5 comments about Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. This is a great game my son has enjoyed it alot. Highly recommend for children who like video games and legos.



2. I found the guide very helpful. It was well written and not at all confusing as many are. My grandchildren like to play the games and try to figure out where all of the items are but when they get stuck we need the book. This is a well put together aid.



3. It drives me crazy when I can't find all the secrets in a game! It also makes me feel extremely thick when I can't figure out a puzzle. This books sorts out both problems, in addition to making this mom look "cool" when she plays with her kids. I like the addition of the checklists- that was one of the biggest drawbacks of the Lego Star Wars Guide.



4. This guide is much better than the one for LEGO Star Wars. Better presentation, better maps...overall much clearer. You probably won't use this one as much as the book for LEGO Star Wars since the game seems to be slightly easier.



5. I thought this guide would give me the secrets to beating the game, but it only caused confusion. Most of the information in the guide book was extremely different from the game. I was very disappointed.

5 comments about Grand Theft Auto IV Series Guide (Bradygames Signature).

1. The Grand Theft Auto series of games have always been crammed full of things to do in addition to following the main story -- there are tons of hidden secrets and various other activities and missions.
   
   The Bradygames Guide has literally everything you need to know about GTA IV, in order to obtain 100% completion. Considering how much information is involved, this is no small task. The book has a ton of colorful pictures, as well as detailed descriptions on beating every mission and finding every. last. secret. period.
   
   The only downside to the book, and it is a major one, is the way in which the information is organized. The book is laid out from the standpoint of "this is what will happen next if you play the way we played". In other words, there is no organization of topics, only a 'flow' of information from one event to the next.
   
   The problem with this methodology is that because GTA IV is an open ended game, it is extremely unlikely that anyone will play through the game in the order the book was written -- this means that you're not going to be able to easily find specific information in the book unless you also know what event preceded it in the main story.
   
   Anyway, even though the data organization is a major annoyance, the fact remains that this guide has everything you ever wanted to know about GTA IV, so it is a must buy! You can find the same information scattered across a variety of websites, but the book is cheap and is very convenient to have next to you on the couch!



2. I found this book really helpful, although I had already finished the game by the time it got to me.



3. This is an excellent guide to have if you're looking for all of the achievements in the game. It gives you detailed maps of all of the items you can find, side missions, cars, etc. The guide does an excellent job with the story walkthrough and with the story characters. The guide is lacking a lot of hidden information that I believe it should include. Cheats, some tips on getting the achievements, general strategy for the game. What it does not cover can be easily discovered on your own if you spend time exploring the huge city and just messing around, still, if you're going to pay for a guide, you would expect it to have everything.



4. This guide really helped my on a couple of missions that I had a hard time with. Its detailed on how to complete a misson. so if your stuck pick this guide up its worth it.



5. I expected more out of this guide. Usually I play the game first then use the GTA guides to go back and collect packages etc. In this instance there is not much to collect except shooting rats which you get nothing for doing and takes ages. Stunt jumps are good but again gives you nothing for it.
   
   It has a good map and tells you about the characters in the game and the best places to take them. Overall the guide is good but won't add to the experience unless you are determined to get 100%.

1 comments about Silent Hill: Homecoming Signature Series Guide (Brady Games).

1. This book is good. You can easily beat the game. Also all walkthrough information was nice. However map pictures are not good. Anyway it's perfect book with the game.

2 comments about The Sims 2 Apartment Life: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. Like I said happy days . Deep down I like to control things that go on around me , but I can not in real live . This is the best way to do it . And no one gets mad at me .



2. The book came fast and in great condition. Very helpful with playing the game.

5 comments about The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Star Wars).

1. I recently watched The Clones Wars and thought it was average; it felt more like an homage, than the real deal. And although I enjoyed the prequels, my faith in "a galaxy far, far away" had slowly waned until I got this book. The imagery is stunning and true to form; it looks and feels like a perfect "bridge" between Ep 3 & 4.
   
   Clearly is takes on a new realm in the Star Wars universe - "the force unleashed" but the designers give reasons why we have never seen someone of this power before; all conveyed through hundreds of amazing, beautifully presented images.
   
