There’s a hot new game on the North American PlayStation Store: it’s called 5-Star 1000 Top Rated. The 98 cent digital download is essentially a slide puzzle title that’s billed as the “world’s fastest Platinum Trophy game”. Watch its launch trailer in the video embedded above and you can see that it’s clearly not shy about its intentions. But should it be allowed?
As someone who’s argued strongly against PlayStation Store curation, this author’s feeling conflicted right now. Easy Trophy games are not uncommon on the PS4 – both My Name Is Mayo and Mr. Massagy have similar intentions – but they aren’t sold solely on the premise of being gimmes. Moreover, for as simplistic as those games are, there’s actual work gone into them.
This slide puzzle title is truly awful. There’s no music – the trailer even pokes fun at that fact – and you only need to complete five puzzles to unlock the Platinum. That’s if you can finish them in the first place – your humble host finds slide puzzles beyond frustrating, as demonstrated in the video.
What can Sony do about this kind of thing? We still strongly believe PlayStation Store curation is a bad thing – especially at a time when some corners of the games press seem to be labelling the platform holder as anti-indie – but surely a title can’t be sold solely on the premise of its Trophies. That’s not right, is it?
[source bit.ly]
Comments 42
Next Months IGC LOL
I have never bought a game based on its trophy list or how easy it is to platinum. I couldn't care less if I will never get some trophies (never going to speed run the Uncharted games for example), and whilst I may bother with some tasks, if it fits in with my enjoyment, I am not that bothered by how many 'platinums' I have.
I do like getting trophies and I have a few 'easy' platinums but I have never played a game just for the platinum (though, to be honest, the thought of a trophy for Jazzpunk is all that kept me there till the end). I guess this will probably sell quite well.
I do wish there was some sort of standardisation for trophies, some games are ridiculously hard to get them (Hyper Light Drifter - not dying... as if I am ever going to manage that!) and then you have this type of game.
For me trophies are a bonus and I'll only get them if they make the game more fun. Horizon Zero Dawn was a good example for me.
As for store curation, I am still in favour of some curation. I think tat like this should have been vetted first personally. However, it is a slippery slope I guess.
I feel like an idiot now having spent over 200hours on the Persona 5 platinum. They all count the same.
Curation is needed, otherwise PSN becomes Steam. Console gaming should be held to higher standards.
They should give like money or points for the trophies that you could trade for stuff at the PS store! At the end of the day no one freakin cares about how many trophies you have.
I might get this so I can have my first and only platinum. Then when someone checks which game I got my platinum on they can see me for the idiot I am.
I'd hate for this to be one of my platinum, I take pride in my trophies and this would go against that. Generally speaking I don't chase platinum's unless I can gain most trophies by playing the game as I would anyway but this kind of thing needs to be stopped
I'd like to know how (or indeed, why) Sony let things like this through.
As someone else mentioned on Twitter, it seems wrong when there are "full" games which aren't allowed to have Platinum trophies.
I'm not one of those who is an out-and-out trophy hunter, I don't really place any 'value' in them, and I don't bother trying to Platinum every game I buy... but I think they need to knock this crap on the head
No curation whatsoever will eventually destroy their reputation as a source of quality and make it significantly harder for the actual good stuff to get any attention...y'know, the same problems already rampant on Steam and mobile stores. I certainly haven't been bothering to simply browse new releases on PSN lately because of this crap, and that's no way to get me spending money now is it?
@Stuffgamer1 Eh. I can count the number of truly horrible games like this on one hand, while there are thousands that hit an acceptable standard. You make it sound like it's the other way around.
The problem is: Sony literally has people saying they're anti-indie game in some circles but it also has people calling for curation in other circles.
There'll be hell to pay the second it blocks a game because it's deemed not "good enough", I can assure you of that. The media will have a field day.
Considering trophies are personal digital bragging rights, and really mean absolutely nothing, I really don't see the problem with this.
They need to sort this out.
Sure, the system is always going to be a little bit unbalanced because of the nature of video games. A platinum in Bloodborne will be a lot harder to acquire than one in The Walking Dead, and so on. But this takes it to another level, and each and every one of these games that appears just adds to the escalating probability of the collapse of the system.
At the minute, the easiest platinum trophies are at least games for the most part, with the exception of stuff like the Mayo game and whatnot. At the minute, if you're a trophy hunter, having something like 100 platinums is impressive. But if these games keep coming, and there's over 100 of them, and suddenly everyone has 100 platinums, it won't be. Surely the hardcore trophy hunters - some of the biggest PlayStation fans - will feel a bit miffed by all this? If there's enough of these easy platinum cash ins, the entire worth of the platinum will drop for fans of trophies, and that matters to a lot of people.
