Since trophies were first introduced on the PlayStation 3 in 2008, owners of Sony's flagship console rejoiced that they finally had an achievement system to rival Microsoft's Xbox. Communities dedicated to trophy hunting sprang into existence as more and more gamers became addicted to amassing a virtual cabinet of trophies that shined bronze, silver, gold, and even the illustrious platinum.
However, there are many grim realities to collecting PlayStation trophies, including nabbing trophies that require a player to act either completely against game logic or aimlessly wander the map in hopes of stumbling across a required item. An unaided conquest for these trophies will likely end in choice words and a hole-ridden T.V.
10 Let No Joyful Voice Be Heard - Hitman (2016)
IO Interactive's explosive pseudo-reboot of the Hitman franchise gives players control of genetically enhanced contract assassin Agent 47 as he trots across the globe dispatching his targets in a myriad of unconventional ways. The sunny sandbox of Sapienza, Italy contains a hidden bronze trophy with the cryptic description of 'Awaken the Kraken".
Little do unsuspecting players know that this trophy is referencing the literal Kraken of myth. With no nudging from the game, players are expected to climb to the tallest point on the map, aim out towards the sea, and shoot four bells hanging from the framework of a ship moored in the harbor. If the bells are hit in a specific order, the legendary beast will emerge from the briny depths and drag the ship to a watery grave.
9 Endangered Species - Grand Theft Auto 4
The Grand Theft Auto series has always kept players busy. In Grand Theft Auto 4, protagonist Niko Bellic never catches a break in between disagreements with law enforcement, high-speed ramping off everything in Liberty City, and frequently refusing to go bowling with his cousin Roman. Of course, who has time for bowling when there are other important missions to focus on?
Unfortunately for Niko, Rockstar decided that an important use of his time was finding the pigeons of Liberty City and systematically turning them into a puff of feathers. The kicker? There are 200 of them spread across the map. Extra kicker? Their locations are not marked in-game. Without an external guide, good luck spotting gray birds against the backdrop of a purposefully gray world.
8 Knockout - Mortal Kombat X
Mortal Kombat and its cast of characters has undoubtedly come a long way since the now-tame seven playable fighters included in the original game. With Mortal Kombat X, NetherRealm Studios gifted players with a plethora of violent methods to make their opponent's insides outsides, all by punching in a simple combination of buttons.
But, as game franchises evolve, so do their mechanics, and this is evident in the requirements for this unassuming bronze trophy. The requirements task players with performing a 10-hit combo with all characters from the game's base roster. With special moves and precise timing being key to successfully landing the combos, players will find it much less aggravating to have the combinations neatly laid out in front of them as opposed to taking up precious brain space with 24 complex and unique combos.
7 Trying To Bring Forth Sanctum 3? - Goat Simulator
Goat Simulator does what it says on the tin; giving players control of an admittedly resourceful goat on the loose in a sleepy suburban town. While getting into all manner of trouble and generally causing chaos, some players may stumble across an ominous pentagram within a wooded map area, but this is only the first in a long list of steps required to earn this trophy.
Along with two other trophies in the game, the requirements essentially amount to a convoluted hunt for random items to sacrifice to the pentagram, the final sacrifice being a well-hidden robot. If this sounds appealing, then the game's sequel will not disappoint either.
6 UFO Xing And Getting Carried Away - Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
In all fairness to Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, these trophy requirements will not be unknown to those players who remember the beloved Naughty Dog-developed originals on PlayStation 1. However, with Naughty Dog now busy creating other commercially and creatively lauded video games, this remake's developer Vicarious Visions decided to not only keep the concept of secret entrances to new levels within regular levels but also to attach trophies to their discovery.
Enter levels 'Road Crash' and 'Dino Might', both of which harbor cryptic and downright absurd methods to access further levels and indeed nab the trophies. 'Road Crash' sees players smash everyone's favorite orange marsupial into an off-road sign and 'Dino Might' takes it a step further, requiring players to feed poor Crash to a specific pterodactyl that usually ends in a respawn.
5 Yharnam, Pthumerian Queen - Bloodborne
As loved as the Soulsborne games are, choosing which to play can often feel like deciding what blunt object is preferable to be hit over the head with. From their punishing combat mechanics to their cryptic show-don't-tell style of storytelling, simply completing one of FromSoftware's creations can be a challenge regardless of trophies.
Take PS4-exclusive Bloodborne, which requires players to descend through floors of various Chalice Dungeons that ever-increase in difficulty. The final boss of these dungeons, the eponymous Yharnam, is no pushover. But even getting the chance to combat her is a timely affair, requiring the collection of over 100 items and the defeating of numerous other bosses.
4 Patience - Rime
Rime is a visually stunning adventure puzzle platformer from indie developer Tequila Works that takes the player on a journey through love, loss, and connection both delicately and truthfully. Rime is predominantly metaphorical in nature, as too are the majority of its trophy descriptions.
In Chapter Three, players find themselves traveling down an endless corridor. After it becomes clear that they are getting nowhere, players then turn back on themselves to find that the layout has changed, and the way forward has revealed itself. To achieve the trophy though, Rime expects the player to continue running toward nothing for three real-life minutes.
3 Allfather Blinded - God Of War (2018)
After slaughtering the entire Greek pantheon of gods, Kratos assumedly decided that he would lie low in Norse mythology as this is where players find him in 2018's God Of War. Despite being done with deity-killing, he soon gets back to his old ways when he tangles with the likes of Baldur and the nine Valkyries.
Big bad Odin uses his ravens to watch Kratos as he journeys through the six realms, with this trophy earned by destroying all 51 of these avian spies. Not marked on the in-game map, players who attempt the hunt unaided will continuously find themselves aimlessly throwing Kratos' Leviathan Axe into the sky.
2 Overdesigned II - Assassin's Creed Valhalla
The Assassin's Creed franchise has always taken the simple route when it comes to trophies. Players need only complete the main story, side quests, and everything else the game has to offer in order to achieve the Platinum. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is much the same, with its trophy requirements mixing collectibles, campaign progress, and some simple combat challenges.
That is however until one notices a silver trophy titled 'Overdesigned II'. In order to nab it, players will need to defeat three powerful enemies without breaking their shields, all while being on fire. Safe to say that many Assassin's Creed fans did a double-take when reading this trophy's description.
1 Speed King - Shadow Of The Colossus
The positive reception to Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus warranted not only a PlayStation 3 remaster, but a PlayStation 4 remake also. With the game appearing on the new generations, so too came trophy support. However, Shadow of the Colossus made a cardinal sin in the eyes of seasoned trophy hunters: a misleading description.
The trophy 'Speed King' requires players to complete its Time Attack mode on both Normal and Hard difficulties in order to collect two corresponding sets of items. However, due to how the game auto-saves, players who want this trophy will need to go through the delicate process of manual saves and loads, with one wrong press of a button spelling doom for them.