5 comments about Eternal Sonata Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. Eternal Sonata isn't exactly a complex game that requires a strategy guide. There aren't that many secrets and its quite linear. If for reason you do need a guide, though, this is a good one at least.
   
   The guide is pretty thin. It waste no time talking about the battle system and getting you used to it, and it also goes into the characters where it list off all their abilities and when they learn them. It also gives a quick bio for all the non-playable characters. There's a complete list of all the scores and where to find them. It'll also tell you what page to flip to in order to find the score you're looking for.
   
   The walkthrough is another story. It's got some pretty detailed maps and tells you all you need to know while pointing out all the scores as you come across them. They also point out all the items on the map and tell you the stats of each enemy you encounter. Each section begins by also suggesting which characters to take with you and what special moves to put on them. The walkthrough is useful, but the boss strategies are useless. They're not helpful and don't really tell you much of anything. Aside from that it's your basic walkthrough. Nothing really special about it. Helpful and handy.
   
   There's finally all those list and appendices that are in just about every RPG guide. As well as a bestiary, which while good, list the enemies in the order which you encounter them, which can be annoying at times.
   
   It's a great guide overall, it's just hard to shake the simple fact that you won't need it. If you really are stuck then by all means, go with this guide, it'll help. Otherwise, the game is simple enough to conquer without it.



2. Eternal Sonata Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) is a nice player's guide to have for the game if you need it, but can be a bit confusing with the incorporation of the encore information in each section of the walk-through. There are things that are not explained in the guide, too, which can make a few side quests a bit daunting, but overall a nice resource.



3. A guide to follow step by step the game without left without anything and explain the plot of the game, perfect!



4. I was questioning whether to buy this Guidebook after checking out the reviews on Amazon. I almost didn't buy and man would that have been a huge mistake. How people thought this guide wasn't helpful is beyond me. What was so helpful you ask? The maps most importantly (beleive me you would be lost for hours and hours without it), the rare items you need to pick up (as there really isn't any warping device and would physically have to go back), the leveling up guide (so you can see who you want to be level up first and who heals and who they will heal), and of course the achievement guide, etc etc. Definately worth every penny!



5. This Guide offers a pretty extensive coverage of every location of the game and has a nice step-to-step walkthrough alongside with maps to help you find all the items but also get straight to the point if you only need to reach a particular place on your subsequent playthroughs.
   
   The only thing the guide lacks is tips about combat and the combat system in general, while it offers a few useful tips it lacks of some kind of "strategy guide" about how fights should usually be handled and doesn't suggest strategies exept in boss battles.
   The Score pieces are also misprinted, leading to confusion if you decide to check what piece you are supposed to play visually (the first tree pieces are identical, so you have to check the next two to find the one you are looking for and the last two are missing), though their locations are correct.
   
   In substance, it's a nice guide to have with you so you won't miss all the items in the games, and the maps for the bonus dungeon are just priceless, clear and helpful.

5 comments about Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.

1. My name is Doug Parsons, and I'm an official adjudicator for Guinness World Records, so I felt the need to address some of the comments listed on this page.
   
   The Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008 was compiled by industry insiders who are experts in their field. All records and facts have been carefully researched and have been found to be up to Guinness World Records' rigorous standards. While any book of this scope is bound to contain a few grammatical or spelling oversights, all of the facts, statistics, and information within the book are certified to be true at the time of printing. [...]
   
   As Guinness World Records is the global arbiter for official record keeping, and I am an adjudicator within the organization, I felt the need to address some of the concerns. Please be assured that Guinness World Records takes any comment, positive or negative, about our products seriously, and use them to ensure that future books will be filled with even more records and facts that our readers will enjoy.



2. My son loves this book, if you are a Guinness Book fan, then you'll love this one.



3. Guinness World Records Gamers Edition marks Guinness's first romp into the gaming culture. The gaming culture is bigger than it's ever been before. For the casual gamer, this book is like a starter kit to getting you into the gaming scene. There's a lot of good information scattered throughout the book. However, for gaming aficionados, there's not a lot of stuff here that you probably don't know. Just the same, it's not a bad book.
   
   By the looks of the Guinness World Records, you'd probably think right out that this was a book for the younger gamers. The page layout and design is similar to those World Almanac for Kids books that became popular among the youth. While this may bother a few other gamers, it does show that the book is very inviting.
   