Personally, although I collect trophies and enjoy a platinum, I don't really compete with other people so I'm not bothered. But this whole thing does seem like it'll wind up being detrimental to the entire system. Curate, Sony.
Why are people getting so offended by it? It's just a joke platinum just like the other games.
At the end of the day, trophies mean nothing to anyone - so why get upset or annoyed by it? I have the platinum in mayo and massagy but I also have the platinum in persona 5, horizon and other 50+ hour games. Who cares?
I've also completed akiba's trip on PS3, vita and PS4 - platinumed each of them at 30+ hours each and I'm on my 3rd version of root letter, heading towards the plat - each of those took over 15 hours yet some people say they don't 'count' because it's the same game. And?
The only thing I don't like is that some games DONT have a plat. So games like kings quest who opted to not have one because it's episodic, that's stupid. All games should have one to keep it consistent. But at the end of the day, the only person who should care about your trophies is the person who owns the account.
I'd be skeptical if such games became a trend, but as a standalone example, the whole package feels more like it's mocking the whole trophy hunting in its extremes - and let's be fair, when someone vocally wonders if they should buy or try a game and get "well, it's an easy platinum" replies (I think I read that word for word once in an Everybody's Gone to the Rapture discussion), you may get to see where such mockery would be coming from. Is "trollware" a word? XD
@nhSnork "I'd be skeptical if such games became a trend, but as a standalone example, the whole package feels more like it's mocking the whole trophy hunting "
Agreed. No ones forcing anyone to spend a dollar on this game. You either ignore it or sneer at the folk who do have the plat for the game. If they are that much of a loser to go out and buy this just for the easy plat then it just makes that user look like a tragic case.
The game description is pretty clear in what it is so.. you either take it or leave it.
If people buy it then it just incentives other developers doing the same. So the future of this genre.. if you can call it that, is in gamers' hands.
Sammy just sounds salty because he's crap at slide puzzles more than anything else and he'll never get the plat in the game.
Hey Sammy, don't worry, I got your back. Here's a slide puzzle solver. http://analogbit.com/software/puzzletools/
This is awful. Sony really needs to step up their quality control. This belongs in mobile, not PlayStation. What's even more sad, is that scummy people buy it and flaunt about it. I currently have no platinums. And if someone comes up to me and brags about their platinums, but I find that it's from a game like this, I'd be pissed and probably smack them. Why is crap like this allowed? Why?
@Rudy_Manchego Not dieing on HLD isn't too tough.. finding all the gear bits on the other hand. Ugh.
Good thing then, I dont care about trophies and can keep all my 98 cents in my pocket.
Along with fluff and keys and a ps vita.
@Hero_of_Hyrule
I have no idea if i have any platinums i don't really care either
but i'll get back to you if you really want to know.
( i doubt you do ;p )
@kyleforrester87 Clearly not the way I play then Live, die repeat.
Yes! This has just leapfrogged sonic as my number 1 must have. Sammy what was that other one? My name in mayo. Put that up there too.
I'm actually trying to get a platinum for every month so could be worth the look . Let's not forget that the Hannah Montana game had a cult following due to an easy platinum so this is no surprise. People like Jim Sterling think places like PSN and Steam need full on curation but the amount of time and money and man hours would be huge, and that's not taking in the moral argument in that who really should hafe the right to decide if a game is worthy in going on the store in the first place.
Sounded like you were more frustrated with the fact that you weren't going to get the platinum, than anything else, 😂
I don't mind going for trophies in games I really love, but this sort of thing is when trophy fetishism loses me, imo.
Of course, it could also be satire.
Who knew Breath of the Wild could be topped so soon?
@nhSnork Everyone's gone to the rapture is a great example of terrible trophies. The game is great both artistically and unique which you should play at your own pace completely involved in the game not looking at guides. But those trophies and the ponderous speed of the game, anyone with the trophies has followed a guide else be wandering aimlessly for years. You should get a trophy for passing each self contained story and that's it.
@Fight_Teza_Fight no mate far from it. In fact I've got Uber respect for all you heads putting in the hours to procure those big ones. I'm starting Persona back up at the weekend so that experience can help me in the forums.
The trophy / achievement systems have been broken for a while. I used to love collecting them initially but the system needs an overhaul. There's too much variation, you spend more time looking at trophy lists than being immersed in the game, some trophys are impossible due to desertion, some trophys are broke, most pop when you don't even know what you did.
