The Pat on the back.

The Playstation 3 got its 2.40 firmware update today which adds the trophies, that more or less are Playstation’s version of the Xbox live achievements. Apparently this is very appealing to a lot of people, but I for one really do not get it.

It feels as if I am getting a pat on the back from the game, letting me know that I’m doing “good” and here’s a little “prize”. I don’t understand how something that has no impact in the gameplay or helping me achiveve whatever goal I have set out for. I mean it’s not that big a deal since they don’t inhibit the gameplay experience either, but the fact that a lot of people go out of their just so they can get every single one of the achievements/trophies just bogles the mind.

Now if they actually provided you with some tangable rewards after compliting them, then I can see the merit in them, and the only case I have seen this being so is with Team Fortress 2, with the special achievements every class will eventually get, where you can get bonus weapons for each class. This is why I strongly feel that Valve is a true innovator and always thinks ahead with their products, even with something so simple, they (in my eyes) put people working behind the PS3 and 360 to shame, as they did with the creation and further development of Steam making it essentially what Games for Windows shoud’ve been.

In the end, if some usefulness isn’t incorporated into achievements/trophies I really do not see any value in pursuing them, and feel they are a complete waste of time.