   From concept to completion, this book tells the story of every facet of the games development including original titles and designs. In honesty, there was only one design (a single page) that I thought looked too far left of center. Other than that, this book is one of the finest "making of" books I have bought in years.
   
   For any Star Wars fan - or someone interested in the tireless amount of effort that goes into making a game - this book is a must.
   
   Hope this helps...



2. It's very interesting to read just how much time and effort goes into making a game, specially one within the Star Wars Universe. From all the different story concepts, to deciding on the timeline of the game, to which characters would make an appearance.
   
   The artwork is nothing short of amazing, with all the different concepts for the Jedi characters, to the look of the Apprentice, to the characters that were not included in the game.
   
   The book of course details the finished game as well, discussing in length the plot of the finished game, so if you don't want to be spoiled then wait until the game comes out to read it.



3. i saw this book at borders for double its price glad i held out and bought from amazon no free shipping which is weird lately amazon has been charging trying to make their money either taxing you or for shipping



4. Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon of global proportions. What began as inspired and inspiring science fiction action/adventure movie trilogy has expanded into novels, comics, video games, fan conventions, and memorabilia that seems to increase in popularity every year. The collaborative work of Star War's enthusiasts W. Haden Blackman and Brett Rectork, "The Art And Making Of Star Wars Force Unleashed" is a profusely illustrated compendium of information about the creation of the 'Star Wars: Force Unleashed' video game that takes place within the Star Wars universe between the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Rebel Alliance. The cutting edge of game design as applied to this Star Wars theme entertainment is fully described and illustrated with more than 300 conceptual artworks. Readers are provided with a virtual tour of the development process, provided with details of unused game concepts, story meetings with George Lucas as well as commentaries and interviews with other key members of the video game design teams. Enhanced with ten Character Cards, "The Art And Making Of Star Wars Force Unleashed" will proved to be an essential addition to the personal collections of dedicated Star Wars fans and enthusiasts as the Star Wars phenomena continues to unfold as a multi-faceted, multi-platform, multi-format entertainment.



5. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2GX6YMYRUK8Q2 The Art and Making of Star Wars Force Unleashed brings you behind the scenes into the game development process, while staying close to artists' drawing boards.
   
   This book is choked full with breathtaking concept art, character designs, diary entries and screenshots from the game. It features over 300 pieces of art work in 168 pages. On two pages are pasted paper pockets, with each containing 5 character cards.
   
   If you've owned the "art of" series for the Star Wars movies, expect the same high quality environment paintings. But this one goes up one notch with beautiful page layouts. It's the art magazine type of layout, so the every page design is essentially art in itself. Great effort from the book designers.
   
   The 6 chapters in the book explains the game creation process in depth. That's from the development of a concept, to the pitch and approval stage, next to character studies, then environment and finally the technology behind.
   
   There are lots of nitty gritty details that you won't read on Internet interviews. The authors bring you to the cutting floor and let you read all about the discarded ideas.
   
   After reading the book, you'll literally feel like you've worked with these people (most probably as an intern).
   
   For Star Wars fans, you have no reasons not to get this book. For people interested in concept design and animation, this book has lots of insight for you. This book is a great source of inspiration.
   
   Be careful of the binding though. The part where the cover meets page 1 seems like they will come apart in the future. Easily fixed by pasting some clear tape to fix the problem before it develops.
   
   If you like to see more pictures from the book, just do a search on "parka blogs force unleashed".

5 comments about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. I do not have many problems with most guides especially ones for MMO's as what they write is usually obsolete with in the first week. Well Prima along with Mythic decided to do this one differently. They made the guide with less hard numbers and more lore, strategies, guiding and such instead. This is not the norm for a guide of this type. They make suggestions and such and do it fairly well. The review from Innocente did not seem to take this into account. He wants something that will hold his hand so to speak and guide him thorough it all and this guide was not build to do this. It was written to be helpful, suggestive and get updated as the game progresses on the internet. It is useful if this was all taken into account. That is what matters and what is all that should matter. I wish you all luck and hope you have fun playing the game instead of just reading and rushing through something :)



2. Well, it's a gaming guide not a piece of fiction so what can I say about this? I'll start with the negative. The story-book style, each race written 'in its own language/lingo' can be clunky at times. Yes, you could say that it's rich in background and setting, but it doesn't make for an easy read at all from a gaming/quick help point of view. Also, although generally visually attractive, the dark background paper with black lettering can be difficult to read if you are not in very good lighting.
   