   It begins with a lengthy introduction chapter. This will show some of the highlights of 2007, including talking about some of the heavy hitting games like Halo 3, Super Mario Galaxy and Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Again, though, if you're big on the gaming scene and you keep up with the news, this is nothing new to you. Even a lot of what they mention is stuff that has been hammered into most gamers head time and time again.
   
   After the introduction, there is a history of gaming. This showcases everything from the Magnavox Odyssey all the way up to the current generation involving the XBOX360, Playstation 3 and Wii. Afterwards, it goes into talking about some of the more mainstream consoles on an individual basis starting with the Nintendo 64 and Gamcube and ending with PC gaming. This section may have better had the consoles been talked about in the chronological order they were released. It is, after all, a history section. At least for all the hardware it gives you all the specs and a few factoids and some trivia concerning each console. These sections are also accompanied by crystal clear screenshots. At the end of the hardware history section there is a list of the top 5 bestselling games on each console. After all this is over with, we finally get into some of the records and trivia on some of the biggest selling gaming franchises in some of the industries most popular genres.
   
   In the Record Breaking Games section is where the book can quickly become redundant for long time gamers, but a treat for newcomers to the gaming scene. It talks of some of the most popular games in the industry such as Halo, The Legend of Zelda, Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario Bros and Sonic as well as several other franchises that have made a huge impact in the gaming industry. Each section presents a few factoids to the series. Telling you things like whether or not it was the fastest selling in the series, the number of copies the bestselling in the series, etc. Perhaps the most interesting is when it shows you speed record completions for certain games. And despite all that, it isn't quite enough for some of these franchises. They only get two pages a piece. However, there are some interesting facts presented for many of them. This portion of the book spans through out several genres. From the Action/Adventure to the Puzzle genre.
   
   As this section progresses there are also interviews, timelines and historical dates noted. It's also is decorated to the brim with pictures and screen shots.
   
   After all this information, you get to see them count down the 100 best arcade games and then you see charts of high scores. The book ends with an index that'll help you find anything you need.
   
   The biggest problem with the guide is, as I said earlier, that a lot of this information is not new to the experienced gamer. Much of the sales records and trivia has become common knowledge amongst most gamers. However, for many, I'm sure there's still a lot of information that's new to them.
   
   You couldn't possibly expect the book to cover everything. There are many books with more comprehensive history and more trivia. But for what you get with this, it's detailed. It's not the Ultimate Gamer's Manual, but it serves as a great introduction and start for anyone curious to the video gaming culture.



4. The GWR-GE 2008 is the company's first effort to bring together a book for computer gamers, showing gaming records and facts. As such, it's a good dip of the toes into the big wide world of gaming.
   
   The book itself is well presented. Not just a list of facts, it pleases the eye with easy-to-read double page spreads, boxes for additional information and plenty of graphics. One issue with the graphics - while they're mostly linked to the text, the references are not always easy to find and the order of the links is not clear.
   
   The book itself is fairly platform-agnostic. It's split into game categories, and after providing an overview of the category history details some of the games in each category. This is where it starts falling down, with some notable gaps. Under action-adventure we read about Colossal Caves but no mention is made of Zork. And where is the Kings Quest series? Under role-playing games the Ultima series is mentioned, but not Wizardry!
   
   The section on simulation games does at least mention Flight Simulator - but neglects the fact that combat flight simulators are an enormous market. And what about space combat? Nothing on Wing Commander, no X-Wing or anything else in this category.
   
   In racing games, the Need for Speed series is mentioned briefly but really deserves more space. Hands up if you've played chess against your computer? Well sorry, but it doesn't rate a mention in the puzzle and maze section - no Chessmaster, no Kasparov or any other champion-branded games.
   
   On the weird side, there's a section dedicated to "music games". Huh? These have been around for five minutes guys - surely there are better uses of this space.
   
   So, in summary: a nicely presented overview of gaming and gaming records, but hopefully the next edition will be more thorough.



5. There are a couple of misprints/errors here and there, but overall this is a must-have for any gamer. The amount of content is unbelievable for the price you pay. Whether you only played Super Mario as a kid, or spend hours a day on WoW, you'll love how much this book has to offer...

