- What to know
- Quick overview of the Suspect Acquitted trophy
- How the hidden Playful trait works
- How to unlock Suspect Acquitted in Directive 8020
- Every required choice in one table
- Why many players miss this trophy
- Can you recover Suspect Acquitted trophy with chapter select?
- Best strategy for a clean trophy run
What to know
- Suspect Acquitted is tied to Cooper’s hidden “Playful” personality stat.
- You must repeatedly select “Joke” dialogue options across multiple episodes.
- Cooper needs enough Playful points to agree to sedate Williams in Episode 5.
- The trophy unlocks in Episode 6 after choosing “Stand Down.”
Directive 8020 hides several branching outcomes behind personality traits, and the Suspect Acquitted trophy is one of the best examples. Simply keeping Williams alive is not enough. You also need to shape Cooper’s behavior throughout earlier episodes so later dialogue options become available.
If you miss even one important interaction, the sedation route may fail entirely.
Quick overview of the Suspect Acquitted trophy
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Trophy | Suspect Acquitted |
| Type | Bronze |
| Main Character | Cooper |
| Important Trait | Playful |
| Final Decision | Stand Down |
| Missable | Yes |
Directive 8020 tracks hidden personality values behind the scenes. One of Cooper’s key traits is Playful, which increases when you choose lighter or humorous dialogue responses.
The game never directly shows this stat, making the trophy easy to miss during a normal playthrough.
You need enough Playful points before the Episode 5 sedative sequence. Without them, Cooper may refuse to help sedate Williams, which prevents the entire trophy route.
How to unlock Suspect Acquitted in Directive 8020
Step 1
During Episode 2 – Little Faith, choose the “Trust” option when prompted.
This is the first major flag tied to the Williams investigation route.
| Episode | Required Choice |
|---|---|
| Episode 2 – Little Faith | Trust |
Step 2
The next several scenes all revolve around selecting “Joke” responses during optional conversations. These choices appear small, but they directly affect whether Cooper later supports the sedation plan.
During Episode 3 – Regroup, talk to Anders and Williams and select the “Joke” option.
This increases Cooper’s Playful attribute.
| Episode | Scene | Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 3 – Regroup | Anders and Williams conversation | Joke |
Step 3
Still in Episode 3 – Search, communicate with Williams through the message system and again choose “Joke.”
This is another important Playful increase.
Step 4
Later in Episode 3 – Search, talk to Anders.
Choose:
- “Joke”
- “Dismiss”
Both responses contribute toward the required personality path.
Step 5
Episode 5 contains the most important moment for this trophy route.
If Cooper’s Playful stat is high enough, an alternate outcome becomes available during the Williams confrontation.
In Episode 5 – Drugs, before solving the sedative puzzle, speak with Stafford through the messages system and select “Joke.”
This is the final known Playful boost required for most players.
| Episode | Interaction | Required Response |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 5 – Drugs | Stafford messages | Joke |
Step 6
Continue through Episode 5.
While speaking with Anders, Cooper should now agree to help sedate Williams because the Playful attribute is sufficiently high.
If this scene does not occur, you likely missed one of the earlier Joke interactions.
Step 7
After successfully reaching the sedation route, the final trophy requirement appears later in the campaign.
During Episode 6 – Point Blank, choose “Stand Down.”
The Suspect Acquitted trophy unlocks immediately afterward.
| Episode | Final Choice |
|---|---|
| Episode 6 – Point Blank | Stand Down |
Every required choice in one table
| Step | Episode | Required Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 2 – Little Faith | Select Trust |
| 2 | Episode 3 – Regroup | Pick Joke with Anders/Williams |
| 3 | Episode 3 – Search | Pick Joke in Williams messages |
| 4 | Episode 3 – Search | Pick Joke then Dismiss with Anders |
| 5 | Episode 5 – Drugs | Pick Joke with Stafford |
| 6 | Episode 5 – Drugs | Cooper agrees to sedate Williams |
| 7 | Episode 6 – Point Blank | Choose Stand Down |
Why many players miss this trophy
The trophy is easy to fail because Directive 8020 treats personality traits as hidden systems rather than visible stats. Most players naturally mix serious and humorous dialogue options, which can leave Cooper below the required Playful threshold.
The game also disguises several required conversations as optional interactions, especially the message-based dialogue scenes.
Skipping exploration or rushing objectives can accidentally remove the entire trophy path.
Can you recover Suspect Acquitted trophy with chapter select?
Usually yes, but it depends on how the game stores personality progression.
Because the Playful trait carries across episodes, replaying only Episode 6 may not work. The safest solution is replaying from Episode 2 onward while following every required dialogue option carefully.
Creating backup saves before Episode 5 is strongly recommended.
Best strategy for a clean trophy run
The safest approach is to:
- Always prioritize humorous dialogue during Williams-related scenes
- Fully explore optional conversations
- Read every message terminal
- Avoid aggressive responses
- Maintain the cooperative route with Anders
This keeps the Playful stat high enough for the sedation branch to appear consistently.
The Suspect Acquitted trophy in Directive 8020 is really a hidden personality-route achievement. By building Cooper’s Playful trait through multiple “Joke” responses, helping sedate Williams in Episode 5, and choosing “Stand Down” in Episode 6, you can safely unlock the trophy without losing the investigation route.