   That being said, the guide is generally helpful, with strategies and input on many things, and pretty fair and helpful maps and even minor/minimal walk-throughs for the chapters of the PQ's. Overall I would rate the book as a 3 1/2 probably. It's not a must have, but it is worth a read and is useful.



3. I opened up the guide I ordered and literally was like "WOW, this thing looks good" -
   Sadly, after that it just went downhill.
   There's distracting layout errors - like one section spreadsheet says
   "Range / Level "
   then later it's listed
   "Range / Level "
   
   We all know the "FT" were supposed to go with range, because it's distance, but it's little errors like that which pop up all over which make me wonder if a professional wrote this book, or just someone who got paid money because they knew someone.
   
   The absolute lack of substance in this book is masked by the author trying to be cute with dialogue and writing with accents and speech befitting the race you're reading about.
   
   The idea that this is a STRATEGY guide is totally bogus.. it's just an introduction to the game with things like , "if you're a healer, don't forget to heal your party members!" - Yea, thanks there turbo, I wasn't sure about that.
   
   So, it gets two stars, because it'd be nice for absolute beginners to MMOs and this game.
   
   Thank you.



4. Pros:
   great for learning about the differant classes abilitys and niches
   some great lore bits
   no hard numbers that get outdated
   great illustrations
   general public quest information
   cons:
   the language is used according to the culture, really grating
   abilitys could be broken down better
   maps should be bigger
   
   
   bottomline: Good for comparing class abilitys but not much else.



5. I bought this guide hoping for details on everything like hot keys, commands, and more but the guide only told about the different classes and the playing areas. In my opinion it was not a complete guide and your money would probably be better spend on something else and the information could more readily available for free on various Warhammer Online fansites.

3 comments about Tales of Vesperia Signature Series Guide (Bradygames Signature).

1. The Expectations of a Bradygames signature series guide are usually higher than that of other guides. Lately, it seems like the only real difference between signature series and not is the quality of the paper. The Tales of Vesperia Guide, while good, doesn't really feel like a "Signature Series" guide at all. Some of the things that detract from it are things that a Signature Series guide ought to have. And not just a signature series guide, but any strategy guide in general.
   
   The guide begins with a prologue that introduces you to the story of the game. It's short and sweet. Although it's not really all that good for anything. After that we get into the characters. The guide shows you their titles as well as their stat growth. The title list would be helpful if it also noted anything special that they do. It's unfortunate, but probably not something most gamers will find to be a big deal in the long run. It is still, however, something very essential to the game itself.
   
   We then get into the basics, which manage to be good for anyone new to the Tales games. Veterans of the Tales series (particularly Tales of the Abyss) will find that they don't need to take a peak at this section at all. Still, there's a vast amount that can be gathered for anyone who isn't familiar with the mechanics of a Tales game.
   
   All this preliminary stuff is covered rather quickly. The walkthrough is where the guide has me divided. Its divided into chapters. Each chapter begins by talking about the story and showing a step by step breakdown of what you'll have to do for that entire chapter. Needless to say, there are spoilers in this guide. Each area you'll visit has its own little walkthrough that covers a lot of the game in great depth and detail. The boss strategies in particular, are excellent. The screenshots are crystal clear.
   
   There are some things, however, the walkthrough doesn't do well. While screenshots are clear, some of them are rather small and hard to make out. Some screens were also taken before the final release of the game and could be missing details (something the author warns you of). I'd have gladly waited a little longer for them to get everything accurate first. On the whole, though, this problem rarely surfaces. There are also some sidquests that are covered in the walkthrough but it might say something like, "Come back when you're at a higher level." Unfortunately, you'll go through a lot of page flipping once you reach their prerequisite just to find the boss again. This wouldn't be such a burden if they at least directed you to the page number. What makes this problem worse, however, is that there are some side quests that are actually covered in their own section. It might've been best to just throw all of the sidequests in there.
   
