Grounded Mode in The Last of Us Part 2

For many purists and the more hardcore gamers, The Last of Us' Grounded Mode was seen as the way the game should be played. No Hud, no listen mode, the most brutal combat and scarce resources it tested even the most patient of survivors. 

Many fans were upset at the lack of a Grounded Mode in the sequel. Perhaps Naughty Dog left it out as they wanted to attach a prestigious trophy to it and not perturb those after an easier platinum trophy. 

Never fear as Naughty Dog have now announced that it is coming to The Last of Us Part 2, along with a permadeath mode... yay.

In what form Grounded Mode will take we do not know but it will be a treat I am sure.

Plat Runner 05: Peasant Knight

I first purchased Peasant Knight when I bought my PS4 Pro. I wanted a swift easy platinum to get my collection started. My expectations were low and I had just finished My Name is Mayo. At first I was drawn in by its simplicity. Two buttons: Jump and stop are all that is required to play. The first few levels passed in mere seconds and then the real game started. 

As previously stated in my other articles I am a huge fan of indie gaming and spent most of my early days only playing Gameboy games and PC indie titles. Peasant Knight takes the runner genre of gaming and boils it down to its most basic form, then converts it into something else. Much like Zero Zero Zero Zero, the game has a perfect balance of frustration meets reward. The levels are no more than a few seconds and only 47 are required to gain the platinum.

The boss that I thought I could not beat, defeated.

Over on PSN Profiles the game is rated 2/10 for difficulty. I’m not sure why or how as the game is a challenge. On my initial purchase, I reached a point where I felt I couldn’t get any further and resigned myself to not getting the platinum. Yet, a few months later I picked it up and got that sweet reward and not only did I attain the trophy but I had a blast doing it.

Despite the games simplicity the constant introduction of new mechanics and hazards keeps you on your toes. The levels are short enough that you don’t have time to get bored. While not as hard going as Zero Zero Zero Zero it isn’t for the feint of heart or those with high blood pressure. You will die constantly. The more you die the more rewarding the victory will be.

All of the games trophies come through natural gameplay.

Out of all the Ratalaikia games I have purchased it took me the longest to finish in terms of start and end date. My friend tells me in the US it is currently on sale for $1. That’s a dollar well spent! 

Peasant Knight may not be the prettiest out of the companies releases, but it has an undeniable charm about it. For those into the gruelling punishment of games like Super Meat Boy, it’s a must play. A short sweet burst of arcade fun.

Tips and Tricks

• Persist you’ll get there

• You only have to do each level once

• It’s all in the timing. Learn how hazards work and adapt accordingly. 

• The moving platforms are a pain you have to stop in the air before you hit them. Otherwise you get left behind.

• The Platinum didn't pop for me but I had actually earned it, so don't panic!

That sweet Platinum Pop!

Plat Runner 02: Devious Dungeon

Ratalaika Games S.L. are seen by many as the perfect company for trophy hunters worldwide. With most of their games sold as a double feature (PS4 & PS Vita), they have two trophy lists per title. Most casual gamers will not even give these games a glance. I’ve seen them referred to on forums as “trash” and only used by “trophy cheaters”. Both terms are inaccurate and unjust.

                           
Every Ratalaika game I’ve played has been enjoyable, most also go way beyond the scope of the platinum trophy. Daggerhood for instance you can pick up the Platinum in 12 levels, which takes between 15 and 30 minutes depending on your skill set. But if platform gaming is your thing it’s stretches way beyond that. 

My shiny Daggerhood pop moment.

As part of Plat Runners I am going to feature their games along with others that are enjoyable and worth a play, perhaps not just to snag that easy platinum trophy.

The first is Devious Dungeon, a light fantasy set platform romp. So far out of all the easy plat games I have played it has been my favourite. Through 68 levels of hack and slash platforming you take your burly adventurer across randomised levels to cull as many of the dungeons inhabitants as possible.

Rogue Legacy is my favourite rogue-like platformer of its genre and Devious Dungeon is a very paired down version of this. Rogue Legacy I spent 68 hours playing and still was nowhere near getting the hundred percent mark, whereas Devious Dungeon is a 2-4 hour jog. 

Charming to look at, the levels as well as the sprites are delightful. The monsters you meet at the start of the game also still crop up on occasion in the later levels, which is a touch I’ve never seen in this genre before. There are no pallet swaps for stronger versions of the dungeons denizens, but stronger, larger enemies that often display a slightly different attack pattern to their smaller counterpart.

Despite being more simplistic than other titles, for a light arcade game it is perfect. I bought the game on sale for £2 and played it over the course of a week on and off. It made for the perfect light filler between pressing on with Uncharted 2. 

The bosses are challenging enough that you often won’t defeat them on first try and may require some light grinding if you’re not a seasoned platformer, but never fear, as due to the random level design it’s painless. For one trophy you also have to find 100 keys, which is essentially 100 levels. I snagged this right at the end of the game, just before the final few levels.

