5 comments about Metal Gear Solid: Survival Guide.

1. This guide is as helpful as the instruction manual. You should check out the mgs guide by bradygames. it's more informative. nWo wolfpac 4-ever.



2. If you want a guide that's direct and to the point, Sandwich Islands Publishing's (SIP) Metal Gear Solid Survival Guide is what you want. The book provides a simple picture-and-caption layout to help you easily find what you need. It's straight forward and you don't have to do a lot of reading to find out what you want to know. The only drawback is that some detailed information is lost in this manner, but it's up to you to decide what you want. Through parts of this review, I will be making references to Versus's MGS guide for comparisons.

   The maps detail almost every area of the game with the locations of all the items that can be found. The guide put out by Versus has maps but the item locations are nowhere to be found on them. However, the only thing they managed to put on the maps was the security levels of the doors which, ironically, is missing from SIP's maps. While I'd like to have both, I'll take the item locations.

   The walkthrough proceeds step-by-step and anyone can follow along. You go from one picture to the next with simple, solid instructions. The Versus guide seemed to be filled with lots of clutter amidst the walkthrough. The only down side is that I found some of the strategies a little on the light side, especially for the "bosses". This is one aspect that I felt Versus' guide did a very good job on. Their guide had multiple, detailed and effective tactics for dealing with each encounter.

   While I consider myself an "advanced player", the book did detail several details that I overlooked the first time through the game. There are several places where little secrets and Easter Eggs are in the game but again, this was sparse in comparison with the Versus guide. I also found that the rankings chart had some holes on how to get each rank. The rank shown on the screenshot on the previous page ("Grizzly") was conspicuously missing from the chart. The SIP guide also has a partial list of the "Ghosts", but no screenshots of those and no updates on the Web Site.

   Aside from all of that, the biggest disappointment for me was that the VR Training mode was completely M.I.A. from the SIP guide. Sure you don't need to do anything in here to finish the game, but I found it one of the most challenging aspects of the game! A section on this mode is definitely needed.

   Sandwich Island Publishing's Metal Gear Solid Guide does what it sets out to do, which is to provide a walkthrough of the adventure. It has some good strategies for staying alive, however, I wouldn't consider this guide to be complete. The price slightly higher than the Versus guide too, which is a bit of a drawback considering that the Versus guide also contains a lame poster and some useless (but somewhat interesting) info on the real life aspects of things found in the game.




3. This one's a really tough call. If you own Metal Gear Solid, and are stuck in a particular area, or need some tips getting past a boss, then look no further than this guide; this book gives a very precise walkthrough of the game. What it does fail to do, however, is provide DETAILED maps of each location, and reveal to players some things that can be found by backtracking (namely some pretty cool, yet unessential items). This is something to consider when considering a strategy guide for any game. In the case of MGS, there are 5 known published guides, but this one I feel does the best job in their organization and presentation of the material; there just wasn't enough of it, and not enough detail in what was there (for some players, at least). There was just too much of the game that was sparsely covered, or not covered at all (i.e. replay options, VR training mode). And if a book starts a section on pointless secrets, such as the hidden ghosts found in the game, it should be complete--after all, what are people spending their money on a guide for? But given the fact that few of the other guides even make mention of this, it's more trivial than the above-mentioned. On a positive note, the weapon, item, and tactics sections were very well presented, as reasons are given when, where, and why to use the specific pieces of equipment at your disposal. If deciding on a guide for this game, the one you choose depends on the type of guide you're looking for--if you're stuck and want a walkthrough and a more detailed instruction book, go for this one, hands down. But if you're willing to settle for a bit less organization, and thrive on more game detail, decent maps, background info, and other stuff, you'd most likely be better off with one of the official guides. It's your call.



4. I have not purchased this game yet but I've played the demo and it looks good I can't wait to get it.



5. If you have any problems with this game email me @ Butthead117@hotmail.com and trust me because I have finished this game roughly about five times once only getting stopped 9 times throughout the game so please email ME for help

No comments about Deus Ex: The Conspiracy: Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

No comments about SimEarth: The Official Strategy Guide (Secrets of the Games Series).

No comments about Covert Ops: Nuclear Dawn Official Strategy Guide.

2 comments about Shenmue II: Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

1. Having trouble with Shenmue II for XBOX or deciding to play through it again to see the things you may have missed the first time around? If this is the case, I'd recommend this strategy guide. It does a good job of detailing the various events and side-quests that may not be immediately obvious when you play through the game yourself.

