Short Answer

Achievement planning is safest when you track tasks by chapter as you play, then switch to exact trophy cleanup after your first discovery pass. PC and PS5 lists differ, so confirm your platform list before doing deep cleanup.

Setup Your Checklist

Create five sections:

  • Story progress
  • Bosses and secret areas
  • Collectibles and journal entries
  • Equipment, spells, Spirits, transformations, and upgrades
  • New Game Plus or replay tasks

Keep the first pass spoiler-light. Use blank lines such as “Chapter 4 secret boss reward” until you are ready to reveal exact names.

Chapter-By-Chapter Tracking

At the end of each chapter, record:

  • Required bosses cleared
  • Optional bosses skipped
  • Secret route status
  • Meditation spots found or suspected
  • Unique NPC or quest chain left open
  • New gear, Spirit, transformation, or vessel gained
  • Any achievement notification you saw

This makes final cleanup a verification pass instead of a full reconstruction of the run.

Platform Check

Before chasing a specific trophy name, confirm whether you are using the PC achievement list or the PS5 trophy list. Some platform lists group tasks differently, so a clean plan starts with the list that matches your version.

Do not assume a PC checklist maps one-to-one onto PS5 trophy names. Track the underlying task as well as the platform label.

Spoiler Timing

For a first playthrough, track categories instead of names: “secret area,” “hidden boss,” “all transformations,” “all Spirits,” “journal cleanup.” After you have completed the story or decided to do cleanup, replace those labels with exact requirements.

Ending-related achievements should be checked late. They are the easiest way to spoil major route outcomes while trying to solve a simple completion question.

New Game Plus Planning

Some completion goals are cleaner in New Game Plus, while others are easier before starting it. Put current-save tasks on one list and replay tasks on another.

Current-save tasks usually include ending cleanup, secret-area rewards you want now, and any boss you do not want to route toward again. New-cycle tasks can include replay choices, cycle-specific unlocks, and missed collection categories you would enjoy finding during a fresh pass.

Common Mistakes

  • Waiting until the end with no chapter notes.
  • Using the wrong platform list.
  • Mixing story progression, collectibles, and build upgrades in one unsorted checklist.
  • Starting New Game Plus before current-save ending cleanup is done.
  • Reading exact hidden requirements before deciding that spoilers are acceptable.

Quality Check

Your checklist is strong when every unfinished item has a chapter, nearest shrine or route, task category, and current-cycle or next-cycle label. If an item only says “missing trophy,” it is not actionable yet.

FAQ

Should I achievement hunt on the first run?

Track lightly on the first run. Hunt seriously once you understand the route structure and no longer need to protect discovery.

What is the most important note?

Nearest shrine. Without it, a completion item becomes a search problem instead of a route task.

Do I need New Game Plus for completion?

Some goals involve replay or new-cycle features. Check your platform list and decide what belongs before or after the cycle reset.

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