FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster

This is the only achievement that requires catching fiends in Creature Creator in Final Fantasy X-2. So if you're like me and have no desire to do anything but the bare minimum and then never capture a fiend again, this guide is for you.

For this achievement, choose a goon from the Leblanc Syndicate. There are 6 to choose from, and each one's fiend tale only requires leveling up twice (not the typical 3-4 times) to get the fiend tale.

Edited March 2022 to add: This achievement is technically missable! Fiends join your team at the average level of Yuna, Rikku, and Paine. If they are all Level 99 or close, your fiends will have no room to level up, thereby preventing the fiend tale from unlocking. Thanks to Dr. Marty for confirming this.

To avoid missing the achievement, and also to get the achievement faster, complete step 1 as early in your game as possible. Subsequent steps aren't time sensitive.

Step 1: Capturing a Goon
Speak to Shinra and choose Creature Creator!, then select Trap Creature. You can capture Leblanc Syndicate goons in Guadosalam. To capture them, use Trap Pod S or Trap Pod SP and set the species to Humanoid. The bandoleer enemies (gun snakes) are also size S in Guadosalam, so to guarantee capturing a goon, use the Trap Pod SP.

Goons are available any time in the game:

> Goon: Chapter 1
> She-Goon: Chapter 1
> Mr. Goon: Chapters 2-5
> Ms. Goon: Chapters 2-5
> Dr. Goon: Chapters 3-5
> Fem-Goon: Chapters 3-5

Step 2: Leveling Up the Goon
You have a lot of options when it comes leveling up creatures in FFX-2. I've listed all of them here, from most passive to most involved.

--Option 1: Chapter Completion (Most Passive)
Creatures gain one level each time a chapter is completed. If you capture your goon in Chapters 1-4, you can just play the game normally, and trust that the fiend tale will be unlocked once you beat the game.

--Option 2: Regular Battle Participation (Minimal Effort Needed)
The goon will get experience that contributes to leveling up, just like your main characters do. You can add the goon to your party in the main menu under Party Members.

When fighting with a creature, you won't be able to control the fiend directly, but you can change how the AI operates by controlling a star meter in the upper-left hand corner, from 0-5 stars. Pressing will increase the number of stars, and pressing will decrease them. If a fiend's turn comes up when 0 stars are shown, they will escape the battle. Once the goon gains two levels, you're done.

--Option 3: Arena Battle Participation (Minimal Effort Needed)
If you don't want to fight with the goon in regular battles, you can do the leveling up completely within the arena. Add the goon to your party through Creature Creator! > Fiend Arena: You can access the main menu and add the goon to your party using Organize team. Fight enough battles to level up your goon twice, and you're done.

--Option 4: Completing Arena Tournaments (Most Extra Effort Needed)
Completing tournaments in the Fiend Arena (Creature Creator! > Fiend Arena > Enter tournament) will also level up your goon, and all other creatures you've captured, depending on the level of the goon / creature:

> Beat Standard Cup: Level up all creatures at level 1-19
> Beat Standard Cup (Hard): Level up all creatures at level 1-29
> Beat Grand Cup: Level up all creatures at level 1-39
> Beat Grand Cup (Hard): Level up all creatures at level 1-44

Note that the goon doesn't need to be in your party for this. Harder tournaments will add fiend tale chapters to higher-level fiends. In general, I don't recommend this approach unless you are interested in the arena tournaments for other reasons. Options 1-3 are more efficient for the achievement.

Step 3: Viewing the Fiend Tale
You can access the fiend tale information via Creature Creator! > Creature History. Select the goon with A, then hit A again to view the text-based fiend tale. You can use RB to cycle through the chapters of the fiend tale. Once you've unlocked the third chapter in the goon's fiend tale, you'll be able to set him/her free and watch a short cut scene. This should trigger the achievement to pop.

Note that even though the full story is spread across the 6 goons, you only need to complete one of their fiend tales for the achievement to pop.

This is more of a background achievement that one you need to actively work towards. Talk to Shinra on the airship during Ch. 1 or Ch. 2 and place a trap at any location, then check the trap to catch a fiend. Do not wait until Ch. 4-5, as my captured creatures did not gain the 5th story item until I completed a chapter, which may cause you issues unlocking this achievement without starting NG+.

Once you have a creature, go on with your gameplay normally. The fiend is supposed to grow a lvl when you do, and also at the end of each chapter. Once the fiend has gotten to level 5 (mine did not progress from 4 -> 5 until the completion of a chapter), you will get the option to release it from Shinra's "Creature Creation" menu. This will show a cutscene on the "history" of this creature and should unlock the achievement.

To complete a Fiend's Tale, go to Shinra's Creature Creator and trap a creature. Once you've successfully captured a monster, build it up four levels (this is easiest in the Fiend Arena tournaments; all but the first one give Fiend Tale bonuses), then release it to see the end of its story.