Tips and Tricks:

• If you get stuck go back to the start of the most recent area and farm kills.

• Only buy one ring and one necklace, the stat increments are not worth the money. Focus your money on weapons, armour and the odd potion.

• If this breed of gaming is something you enjoy and you like to gain some easy trophies it is a more respectable choice than a lot of others out there. It’s a good game, it takes a few hours to finish and you have to get to the end to obtain every trophy. 

The Plat Pop!

Woblyware aren’t known for much in terms of game development but I am glad they designed this little gem. I’ve already started on the sequel and Random Heroes is on my list to get soon after.
Happy hunting Plat Runners!

Plat Runner: My Path into Trophy Hunting

Assassins Creed Origins shot by me
Aim high, the hardest Platinums give the greatest satisfaction.

I was a late adopter to gaming. I did not enter the hobby until I was 15. But my entry was strong. I was handed down to me a Gameboy Colour and a N64 by a friend and then began my journey. At first games were a distraction from the pains and hardship of my reality, but as time went on they became more of a casual hobby. 

Choosing to knuckle down on a career my gaming took a backseat. I chased responsibility and financial gain and worked my way up the ladder. My work ethic is strong and I tend to work at an alarming rate making myself an asset to any company I work for, however such dedication comes at a cost. At the end of last year in November I snapped somewhere inside and probably never will recover fully, January things got worse and then it was a steady downward spiral. 

Resident Evil 5 shot by me
A wonderful and underrated Co-op platinum experience.

However, it was during the end of October I bought my first non-hand me down console. The PS4 pro. I traded in my Xbox One, a ton of games and sold a few rare Pokemon games on ebay, netting me enough not only for the Pro but a wide selection of games. This choice really was one of the best choices I have made without knowing it at the time. 

Gaming for me comes with feelings of guilt. If I game for more than an hour or two I and hit hit with shame and self hate, knowing I am doing anything productive with my time. If I am not earning or benefiting my life in some way I considered it a waste of time. 

Uncharted: Drakes Fortune shot by me
It was free for all PS Plus members and briefly for all PSN Users
An attainable and rewarding plat.

Thanks to the encouragement of my girlfriend and also being on home care for two weeks after my breakdown point, I had little option but to press on with the PS4 gaming. Eventually the guilt subsided and I was gaming like a 14 year old with no concern for life pressures and responsibilities. Of course this only lasted a few days but it is what I needed at the time. 

It was during this time the Playstation Trophy System caught my eye. No longer did I have to get every achievement in a game to "complete" the entry in my achievements list. The addition of DLC, especially multiplayer DLC to single player games on the Xbox killed my love of achievement hunting. Resident Evil 5 and 6 were probably the last two games I 100%, after the slap dash multiplayer aims, I vowed never to waste my time on a game like game again. 

Control shot by me
An easy and enjoyable 15 hour platinum. Well worth a play even just for the game itself.

At first I was spurred into this by LeonardoxAngel over on Instagram as he had 8 Platinums in his cabinet that he was particularly proud of. I vowed to get four by the end of the year, which I attained. I achieved 6 through 4 easy indie titles Magus on a PS Now 7 day trial and Spider-man.

I found by applying my same work ethic to my gaming I found that it felt less trivial. Not only did I get to play games that I loved but also explore them in depth and do things I would not normally do, such as headshoting two enemies in a set time at a set distance with a sniper rifle, or doing every location objective on the map. 

Far Cry 5 shot by me
All Far Cry titles and most Assassin's Creed games are very achievable Platinums and great fun!

Since being more open about my trophy hunting I get asked questions about it daily on Instagram and have inspired others to join in on the journey. NotGarav just secured his Platinum in the Resident Evil Remake, a feat that is no easy task, while others have gone on to chase their first platinums or pressed onto get more. Through this journey I have had the support and encouragement from many in the community that were already Trophy Hunters themselves. Dragngirle Gaming helped me attain the multiplayer trophies in Far Cry 4 and is a constant source of inspiration and encouragement. 

Quiet Wolf84 also spurred me early on with his wise words of encouragement and pointed me towards good more prestigious games to Plat, while TheInnerclick at 961 platinum trophies really inspired me and helped fuel the hunting fire. Most recently I hit it off with Enthusiast Gamer and we have been helping each other attain co-op trophies and trading games. 

My current standing after 7 months of PS gaming.

The sense of community, leader-boards and goals have kept me going over the past few hard months. Due to this along with the VP features I am also going to be running a new feature series under Plat Runners, which will feature posts from trophy hunters on recommended games and how they felt attaining certain prestigious trophies. If you would like to be featured contact me here. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare shot by me.
All trophies are story related, checkpoints are very generous and the plat takes around 10 hours.