10 Hardest Game Achievements We Struggled With the Most

We all know that there are numerous games out there designed to test our patience. Some push our resolve to its brink, practicing breathing exercises so as not to throw the controller on the couch or scream into oblivion. Many developers have made games that are easy to complete but nearly impossible to 100% — especially with achievements. Some are borderline cruel and unusual punishment, so what’s the worst of the worst? These are some of the hardest game achievements we could find, with many still left unattained and unacknowledged. If you have these, consider yourself a god gamer.

10. TowerFall Ascension — “Massive Mythology”

All you have to do to get this achievement is play 5,000 matches in versus mode. This is still time-consuming and difficult, but it was actually harder in the past. The achievement has undergone several iterations, with a peak requirement of 20,000 matches. Sometimes, time is the greatest barrier to the hardest game achievements.

9. Limbo — “No Point in Dying”

Limbo appears simple on the surface. It is a horror-lite platformer that has some challenging sections, but the game’s brevity doesn’t make it the most complicated journey. However, “No Point in Dying” requires players to complete the entire game without dying more than five times. This may seem simple to do within a span of four or so hours, but the percentage achieved is low for a reason.

8. Outlast 2 — “Messiah”

As if Outlast 2 wasn’t scary enough, completionists will need to get the Messiah achievement. To get this, gamers will have to set their game to Insane difficulty. Then, they somehow have to beat the game without dying or messing with their camera batteries. It’s time to wander around in the dark and hope you have expert gaming skills alongside nerves of steel.

7. The Elder Scrolls Online — “Emperor!”

If you play ESO, we hope you’re a fan of player-versus-player (PvP). The only way to get this achievement is by becoming the Emperor of Tamriel after fighting in the Alliance War. This will pit you against the best in the game, so good luck trying not to rage-quit.

6. Crypt of the NecroDancer — “Impossible, Right?”

This game, which is a roguelike rhythm game, is known for its difficulty already. Therefore, pursuing achievements makes the difficult gameplay learning curve even harder. The “Impossible, Right?” achievement requires players to use Coda and beat everything in the All Zones Mode. This character is notoriously challenging to use, and the music is punishing — get ready to die if you make a misstep. Pair this with a poor character build, minimal health and a bad weapon, and this is a bad time.

5. Halo: The Master Chief Collection — “LASO Master”

Halo fans rejoice as The Master Chief Collection brings the first four games into an easy-to-access bundle. This ultimately led to one of the most remarkable achievements ever. First, you must complete every game on the hardest difficulty — Legendary. Remember that this is four games of a time commitment on a hard setting. Not only that, you have to activate every Skull, which adds even more challenges for the player in the form of modifiers. Even the most veteran Spartan will struggle.

4. Rock Band 2 — “The Bladder of Steel Award”

Who thought a game from the Rock Band franchise would be on this list? Surprisingly, Rock Band 2 features one of the most demanding endurance tests in gaming. The goal is simple — play through every song without stopping. You cannot fail, and you cannot pause. If you do, you’ve locked yourself out of the trophy. The worst part of this is an accidental slip-up, such as accidentally sliding your finger over the pause button. This could ruin hours of otherwise perfect progress, making multiple attempts pretty demoralizing.

3. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter — “World Champion”

Some would argue this is the hardest achievement ever, but people have found ways to hack into it. You can game the system, but if you want to get the achievement authentically, you have to be the best player on the planet. This is no joke. You have to be number one on the ranked leaderboard. Fortunately, you don’t have to remain at the top forever. All you have to do is get there. Now, that is no small feat. But at least you’ll have an achievement to show for it if you put in the effort.

2. Surgeon Simulator — “I Can See For Miles… Per Hour”

Surgeon Simulator has become one of the most meme-worthy video games due to its challenging controls and hilarious premise. While it’s mostly playable for a laugh, going for achievements requires precision in a game that is anything but precise. Try doing an eye transplant in an ambulance. We’ll wait. There is also a strict time limit, so you have to work quickly.

1. Gears of War 3 — “Seriously 3.0”

This achievement stands out in a league of its own and is consistently ranked at the top of most lists of this nature. Here is how you get the achievement:

1. Reach level 100.
2. Get all 65 Onyx Medals.

Maybe this doesn’t sound like much to those who have done collect-a-thons in other games, but reaching level 100 is no joke. Then, the Onyx Medals are an entirely different beast. Some criteria include winning 3,000 matches, spotting 12,000 enemies, and reviving 12,000 squad mates. This is only scratching the surface. For the sheer amount of prerequisites, this is definitely an achievement to end all achievements.

While there are variations, like Seriously 5.0 in Gears of War 5, this set the precedent for this series of insane achievements. 

The Hardest Gaming Achievements of All Time

There are plenty of games that are hard to play. Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Hollow Knight and Cuphead are several examples where the base gameplay is known for its difficulty. However, there are even more trophies and accolades given within other games that far surpass these trials and tribulations. If you have harnessed some of these achievements for yourself, give yourself a pat on the back because you are one of the few.