The Top 10 Most Challenging Achievements: Xbox 360

01. Splinter Cell Blacklist: No Kill Option Engaged (50G) Complete the single player campaign without killing anyone as Sam Fisher.

Within each of the different genres and sub-genres there are specific titles that set the standards for that genre of game and when the genre is the fusion mix of stealtjh-action-adventure-shooter (does not matter whether it is FPS or TPS) one of the trend setting series is called Splinter Cell and is brought to us by Tom Clancy.

Okay no, not really. Tom Clancy does not bring us this game series - that would be very difficult for him to do because he is dead. But props to Tom, we miss you man, Jack Ryan is ta bomb!

So yeah the Splinter Cell series is actually created and published by Ubisoft on both sides of the production system. The games are developed jointly by Ubisoft Toronto, Montreal, and Shanghai studios, and published by the main arm of Ubisoft.

The matter of SC having the strength of voice to set standards in the genre has more to do with its very polished and professional presentation of the core elements of the stealth-action-adventure-shooter and of course its iconic and well-known cast of characters. Well, that and it being an extremely macho sort of entertainment experience.

We suspect that at least part of its draw and the reason that it obtains so high a satisfaction rating from gamers has to do with the fact that real (retired) Special Operators from SOG and Delta are employed as consultants by the studio to make sure that in matters of comportment, esprit de corps, and just plain getting the attitude correct lends the games an air of authenticity you don't find in most games in the genre.

The combination of that professionalism and the futuristic gee-whiz weapon systems - among which are a number of non-lethal types that facilitate the whole stealth and ninja aspect of the games and their game play - certainly factors in a major way.

Speaking of the whole ninja non-lethal stealth-action approach that very nicely permits us to segue into the subject of our Number One selection for the Top 10 Most Challenging Achievements for the Xbox 360!

The process of unlocking the No Kill Option Engaged Achievement is not to be taken lightly, as it is quite literally a special path that the player must walk in which even the smallest mistake can permanently derail your success! Yes, no pressure here or anything, but one small mistake can instantly cancel the last nine hours of careful game play you have put in!

Before we get to the logistics - and how NOT to do that - we need to discuss the whole point behind this Achievement and its desirability to gamers. You see ordinarily an Achievement that is this fussy and difficult would be widely avoided by casual players, so what is it about this one that actually causes gamers to flock to it and attempt it has a built-in attraction level?

The simple answer is not really simple at all, but we will make a stab at it anyway... The non-lethal ninja approach that is the essence of this Achievement happens to represent the epitome of success in the genre and sub-genres to which this game belongs.

Put another way, no matter how long you have played this game - and the other games in its series - or how much success you have enjoyed; regardless of how much props and respect you can command among the gaming fan base for these games; considering ALL of the different elements that go into the process of determining who has mad skills and who is just mad - in the end the No Kill Option Engaged Achievement is ultimately what separates the professional video game level SOG Operative from the gamer

The video embedded above chronicles the very first steps in the Ninja Final Exam - as Sam inserts into one of the most populated and dangerous cities in Libya in order to begin the adventure, solve a mystery, rescue the princess, slay the dragon, and obtain your very own commemorative bento box!

No, seriously, the point here is not so much to provide you with step-by-step guidance to unlocking this Achievement - we could actually do that if you know, you are not busy for the next 8 hours or so - but rather the point we mean to make is the essence - the very feel - for this approach!

Remember this is the Ninja Final Exam - you are not to kill anyone other than the designated targets. That means absolutely NO collateral damage. None. That also means getting cozy and familiar with all of the non-lethal weapons and gear in your kit bag and on your belt!

The first mission makes the perfect video to embed and introduce you to because it actually tries to get you to commit death-delivering actions that will derail your quest to unlock the No Kill Option Engaged Achievement from nearly the very beginning of the adventure!

If you forget yourself or think - hey, a few dead bodies early on, what can it hurt?! - the you will deserve the crestfallen results when ten plus hours later you reach the end of the adventure and the Achievement does not unlock!