   The biggest problem with the walkthrough, however, is that there are absolutely no maps of the dungeons or areas in the game. By now including maps should be standard, especially in an RPG guide. The text in the walkthrough is really detailed, but maps to show where to find the treasures or where to go would've been much better.
   
   Don't think for a second this walkthrough won't help because of those problems. There may be no maps, but the walkthrough is so detailed you probably won't need them (this doesn't excuse neglecting them). If you're having trouble with this game it's a great guide to get. It's just hard to let some of those problems go. The screenshot issue isn't so bad, but the side quests and maps can be a huge problem for some gamers who are interested in fully completing the game and finding everything.
   
   Everything after the walkthrough is good, though. Every characters artes are covered and the weapon and items list is fantastic. All the weapons even show the abilities. It's a helpful resource in that area. We then get to the "Extras" chapter. It's good but it only covers what isn't in the walkthrough already. I already talked about how mashing the sidequests into the walkthrough may not have been the best idea, but here, there are some optional things to do that don't get nearly as much attention as others. It also would've been nice had they had a list to point you back to the optional areas in the walkthrough so that the player at least knew where to flip to. The worst part is that the game mentions about a Bonus Dungeon on the second play through but doesn't even bother to detail it at all.
   
   The Tales of Vesperia guide can be summed up easily. It's not a horrible guide or even bad, but it is most certainly mediocre. For an RPG guide not to cover all the sidequests fully and lack maps is unacceptable. You'll get through the main game fine with this guide, but don't expect to master it.



2. I normally purchase strategy guides for many of my role-playing games in order to master the game with little to no spoiling of the story. I have come to rely on companies such as Prima and Bradygames to deliver complete, spoiler-free strategy guides which are both attractive on my bookshelf and fully functional.
   
   Unfortunately, I recently found myself very disappointed with the strategy guide for Tales of Vesperia. While very well-done in terms of strategy (tips, clarity of instructions, item lists, screenshots, etc.), the guide is chock full o' spoilers. I cannot tell you how many times I have tried to read ahead (in order to queue within my mind the next steps to take) and come across spoilers that ruin specific parts of the game for me.
   
   An example (no worries, no spoilers): There is a part of the game where you are led to walk into a particular area of a town, get attacked, and then be saved by an ally. The guide not only tells you how to fend off your attackers, but mentions who saves you and what you discuss with them after being saved -- all in the same paragraph.
   
   Instances such as these are present all throughout the guide, and I must say that I stopped using it halfway through the game. I am enjoying the game now, but am certainly missing out on key factors for full or near-full completion. I refuse to return to this guide, however, because I would much rather enjoy the story without reading a summary first.
   
   All in all, it's a good guide, but this seemingly minor flaw may be enough for you to put the guide down and move on as well. I gave it three stars because I know the author did a great deal of work on it. It really deserves two for its spoilerage! Oh well -- hope this review helped you, and happy gaming. Tales of Vesperia is friggin awesome!



3. This guide is an enormous disappointment. It offers a good linear walkthrough, but you don't need a guide for that. Some of the boss strategies are useful, there is help for getting some of the Acheivements, and a few of the side missions are covered; but an enormous amount of optional material is mentioned in passing or not covered at all. It's that "optional" material that most people look for in guides, not pages and pages of weapon stats that are readily available when the weapons are.
   
   The physical (paper and cover) quality is good, and everything seems accurate if it is included; perhaps I have high expectations, but simply "not being crappy" only merits two stars to me. The obvious work that went into it makes me feel like it was rushed, more than being a failing of the author. Good intentions don't make up for a product that isn't providing any value, though.

5 comments about Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. This is an excellent guide and I would like to point out my book does have the map section printed out at the end of the book, awsome!



2. I don't know how I could play the game without this gotta have book. It has helped me get through a lot of the quests and gates and gives you a detailed, play by play instruction on the main quest that keeps you from dying too may times. Great book... A must have for the game.



