A Stalker's Platinum Obsession

[x410xDragon]

Nice collection man! You are really going to enjoy Deus Ex: Human Revolution and MGS:R - both are fantastic games. Try and avoid the vanilla version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but instead get Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut version. I say that because the Director's Cut version comes with the Missing Link DLC already in the main story-line, unlike the original game. 

[MStalker58]

Nice work on Darksiders last month, it's one of my favorite PS3 games ^^. I never experienced any of the glitches you've had, but I think that might be due to the updated PS3 system software. I had the same kinda issues with another older title, Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard, even though their weren't any issues the first time I played on my old profile a few years back.

Yeah the Darksiders series was a pleasant surprise for me and they are among my favorite games. You may be right about the cause for those glitches. Maybe my PS3 is just getting old too. I've noticed several glitches/freezes in several games recently. I usually have very little free space on the HDD which might not help things. The glitches I experienced in Darksiders weren't common or enough to diminish the game, just very noticeable when they did happen.

Thank you sir Max Payne 3 wasn't that bad for me, im not gonna say it was easy because it wasn't, but i didn't find it frustrating at all, maybe because i enjoyed it much more than i thought i would.

I agree that Max Payne 3 wasn't as hard as I feared when I first read about it. There wasn't a particular part that was impossibly hard or anything. For me, it was just frustrating starting all over in NYMHC mode after every death, and I died a lot. Seriously, I was inventing new ways to mess up and die. If you can imagine it, I probably did it. My favorite was in Chapter 8 (the graveyard) when I ran out of ammo for the gun I was using in the middle of a Shootdodge. I had picked up the Grenade Launcher earlier in the chapter and forgot to swap it out, so when I ran out of ammo the game automatically switched to that weapon instead of my pistol. I accidently shot a grenade in the middle of my Shootdodge since I didn't realize it switched to that weapon. Of course, the grenade hit the smallest piece of wall infront of me and bounced back right in my face. The worst part was that it happened in slow motion due to the Shootdodge and I had to wait for what felt like eternity to fall on the grenade knowing I was going to die. Obviously, my skill level is average at best so if I can get that platinum then anyone can.

Nice collection man! You are really going to enjoy Deus Ex: Human Revolution and MGS:R - both are fantastic games. Try and avoid the vanilla version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but instead get Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut version. I say that because the Director's Cut version comes with the Missing Link DLC already in the main story-line, unlike the original game.

Looking forward to both of those games. I'm 99.9% certain that I bought the Director's Cut edition of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I bought it with several other games in a sale a while back so I can't be certain without looking at my download list but pretty sure that is the one I got. Thanks for the tip.

Right now, I'm thinking about saving MGR:R for my #100 platinum but I'm not really sure. That's a ways off so I might break down and play it before then. Looking through my games in my backlog though I'm considering either that game or maybe one of the Souls franchise. Haven't really decided so I keep putting off playing it just in case.

Edited October 14, 2015 by MStalker58

[PedrOTN-]

I agree that Max Payne 3 wasn't as hard as I feared when I first read about it. There wasn't a particular part that was impossibly hard or anything. For me, it was just frustrating starting all over in NYMHC mode after every death, and I died a lot. Seriously, I  was inventing new ways to mess up and die. If you can imagine it, I probably did it. My favorite was in Chapter 8 (the graveyard) when I ran out of ammo for the gun I was using in the middle of a Shootdodge. I had picked up the Grenade Launcher earlier in the chapter and forgot to swap it out, so when I ran out of ammo the game automatically switched to that weapon instead of my pistol. I accidently shot a grenade in the middle of my Shootdodge since I didn't realize it switched to that weapon. Of course, the grenade hit the smallest piece of wall infront of me and bounced back right in my face. The worst part was that it happened in slow motion due to the Shootdodge and I had to wait for what felt like eternity to fall on the grenade knowing I was going to die.  Obviously, my skill level is average at best so if I can get that platinum then anyone can. 

