5 comments about Metroid Prime (with Metroid Fusion) (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. Prima did us a big favor by including both new Metroid games in one guide. Since the games were both released at the same time and they even connect together to unlock certain special features, it is fitting that they should be tacvkled together in one guide. It also saves you some extra cash.

   The book starts off with the Metroid Prime section (the reason I purchased the book) and goes over detailed descriptions of all the weapons, armor, visors, power-ups, etc. This is followed by a map section that displays each world and approximate locations of hidden items and upgrades.

   Next is the "walkthrough". This area is very detailed and is broken into sections based on the big item you are hunting. For instance if the section is called "Ice Beam" then the text tand photos that follow are all leading you to that item, with the occasional pit stop to grab available upgrades.

   I have very little to complain about except that some screenshots are dark or grainy and hard to make out.

   A big part of Metroid Prime is scanning items, locations, data, creatures, etc. When you scan something, it is added to your log book for future reference. If you manage to get 100% of the items in the game and scan every item your log book requires, then you get the best of 3 possible endings to the game. Unfortunately, while the book has a nice list of every item and scanned object, the walkthrough will sometimes run you right by an area without warning you that a scanable object is near you. So I suggest keeping an eye on the walkthrough AND the log book check list to make sure you collect everything you need to make that elusive 100% score.

   Unfortunately I do not own a Gameboy Advance, so I am unable to fairly grade the Metroid Fusion section. However that game is not as complex as Metroid Fusion, so I imagine the writers' thoroughness shows in that section of the book also. The screenshots in the Fusion section are much clearer, and again it also has an item section and maps. Since this game resembles Super Metroid so much, the maps are laid out in a similar fashion to the automap feature of Super Metroid, in a sort of grid fashion.

   The book has been very helpful, particularly with strategies against Boss monsters and well-hidden items. Metroid Prime has no cheat codes at this time so read those strategies carefully, because they WORK and these Bosses are no pushovers.

   Well worth your money.




2. This is definitely one of the better guides I've seen for Metroid Prime. I'd give it a five but there are about two things that bother me about the guide (see below).

   First of all, the guide has a very detailed and easy to use walkthrough. I loved it. Easy to follow and easy to read with great detailed maps and plenty of screenshots (which you'll undoubtably need!). There is a maps section before the walkthrough and then they show the maps again before each section of the walkthrough, which makes for far less page flipping.

   The Metroid Prime section gives you the run down on everything you need for all of Samus' abilities and how to obtain them in this highly detailed walkthrough. The screenshots are clear although at times they can be a bit darker than others. Some screens are actually very hard to depict what they're trying to tell you even with the text standing out. I wouldn't consider the terrain you venture through in Metroid Prime to be quite that dark.

   The Metroid Fusion section of this guide is very useful if you want to complete the entire game. Much like Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion maps seemed more like a grid and Prima did a very good job in these maps by highlighting hidden areas along the way. Using this guide it is nearly impossible to get yourself lost (although the game makes sure you don't get lost either...). Again, a run down on all Samus' abilities and a full walkthrough to help you get everything you need to defeat SA-X and save the universe! A great companion in deed. The screens are still a little darker in this section but because of the fact that Metroid Fusion has a bit more lighting in some areas than Metroid Prime, you can much more easily depict these.

   My gripes with the guide. Well first of all, for Metroid Fusion it doesn't depict how to get all the different endings of the game. I do not believe they did this in Metroid Prime either. Also, there is no walkthrough for the original Metroid. This isn't too bad of a problem but the first Metroid game presents probably one of the greatest challenges in the series (aside from Prime of course) and I need more than just basic "tips" that I've already come to learn by playing other Metroid titles. My thrid gripe of course is the dark screens but they are crystal clear and you shouldn't have a problem trying to make out anything in the Metroid Fusion section.

   Overall, this guide is probably your best friend in completing both of these titles. It's nice to see that there was a guide publisher that took Metroid Fusion into consideration. Both guides are good and WILL help you find everything with little hassle.

   So...