3. This book has was indespensible in helping me on my 'Cure Vampirism' Quest, as I am sure it will be on many more in the future. I can only imagine how annoying that quest would have been without this guide.
   
   The only thing that could be done to improve this book is to add an index at the back. That would make it infinitely better (but, as it stands now, it's still a 5-star book).
   
   You may also want to consider an investment of Post-It Flags along with this book, so you can reference things more quickly.



4. I dont know what the other review-ers are talking about? the maps are in the back, the book is great, it is a must have. The game is massive and so is this book. Everything you need to know about oblivion is in this book. If you have oblivion, you have to have this book!



5. I just got this book a few weeks ago. I've had Oblivion since I bought my 360 and this is one of they best RPG games of all time. The game is a must own. The game is massive, The biggest game world i've ever seen before. So of course if the game is massive your going to need a book that has easy to read conetnt, Lots of Maps,detailed information on the weapons, items, spells, potions, monsters ETC. This is the book!!!!!!! It has everything you need to know about playingt Oblivion. It even helps you make your character. Kind of like when you make your character in Dungeons and Dragons. It tells you how to maximize your character to the fullest even before you start your adventure. The overall walkthrough is amazing!!!! The book even tells you where to get started on your quest. Who to talk to if your doing a freedom quests or how to join the drak brotherhood and it even suggests who to kill so you don't mess up your game later on. It's a must have if you love this game. It will not just get you through that rough spot but it opens up all the possibilities that the game offers you. It opens up all the doors in this game. I don't think I would be able to know everything about this game if it wasn't for this book! I'm planning on getting the Shivering Isles and the Knights of The Nine one day. It has everything about them as well. All the maps are in the back and there are a lot of great maps. It even had all the downloadable content that you can get for the game. This book is priceless if you love this game. Buy this book! You won't be sorry. I've been playing games for over 13 years and this the best book i've owned for a game. Prima has done it again!!!!!! I don't know why it got bad reviews. The maps are in the back of the book and it has pages and pages of them.

2 comments about Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Official Strategy Guides).

1. Generally speaking, a video game strategy guide is supposed to explain complicated aspects of the game, give a walkthrough, and organize the item list to help you find all the obscure and powerful items in the game. This guide only gives a walkthrough. There is no strategy or explanation of any side quest. The item list does not tell you where to acquire the items, only that they exist. This is a useless, pretty guide. Save your money.



2. Whether you are an old school DQIV player like I am, or a neophyte getting your feet wet with this new DQIV port, I would seriously recommend picking up this guide while it is still available. Not only is it simply GORGEOUS, filled with detailed, full color illustrations of the characters, towns, weapons, armor, etc, it is an incredibly useful tool for getting the most out of your DQIV experience.
   
   It's true that as far as RPGs go, DQIV is not all that difficult---- I was in 6th grade when the game was first released and I did just fine without a guide. However, if you don't have months on end to stumble around caves trying to find magic switches which lead to the next floor or trying to find the best way to earn even SOME coins at the casino so you can get the best weapons and armor, I believe you will be quite grateful for the assistance this book offers. Not only does it have thorough lists of characters, weapons, armor, items, and monsters, it has a full walk-through, detailed maps, and best of all, helpful advice for sidequests such as how to get the best items from the first casino, how to build your immigrant town in order to find the hidden casino, etc. For those of you who are familiar with the old version of the game and who are caught off-guard by the 6th chapter, there is a full walk-through for that as well.
   
   This book loses one star because while the items list is thorough and beautifuly illustrated, it does fail to list where each item can be found. However, for each town, dungeon, etc, there is a more detailed list that shows all the items that can be obtained there, so the book DOES contain information on where all of the items (including all the special new items created just for this new version) are located, however, it's not quite as convenient as it should be.
   
   As a side note, I'd also like to say that I'm disappointed that this is the only DQIV strategy guide being released in the US. When the PS1 remake of this game was released in Japan, there were TWO guides released for it: one containing a walk-through and maps, the other focusing on characters, items, and monsters. Because there were two different volumes the books were able to go into much more detail, and they went a lot more in depth in terms of discussing strategy for which characters to use in ones party, which weapons and armor to use, etc. However, this is still an excellent guide, an excellent tool for getting the most out of this outstanding game, and a crown jewel in ANY DQ fan's collection, and as such it is HIGHLY recommended.

