As a long-time enthusiast of speedrunning, I was thrilled to see that Giant Squid, the developers behind Sword Of The Sea, included a trophy for completing the game within a two-hour timeframe. While I’m not yet a seasoned speedrunner myself, I have aspirations to become one, and this particular trophy presented an exciting opportunity to practice my skills.
The normal gameplay experience of Sword Of The Sea typically spans about five hours. Therefore, the challenge of condensing that down to two hours during a subsequent playthrough was enticing as a way to sharpen my speedrunning techniques.
However, I was surprised to discover that earning the Speed Surfer trophy was much simpler than anticipated. Let’s break down the steps for claiming this achievement.
Step 1: Complete The Game Initially
To start, play Sword Of The Sea through to the end. There is no need to rush through this visually stunning game as a speedrun right off the bat. Take your time to explore the captivating environment and enjoy the narrative. This approach provides the best foundation for your later attempts to speedrun.
Upon finishing the game, you will unlock a chapter select feature, granting you the ability to revisit any part of the story you wish to explore again. This is where the trophy acquisition becomes notably intriguing.
Step 2: Replay The Final Boss Encounter
You might assume that this is the point where you’d need to jump into New Game Plus or devote time to practicing various sections of the game to optimize your routing, memorize key elements, take notes, and extensively prepare for an under-two-hour challenge.
However, I encourage you to reconsider that approach. Instead, simply finish the game normally, and then load the final level, known as Sky Abyss. Here, you will face the final boss once again. After defeating the boss and rolling credits a second time, the Speed Surfer trophy will be awarded to you.
Yes, you read that correctly. The trophy is designed in such a way that you do not have to replay the entire game to achieve it. While some may view this as a rather easy path to a trophy, ultimately, a trophy is still a trophy.
Practical Tips for Speedrunning
While the above method worked for me in securing the trophy, I won’t discourage anyone who wants to attempt a genuine speedrun. If you aspire to complete the game in under two hours without utilizing the exploit, here are several strategies to keep in mind:
- Take Notes – Although I typically jot down notes while gaming for guide purposes, I strongly recommend it as a practice.Sword Of The Sea is not overly complex, but noting down critical information from your first playthrough can be incredibly beneficial for your speedrun.
- Disregard Collectables – While there are 50 shells to discover throughout Sword Of The Sea, a speedrun is not the right context to concern yourself with these items. Save the search for shells for a more leisurely playthrough.
- Utilize Speed Boosts – In the Shadow Tundra area, glowing pillars provide speed boosts when you surf close enough. Even if it veers slightly off your planned route, taking a brief detour to stock up on and use these boosts can enhance your overall speed.
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