   The Good
   +Complete walkthrough for Metroid Prime and Fusion
   +Detailed Maps for both section
   +Nice thorough walkthrough for both sections
   +Crystal clear screenshots

   The Bad
   -Game endings aren't revealed
   -Metroid Prime screens are a little dark at times
   -No NES Metroid walkthrough, just "Tips" on how to go through the game.

   While the last con isn't a problem it would've still been nice to include a short walkthrough at the least being that it is a secret of the game.




3. This manual is great except for the Metroid Fusion section. I have done some exploring and found out that PRIMA DOESN'T EVEN SHOW THE LOCATIONS OF NEARLY HALF THE ITEMS IN THE GAME!!! How disappointing.... Metroid Prime has a great walkthrough and the guide shows strategies on beating the toughest bosses, but not with Fusion! Come on Prima! I'm not trying to criticize you or anything, but I know you can work a little harder.



4. This manual is great except for the Metroid Fusion section. I have done some exploring and found out that PRIMA DOESN'T EVEN SHOW THE LOCATIONS OF NEARLY HALF THE ITEMS IN THE GAME!!! How disappointing.... Metroid Prime has a great walkthrough and the guide shows strategies on beating the toughest bosses, but not with Fusion! Come on Prima! I'm not trying to criticize you or anything, but I know you can work a little harder.



5. Very easy to read, it gets right to the point that you need. It's very helpful, and very informative. But the best part is thats its two guides in one! woOt!!

2 comments about The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. I recently purchased the strategy guide for the EA games title: Battle for Middle Earth II. I was primarily looking forward to the customary (and advertised) information on unit statistics and upgrades etc.
   
   Unfortunately the tables that are supposed to contain this information in the book are riddled with typos.
   
   - Many units have blanks or dashes instead of the appropriate stats
   
   - Many units have letters in columns that should contain numbers and numbers in columns that should contain letters
   
   - The unit upgrade information is referenced, but was totally omitted from the tables
   
   If you are primarily interested in the unit statistics I would not recommend this guide.



2. 
   This is an excellent game I enjoy which isn't addictive as those crazy MMORPG's around today, and also very fun. I have been playing it alone and with my family (including my wife)for 9 months now and we had lots of fun at it. We havn't got bored of since we can change the game style in our skirmishes.
   
   Its a huge upgrade compared to older fantastic strategy's (back then) such as age of empires.

3 comments about Champions of Norrath (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. Can ne1 post a review for this because i really wanna get it but it might be Cr@p like alot of other guides. Plz?



2. The guide leaves an entire class of item out, not even mentioning thier existance, it also gets details of the actual levels wrong (even taking into acount the random generation nature of the levels) giving flat-out wrong information.



3. Buy this book only as a last resort and try to get it for as low of a price as you can. I would recommend Gamespot and Gamefaq. Both websites have walkthroughs which Gamefaq's are free while Gamespot requires you to create an account. Since most of the quests you are on are randomly generated the walkthrough is of very little help because there are no maps. Most advice on fighting the bosses can be summed up as use "hit and run" well duh! This book does offer detailed tables breaking down the statistics of the various skills, armor and weapons. So if you are one of those types that like to do a lot of research for your games you might find this book useful. But this is not worth 25 dollars. Another advantage to gamefaq is they will tell you the cheat codes. This book does not. I find it hard to believe the authors are not aware of what they are so I think he or she left them out intentionally. I suspect most authors of strategy guides are relying too much on the developers of games for information. These same developers seem overly concerned about protecting the "purity" of their games and thus forbid strategy guide writers from telling all.

5 comments about Dark Cloud : Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

1. I thought it will help me a lot but all I got was an advice to play the entire game with one character (what you will do anyway) the game is easy without it save the money and buy "devil may cry" and its official guide belive me it's better.



2. Given a game where the dungens change every time you play them, I think they did pretty good. The guide lines out the aranging of the villages pretty good. It's main weak point is it's lack of help on monsters, like their attributes and such. Still worth the money though



3. Dark Cloud is a very random game, with its dungens, when you get people and their houses, items, weapons, ect, which makes making a guide about it very hard. But with what could have been put in the guide to make it at least worth a purchase, Prima didn't put hardly any worth while info in. In fact, one of these reasons is probably why you bought/want to buy this strat guide. You probably expected...

