4 comments about The Hobbit (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. I purchased this book, thinking that it would be a guide for The Hobbit for Game Boy Advantage, and it does not cover this video game......The information given for this book does not specify the video games that it does cover.



2. I also purchased this book thinking it would work for the GameBoy since it was stated for the GameCube but the games are only simular in abstract ways and does not help for the gameboy/gameboy advanced games.
   Also from the the looks of the book if you have any choice for game help between Prima and Nitendo Power help books - go with the Nitendo Power I think you will be happier with that book's layouts.
   Anyone have any sources for Gameboy help for this game please note it.



3. This is a great guide just like all of the other Prima Guides. The people who have given this a one or no star rating were idiots when they rated this product. Why? Because it is - or should be - common knowledge that Prima doesnt make big glossy and beautiful guides for every tiny lame Gameboy games. The reviewers should know the difference between Gameboy and the actual plug-in, big ticket platforms ala: Gamecube, Playstation 2, & Xbox. If you want a guide that helped you enjoy the Zelda games: Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, & Windwaker - then this guide for The Hobbit will follow suit with those games and turn your gaming experience into pleasure, not frustration.



4. Considering that the publisher of this Strategy Guide is providing information based on a variety of gaming platforms, they do a fairly good job.

   There are some areas, however, that they could've elaborated more on - i.e. I'm trying to figure out how to get onto the upper level of the jail to get the goodies, and all that the book says is that it has something to do with a crate and a ledge. I've looked everywhere, and cannot find this "ledge" and the game only allows you to move the crate for so long before Bilbo can't move it anymore. Hence, only 4 stars.

   I buy strategy guides, when available, at the time I buy my games as I find that they add to my gaming experience (read: keeps me from getting too frustrated!). This one has done a good job of keeping my frustration level to a minimum!

5 comments about Xenogears Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Strategy Guides).

1. Some strategy guides are vague and are a waste of money. They leave a gamer wondering where exactly to find an item or a location, learn a certain ability, or how to defeat an enemy. The Xenogears Strategy Guide blew these flawed strategy guides out of the water and proved that there are guides with all the answers to your questions! I strongly recommend this to anyone that owns Xenogears!



2. This is a lot like other walkthroughs that I have used before, it is easy to go through and understand and makes it extremely beneficial for a player to have. It may not be the best for the first time playing through the game because of some of the spoilers that it has throughout (mainly screen caps of the anime sceens), but I would highly recomend it to anyone



3. There are online walkthroughs available that are more helpful than this guide. However, this is a must-have for those who love to collect video game strategy guides. Personally, I liked the artwork. Also, the guide is made of quality materials, unlike more recent strategy guides. The cover and the pages seem to be made of thicker paper. I highly recommend this for those who loved Xenogears.



4. I'm probably the only one here who is going write a review bashing on this guide for it's quality. I don't mind the plot spoilers in the guide because...well it's a guide. Every guide has spoilers (and yes I actually DID get my hands on an FFVII guide by VERSUS BOOKS so don't tell me "well you should see THAT guide" I KNOW, but even that one had a few spoilers...just not plot spoilers).

   A guide is meant to do just that guide you. The reason I gave it a three was because the guide misses a lot of secrets, the bestiary lacks and there are no maps in the walkthrough.

   Let me start off by saying this, at least we can all agree on this, Maps are ESSENTIAL to a strategy guide and ESPECIALLY RPG guides. That goes without saying and for that I couldn't let the guide come within a mile of five stars. Second, a guide should NEVER spoil the ending. Plot I'm okay with but the ending is the whole reason you play a game in the first place. Sure it's no fun when you know the plot but if you know how the game ends then that just plain stinks! So I don't mind the plot spoilers but the fact of the ending being spoiled really made me mad.

   The walkthrough is dim too. The screens are blurry and out of context and the content that the guide contains is not always clear. The directions they give you in dungeons are only going to help you in getting lost. The bestiary doesn't detail a monsters weakness instead the only good thing we really get is how much HP they have.

   So in short, the guide isn't the best buy for you. It has a complete walkthrough and it actually isn't all that bad. Boss strategies are nice and you get the general idea of what they're telling you to do. But again, I didn't give this guide a considerably low score for the plot spoilers. I never actually even read the plot spoilers since I was using the guide as a reference book and not a magazine.