5 comments about Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. dragon quest 8 is a game that takes a lot of time to complete but if you know what to do it is really fun. dragon quest 8 is a extremly long game i have played 123 hours and i am still not done. in this game you are screwed if you dont get alchemy recipies, this game is extremely good if you know what to do at times you wont know what to do and it will take you a long time to figure out so it might get a little anoying. overall if you do what you are suppose to and you get really far into the game it is good.
   (if you ever plan on completing this game you are going to need a whole lot of time )



2. I am the sort of person who always buys strategy guides for the more complex games, so naturally I had to pick this one up as well. But for all its pretty pictures and fancy charts, there is very little "strategy" mentioned here. The book (quite intentionally, as it states in the preface) leaves out a lot of details about the storyline, the order of events, and the strategies for dealing with the main plot elements. The alchemy charts are nice, though it can be a bit cumbersome flipping back and forth between the sections to find all the answers. The charts are fairly helpful, though the monsters are sorted in the unique numerical order as they are listed in the in-game "battle records", rather than being sorted by type or listed alphabetically, which makes cross-referencing a real chore. Very little useful information is given about the storyline unless you are willing to flip around from section to section following the vague clues provided in the descriptions. Finally, it seems as if the manufacturer cut a few corners as well, and both my copy and the only used one I saw at the store were falling apart, the spine glue weakened to the point that individual pages were falling out.
   
   Overall, though the game is no doubt one of the most exciting FRPG games I have played, and is capable of providing hours of fun and excitement, the BradyGames strategy guide fell fall short of the mark in trying to live up to its name. If there IS another guide on the market (I have heard rumors of a British company developing one), it may be worth holding out for that one rather than picking up the BradyGames version. Then again, there's always the Internet...



3. While this makes a nice companion of sorts, it is in no way a comprehensive strategy guide. Most of the item locations are given as "unknown..." and it doesn't even list most of the bosses. I just wish I had known all this before I bought the book, since I could have simply downloaded a decent walkthrough on Gamefaqs and saved myself $18.
   
   Now, for some of the positives: it does give nice maps for all areas, and shows where most of the treasure is located on the overland maps, but not in towns. It has a nice section on alchemy, although it admits that there are probably some recipes that aren't covered in the book.
   
   As much as I hated the book, my husband loved it, hence the 3 star compromise. If you just want an atlas, by all means you'll love this. I admit to wanting a little more hand-holding from my strategy guides, so I wasn't a fan.



4. This item came very fast and in great condition..i got this item for my brother and it is working just fine and dandy..thank you for your buisness and i hope to do some in the future.



5. If you're knee-deep into Dragon Quest and you're thinking about buying this strategy guide, don't hesitate. This is the most well constructed guide I have ever used. There weren't any big spoilers and there wasn't a 'take you by the hand because you don't know how to play games' walkthrough section.
   
   This is a great guide. It has all of the items, most of the chest locations, extensive bestiary, great alchemy info that you can easily cross reference with other sections, and pages on the different locations with recommended level info. The illustrations are beautiful, and the format is well presented. I find myself constantly using this guide while, at the same time, feeling like I am figuring out the game for myself. People who didn't like this guide were probably looking for a little more 'hand holding.' Nothing wrong with that, but I preferred this format.

5 comments about The Sims 2 FreeTime: Prima Official Game Guide.

1. This book is a must for anyone that plays Sims2. There is so much information & hints that it is well worth it.



2. The game guide is very helpful. We are always referring back to it for one thing or another. For me it's a must have item for the new EPs.



3. I figured out most of it before I got the book , but is helpful for different career . I like all of mt Prima books for my Sims games.The Sims 2: FreeTime



4. EA released a patch to fix this, but then recalled the patch with no word as to when (or if) it will be released again. Do not buy this until it has been confirmed that a new patch has been released, it is basically unplayable as is...



5. If you play Sims then consider adding this game.Freetime is a great way to keep your Sims happy and entertained.There are some surprises that are amusing.If you have never added a pack to your Sims this one would be a great addition! It takes a bit of time to see your Sim get to the max,but it is worth it!!!

2 comments about Ninja Gaiden 2: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. This is a helpfull book it tells you the locations to get all 30 crystal skulls, strategies to fight every enemy, combos and strategies for every weapon, in depth boss analysis and stragedy, 160 pages of great secrets so this is a great book like the game is.



2. This game gets REALLY TOUGH in some spots. The guide has been super helpful getting through those rough spots. It has all the crystal skull locations and good strats for the bosses. Plus maps of all the levels. I'm really happy I bought it.