   1.) Detailed maps of where to put peoples homes, and their requirements to make them happy (probably your primary reason for getting/wanting to get this)

   2.) Enemy and bosses weaknesses, and how to dispatch them in a format that is clear and not confusing as heck

   3.) A detailed layout of what each weapons strengths are when you get them, and/or a layout of each requirement for the weapons to be able to build them up

   4.) A list of what each items price is, what shops have what items, and where to find them

   Well if you expected any of those, then you're sadly mistaken. Prima decided to keep the strat guide at a bare minimum of info, lacking almost everything that is needed to make it considered a strat guide and not an over-glorified handbook that comes with the game. In a nutshell this guide just tells you...

   1.) What weapons build up to what (none of the requirements, stats, or anything else useful though)

   2.) A little very biased characters guide, favoring Ruby over every other character in the game (which is pointed out in almost every chapter when you get her making you probably hate her by the time the book's done)

   3.) Tons of worthless information. Such as talk to the villagers (well duh), the names of each of the villagers and some info on them, what water pools does in every chapter like you're going to forget every 5 minutes, ect

   4.) A very clunky guide on how to fight bosses (It took me 6 trys at the Ice Queen even after disecting the boss guide since it didn't tell me jack about her attacks other than "...her attacks will freeze you in place" and "...she will attack and defend relentlessly". Prima nicely neglected to state that in order to get to the ice queen you have to dodge tornado attacks as well as her constantly following ice blast that doesn't leave you alone. In other words, very little effort was put into telling you how to dispatch bosses)

   5.) Just a brief skimming over what each item does (nothing special, but you can just select the item in your menu and it tells you what it does making this info worthless)

   6.) A list of georama analysis over what items are required to trigger an event (Which is rather pointless, due to you can just ask the villagers. Besides, you have to talk to the villagers to find out what they want before you can put the required item in it's proper slot anyway. This was just added in the strat guide to take up space much like everything else)

   Almost everything in this strat guide is just worthless information that you can find out by exploring, reading the handbook that came with the game, and just talking to villagers. If you're stuck at a part in Dark Cloud, this guide will probably not provide you with much more than just colored pictures, and telling you that Ruby is the best.

   All in all, after reading this strat guide I didn't get anything out of it other than what each weapon can build up to, which was a great disappointment considering what the price is of this thing. If everything that is worthless info was cut out of this guide, it would just be about the size of a 2 page pamplet of what info is worth while...it's not worth a purchase, let alone your time looking through it.




4. this guide is the best i beat all the bosses 1 try,
   now im at gallery of time 3rd level this is an amazing
   guide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



5. Just ordred it from a book store for $15 dollars. Beat that. These people selling them R ripping U off.

No comments about Halo 2 Vista: The Official Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

2 comments about Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. The Armageddon guide may seem intimidating and interesting due to the number of pages it's toting - but do not be fooled.
   
   I had the chance to check this guide out at a local Walmart and after looking through the information - I couldn't buy it. Now, before you question me - I have been an MK fan since MKI, and the recent streaming of guides has been horrible. From bad to worse, and this one takes the cake.
   
   In the middle of the information, the authors decide to randomly throw in UMK3 strategies. This is an MKA guide, not UMK3. It completely throws off the flow of information the guide gives. This however, is not the worst of it.
   
   The Deception guide at least featured all of the character renders, aside from Liu Kang. This guide does not. You'd think with the page count, new renders and the character's accurate story would greet you - however, it doesn't. There are some renders for characters - again, some. However, it's reused from Mortal Kombat Deception, and Shaolin Monks.
   
   There are little to no screen shots, no pictures of the fatalities, there's no mention of the Vault, and the guide's overall composition is horrible. If you bought the Deception guide and knew why it was so horrible, get ready for another horrible guide.
   
