My Toughest Test.

Overcoming challenges is as much a part of gaming as having fun. Adversity breeds defiance, creating the chance for one individual to prevail where so many have failed. It can be a formidable task, one thwart with many potential impediments specifically designed to prevent you from achieving your noble goal. Given the opportunity I would prefer to play a game that offers a balanced challenge, feeling more organic rather than intrusive. I’m rarely permitted the time to really engage on a competitive level, nor really retaining the desired aspirations to persue it. So it’s always a surprise when a game captivates me to the point that I actually want to test my abilities in a much more rigorous environment. Not only that, it also encouraged me to unlock the Platinum trophy too.

In the formative years of the PS4 I was obsessed with the acquisition of Platinum trophies. For almost 3 years I persisted in the retrieval of as many of these vacuous little trinkets as I could discover. Throughly scrutinising online guides and walkthroughs in the unenviable pursuit of some bronze trophy that was preventing my acquisition of a precious Platinum. But I grew weary of the commitment required to successfully precure such trivial decorations and found that I wasn’t really enjoying the experience as much as I should. Having neglected their incentives gave me a greater independence to go after the ones that I’d actual enjoy collecting, such as the ones avaliable in Titanfall 2. A game that earned my admiration, and by extension my respect.

Most of the trophies come naturally, simply by interacting in a way that suited my own play style. Having finished the game on its pedestrian difficulty I felt inclined to attempt it’s most challenging mode. Despite a number of hindrances and a particularly irritating boss, much of difficulties presented can be handled with adjusted strategies or agile reflexes. With some persistence and a little luck I had accumulated all but 1 trophy. A trophy of such esteemed notoriety that countless dedicated forums are congested with posts concerning its insufferable implementation.

“…becomes the master” is the searing hot rage turd that precipitates the collective ire of everyone who has ever dared attempt to unlock this achievement. Essentially you have to navigate a very elaborate obstacle course, purposely designed to teach players how to negotiate environments in a much more versatile manner. A course populated with static enemies that are scattered throughout, requiring you to combat or incur a hefty time penalty, whilst sprinting, sliding and wall running. Naturally completing the course is a relatively simple task, the burden comes from the time sensitive parameters needed to accomplish the trophies asinine objective.

The time requirement needed is blistering 33.65 seconds. To put that into perspective the quickest time I had managed before attempting this was a notably sedate 56 seconds. My personal best after 2 hours practice was just under 40 seconds! There’s absolutely no latitude in this challenge. Movement, jumps and slides are critical. The precision necessary to ensure a brisk and somewhat unencumbered run relies chiefly on your capabilities. Attributes that you should have refined through the course of the campaign. Jumped too soon? Reset. Missed a target with your grenade? Reset. Every single action you take has to be explicitly considered. You have to memorise a route so fastidiously that it has to become second nature. Study sections of the course to ensure that you can maintain the momentum necessary to reach the desired time.

Implementing the runs, jumps and slides with an emphasis on coordinated shooting for someone that posses the dexterity of an arthritic sloth and mental acuity of a half eaten trifle, its exceptionally difficult for me. For a teenager I suspect this is as easy as tying you shoelaces without grunting as you bend down, but for me not so much. With gritted teeth, sweaty hands and discernably greyer temples than when I had started I persevered. With ample time, patience and an entire year’s worth of luck I finally managed to snare that illusive Bronze, with only a quarter of a second to spare. As well as attaining the coveted Platinum trophy too.

And as satisfied as I was, darting into my kitchen at 1 in the morning with my arms raised as though I just inhereted the accumulated wealth of Qatar, I felt exhausted by the entire process. What this adversity had taught me about was my limitations. In 5 years time I probably won’t possess the necessary hand eye coordination to complete such a multifaceted objective. Nor am I probably going to care. My pursuit of Platinums has been well and truly sated…..for now.