Achievements. Trophies. This digital currency has no real-world value, yet it’s the hard-earned payment for gamers willing to put in the time and effort to explore every facet of their favorite games. Achievements don’t always have to be difficult, however. Sometimes they can be funny, clever, or make you play a game in an all new way.
Welcome to Overachiever, a new regular feature where we comb through the top monthly game releases and find the achievements you won’t want to miss.
Most Stylish
Rocket League
“Sky High”
Description: Score an aerial goal
Xbox One players are finally getting to experience the phenomenon that is Rocket League this month. They may also get to share in a feeling few PS4 and PC players can claim to have experienced, as meeting the requirements for this achievement is one of the most difficult things you can do in the game, but is also one of the most satisfying. Scoring an aerial goal is a feat that takes tons of skill and a little bit of luck to pull off. But when the stars do align for this to happen, you will indeed feel “sky high,” as the name implies.
Most Devilishly Difficult
Devil Daggers
“Devil Dagger”
Description: Last 500 seconds
Devil Daggers stormed into the Steam store this month and instantly threw down the gauntlet as one of the most difficult yet addicting shooters to ever grace the PC. It only contains one achievement, but it is a doozy. Most players can barely survive for a minute, so reaching 500 seconds without getting swarmed is a truly Herculean task that only a handful of players in the entire world have managed to accomplish.
Best Worst Use of a Dad Joke in a Name:
Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2
“Prance vs. Samba”
Description: Gesture immediately after vanquishing a player.
This is ridiculous on many levels. Not only does the achievement title consist of a bad pun based on the name of the game, but the achievement itself incentivizes unsportsmanlike behavior by rewarding players for literally dancing on each other’s graves. I know it’s all in fun, but do we really need to encourage more trolling and bad behavior in our online play?
Most Unnecessary
Crypt of the Necrodancer
“Merchanticide”
Description: Kill the Shopkeeper
Now this is just mean. The shopkeeper is one of the best parts of Crypt of the Necrodancer. Not only does he sell goods to help keep you alive in the roguelike rhythm game, he also has an amazing singing voice. It would be a shame for such an amazing talent to go to waste just because you want to earn one more achievement.
You are totally going to go try to kill him after reading this, aren’t you? Thought so.
Most Stressful
XCOM 2
“Valhalla”
Description: Beat the game on Commander+ difficulty in Ironman mode
I have an idea: Why not take one of the most challenging games to come along in years, then up the difficulty to an obscene level, then only give the player one save for the entire campaign so they can’t undo their mistakes? If this sounds even remotely fun, then this achievement is for you. XCOM 2 players all know the feeling of loss that comes from one of your top soldiers dying due to one wrong move. “Lesser” players who avoid this feeling by save scumming their way through the game need not apply.
Most Pointless Speedrun
Gone Home: Console Edition
“Homerunner”
Description: Completed the game in less than 1 minute with no Modifiers enabled. (From New Game in a single session only)
Gone Home: Console Edition is a game all about soaking in the atmosphere and exploring your surroundings to uncover the story of the protagonist, Kaitlin, and her family. This achievement basically has you bypassing all that pesky exposition and sprinting straight to the finish line. It is obviously meant as a joke for people that have already played through the entire game, as there isn’t necessarily a lot of replay value once you’ve seen all there is to see.
Most Clever Pop Culture Reference
Gone Home: Console Edition
“Wet Bandit”
Description: Turn on every faucet in the house at once
As mentioned previously, once you have finished Gone Home: Console Edition, there isn’t really much to go back and do. Turning on all of the faucets in the house in this homage to the burglars from Home Alone seems like a valid option for a second playthrough.
Found any clever achievements this month that I missed? Let us know on Twitter @getfandom.
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