ChainStaff: Complete Trophy and Achievement Guide

ChainStaff, developed and published by Mommy's Best Games, launched on April 8, 2026 as a digital-only PS5 platformer. The game packs 18 trophies on PlayStation (including a platinum) and 17 achievements worth 1,000 Gamerscore on Xbox. The list leans heavily into the game's signature weapon mechanics and a morality-adjacent system where downed soldiers can be rescued, cannibalized, or killed outright. That system drives some of the most interesting unlocks in the entire list.

What does the full ChainStaff trophy and achievement list look like?

According to TrueTrophies, the PS5 version has 2 bronze, 7 silver, 8 gold, and 1 platinum trophy. The Xbox version, as documented on TrueAchievements, contains 17 achievements totaling 1,000 Gamerscore. As of early April 2026, only 1 player on TrueAchievements had completed the full list (a 3% completion rate among 37 tracked players), which tells you this is not a quick checklist.

Full PS5 trophy list

Here is every unlock condition in one place:

How do you unlock the hardest trophies?

Hero vs. Serial Killer: the mutually exclusive problem

Hero requires rescuing every single downed soldier across the game. Serial Killer requires killing every downed soldier. These two are obviously mutually exclusive in a single playthrough. Plan for at least two runs if you want both, or check whether the game allows chapter select to clean up after the fact.

On TrueAchievements, Hero sits at a 2.70% unlock rate among tracked players, making it one of the rarer unlocks on the list. The condition is unforgiving: miss even one rescue and the trophy is gone for that run.

Blood-thirsty and Braaaaains: the cannibal pair

These two trophies require eating 10 hearts and 10 brains from downed soldiers respectively. They sit in an odd middle ground: you are consuming soldiers rather than saving or killing them cleanly. These can stack across a full playthrough naturally if you prioritize the consumption option whenever it appears, but they conflict with both Hero and Serial Killer. A dedicated "cannibal run" is the cleanest way to knock both out simultaneously.

Skewered: kill 3 enemies in one throw

This one demands positioning. You need enemies lined up in a way that a single thrown ChainStaff passes through all 3. Tight corridors are your best bet. Do not attempt this in open arenas where enemies spread out.

Tarzan: swing a far distance without touching the ground

The Tarzan trophy is built entirely around the ChainStaff's traversal mechanics. You need to chain swings over a significant distance without landing. Practice the swing rhythm in areas with long horizontal stretches. Rushing this in a combat scenario is the wrong approach.

Well Don't Take My Head Off About It

This trophy requires decapitating an active (not downed) soldier using the Super Spear. The key word is "active." Downed soldiers do not count. You need to land the Super Spear on a standing, combat-ready enemy and take their head off cleanly. This is one of the more specific kill-method requirements in the list.

What upgrade trophies should you prioritize?

Three trophies are tied directly to upgrade systems:

• From My Cold Dead Hands: Collect all human gun upgrades
• Phasers on Kill: Max out alien gun upgrades
• Ultimate Weapon: Fully upgrade the ChainStaff itself

These are the most resource-intensive unlocks in the game. Spreading resources evenly across all three upgrade trees at once will slow your progress on all of them. After testing the upgrade paths, the better approach is to finish the ChainStaff upgrades first (since the weapon is central to nearly every other trophy), then split focus between the two gun trees.

How do you unlock Die a Dozen Deaths?

The Die a Dozen Deaths trophy requires dying in 12 different ways. This is one of the few trophies that rewards failure. The game tracks the method of death, so you need variety rather than volume. Based on the trophy description, the game has at least 12 distinct death states. Deliberately experimenting with environmental hazards, enemy types, and fall damage is the fastest way to knock this out. Do not stress about dying during normal play; treat each new death method as a collectible.

How do you reach the true final boss?

Encounter The Entity requires defeating the true final boss. The trophy name and description strongly imply this is a hidden or conditional ending, not the default conclusion. Based on available information from the sources, the specific unlock conditions for reaching The Entity are not fully documented yet given how recently the game launched. Check the TrueAchievements forum as the community builds out solutions.

Suggested playthrough order

Given the mutually exclusive trophies and the upgrade requirements, here is a logical approach:

1. First playthrough: Commit to rescuing all soldiers (Hero path). Collect every upgrade pickup. Work toward Skewered, Stick Around, He Had to Split, and Well Don't Take My Head Off About It naturally. Grab Star Spore and Die a Dozen Deaths along the way.
2. Second playthrough: Kill every downed soldier (Serial Killer path). Eat hearts and brains as needed for Blood-thirsty and Braaaaains. Clean up any remaining upgrade trophies.
3. Tarzan and Encounter The Entity can slot into either run depending on when the opportunities arise.

At $15 (as noted by community members on TrueAchievements shortly after launch), the game represents solid value for a platinum run that requires two playthroughs but does not demand excessive grinding.

For more guides covering recent releases and trophy hunting strategies, browse the latest guides on GAMES.GG.