5 comments about Pokemon Diamond & Pearl Pokedex: Prima Official Game Guide Vol. 2 (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. Even as a mother I can get into Star Wars, Bionicles, dinosaurs, and other hobbies of my 7-year old son, however, I can't say that I enjoy Pokemon. But noone can deny that the over the decade-old Pokemon craze is here to stay as witnessed by the phenomenal success of Diamond and Pearl. My son refers to this book like a bible and Pokemon Diamond is the only DS game that he hasn't grown tired of even though he's had it almost a year.



2. At first when I bought this I thought it was going to just sit around, but as my son played through Pokemon Diamond he started referring to it more and more. The best description of it now is "very worn".
   
   The fact that every pokemon is listed along with where it can be obtained is its best selling point. The book is really geared for after you've completed the game portion and are working on "catching them all".
   
   You could probably find all of the information in this book online, but not in one location. Having it there to refer to while playing is easily worth the cost.



3. Great guide for kids to look at. My kids have all the Pokemon games and they like to look at this for reference



4. While I don't know much about Pokemon, my son loved this book when he received it. It has everything you need to know about Pokemon all in one book - according to my son. He was a very satisfied customer :)



5. WOW! This is the best guide for Pokemon Diamond and Pearl by FAR! It's not just a Pokedex, but rather much more! It not only contains information on 490 Pokemon, (Yes, 490, unfortunatly it lacks total information on Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus) but it also has CRUCIAL information about what to do after you've beaten the Pokemon League. Up to that point, it's all easy, just go along with the story. BUT once you've beaten the Pokemon League, everything in the game suddenly becomes unclear. You might KNOW there's more legendaries to catch, but you might not know where. (For Example, I had not the First Clue about going to Turnback Cave for Giratina, but when I got the guide, It led me straight there!) You might KNOW about the Battle Tower, but not who the Tower Tycoon is and when you battle him. You might KNOW about Cresselia and Fullmoon Island, but not how to get there or what to do once you've seen Cresselia. You might KNOW about Pokemon, but not at what exact level they evolve, or what exact level they learn a specific move, or if they learn it at all. All this is CRUCIAL information that you will find EXCLUSIVELY in this guide. And that's not it, either. In case you don't know which region a Pokemon is from, there is a Table of Contents in Alphabetical order at the VERY BEGINNING, making it extremely easy to find pokemon. Also, a 2 page map containing all of Sinnoh as well as the names of all the cities and places of interest. Also tells you all of the items you may find in a certain place, AND information on EVERY ROUTE AND CAVE about things you can do there BEFORE AND AFTER beating the Pokemon League, again, more CRUCIAL information EXCLUSIVE to this guide. And again, there's more-you can find information on EVERY HM and TM in the back of this book, as well as all the contest moves, items, where to get every TM, where to get each item, and a Pokemon Weakness easy look-up chart with the weaknesses AND RESISTANCES of all 490 pokemon, (yes, remember? 490...Arceus, Darkrai, and Shaymin were unknown when this guide was released) and information about where to capture any Pokemon in the Pal Park, with a detailed map of it, and how rare they will be, aka how much time it will take to catch them, prizes at the Pal Park, etc. ALL CRUCIAL INFORMATION. Also tells you where to catch ANY pokemon in the game, (as long as you CAN catch it) INCLUDING what route for Pokeradar, and descriptions to every pokemon from both Diamond and Pearl. Also a comparison of the few pokemon you can't catch in Diamond, and of the few you can't catch in pearl, as well as the list of the 50 pokemon you can not catch in Sinnoh at all, (Previous starters and legendaries, event pokemon, with a FEW unexpected ones; Tropius and Tangela...) a berrydex, all pokemon abilities and what they do, pokemon personalities, natures, what wild pokemon hold what item, A TON of information on the Underground, and that's just the Pokemon Data Lookup section of the book! There's still the Capture Guide, which is about 2 times as thick, and the Post-Game Scenario! This book is a MUST For Diamond and Pearl Fans!