There have been many questions regarding the trophy system in BioShock for the PLAYSTATION 3, and we are glowing from the attention. As some of the trophy criteria noted in our last post seemed familiar, some drew the conclusion that the PS3 wouldn’t have unique trophies. That is not the case.

As BioShock for the PLAYSTATION 3 continues its ascent from the depths we have assembled new information regarding the trophies that will be available to players. Specifically, we have new intelligence on the trophies which are unique to BioShock for the PLAYSTATION 3.

“A Man Chooses” is the first of these golden trophies and is reserved for those with the courage to complete Survivor difficulty. Its name is meant, in the words of Andrew Ryan, father of Rapture, to remind you that a man chooses because in Survivor mode every choice could mean the difference between life and death.

The final trial for any committed BioShock player is “I Chose The Impossible”. This trophy is named appropriately as attaining it will make even the most self-assured gamesman into a shaking leaf. To make this your own, you must complete BioShock on Survivor difficulty with the Vita-Chambers turned off.

Each of these shining treasures can only be found on the PLAYSTATION 3. So tense up your trigger finger and polish your diving helmet, you will need them at the ready.

Recently, the BioShock PS3 design team here at 2K Marin spent some time with the Trophy system for the PS3. The Trophies for the PS3 are ranked as if you, the game player, were an Olympian. It seemed only right that we organize our thoughts by this method.
Our first batch out of the Trophy-maker, were the Bronze Trophies.

Just like in the original BioShock, for the PS3 version our initial emphasis was on encouraging thoroughness and exploration of the BioShock universe. Each system in BioShock has a reward for the player that digs deep enough. Our hope is that players that may otherwise neglect a system will want to explore it just for the Trophy. Systems like Researching, Modifying Weapons, Hacking, and Crafting are all loaded with awards. A meticulous player will find themselves up to their armpits in prizes.

While every system has a tactical in-game advantage, we hope these Trophies will encourage players to try out every aspect of BioShock. Hacking, for example, is a system that some players may never focus on. However, for the player who gets out their wrench and starts tinkering, the tactical significance of having a turret and two security bots on your team is impressive. We hope that luring you in with the promise of glittering medals will make you consider revisiting such systems. We believe that once you get a nibble of the effectiveness of certain tactics, you’ll come back for a full meal.

Silver Trophies were next to be handed out.

For the true explorer, we present one of the more difficult Trophies to get in all of Rapture. The “Historian” Trophy is awarded for finding every single audio diary. This particular Trophy is Silver because we understand the rigor required for this endeavor. If you’re a true adventurer and seek to know the full story of the fall of Rapture, look under every desk and open every door. There are many to find.
As you may expect, several Trophies must remain secret. Giving this information away has the same effect as turning to the last page in a great book. We imagine you hate this as much as we do. The other silver Trophy must remain in our vault until you discover it for yourselves.

Next we turned to the Gold Trophies, the real beauties.

When considering how to use these Trophies to reward players, we chose to give a respectful nod to those few who desire a challenge. We believe that BioShock PS3 has a lot to offer in a single play through, but we wanted to emphasize and reward a player’s second or third descent into Rapture. This led us to create new Trophies that encourage more advanced tactics and enemies that provide a greater challenge.
As a result of this thinking the first Trophy bears the name, “Brass Balls”. If you desire to be among the few who have this prestigious award on their mantle, you must win BioShock on Hard difficulty with the Vita-Chambers turned off. A feat so daring that anyone even glimpsing this formidable Trophy in your glass case will be shaking with terror and respect.

There are still more Trophies yet to be unveiled which will push you further than this. Devilish trials which only the sturdiest among us will finish. Keep your ears peeled for further details.

We believe that you will find gathering all of these Trophies a grueling but satisfying trek. Should you manage to gather every single bronze, silver, and gold Trophy, the ultimate achievement is waiting: the coveted BioShock Platinum Trophy. Its glistening mass is reserved for those few who can stare down a Big Daddy without shivering.

Our hands are at the ready to give congratulatory pats on the back to anyone strong willed enough to claim these shiny keepsakes. Until then, expect more updates from the designers here at 2K Marin as BioShock for the PS3 surfaces.