5. For a new company this is a great way to start out by never over rating an item for sale. I can say I am happy with my purchase,since it was in better condition than what I percieved.

5 comments about Final Fantasy Tactics: Prima's Official Strategy Guide (Greatest Hits).

1. ...because I think that the strategy guide is quite useful. You would have to be a buffoon to need actual STRATEGIES to win the battles - this is not the intended purpose. However, knowing that the marquis has an entire complement of Genji armor, which otherwise cannot be found, makes the gaming experience much more enjoyable. Also, knowing WHERE to find Cloud's materia blade, without which he cannot perform any special attacks, is quite nice. I guess I COULD complain that Square put these things into the game in order to get us to buy strategy guides, but hey, that's not a complaint against the GUIDE, right?
   All in all, I found the guide useful, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get everything possible out of the game. However, if you need the guide simply to get through the battles, well, maybe you should switch to another game, like Candy Land.



2. I got the stratagy guide almost the earliest day possible. I hope to do business with this person in the future.



3. Final Fantasy Tactics is a game where you have to use tactics. You have to THINK. You can't expect a book to do your thinking for you. The guide's strategies are a joke anyway.
   WHat is usefule, however, is some of the job descriptions and the other million details you want for a perfect file. However, be warned--there are many inaccuracies and errors. Besides, you usually find better information on the net anyhow.

   Buy it if you're a die-hard FFT fan, too dumb to think of a good strategy, too lazy to bother yourself to think, or don't have internet access (then why are you here? hmm...). Otherwise, you don't really need color maps and fancy fonts, now do you?




4. Very Good Nobulaks.......om kotomou mato nu!!!! mamatai ko dogo?? patazon kui ziau doino... bantaton katatanak...



5. This is a pretty good strategy guide. I had already beaten the game once before I actually bought this guide of Amazon for 10 bucks. When I played the game the 2nd time using the strategy guide, it helped me find secrets and other things that I had no idea about before. It also has a very useful appendix that lists all the Armour you can buy, all the monsters, missions, etc. Along with a very useful description of each of the 20 Job classes.

No comments about Age of Mythology: Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets.

5 comments about Baten Kaitos(tm) Official Strategy Guide (Baten Kaitos).

1. I always buy game guides for role playing since I am the type that likes to get everything in a game.Brady game guides are the most accurate. I have found them to be more so than the Nintendo Guides.Prima being the worst. One of the Nintendo guides I had purchased had so many errors in it that I called the company and had to make many notes in my copy.You will not be disappointed with this guide. It will help you to get everything and do things in the correct order.However the game itself can be played without a guide. I did that until I got my copy. If you speak to all the people in the game, more than once, you can find your way around.



2. I always have confidence in Brady's guides. I don't even buy Prima guides anymore after the really bad experience with the Legend of Dragoon Guide and the full of spoiler Aidyn of Chronicle Guide. Brady Guides don't usually give out any spoiler and quite comprehensive (well they had a pretty bad spoiler for the Beyond Good and Evil guide, though I still find it very useful apart from that).
   
   The Baten Kaitos guide was a little bit of disappointment though. I am not saying that there are heaps of flaws or whatsoever, it is just that things were not really that well organised.
   
   The guide as all the basic things that you need: what you need to do and all the side quests that you can do. Nonetheless, the arrangement of materials could be greatly improved. The story walkthrough is good, but the side quests are quite disorganised in a way that you would risk losing out things that you need to complete your side quests. One of them being the Museum side quest in Mira. Should the guide mentioned when you first get it to keep it for a much later initiated side quest, I would have kept it instead of throwing it away for other side quests (some of them demand a lot of blank magnus spaces if you want to avoid back tracking). It would be good for Brady's to actually build a side quest section with all the references marked inside the main story walkthrough. Readers could then have a choice of whether they want to do the side quests or keep stuff for the side quests at all.
   
   Also there is a boss battle that Kalas was forced into but the guide didn't mention it. It only said get yourself prepared. But if you prepared the wrong character, you are stuff. They manged to do it for the one where Gibari was forced into the battle, but wonder why the Kalas one was missed out.
   
