Achieved by 0% of players Hate Plus is an odd and intriguing game in which you investigate an abandoned ship to work out what happened to its passengers and crew. It also contains an achievement that's literally impossible to win - the developer's mischievous nod to one of the most fervent video game myths ever. If you were a Final Fantasy VII fan in the 90s, then the name of this achievement may trigger some upsetting memories. 'Revive Materia' was the name of the enigmatic substance that fans of Final Fantasy VII believed could bring the much-loved character Aeris back to life. For years, fans unable to come to terms with Aeris' death believed that she could be resurrected using Revive Materia - theorising in vain about where it could be found. As far as we know, this substance existed only in fan-created myths, and there is no such thing in the actual game. In Hate Plus, when a key character dies, players rightly made the connection that "Level Four Revive Materia" is a reference to FFVII's mythological resurrection potion, believing that there must be a way to bring said character back. Unfortunately, what they failed to accept is the reference is to something that's always been unobtainable, and the developer has confirmed that this achievement truly is unachievable. But a section of the Hate Plus community, unwilling to accept the reality that the game forced on them, went on to mod the game, creating an ending in which the character survives. I hold out hope that one day the developer will unlock that final achievement to honour the players' efforts in keeping one of the game's heroes alive; that'd be a true testament to PC player power!
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