 

 

Yeah i know what you mean, NYMHC its definitely a challenge. I never picked up the grenade launcher because the way it aims/shoots is a recipe for disaster 

[x410xDragon]

Right now, I'm thinking about saving MGR:R for my #100 platinum but I'm not really sure. That's a ways off so I might break down and play it before then. Looking through my games in my backlog though I'm considering either that game or maybe one of the Souls franchise. Haven't really decided so I keep putting off playing it just in case.

 

MGR: R is a beast of a game. I would have gotten it done a lot quicker, but while I was playing it, I was also studying on the side. The VR missions are fun too! Though, the only one which is a pain is VR 18. Besides that, the game is quite simple once you get the rhythm of things and have the proper weapons. If you can, get the Fox Blade from the PlayStation Store as it was only $5, as it will make your life a lot easier. A fully upgraded Fox Blade ignores 100% armor on all basic enemies except bosses. For bosses, use the Muramasa Blade + Infinite Wig B.

[MStalker58]

Yeah i know what you mean, NYMHC its definitely a challenge. I never picked up the grenade launcher because the way it aims/shoots is a recipe for disaster 

 

Smart move. I had to learn the hard way after dying from my own grenades in Chapter 8 and once in Chapter 13 when I tried using it to take out the green laser guys. 

 

MGR: R is a beast of a game. I would have gotten it done a lot quicker, but while I was playing it, I was also studying on the side. The VR missions are fun too! Though, the only one which is a pain is VR 18. Besides that, the game is quite simple once you get the rhythm of things and have the proper weapons. If you can, get the Fox Blade from the PlayStation Store as it was only $5, as it will make your life a lot easier. A fully upgraded Fox Blade ignores 100% armor on all basic enemies except bosses. For bosses, use the Muramasa Blade + Infinite Wig B.

 

Thanks for the tips, I'm sure I will need all of the help I can get with that game. Definitely will keep those in mind when I start playing it. Congrats on getting the MGR:R plat by the way. Looks like you still did it in pretty good time. Just a couple of days longer than some of the people on the "Fastest Achievers" leaderboard. 

[MStalker58]

 

66. South Park: The Stick of Truth

 

The drought is finally over!!! It's been a long couple of months without a platinum due to preparing 10 games for the Platinum Rain Day event. Now that I'm basically ready for the PRD, I figured it was time to get my platinum fix. I forgot how good it felt to see that shiny platinum image and hear that sweet ding. I can finally breathe again. As for the game itself, I haven't laughed this much while playing a game in a very long time. I'm  not a die hard South Park fan by any means. I watched the first few seasons when I was younger but after that I would only catch the rare episode here and there. That being said, you don't have to be a hardcore fan to enjoy this game. I was still able to catch most of the references and never felt totally lost or anything. Stick of Truth really feels like you are playing an extended South Park episode. The gameplay isn't anything incredible or groundbreaking, but that doesn't matter since the main reason to play this game is for the comedy, characters, and the feel of South Park. I will say, if you aren't a fan of this type of humor, you probably won't enjoy this game. However, if you are a fan of the show at all, this is a must try. 

 

On a side note, after 2 months without a platinum, I was as excited as this guy when that trophy finally popped. My reaction was very similar. 

 

Edited November 20, 2015 by MStalker58

[MStalker58]

 

 

#67: Far Cry Classic

 

Can't really recommend this game unless maybe you really enjoyed it back in the day and are dying to play it again or are just wanting to complete your Far Cry collection. Other than that, there isn't much of a reason to play Far Cry Classic. I'm trying not to be too harsh on the game considering this was a remake/port of an 11 year old game. Far Cry might have been incredible when it released on PC back in 2004, but the game didn't age well and this remake didn't do it any favors. I encountered several bugs/glitches and the game froze several times. The best thing about Far Cry Classic is the fact that it's a very easy and short platinum. If you are considering buying this game and are on the fence, I'd recommend giving it a pass. Some memories are better left in the past.

Edited November 23, 2015 by MStalker58

[Floriiss]

Nice collection you got there! Keep it up! Kudos for obtaining MP3, KZ2 and GTA IV!