5 comments about The Myst Reader, Books 1-3: Three Books in One Volume (The Book of Atrus; The Book of Ti'ana; The Book of D'ni).

1. This book lays the background story to the Myst game series. It is indeed a fascinating and imaginative tale of the ages. While not very thought-provoking, these books lead imagery to the max if you let it. I highly recommend this series for those who want a long, satisfying adventure. If you're in the field of science & engineering the geological machinery, tools and D'ni Age creation are appealing. The ancient guild trade social culture of D'ni is neat as well.
   
   Even if you never played (but those who did, especially), this is a great story.



2. Excellent value for all three of the Myst books, but it is incomplete. The prophecies, which i most enjoyed, are left out in this edition- why i don't know. The prophecies are very much germain to the novels, and re-reading the books without them was a bit dissapointing. Still overall an excellent value.
   
   The Myst series consists of three novels in which the timeline of the story is broken up into. The first book tells the middle of the story, the second book tells the begining, and the last book tells the end. To read the books in chronological order read 2nd, 1st, 3rd.
   
   The premise of the series is that there exists a superior race beneath the earth's surface called the D'ni. The D'ni are capable of writing magic descriptive books that link to other worlds, the potential for which is limitless. Thus they enjoy life in a surreal city of rock with the capability to "link" to any sort of world they wish at any time. One unhappy citizen sets out to ruin the great and ancient city of D'ni, a result of the accidental discovery of D'ni by a surface dwelling human and the events that follow her discovery of their civilization. In the last book, a perfect Utopia like cousin civilization is found, one whose ties with D'ni centuries ago they cannot understand. And then of course, they figure it out.
   The plot is interesting, but not nearly as interesting as the concepts presented in the books- the different worlds, government structures and creations. If this series had any sort of political message it would be about racial tolerence and equality, for which the book makes a strong argument.



3. So far the first volume is fine. The binding is very nice for this 3-in-1 set. The book looks nice on the shelf, too, very decorative. I enjoyed Myst and Riven as games. Haven't finished Exile yet. But I look forward to reading these at my leisure.



4. Nothing like a compilation for tons of good reading. The classic series comes together so even the Myst newcomer can get an in-depth view of the Myst universe in one fell swoop. All three books are compelling. I am not an avid "alternate universe" fan, and I loved these books.
   
   ANY book-lover will be enchanted by the great "what if" contained in the Myst Saga. Highly recommended.



5. For anyone, from young to adult, who is into Myst, this book, has to be in your book case. I wish it were in hard cover, and I do hope the Myst group, continues with this facinating story. My only regret is, I had to buy a new computer, and It is a Vista based unit, and all Myst programs play on Vista, except Game V, End of Ages. I mention this, here in the book review, because, I just want to give a heads up to those with Vista, who are thinking of getting the game. PLEASE, Myst Folks, Don't let us Vista users down. We have been faithful to you, so Let us enjoy, Game V, too. Buy the book folks. You will not be disapointed. I could not put it down, except for some sleep, till I finished it, and it has only whet my appetite for more, and kudos to Amazon, for their great internet buying service. They have never disapointed me so far, and I have been doing business with them for a few years now. Thank You.

5 comments about Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Signature Series Guide.

1. This book will get you through all the levels and help you get all the treasures but you do not need the book to get throught the game.



2. I bought the game for my husband for Christmas, and he would have been lost in the jungle if it weren't for the guide. Highly recommend it.



3. This is an extraordinary guide full of useful information and insightful vision of the game.
   Enjoyed every minute of it.
   Highly recommended.



4. I really enjoyed this game. It was the first game I bought for the PS3. I bought the guide after I beat the game. I used it to find the little things I skipped by the first time around. The guide is very detailed. I would recommend it to anyone.



5. this was my second ps3 game...when i fisrt put this game into my ps3 i was shocked. it start out with a bang & never let u go. the puzzles was not too hard for me...the weapons are real nice to use. i just wish u couldve kept all the weapon that i found. the levels are well detailed, lush jungle, beautiful water lighting and i love how the bad guy react to drake.the jungle level where drake was been chased by eddy & his guys in jeeps is my favourite level. the game is just one of a kind.

3 comments about How to Do Everything with Second Life® (How to Do Everything).