Its a system I love to hate and hate to love. But less grind across the board would be nice.
Games like this make me wonder why some games don't have a platinum trophy. Platinums in games like this and that Mayo game seem to show that it's not Sony that's stopping platinums from being put in some games. I mean, trophies don't really matter, they're at best a cool extra that are only worth going for until it stops being fun, but why would a developer choose not to include a platinum, especially when there are people who actually factor that into some of their purchases.
@themcnoisy I was only half joking mate haha. I only platinum games that I enjoy, so I get a sense of personal satisfaction and/or pride(?). Don't really compare trophy levels or platinums, but this kind of thing is clearly praying on those that are obsessed with trophies or for bragging rights.
As for Persona- enjoy! I'll help out when I can. I just started Yakuza 0 last night so I may have to call upon your expertise myself
Yes, Sony should do something here. Not because the game promises an easy Platinum trophy, but because this is a lazy, broken mess of a "game" with no music. But then again, you showed us that Trump theme so they clearly allow anything.
A game like the Sly Cooper Collection has not one but three Platinum trophies, and they are super easy to get. But it is a polished collection of three great games. Nier allows you to "buy" the trophies but it is one of the best games this year. This is just an excuse to charge money (like the RCMADIAX games on eShop) that should not be supported or even allowed. And if you notice in the video the normal price is $3.
@Rudy_Manchego Once you manage NG+ going back to original with all those lovely health slots is a dream lol.
I don't even know how man or what kind of trophies i have, couldn't care less.
I like collecting trophies, but only if I'm enjoying the game. If I reach the end of the story and I'm still having fun and wanting to play more, then I might try for the Platinum. 5 Star 1000 Top Rated does not look fun, so there's no way I'll play it even if there's a quick Platinum.
As for sliding puzzles, assuming the empty space corresponds to the top row, then I'll try to solve the bottom row, then not touch the bottom row while I'm solving the top 2 rows.
the disturbing thing is not that it exists but that it was actually approved on the store.
As much as I want curation, I doubt it'll actually happen anytime soon. Godzilla, Solbrein, Kickoff, Natural Doctrine, Skyride, Randall, Attacking Zegeta, Wander, Skylight Freerange, Planet 2000, etc. It's been 4 years and Sony is still yet to improve the quality of the PS Store. I think this is what happends when your console is too popular.
@kyleforrester87 I started NG+ but then left it as didn't want to get bored of it. Never getting deleted from my HDD though. Will get back to it!
@get2sammyb As if you didn't have enough burning hatred for this game yet, its developers - exploitatively named "Top Rated" themselves - are in fact the same ones that graced the store with the Covfefe theme.
Also, I can't seem to access the game page on the online store, or even find it on PS4 (don't worry, I wouldn't think of giving them money). Is it possible the travesty's already been taken down?
edit: It's also conspicuously absent from the list of this week's new releases on the PSN blog: https://blog.us.playstation.com/2017/06/23/the-drop-new-playstation-games-for-6272017/
@Fath Haha, that's crazy if it's been removed!
If people wanna pay for this than that's up to them. It doesn't really interest me.
I understand the criticism of it and I find it all a bit bizarre but trophies aren't organised well enough for it to matter to me.
@SoulsBourne128 Almost all of the games you listed there are bad but perfectly fine for sale. You really, really, really don't want Sony removing games or refusing to sell games because they have a low Metacritic score. It's a recipe for disaster.
Let the games media guide you, and allow consumers to make up their own minds regarding their worth. Refusing to let developers sell games like Godzilla just because they get a 4/10 is complete madness.
Looks like we found Potter's next platinum.
This is really sad, please stop PSN turning into Steam.
When you first brought up curation I was on the side of there should be some amount of it despite the overwhelming majority seemingly thinking curation was a four letter word. Now you are still against it, but seem to want it for some titles? You have the choice in this debate of either letting everything through, or having some sort of curation process in place. I guess it is good that games like this put into light the other side of the argument that so few people seemed to grasp in the original article which, let's be honest, was more of an attack on the idea than a debate on it.
I'm thinking the main people in favour of the idea of curation were those who also play games on PC, having the floodgates open to anything is one of the worse things about Steam - try looking at new releases without being swamped by utter trash. Being exposed to this situation is a lot different from theorizing over it. Games with multiple easy achievement are also the newest way for shoddy developers to make money on Steam with some games giving literally 1000s of achievements for doing nothing and this idea already invading Sony's store is a bad sign of things to come.
On the plus point it does do more to help point out why I've been saying trophies/achievements are pretty meaningless when you get down to it
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