   Do not buy this Guide. Your best bet is to contact their customer Service and tell them to just recall it and do it over - much like Brady did with their MKD guide and released a special Code Book.
   
   One Star.



2. This book was nice. It had a comprehensive walkthrough of the Konquest Mode and had tips for Motor Kombat. It had maps of every fighting stage in the game and explained all the death traps in each very thoroughly. It talked about Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 because the Armageddon premium edition lets you play that game as one of its special features. This book has an unlocking guide and complete move lists. Some of the pictures of moves are flip flopped around but that was the only thing. About renders, does a book really need good renders to be good? Overall, the book really halped me because it pinpointed all the best combos for every character in the game giving you a percentage of health that it takes. This is an excellent resource!

5 comments about MechWarrior: Dark Age Novel 4: A Silence In The Heavens (Mechwarrior).

1. Having just read several of the "Mechwarrior: Dark Age" novels in the past few weeks, this one stands out as a journeyman piece of writing. It is certainly ahead of amateurish efforts like "the Ruins of Power." In DelRio's novel the descriptions are fresh and show a flair for fresh images, the characters are genuinely interesting and make sense, with sensible and believable motivations, and the books' "straight-ahead" plot draws us forward to learn the fate of Northwind.

   In case anyone cares, the title is taken from a line in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Much of the book's fascination comes with the clash of two well-drawn woman characters-- Anastasia Kerensky, who is also known as Tassa Kay, and Tara Campbell, the beautiful Dutchess of Northwind. The character of Tassa Kay comes forward from another "Mechwarrior: Dark Age" novel entitled "Call to Duty." She was the most interesting character in that novel, and she loses little of her luster here. Tassa/Anastasia is a warrior, but also a rather hot number with a flair for passionate, extracurricular love affairs.

   Since I really enjoyed this book, I will very much look forward to the second and third volumes of the trilogy. Yup, that's right-- this is the first book of a 3-volume trilogy.

   Probably the trilogy structure accounts for one of the greatest faults of "A Silence in the Heavens," which is the lame, unsatisfying ending. It is more a hiatus than a true ending, since the writer is priming us for the second novel.

   It probably should be mentioned that the book well balances "palace intrigue" against battle action. Two major battles are portrayed in detail as the author skillfully incorporates several points of view -- an infantryman's view, a tank commander's view, a mechwarrior's view, and the supreme commander's view. Some readers have complained about particular BattleTech novels as being starved for action scenes-- they will surely be satisfied with "A Silence in the Heavens."

   A good book. I eagerly await the remaining volumes of this trilogy.

   Patrick Callahan




2. Being a fan of BattleTech for over 10 years, I must say I've seen my share of good and bad novels, soucre books, games, etc... I was not very happy with the new Dark Age setting, as somet things just dont make too much sense (I am still struggling with the fact that some Clans - or maybe all - actually GAVE UP their mechs). I think there is a lack of consistency in this series - and this book. If A. Kerensky is such a good MW, she should have ripped the Paladin apart. Second, the Clans are depicted as rather naive - being tricked very easily. This may have been the case when they first invaded, but even in Classical Btech they learned lessons!! Did they actually FORGET everything? After living in the IS for decades, one would think they'd learn something about the people they live with.

   The story itself is not bad, but the action is little ridiculus.




3. As with most Battletech readers, when I heard about a whole new set of novels coming out, i thought, great.
   But my god, what is this rubbish?
   They made a little circle, called it the republic, and everyone gave up there mechs (which makes calling the series Mechwarriors pretty wierd).
   All the good characters are gone, you hear a tiny bit about Victor Davion and his kids, but thats it.
   The whole thing doesn't make any sence. If the Republic is falling apart, is the rest of the IS just watching? Who is incharge of the Great Houses? Why have the clans given up all their Mechs too? Doesn't that stop them being clansmen?
   The whole of Mechwarrior DarkAge makes no sence, is badly explained, and ruined (for me atleast) the whole battletech series. After all, it takes some of the enjoyment out of reading the clasic Battletech books when you know that ultimatley every storyline in battletech doesn't follow on into this, evey plot, all the history, isn't reflected in anyway in the new Dark Age series.
   I bought a load of these Dark Age books in one go, and I wish I'd just got one first, because I wouldn't have bought any others.
   Anyone whole Likes Battletech, stay well away from these books. Complete Crap.



