50 Most Memorable Achievements in Gaming History

By Alex Turner / December 10, 2012

26. Mass Effect - Spectre Inductee

Become a Spectre. For me, the Spectre Inductee achievement represents the use of gamer points in boosting or underlining emphatic narrative moments or story beats. Knowing the importance of humanitys stake in the galaxy and what a spectre represents, the inauguration cutscene is one of the most fist-pump-inducing moments in the first of this memorable trilogy and is made all the more sweeter by that achievement pop as the scene fades out.

27. Fable III - You Can't Bring Me Down

Complete Fable III without being knocked out in combat. Surprisingly, this isnt all that difficult of an achievement, due to Fable 3s handholding and overly-easy gameplay. By the time youre halfway through the game, youll likely be so clad in amazing armour and weapons that nothing can even look at you without dying. It does, however, feel pretty good to know that youve finished the entire game without anyone being able to best you and is a good one for bragging rights.

28. Oblivion - Grand Champion, Arena

Completed the Arena Questline. Another achievement that isnt particularly difficult, but instead represents the end of a long journey which as is typical for a Bethesda RPG has led you through many adventures and detours which you would otherwise never have experienced. Of course, you also get this guy at the end of it. Amazing.

29. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit - Show Off

Take a photo of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and share it with your friends. These easy fifteen points perfectly represent all the awful brand achievements which are used to advertise products within the game. Cheapening the name of achievements, they exist only to further specific brand awareness and, unfortunately, are found all over the gaming world. They are most likely a necessary evil and there are some far worse than this, but this particular one got my back up.

30. GTA IV - King of QUB3D

Beat the high score in QUB3D This is the evolution of distractions that began with being able to throw balls around a pool table in the original Duke Nukem and carried on with the SEGA arcade in Shenmue. Having an achievement like this in the game hints at just how big a sandbox game GTA IV really is, not to mention it just being great fun to play.