   The boss stragegies and enemy strategies are good, but just in the text. So just read the text instead of reading the elemental + and - because there are a lot of flaws. Weak to light could be -80 in one enemy but marked as +80 in another. So leaving you wondering what they are trying to do. A think a better consistency check is really needed in this guide.
   
   Also the monster list doesn't tell you what usual or most frequent useful items are dropped by the monsters. With a game that involves collection of a lot of cards, I think this is an essential issue that needs to be addressed. Prices of items in the shops are steep so the best way to build up cards is by defeating monster. However, readers won't have a clue what to fight to get what. I need to make the notes myself. This is disappointing for that part was quite detail in the FF VIII guide by Brady's.
   
   The most useful parts of the guide were the experience point vs level chart and the way the teach you to take photos to earn the most money (the only way to be rich in the game).
   
   In all, if you just want a guide to get through the game quickly, this is a definite choice. If you are a person who wants to do everything, this might not be as promising as other Brady's guides.



3. so far, baten kaitos is my favorite nintendo game and the guide really helps, it gives you all the details, good boss fighting techniques, and a full list of magnus but there are some flaws in it. like for one, in one part they mess up on were a very powerful magnus is and i also can't find how you get the pendulum blast for gibari, i searched the entire book but no luck. all in alla good guide



4. Brady usually does a passable job with their guides for RPGs, but this one is an extreme exception. I can understand and forgive the occasional typo, but this guide seems to be littered with them. It's incredibly annoying to look up boss strategy and see "+80%" damage for "dark" attacks, only to execute a big "dark" attack and see "-80%" on the screen. This transposing of positive and negative effects seems to happen on every 4th boss listing.
   
   The guide itself is also poorly laid out, with the columns walk-through text broken with photos and and running roughshod around distracting side quest text bubbles. Whoever was in charge of page layout should probably try harder next time.
   
   In addition, the charts, lists and directories in the rear of the guide, usually some of the most imporant parts are laid out awkwardly. Sometimes broken up in a illogical manner, sometimes page after page of items, with no breaks and not in alphabetical order. Try finding the entry for "Spicy Curry Magnus" when it's not ordered by healing magnus, nor in alphabetical order!
   
   Overall the guide has helped me complete the odd confusing RPG side quest (which I swear are being designed more and more these days to require a 3rd party guide like this, the game publisher must get a cut). However, if I had known before buying how little it would really help and how much it would sometimes even hurt, I would have passed on it.



5. Thankfully I got this strategy guide from the library, or I would have wasted good money. While the walkthrough is decent the quests are not well organized. A lot of the game is real time dependent and no warning is give. For one quest you need an item that take fifteen real hours to develop yet the book gives you no warning. The worst part is the short cut description of enemy weaknesses. A warning that an enemy is -50% towards light will either mean it is 50% weak toward that element or that elament is only worth fifty percent damage on that enemy. The text description of strengths and weaknesses is much more accurate, but by no means perfect. For one boss one area said it was 100% weak towards dark while just below it said 100% weak towards light. That information is kind of important. Do not waste your money on this book unless your obsessive about miscellanious quests.

5 comments about Resident Evil 4 Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Signature Series).

1. Why would you shell out a dozen big ones to get a walkthrough while you can get two dozen walkthroughs for free plus lots of detailed guides for free on Gamefaqs.com? Two reasons: 1. This guide is much better written and edited than the poor-English ones you find on Gamefaqs, 2. this guide includes maps and other goodies. If you are a true RE4 fan this is an indispensable companion to getting the most -- like 100% -- out of your RE4 game. If you just want to play RE4 once through, then one of the free walkthroughs from Gamefaqs should suffice.



2. I began the game sans the guide and decided it was to my best interest to start over after reviewing the hints. It probably would have taken me until NEXT Christmas to finish instead of the 3 months.



3. It's hard not to find a satisfactory player's guide, and this is no exception. I buy player's guides for two reasons, and those would be for: 1. collecting 2. Help, because I'm stuck and don't know what to do. This just so happens to be one of those where I needed help to complete the game. I have no problems with this product and would recommend it.