4. This was a good book, and i enjoyed reading it. It had a good plot and good characters. I'm not much of a writer so thats about all I have to say except for I'm getting sick of constructions mechs. I miss the good old days when the fighting involved battle mechs not construction equipment. I miss Super Novas, Mad Cats, Thors, ect.
   
   They can't call the book mechwarrior when there are like four actual battlemechs in the story. Plus one was a koshi, and as far as I'm concerned a koshi is just as bad as a construction mech.
   
   Thats the only problem I have with these books, aside from the lack of mechs, and actual fighting these books are okay.



5. A well written book that includes lots of mech battles, a great heroine with the countess of Northwind who is a Mechwarrior of the highest order, perhaps one of the greatest of her time.

5 comments about Sid Meier's Civilization III (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. This guide is only for those people who don't know the difference between a spearman and a warrior, or for those who get eliminated while playing the Chieftain level, which isn't an easy feat.

   Otherwise, it does the job it's supposed to.




2. I bought this manual hoping to quickly get up to speed with the new game. I knew enough to play at the more basic levels but wanted tips on how to improve my playing level. What I found in this book was a nicely complete instruction manual, and very little in the way of strategies, tips, etc.

   While I did read the book cover to cover and learned a few rules and features that I was unaware of beforehand, it did little to improve my level of play. This is a very complex game, and knowing a few basic tips/tricks can be immensely helpful. Most of the tricks I've learned came from extensive playing (it's easy to get [pulled] into this game) and message boards online - Yahoo groups, civfanatics, etc.

   If you have money to burn and want a comprehensive instruction manual buy this book. If you are looking to improve your level of play, you won't find it here.




3. Gives you a lot of information in tables and charts. Well orgainzed and easy to reference. Has some helpful hints and clues to make the game easier to learn. It is NOT going to help you WIN. You have to think and reason on your own to accomplish this on your own ability. Use the brain GOD gave you and say thanks. Great Game and Great Information Book.



4. This a great book that improves your skills. It is great for skimming through or evening reading cover to cover. Great addition for Civilization fans!



5. I use this along with Civ 3 Complete Edition. I have about 25 hours of playing time so far, during which I spent a lot of time with the standard manual. The Ellis/Prima manual has a lot of tables that I find more useful than the tables in the standard manual. Tips that appear in the sidebar are also useful and non-trivial. The index is more intuitive than that in the standard manual. PLUS this book covers the game editor; I wasn't even able to FIND the game editor before, and I had looked hard. This was definitely worth the money ($4 plus shipping) but I suspect that the 2001 copyright date means that it came out before the expansion packs; therefore I am ordering the 2002 manual that includes Play the World etc. Recommended -- but the 2002 manual may be even better. Ellis is good.

5 comments about Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. Any old time Command & Conquer fan and player. Would not play the game without a book. Come on. There a whole new lay outs and bonus quests to do. Would you go on the road without a road map? The guides are part of the game, they make the game better to play. This is a totaly different game from the pass ones with added bad guy. I never buy a game without a guide. Game packages don't included any good information. That why they stick in guides for added profit.



2. Nice game guide to help you out in a pinch or when your totally lost in game. It's good to get an inside idea of how to and where to go. Well worth the price to get the most out of the game.



3. I thought I was buying a "Game Guide" as the title suggests. I received some crappy C&C 3 "novel".
   
   Lame



4. I beat the game and Beat the last level of nod that had me stuck for 4 months and 30-50 retrys. I was that stuck Sure buying a book cuz of that one level seems a wast, but I WON!



5. I got stuck in the campaign mode, and i bought this book, it really helped me out. The book looks extremely nice with enough info to help you in any details in the game. Fast delivery and cheap price. I give it 5 stars.

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!