Platinum Trophy #26: Arrog
Date Earned: 4th February 2021
Dopamine Index:
This is probably the most common platinum Trophy I have. I just looked at the list on my console, and 80.4% of players have earned the plat in Arrog.
What the heck is Arrog, I hear you ask? Well, if I’m being completely honest with you, I had forgotten all about it until I sat down to write the next Going Platinum (as in, this one).
Arrog is a game you can play from beginning to end in about 30 minutes, and you’ll most likely pick up the whole Trophy list along the way.
That makes it sound like one of those cheap, crappy games with embarrassingly easy platinums, purpose built to give true Trophy junkies another hit.
Arrog isn’t that. I mean, it is a very easy platinum Trophy, if you want that, but at least it’s trying to do something artistic along the way.
Once I remembered this thing exists, I realised I could barely recall a thing about it, other than it’s presented in black-and-white. In a Going Platinum first, I replayed the whole game just to jog my memory.
It’s essentially a point-and-click adventure, but the puzzles are extremely easy-going, really just something to get you from moment to moment.
While actual gameplay is very slim, Arrog’s main strength is in its effective presentation; the scribbly, hand-drawn visual style combines nicely with an atmospheric soundscape.
The subject matter makes it feel quite profound, too. With almost no text or dialogue, you’re basically going through the last thoughts and dreams of a person about to die. That sounds pretty heavy, but Arrog’s surreal journey ends things on a light note.
As far as I’m aware, the game’s portrayal of death has its roots in Peruvian culture, which means you’re at least being exposed to something valuable and interesting while all those Trophies pop.
I’m glad that this Going Platinum feature made me remember Arrog; it’s not the greatest game in the world, but there aren’t many that aim to squeeze as much meaning into just half an hour.
Cheers, Arrog.
Do you have the platinum Trophy for Arrog? Tell us in the comments section below.