[MStalker58]

Nice collection you got there! Keep it up! Kudos for obtaining MP3, KZ2 and GTA IV!

Thanks, those were some of the tougher ones for me so far. Still have a few difficult games in my backlog. I'm jealous after looking at your collection. That's a damn impressive list you got. Congrats on getting the Super Meat Boy platinum. Only 31 achievers so far.

Completely unrelated, but I just wanted to say that I'm a fan of your banner/signature work. I've been meaning to stop by your shop and request a banner for this checklist, but I figured you were flooded with requests lately with all of the PP's being created. I might put in a request now that I'm thinking about it again. Do you prefer to have freedom when creating banners or would you rather someone provide their own idea and specific renders? You do such amazing work that I would trust you to do your own thing if you wanted. I can try to come up with a specific idea and provide some example renders of some of my favorite characters just in case you prefer that.

Edited November 23, 2015 by MStalker58

[Floriiss]

Thanks, those were some of the tougher ones for me so far. Still have a few difficult games in my backlog. I'm jealous after looking at your collection. That's a damn impressive list you got. Congrats on getting the Super Meat Boy platinum. Only 31 achievers so far.

Completely unrelated, but I just wanted to say that I'm a fan of your banner/signature work. I've been meaning to stop by your shop and request a banner for this checklist, but I figured you were flooded with requests lately with all of the PP's being created. I might put in a request now that I'm thinking about it again. Do you prefer to have freedom when creating banners or would you rather someone provide their own idea and specific renders? You do such amazing work that I would trust you to do your own thing if you wanted. I can try to come up with a specific idea and provide some example renders of some of my favorite characters just in case you prefer that.

Haha thanks man. Means a lot!  

 

As for the sigs/banner you're right . Lately there were a lot of requests for the PP threads so the waiting list got bigger and bigger. If you do want a banner and can wait a while then I'd say go for it! . As the requests itself I really prefer the freedom. Sometimes people give me renders that are really hard to work with. So if you just give me a theme instead I can choose between renders and choose a render which is best to work with. The more freedom you give the artist, the better the sig/banner will be. 

[MStalker58]

Haha thanks man. Means a lot!

 

As for the sigs/banner you're right . Lately there were a lot of requests for the PP threads so the waiting list got bigger and bigger. If you do want a banner and can wait a while then I'd say go for it! . As the requests itself I really prefer the freedom. Sometimes people give me renders that are really hard to work with. So if you just give me a theme instead I can choose between renders and choose a render which is best to work with. The more freedom you give the artist, the better the sig/banner will be. 

 

Cool, I will stop by the shop and put in an official request then. I don't mind waiting and not in any rush so you can take all of the time you need. Glad to hear you prefer the freedom since I'm not the most creative person myself and am pretty ignorant when it comes to renders and these things.

[MStalker58]

 #68

 

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

 

 

 

This game brought back some great memories. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a sucker for platformers. Can't get enough of them. The platinum was very easy and rather short. My only complaints were the crappy camera and the checkpoint system. Unfortunately, those were common problems with games from this era. Now, it's time to work on finishing the rest of the Jak & Daxter collection.

 

Also, added several games to the Potential Targets (backlog) section. Couldn't help myself with some of the recent sales.

[MStalker58]

Added 6 new platinums during the CWC event in The League of Trophy Hunter Wives and reached the #4,000 trophy milestone as well.

 

69: Jak II

 

 

70: The Wolf Among Us

 

 

71: Tales from the Borderlands

 

 

72: Jak 3

 

 

73: Guacamelee!

 

 

74: Lone Survivor

 

 

I won't go into detail on every game since that would be a really long post, but just a few comments. By now, you pretty much know what to expect from the two Telltale games. The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands both had solid and interesting stories with the typical engine issues and bugs. I had to play The Wolf Among Us offline since it kept freezing my system every time I tried launching the game online. Tales had several long loading screens and the framerate dropped dramatically in certain parts. Still, both are solid titles if you enjoy Telltale games.