4. this book helped me through the levels, the levles are long with no save points so you don't want to die 3/4 thruogh the level



5. A must have for anyone wanting to complete this game 100%
   Well worth the money.
   With complete scenario walk-throughs,enemy break-downs and character bios this book delivers even showing you where to find special items.
   Even if you are not a gamer this book is recommended to anyone collecting Resident Evil merchandise.
   Within 15 minutes of reading this book I was playing the game just like a pro.
   Masterfully crafted with genuine collectable artwork and fold-out posters.
   Buy now before they go out of print.

5 comments about X-Men(tm) Legends Official Strategy Guide.

1. I had already finished X-Men Legends before I got this guide; after all, it's a pretty short game. But I can definitely say it's more fun with the guide in hand.
   
   By and large this guide is free of the bad writing and false information that had plagued so many BradyGames guides I've used before. There's a large number of charts, lists, analytical databases and other devices which make the unlockables in the game much easier to find. And while the maps aren't exactly easy to read, the layout of the levels in X-Men Legends is so cluttered that I think the authors and layout artists did a good job of translating the maps into useful, legible form. The combat strategies they suggest almost always work, and they summarize each level succinctly so that you know what you're about to get into.
   
   Why only four stars? The layout of the book can sometimes be awkward -- too much eye candy sacrificing legibility and flow. For example, it's often not clear on a page whether you're supposed to read the upper-right map first or the lower-left one. The written passages are often up to half a page behind the maps and sidebars, making for confusing navigation. And they did have omissions on the maps, leaving out one or two items, but not enough to spoil everything.
   
   All in all, a very good guide with minor flaws.



2. It has been some years since I played a role-playing game (RPG). Having recently bought a PS2, I simply have to take on the X-Men: Legends. Afterall, I'm a Marvel fanboy, and what better way to rekindle my obsession with RPGs with Xavier's team of anti-heroes?
   
   By the time I got this guide, I was already in the H.A.A.R.P. mission. To be honest, I was stuck. I was facing Pyro, who seemed (notice the past tense) unbeatable, especially when I've no more health packs, and apart from Wolverine who self heals, the rest of my team are in really bad shape. I read through the guide for a lifeline, and I found it. It taught me how to go to the danger room to do some training, and earned myself some health packs. I recuperated, went back to fight Pyro, and defeated him.
   
   I went on to beat the game, slowly (I've read the guide and play at the same time, you know), and I was extremely delighted! I can only say I won't have go so far without the book.
   
   Just for that, 5-stars.



3. I first must say that the game XMen Legends is a piece of camel crap, but man, does the strategy guide rule!!! It told me, like, strategies and stuff about the game, even though the game bites cow butt!! I apologize to all meat eaters!!! But, alas, I am a vegetarian, so bite me!!!Anyway, the point is that this strategy guide reeks of awesomeness!!! DO NOT buy the game!!!These are 5 reasons not to buy the game: #1, It sucks!!!; #2, all you do is fight and other crap like that!!; #3, It doesn't work very well as a frisbee!!!; #4, Dog lovers beware!!! This game depicts images of dogs getting their tails stepped on and/or bitten off!! I found this very offensive!! #5, Why waste your money on this piece of crap when you could own the best book in the history of the world!!! [ Well, besides Hamlet, of course!!! ]



4. HI this x-men guide is good i wonder if anybody is selling one in good shape used no mess ups on the pages thanks so much have a nice day all sincerley michael serrano.



5. Whoever the used (second party)sellers are for this guide, they should be ashamed for jacking up the price. There are plenty of free guides and walkthroughs for this game. Just use a search engine; they're easy to find. Don't waste your hard-earned money on something that you can get for free.

4 comments about The Book of Games Volume 1: The Ultimate Guide to PC and Video Games (Book of Games series).

1. Based on the reviews in the book, I just found a game that is perfect for mye nephew. I'm looking forward to Volume 2



2. This book reads more like a catalog than I expected. I was hoping for a comprehensive history and documentation of video games, but instead, it feels like the same information you get from a video game review website.



3. I found this to be a really good book! Its got some really nice editorials, which most reviewers dont give to much credit for. Most of them open the book and say "Oh, its just a catalog" but if you look and read through, it has some articles about the future of gaming and research on gaming. And a quick look at video game heros.
   
