We've all been there: staring at a list of digital trophies and realizing that the final requirement for that shiny Platinum is just a bit too much to ask. For many, that specific wall in Kena: Bridge of Spirits was the 'Master Spirit Guide' trophy, which demands a full playthrough on the game's toughest difficulty setting.
As it turns out, I’m one of those people who secured the Platinum by taking the path of least resistance. Back in September 2021, shortly after the game's launch, a notable exploit surfaced that allowed players to bypass the grueling Master difficulty requirement entirely. It wasn't exactly the intended way to earn the badge of honor, but it certainly worked.
The 'Perfect Crime' of Master Difficulty
The method was surprisingly simple. Because the game's Master difficulty setting is locked behind a standard completion, players were expected to play through the adventure twice. However, a bug in the save system allowed you to start a new game on the Master setting and then load your endgame save file from a previous session. The game would fail to recognize the data as coming from a separate, easier playthrough, effectively granting the trophy for almost no effort.
I tested this myself under the guise of research for a news story, and it worked perfectly. While I enjoyed my initial time with the game—which I reviewed prior to its September 21, 2021, release—I had no intention of tackling the game's difficulty spikes on the highest setting. Given that the exploit was patched out by developer Ember Lab shortly after discovery, my window of opportunity was small, but it was enough to add that digital trinket to my collection.
Reflecting on the Platinum Grind
Looking back at the experience, I don't feel any particular guilt. While Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a gorgeous action-adventure that I would recommend to anyone, the reality of 'Going Platinum' often involves weighing the fun of the game against the frustration of its most demanding requirements. Sometimes, when a game has difficulty spikes that feel a bit too 'iffy' even on normal settings, the lure of an exploit is simply too strong to ignore.
It’s a reminder that, at the end of the day, it's just a game. Whether you earn your trophies through sheer persistence or by finding a sneaky workaround, the end result in your profile looks exactly the same. For those still hunting the Platinum today, you’ll have to do it the honest way—but for those of us who were there at launch, it remains a fun, sneaky footnote in our gaming history.