 

I had forgotten how much I disliked Jak II back in the day. Definitely my least favorite entry in the franchise. There were several irritating game design issues and I hated traveling around the hub world. It was boring having to go to the oppposite end of the map after each mission. That can be interesting in games where the hub world is filled with side activities to distract you on your journey to the next mission, but that is not the case with Jak II. Plus, you can't move 2 feet without banging into other drivers or running over Krimzon guards and setting off alarms. It just doesn't motiviate you to explore at all. Thankfully, Jak 3 was a much more enjoyable game and probably my favorite in the series. It meets the standards you expect from a Naughty Dog game these days.

 

Finally, Guacamelee! was one of my favorite games I played this year and also happened to be my #4,000 trophy milestone. It was my winner for "The Best Platinum of the Year" in the PSNP's Year End Awards hosted by Dr_Mayus. You still have time to vote, so check it out if you are interested. Instead of rehashing my thoughts on the game, I'll just paste why I voted for it.

 

Winner: Guacamelee!

Some stiff competition for this award. My favorite game this year was probably Rogue Legacy but those remix bosses definitely weren't a joy. Decided to go with Guacamelee since that game was a blast to play from beginning to end. The trophies come at a steady pace and are basically thrown at you early in the game. There are a couple of challenging parts like defeating Jaguar Javier and collecting the orbs in Tule Tree and Sierra Morena. For me, these sections were in that perfect zone of difficulty. They weren't so hard that they became annoying but they were just challenging enough to give you that rewarding feeling when you finally completed them. I really have no complaints about Guacamelee and would love platting it again.

 

[MStalker58]

Added an awesome new banner thanks to Floriiss.   You can check out more of his work at Floriiss' Signature Shop. Definitely recommend giving it a visit if you are looking for a banner, signature, or avatar.

 

Now that I have a banner, maybe I'll finally get the motivation to edit the format of my checklist and make it look a little nicer. Once the Platinum Rain Day event is finally over, I hope to sit down and work on the checklist and focus on the final push to platinum #100. Still haven't decided what game I'm going to use for the big milestone. 

[xZoneHunter]

Now that I have a banner, maybe I'll finally get the motivation to edit the format of my checklist and make it look a little nicer. Once the Platinum Rain Day event is finally over, I hope to sit down and work on the checklist and focus on the final push to platinum #100. Still haven't decided what game I'm going to use for the big milestone. 

 

The final push for #100 is a hard one for sure, i'm currently experiencing it Good luck! I'm sure you'll get there in no-time!

[MStalker58]

The final push for #100 is a hard one for sure, i'm currently experiencing it Good luck! I'm sure you'll get there in no-time!

 

Hopefully I'll get there in the next few months. I'm really wanting to start on some RPG's in my backlog like the Kingdom Hearts series, Mass Effect Trilogy, Souls' franchise, Skyrim, Final Fantasy X/X-2, Dragon Age: Origins, DA2, etc. I've been putting them off until after I reach #100 since I know that once I start playing them, I'll get sucked in and my platinum rate will slow dramatically.

 

Good luck to you as well. Looks like the PRD will put you right near #100. You have any specific game in mind that you are going to use?

[xZoneHunter]

*snip*

 

Well i wanted to do Hyperdimension Neptunia as my #100, as it seemed fitting. But now i'm not really sure anymore - i'll just play whatever i feel like.

 

Looks like you have some pretty great games in your backlog. Many of which i still need to play as well

Edited December 26, 2015 by Zone Hunter

[JaneAusten69]

Hey MStalker58 I like how we have about the same amount of games on our profile and similar completion percentage, but you have like a 1,000 more trophies.  haha

 

Nice work sir!

[MStalker58]

Hey MStalker58 I like how we have about the same amount of games on our profile and similar completion percentage, but you have like a 1,000 more trophies.  haha

 

Nice work sir!

 

Thanks. We do have some similar numbers. Looks like we have several games in common as well. I might have more trophies but you got me beat in completion percentage. I wish I could get mine back above 90% like yours but it doesn't seem to go up much lately. Probably because I hardly ever buy DLC I guess.