   Where this guide loses points is that it does not compare to the phenomenal Prima guide that was published for the previous game in the series (Shenmue 1 for the Sega Dreamcast). That guide was ultra detailed, packed with photos and bios for EVERY single character. While Shenmue II is a much larger game, for whatever reason there are only character bios for the main characters, no photos of the special items, and some pretty sparse details as far as fighting moves and how to beat some of the tougher bosses are concerned. While this may not be a big deal for gamers who just want to finish the game, many Shenmue fans will be turned off as this is a VERY deep series with many complex plot developments and interesting characters.

   While it isn't the guide I had initially hoped for, I would still recommend it as the authors do a good job of breaking the game down chapter by chapter and also offer some helpful strategies that will help you maximize the money you earn in the game and so on. Seeing how this is the only guide for Shenmue II, there really is no other choice.




2. Pretty good. I dont think its as good as the Shenmue 1 book, but still good enough. Gots all the tips and side events in it. All you could want to know and beat the game! Very good and recommended. Worth the buy.

4 comments about Summoner: Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

1. If you're one of the lucky people who managed to walk home with a Playstation 2, good for you. I think Summoner is one of the best RPG's so far for PS2, and the numerous mini-quests and countless items are what people will most likely need to refer to the guide book for. This book has a lot of combat strategies and there's no denying that Summoner's battle system is very deep, engrossing, and a little complicated at times. This guide doesn't spoil the plot at all, and all people can get a lot of help from the guide



2. I have to start by saying this is the second worst strategy guide I have ever seen (the FFIX book being the worst).

   The character information is not quite complete, the tables (of weapons, armor, and such) are very unorganized, and if you followed the walkthrough word-for-word, you'd end up finding barely half the stuff in the game (if you even managed to complete it). Many of the arrows pointing to objects on a map are off by a significant margin and a good number of them point to objects that aren't in the area at all. And the book completely neglects many of the things you have to do to complete the quests. And before anyone says anything, yes, you can piece most of that together when cross-referencing the quest section and other parts of the book. But that's what a strategy guide is supposed to be for--if I wanted to piece it together I wouldn't have bothered with the book.

   The bottom line is, the maps and what there is of the character information (what's there is actually quite good....but there should be more) are the only two reasons to get this book. So if you don't get a deal on it, and have to pay more than a couple bucks for it, don't bother.




3. I was dissapointed in the guide in that it contained next to none of the secret things about the game. It contained no statistics on summoned creatures, spells, items (as far as amount of points healed, etc.), and many other things, all of which would have been most helpful. I must give credit in that the guide does tell you where to go, I'll give it that. But in order to fully experience the game, however, a far more in depth and detailed guide would be needed. All-in-all the guide leaves a lot to be desired. I think a great game like summoner should have a great guide to go with it.



4. I bought this book as I was getting 'bogged down' with some of the side quests.
   I found the Prima Guide helpful with these and it contains some useful information about weapons, armour, etc and has fairly useful maps.
   Having said that, the text is not always clear and is at times downright difficult to read and the book itself is a little flimsy. I also feel that the publishers could have put a lot more detail in than they did.
   All in all quite a useful book if you are stuck but certainly not the best of it's type and not the best value for money.

2 comments about Half-Life 2: Episode 1 (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. Great guide it realy helps when you get stuck. Nice pictures and very helpful.



2. So far the "Steam" online loader will not allow my game to run.After the first scene the screen freezes up. My system is newer (Only 6 months old) so it is not due to an ancient computer/ graphics card. Once I can actually load the game I will give a more detailed review.

1 comments about Killer 7(tm) Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. I think it's a good guide, it has everything it needs, everything you expect from a guide.

No comments about Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade and The Warrior's Code (Prima Official Game Guide).

2 comments about Quake Level Design Handbook.

1. This book has opened a whole new world to me. I have designed numerous maps (specifically for the Painkeep mod.) and play them on the LAN at my office every day at lunch. My targets, I mean co-workers :), love to make suggestions about the placement of items, lighting, etc. and I can make them a reality easily, tweaking the maps we play till they rock! If you would like to play a couple of my best maps E-mail me. You'll love this book, I couldn't put it down for almost two weeks straight!



2. If you loved quake and love the evil feel of the game, make you own feel of the game!! This helps you make you own world! This book is a must buy after you beat Quake and want more then just deathmatchs!