   The book, has a list over major tittles of 2006, which in its self is really good, because it gives you an idea of what games you might like, if you liked a specific tittle.
   
   And Volume 2 Will be more in-depth then the first, and they are going to make a nostalgia one too! Which im looking forward too!
   
   This book is a really nice guide to parents and alike, as it gives you insite to what games are good for your children ect.



4. It has no metal gear games what so ever!!! No PS 1 no PS 2 no PSP no PS 3 no nothing!!!! And I wonder, why??? It is the greatest game ever!!!! The author is bias, he doesn't like metal gear or something...
   And the book doesn't go into an "in depth" history of video games...
   It is an ok book but I can manage without it, I have an internet connection...
   
   The M.K.M.

1 comments about Just Cause (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. The layout for this guide is perfect, with detailed weapon and vehicle sections each separated by class, and the side-missions separated from the main walkthrough. Anything and everything you would want to refer to quickly is easy to find. I haven't been able to find any errors in this guide so far.

5 comments about Resident Evil (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. Okay, so you just bought the remake of Resident Evil and are looking foward to kicking some zombies' rotting butts. Only one problem: where the heck do you go to get farther into the game? Well, this strategy guide should tell ya...If you're playing as Jill. The people who wrote this startegy guide should be ashamed. They forgot that it's a multiple character game. They show you what to do as if you were playing as Jill. Instead of writing two seperate strategies they just tride to slide some of Chris' here and there. If you want to get through the game as Chris, definately DO NOT buy this strategy guide, go with the other one by Brady Games.



2. Whatever this guide is missing I can guarantee BradyGAMES has got it, and whatever this guide has good of Bradygames don't got.

   To start the guide is a fairly good lentgh. But it would've been nice to have a seperate walkthrough of Chris as you have to find it out as you read. The items list and such is great! The strategies for defeating enemies are great and they actually tell you how to CONSERVE your ammo unlike the BradyGAMES guide.

   The walkthrough however can be very confusing at times, but how much is packed onto one page is incredible. Some of the screens are in the wrong place (but they are EXTREMELY good at explaining what to do you don't need any screens really). But as I mentioned earlier the guide completely leaves out chris. But the maps are beautiful. The guide is so detailed and precise. The sealed secrets sectio is also impressive. But the fact that it spoils the ending made this guide lose a star, but I didn't have to heat to hold it against them since it was in the SEALED SECRETS section.

   Puzzle solutions are also brilliant, and they have great suggestions on what to do with certain items. The guide is better than I thought it would be as I was disappointed with some of the others, but the guide is by far the better pick out of the two.

   OVERALL:
   Positive
   +AMAZING MAPS
   +VERY GOOD PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
   +Actually tells you the difference between game modes
   +Very in depth on secrets
   +Good weapon strategies
   +Is mor focused on conserving ammo
   +Tells you how to get all six different endings!

   Negative
   -Where the hell is Chris? Small call outs to his game but not good enough
   -A little bit disorganized but still readable
   -Spoils the endings




3. This is not the only Prima guide I have. Prima has the best format. I have Prima guides for all the Resident Evils and various other games. I've tried others that are good, but Prima makes the best.

   If you have a choice between Prima or another brand, choose Prima.

   (Sorry for sounding like a commercial.)




4. This guide is real good it walks you through the game, but still doesnt spoil it



5. Prima makes the best strategy guides around. No one will match their perfection when it comes to detail. This guide is no different. The guide has a good set-up and gives you information on how to unlock all the games secrets. Maps are provided for all the areas as you go through the guide. There is a cool Wesker Report in the back that explains the Resident Evil series up to Code Veronica. This guide also explains details for defeating the Battle Mode.
   
   One thing I hate in some guides is the lack of maps. This guide gives you a map on the same page as the information. Instead of flipping through pages to find out if you are going the right direction, this guide gives you a map for every single piece of gameplay. If you enter an area forty times, you will see the map forty times to prevent looking back in the guide for it.
   
   This guide is very well formatted. Anyone with Resident Evil: Code Veronica X should pick this one up for an easy walkthrough. If you are looking for maps, secrets, or help with battle mode, it is all in here.