As you watch the video above, notice how the operator successfully utilizes non-lethal methods to accomplish the same goals as are outlined in the mission, and in the process unlocks the Achievement Distraction Technician (10G) Stealthily took down an enemy who'd been lured by sound.

That is actually very likely to be the very first Achievement you ever unlock in the game if this happens to be your first playthrough - or you are using an alternate Gamertag for this one... Just saying.

One of the important lessons that this mission teaches you is that it is better to avoid conflict than to seek it out - and that there is no dishonor in moving around an enemy rather than through them. It also demonstrates the many different distraction techniques that you can use to assist in the orderly takedown of the enemy one warm but incapacitated body at a time!

Often the difference between success and failure is the simple confidence in your own abilities and the decisive speed required to take action quickly and not over-think the scenario and the threat... With those elements noted you should also be aware that even a mission as simple as this one requires a lot of extra time due to the Ninja approach you are using.

Silence and Stealth directly translate into time - as in it takes way more time to do it that way than any other way! But thanks to the unique relationship that Sam shares with is team, and the wicked smart AI that exists in the game, even when you are playing solo Ninja the unpredictable nature of game play often adds to the entertainment value rather than detracting from it - which is more often the case in this sort of game.

Before you reach the end of the mission, rescue a truly disreputable and annoying man, and accomplish the goals of familiarity with the full-on Stealth-Ninja Non-Lethal approach to playing the game, get introduced to the High Value Target capture scheme,

You will also have the opportunity to hide more than a few unconscious bodies, certain in the knowledge that at the end of the day these poor and misguided foes will still get to go home to their families and live to be rendered unconscious on another day!

No Kill Option Engaged - the Ninja Final Exam

From the very beginning and with every decision that is made thereafter the run-up to the final mission and solving of the mystery - which is really no mystery to you at all as you have probably finished the game several times prior to taking this Ninja Final Exam - this is all about out-of-the-box thinking and how creative you can be in not killing them with kindness.

If you think of and treat this Ninja Stealth non-lethal approach to game play like a lesson in the religion of Jainism - and no we don't mean the worship of Jayne, Hero of Canton - we are talking about the Eastern religion of Jain dharma.

An Indian religion that promotes a path of ahimsa -- which is a life of non-violence that celebrates the sanctity and the value of all life -- with its emphasis on the preservation of all living beings, from humans and elephants to the smallest ant and mozzie.

The philosophy and the underpinnings of Jain dharma is far more complicated than we can even begin to address here, but suffice it to say that among the 4.2 million followers of what is arguably one of the oldest religions in the world, the Ninja approach to conflict resolution that is obtained via the path we are following makes perfect sense.

When the first mission completes and you receive the stats screen scores the effectiveness of this approach is truly driven home - of the 48 potential enemy encounters that might have been a massive 18 were simply avoided. Of the 30 that could not be avoided, NONE resulted in a death - and before you scoff at the results look at the rewards! That was a very profitable if merciful mission

Wrapping Up the Top 10 Challenging X360 Games

Well there you have it - that is our take on the Top 10 Most Challenging Achievements for the Xbox 360...

Is your list different? Did we miss some you thought should have been here? Chances are we did - so why not share YOUR Top 10 with us?

Just drop to the bottom of the page and use the Comments System - and when you do, please be encouraged and invited to share your entire Top 10 list with us!

If you want to comment on our choices do that - but please share your own choices with us as well, so that the community here at SC benefits from your experiences, your wisdom, and your unique take on this subject!

Oh and just a few facts you may find interesting: According to Microsoft, as of 29 December 2014 the Xbox 360 has a library of 1,134 games, of which 187 titles are exclusive to the 360 -- which means that 947 of the remaining games can be found on at least one other platform.

While this list does not represent a culling of Achievements from all 1,134, you may be fascinated to learn that before we weeded it down to the 10 we chose, it contained 76 Achievements.