Enchanted Achievements

Xbox Live® means different things to different people. For some, it is a perpetually raging battlefield where the world's toughest cyber soldiers can test their reflexes in tournaments, matches, and events. For others, Xbox Live Marketplace is where it's at for music, videos, and game demo downloads.

Regardless of your leanings, there is one facet of the premiere online gaming service that can be used and enjoyed by all. That feature is the achievements system.

Every title published for Xbox 360™ has its own unique set of achievements laid out by the game's creators. Depending on the type of game, you can unlock and earn up to 1000 points through various feats of mastery. These accomplishments can vary greatly between genres.

The search for achievements begins.

Some of the more common ways to unlock an achievement are:

• Finish the single-player story mode
• Complete the game on the hardest difficulty level
• Play X amount of games, online or off
• Perform feats of mastery (three-pointers in basketball, headshots in first-person shooters, etc.)
• Find every collectible or secret
• Finish every optional side mission or quest

Ultimately, it's up to the developer to break down the total number of gamerscore points and assign them to different achievements for that game. As you pass each in-game milestone and accrue more points, you may unlock secret achievements that are only revealed to you when a required action is performed.

This element of mystery rewards players of a persistent and adventurous nature and encourages them to explore every nook and cranny laid out before them.

Join us as we take a look at some spoiler-free in-game achievements and explore the many gameplay possibilities ahead of you.

Defeat the Ice Queen to earn an achievement.

Battle Rewards
Unlike most RPGs, Enchanted Arms™ doesn't base its achievements on seeking out secrets or passing particular story points. You have to fight for these achievements. Battle in Enchanted Arms consists of turn-based combat in which your characters and golems are pitted against the NPC characters and golems in the story. Most of the time, you earn achievements from defeating bosses.

Beating Up Cowgirls
Your first achievement comes after the game's introduction. Atsuma and his friends find themselves at the Yokohama City festival. Collect five special tickets to get your first golem, and then sign up for a battle at the betting ring. This will be your first time fighting with a golem and not your human allies.

It's kind of a freebie, but it's still fun
to teach Yuki some manners.

After you defeat your first opponent, you'll be unexpectedly challenged by Yuki, the hottie cowgirl with an attitude. Because you're technically still in training mode, you don't have to worry about this one too much. It's kind of a freebie, but it's still fun to teach Yuki some manners.

Battling Bosses
Boss fights spring up from nowhere, so always keep your party well organized. Keep an eye on your party's Vitality Points. If a character runs out of them, he's useless. Take every opportunity to recharge your health at Recharge Stations so you're always prepared for the worst the game will throw at you.

Seek out the boss fights.

Once you trigger a boss fight, there is no escape. You can flee any other kind of battle, but not these. If you get caught with your pants down, the only option is to go back to an earlier save. Each boss fight nets you an achievement, so if you want to seek them out, or just be prepared, here's a list of where to find some of the early boss fights.

• In the Forbidden Zone, you will encounter both a Fire Golem and the Queen of Ice.
• Amazonia lurks on the military path that leads to Yokohoma City.
• Find Cerebus and Kou in the laboratory.
• You'll meet Minotaurus and the Laughing Man in the Mine Tunnel.

There's no shortage of bosses, so there's no shortage of achievements in Enchanted Arms. Once you enter a boss battle, you will either win the achievement or die in the attempt. Not all boss fights are on the beaten path however. Some you will have to search for. Explore the maps and keep your eyes open. There's no rush. The monsters will wait.

Article by Angel Leigh McCoy