1. This book offers sound advice on almost all aspects of Second Life from social interaction to scripting, building, and texturing. It goes into fine detail on the workings of the user interface with great time saving tips and tricks for all levels of experience. It's by no means a dry technical read. The author does a good job of tying all of the topics together through examples of practical experience within Second Life.
   
   I keep this book on my computer desk for quick reference. As an experienced user with a bloated inventory I found the topics on asset backup, inventory searches, and inventory organization extremely helpful.



2. This is the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to SL that you'll find -- no need to look any further. It includes general information about how to get started in SL, what to do and where to go -- and it also contains easy to follow, step-by-step information about the things you are likely to be doing there: building, shopping, meeting people. Handy quick keyboard guide inside the cover that will be useful to both new users and seasoned veterans!



3. I actually created a second life account and canceled it because of the frustration of not nowing how to navigate through the environment. This books is the most awesome ever for SL and how to navigate through the environment. It includes a lot of shortcut keys and scripting to further advance your knowleddge in the Second Life Environment. This book is highly recommended for those that have no idea of how to navigate the platform and would like to learn how to use the grid, create skin, camera moves, buying land, buying shapes, creating textures etc. This books discusses everything you want to know, desire to learn and more!
   
   Lanesa Stubbs

5 comments about Hacking World of Warcraft (ExtremeTech).

1. Very helpful book. Lots of information on existing addons and how to create your own.



2. Pretty simple guide really, just needs one line of text:
   
   Roll a Warlock
   
   am i rite?



3. The book's good at what it is tryign to do, but that thing is useless.
   play for a month and it will all come together, this is a waste of money
   
   
   and if you cant install an addon, just ask someone in your guild or something..its the easiest thing to do.
   
   if you dont know...
   
   find the addon you want download it, and click open [not save] on the pop up window. when it opens a screen with the addon file[s] you need to open my computer, then open drive C, then open program files, then open 'Wolrd of Warcraft' files, then open the interface folder. your should see an 'add ons' folder in the interface folder, simply go to the window with the addon files, hold down Ctrl [control] and left click each of the files in the folder. when they are are highlighted, drag them into the addons folder.
   
   when you launch WoW make sure the addon is checked in the addons list [where your character selection screen is] from there you can enable/disable an addon if you decide you dont like it.
   
   if you have lots of extra $$ then go for it, i'd just learn from playing



4. Wasn't the best book, but for the price it didn't hurt. Best part about it is it had a list of addons for a few different categorys, and their descriptions, which was nice because he doesn't include any of the poor quality addons that litter addon sites. But for the not-so-lazy group, you can get all this information off addon sites quite easily.



5. By its very nature, this sort of material is dated by the time it can go to press. That being said, the authors have done an exemplary job of providing material that covers lasting principles, and not specifics that will be immediately invalidated. In addition, supporting material on-line is fresh and regularly updated. A solid 5 stars!

4 comments about The Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life: Making Money in the Metaverse.

1. Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life: Making Money in the Metaverse
   
   I figured this would be a useful book because when I was interviewed for it the questions were in-depth, thoughtful, and non-fluffy. And it turns out that the book is even better than I expected. This is a GREAT book for anyone who wants to start an in-world Second Life business, or for someone who wants to improve their existing business. I would have turned a profit quicker if I'd had it when I was a newbie!



2. This book is a great way to learn about the many financial opportunities that await you in Second Life. The layout is clean and colorful, the examples shown are interesting and inspiring, and it is a good examination of Second Life overall. The lessons ignite the imagination...where would I like to concentrate my efforts as an entrepreneur? What does it really take to make a business successful? How have others done it, and what can I learn from their experiences? Terdiman did his homework on this project and the guide provides a realistic look at what it would take to create your dream career.



3. outstanding. this step-by-step guide is well-written, informative, and easy to navigate. the structure of the book allowed me to get straight to the topics i was interested in - it's clearly laid out and having first-hand advice from residents/experts was extremely useful and gave me confidence - there's a great chapter on Setting Up Shop, for example. It's a comprehensive how-to that makes the metaverse accessible to everyone.



4. This book gave me a lot of great ideas for the Second Life platform. I had no idea of the type of businesses that were in Second Life. Now that I have an idea of how to purchase land and have seen the various software applications being used to create product, I plan on experimenting with it for the next 90 days or so. From there, I'm going to continue using the platform to launch my Second Life business. This Book is fabulous!
   
   Lanesa Stubbs