[JaneAusten69]

Thanks. We do have some similar numbers. Looks like we have several games in common as well. I might have more trophies but you got me beat in completion percentage. I wish I could get mine back above 90% like yours but it doesn't seem to go up much lately. Probably because I hardly ever buy DLC I guess.

 

DLC is a killer for completion %.

[MStalker58]

Added 12-13 platinums that I got during the Platinum Rain Day event or shortly after. Lots of great games but I've already flooded the PRD and "Most Recent Platinum" threads with my thoughts on most of them so no need to post them all again. I do want to highlight 3 of the games though (3D Dot Game Heroes, Guacamelee!, and Rogue Legacy) since they are among my favorites in the past generation or so. Definitely recommend them to anyone who hasn't played them yet.

 

Also, updated some of the sections in the checklist including the Platinum Rain Day to make it look a little nicer.

 

 

DLC is a killer for completion %.

 

That is so true. Luckily, my OCD isn't that bad so completion % doesn't bother me too much. I just have a hard time justifying buying DLC, especially for older games, when it is mostly fluff and filler. I buy a lot of games in sales (in the $5-8 range) so it's hard to rationalize paying an extra $15-30 (or more) for additional content when I've only paid a few dollars for the entire game. Personally, I would rather take that money and just buy 3-4 full games in another sale. Most of the DLC like map packs, filler missions, cosmetics, or extra trophies, just doesn't interest me at all. I'll leave it at that since I could probably rant for hours about current DLC practices. 

[JaneAusten69]

That is so true. Luckily, my OCD isn't that bad so completion % doesn't bother me too much. I just have a hard time justifying buying DLC, especially for older games, when it is mostly fluff and filler. I buy a lot of games in sales (in the $5-8 range) so it's hard to rationalize paying an extra $15-30 (or more) for additional content when I've only paid a few dollars for the entire game. Personally, I would rather take that money and just buy 3-4 full games in another sale. Most of the DLC like map packs, filler missions, cosmetics, or extra trophies, just doesn't interest me at all. I'll leave it at that since I could probably rant for hours about current DLC practices. 

 

 

Preach it brother!

[MStalker58]

 #87-89

 

 

#87: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

#88: Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

#89: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones

 

Finished the Prince of Persia trilogy. I hadn't played a PoP game since the original on SNES, so I didn't really have any expectations when I bought the collection. I ended up being pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the trilogy. All 3 titles were solid, although Warrior Within is considered the worst due to the change to a darker tone and glitchy combat. My favorite was The Two Thrones which brought back the tone and platforming you would expect from a PoP game and was a great way to end the trilogy. My biggest complaint is that those damn difficulty trophies don't stack and you can't skip cutscenes. That combination can drive you crazy when you are on your 3rd playthrough. Anyways, if you haven't played these before, I'd definitely recommend giving them a try. You can pick up the collection for cheap these days and it's a great value for the amount of content you get. 

[MStalker58]

 #90-93

 

 

 

#90: Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus

#91: Ratchet: Deadlocked

#92: Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault

#93: Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One

 

Finished the B-Team of Ratchet & Clank games to complete the franchise in time for the new release. Major thanks to xZoneHunter for helping with the bolt grind in R&C All 4 One. Not much to say about this collection of games. Most were fun and enjoyable even if they aren't nearly as good as the main games in the series. My least favorite was probably All 4 One. It's not that there was anything I really hated about the game (although the fixed camera was annoying at times) but I just didn't find it fun or interesting. I often found myself bored, which isn't a feeling you usually experience with R&C games. Still, glad to have the entire platinum collection now and my first platinum rank in a Project Platinum. 

[AARCT1C]

93 platinums in under 2 years, that's really good. I've been hunting for over 5 years and I'm on 99. I keep returning to games I've already platinumed like Skyrim or games that have no platinum like Crash Bandicoot or games I'll never platinum like Gran Turismo 5!!!