have trophys I woudln’t play it.
I’m kinda guilty about that too. Sometimes I play older games or games on my PC and don’t get the same amount of satisfaction I do when playing a game with trophies
It wouldn’t be a horrible idea for a lot of trophies to be able to be unlocked only after the game has been completed. Trophies that would otherwise detract or distract, save those for a game+ or something of the like.
That could help. But I doubt I would replay the game just to get trophies. Maybe they should give more in-game rewards that acts as trophies? Or something like that. Unlocking both a trophy/achievement plus getting some extra bonuses.
i buy a game based on how it looks and if i have played previous versions of it. (gta, fifa, red dead) just to name a few. i don’t buy or play for trophies. i get the game complete it then think to myself, maybe ill play that again but this time try to get all the trophies. so no it doesn’t ruin the game its just something to extend the game play.
Good for you then. For many out there, they buy and play a game just so that they can collect more trophies/achievements.
stupid reason to buy a game.. buy it cause it looks good not to get virtual trophies
Couldn’t agree with you more Dave.
People have every right to play a game for achievements if that’s what they want. It’s not like its your money they’re spending
Dude, achievements are just a bonus to see how bad ass you played that particular game. If you let it ruin a game then you are stupid and you shouldn’t be playing. As for the liberty city min achievement, how about enjoy the game first time through the next time haul ass and get that achievement. I am a achievement whore but I’m very specific about the games I play so the green lantern comment doesn’t apply to me. I think this article is just America trying to complain about something else that doesn’t matter. Who fucking cares…
Chill chill. Good that the Green Lantern comment doesn’t apply to you but it does to a lot of people
They totally ruined gaming for me
How?
trophies have effectively ruined a good many games. The unnecessary pandering to “hard-core” gamers has taken away the charm and fun out of the industry. Why does it have to feel like random achievements are more important than a decent storyline or fun gameplay? Fine if they happen to be there but don’t take away what makes a game worthwhile. Dont get lazy!
You can blame Microsoft for starting this.
Its totally up to the individual, but I do agree that for the wrong people it can detract from the games experience. Take Metal Gear Solid Guns of the Patriots for instance, Beating this game on the hardest diffuculty without killing a single enemy or raising a single alarm is something to be proud of and an experience that needs no silly online trophy. The game pushed me to want to do this, not because of the possible trophies but because of the quality of the game, its personal satisfaction that shouldn’t need validation through a shitty on screen pop up. It is creating the wrong impressions in gaming, so many times have I played Street Fighter 4 online and had someone comment on how I didn’t have this trophy or that trophy blah blah blah, does it matter? It in no way represents my skill, but a lot of people look to as a validation of your skills as a gamer…..pfffft what a crock. I don’t need to sit there in training mode completing every single characters combo lists………I’m an old school fighter, i know my combos, i know how to play and whilst i haven’t earn’t an achievement for completeing Dhalsims hardest combo it makes no difference because i use the combos I’m good at the ones I can pull off and consistencey is better than being able to pull off a stupidly complex combo once in training mode to receive a stupid achievemnet, that most will never be able to reproduce……yet look to it as a crowning achievement. I say screw achievements, play the game for the game. At the end of the day its the quality of the game that should dictate your commitment to it.
Couldn’t have said it better myself
haha, cheers, sorry for the rant, it just shits me to tears how this newer generation of gamers are forgetting about the 1 thing that matters the most, the quality and content of the game!?
Nah, it’s a good rant haha
Perhaps they should offer an option not to display them during gameplay (if that isn’t already there), or make them few and far between — a lot of times I see the trophy chime come on and I’m like “I got a trophy for beating level 1? who cares” — but I think it adds an extra level of enjoyment for many people who truly want to conquer a game, to really play all corners of it. When they’ve platinumed some games they’ve beat it on the hardest settings and tried out a lot of stuff in it. It does seem, I thought, inappropriate for really, really atmospheric/artistic games, like Shadow of the Colossus and Journey? I originally said that once on Gamefaqs, but everyone shot me down. They were like “if you can’t handle a little chime in the corner of your screen then you’ve got problems.” (shrug)
Agreed. I once got a trophy for changing a setting in the options menu.
Hey Matt, i couldn’t agree with you more re: the Shadow of the Colossus and other like games that really envelope you in the games atmosphere. If anything (like you said) there should be far fewer and they should tie in more with the game, i guess having less but making them more important such as defeating a game on its hardest setting and so forth, not receiving a reward for simply turning the fucking console on………
Yeah, it was weird for me too playing a great atmoshperic game like Journey to suddenly have a little chime whenever I get a trophy.
It detracts right! I like to let the game world take me over…….having my girfriend come in and ask whats for dinner breaks the mood….as does a little chime and pop up….as minimal as it is.
all of a sudden it breaks the reality the game has created for you
in a way it almost feels tacky
Yeah, it really does detract. Almost like getting an unexpected slap in the face haha
This is totally my last comment on this shitty site. This fuckin douche bag Sharizan Abdullah, writes most of the articles on here it seems. AND ALL HE DOES IS BITCH ABOUT EVERYTHING! Oh blizzard fucked up this, COD is ruining the FPS market… SHUT THE FUCK UP! Why don’t you write an article about how you are secretly envious of countries like the US with great internet available everywhere? Or instead of bitching on how everything sucks… why don’t you explain the situation, express what you don’t like and why, and give a solution to the problem… but no… you sit at the keyboard and you bitch and moan. SERIOUSLY!? Trophies and achievements ruining games? I’m sorry but anyone that bases an entire games experience on the fact that is does or does not have achievements… is just a fuckin n00b. stop writing shitty articles Sharizan… so just stop writing articles all together…
I think my article has at least sparked a little debate here in the comments section. Anyways thanks for the comment.
You do release starting a debate for the hell of it is a branch of sadism right?
*realize*
i think that achievments are ok but people who buy games just for them have ssome serious problems. Its a complete waste of £30 just to get an achievment you might not even be able to do.
Quote:”i think that achievements are okay but people who buy games just for them have some serious problems.” Yeah, you are absolutely right! BTW: *Cough* Achievement Hunter *Cough*
I play games to play them. I often forget about trophies until they pop up. In my mind, they are just another thing I need to complete the game 100%. I don’t rush to get em though.
some gaming philosopher should say; “Judge one not by the Gamerscore or Trophies, but how they can perform in said game.”
Pretty good saying
Yeah, Lv.14 on PSN and only 7500GS and I/we can still own any noob that stands in my/our way. I am getting sick of getting judged based on my T/As. One day while playing MW3, One clan on my team, overhear them saying shit about my GS and the moment the game started…Bam!…. Lone Wolf, only person on my team.
You sound like a philosopher yourself, any other saying?
Thumbs up
Thou shalt not troll thy teammates.
I said saying not; “Off topic gaming commandment”.
You should do an editorial on “Team Trolls”. A virus that infects the minds of people of any age “especially 5 year olds” to douche around their teammates on any game. It has leaked onto online gaming and causes the following symptoms: Screwing around with your team leading to your team losing. Influences Game Modding leading to the life of online re-playability to be sucked dry. finally, causes the victim to chatter gibberish in game lobbies causing second-hand symptoms such as; Temporary Hearing Loss, and the urge to press the “mute” button.
true not many can see its only a game not life whats happen in a game do not happen outside of your window my gt: LennartDK
i think games need T/A’s coz they just arent half as challenging as games used to be…think about Tomb Raider, the games were impossibly difficuly for PS1, now however, designers focus their time and effort far too much on making her bangtidy, rather than ridiculous levels and puzzles. Its in these games we get satisfaction from progressing in; not CoD and other level based games.
one thing no one is admit you guys are archievements-hores i am
i have almost 65.000gs i want 100.000 before is end
I am suprised that nobody has mentioned that xbox achiv can be unlocked using software on your pc. So you can tactfully unlock them so it looks like you have got the achiv or you can unlock them all. Now this really takes the satisfaction away from the game as there is no incentive to get trophies and even if you don’t unlock them but you know how to, it still takes the satisfaction away. This is an interesting debate..
The satisfaction should still be there as long as you aren’t the one cheating. The achievements are there for you to obtain OR ignore. Personally I’d rather have the option instead of just flat out not having them.
I don’t care if someone on my friends list has 50 platinums or something ridiculous because some of the most skilled gamers I have ever come across haven’t even earned a platinum. Having said that they give you something extra to go for when you are bored of a game.
What’s the point of achievments anyways? Sometimes you get achievments for not really doing anything. I don’t feel like I achieved anything
Wow, you guys are fucking losers. Maybe it’s because I’ve been playing video games since the late 1980s, but you should be playing a game because it’s fun. Liberty City Minute is the only GTAIV achievement I never got and I don’t plan on acquiring. Dr. Mario gets played on the regular with my friends and I over beers. Take up a contact sport and get real trophies, dorks.
Ah the 80s. Time when every woman had that fuckin curly hair -_- Danny I should and will play a game anyway I see fit.
In some cases I think Trophies distract from the actual gaming expirience and I think the problem is too many people prioritise the Trophies more so than the story…..For me, I don’t care about Trophies and will only tend to collect them if the game itself is good. One particular reason I don’t like Trophies is because I’m not an online player, it doesn’t interest me at all and I think I’ll always prefer goin’ through a story rather than playing online and this is the problem because people like me who don’t play online and who perhaps would like to collect the Trophies may need to compete online to earn a Platinum….I think there should be some sort of distinction whereas if you don’t play online it will still be feesable to earn a Platinum but, if you do play online a new “Trophy batch” should unlock giving another 5 or 10 or 15 etc new trophies to earn exclusively online…..
Achievements and trophies are a distraction only if you allow them to be. All this achievement/trophy bashing is like saying women shouldn’t wear bikinis cause its potentially distracting.
I never cared about trophies actually, since I play games for the stories. I feel poor to the OCD gamers though, they probably getting crazy to get all these artificial achievements.
I think this is among the most important information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But wanna remark on some general things, The website style is ideal, the articles is really excellent : D. Good job, cheers