No comments about Cheat Code Overload 2009 (Secret Codes).

3 comments about Playboy: The Mansion(tm) Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Take Your Games Further).

1. I'm going to be very blunt here. This book simply doesn't make the cut. Granted that Playboy: The Mansion is an easy game which is at the same time, rather repetitive, the level of details in this guide is not what I'd expect paying $15 for. In fact, I could get stronger fan-written walkthroughs from various game sites on the internet. Yes, it's that bad.
   
   Apart from being skeletal, I also noticed a few errors in this guide. Firstly, if you've played the game, you should know that completing objectives and missions gives you bonus points or other rewards. Some of these rewards are wrongly listed in the guide.
   
   Secondly, the screenshots. The images are obviously taken from the PC version of the game, which is not an issue. However, for the three bonus missions exclusive only to PS2 players, the screenshots are merely generic images from previous missions. These give a really cheap feel to the book. Surely, if you're writing a guide to sell for money, you should at least provide some real screenshots? What happened to integrity?
   
   Thirdly, redundancy. Journalists, photgraphers and some celebrities are randomly included in each game. In fact, the names are also randomiized. For example, a certain "Desiree Carver" could be a journalist in one game, and a Playmate in another. Why then, would the book waste pages "recommending" randonmized characters? And, on the subject of listing characters, some of the non-randomized characters have wrong pictures beside them.
   
   The only good thing about this book is that it provides a rather extensive list of items you can build and purchase. At least, it scores some points for details to compensate for the weak walkthrough. Still, I'm not entirely bothered with the effects that furniture and doors have on the game. To be honest, you will only be buying a few items, and the effects of these items are listed prominently in the game itself. But I'm trying to be nice.
   
   Still, in conclusion, steer clear of this.



2. If you have the game this book is very helpful.
   I have learned a few things about the game that I missed or didn't do when I first played



3. The Playboy Mansion hint book was not very helpful to me. Here is why. Much of the book is on story mode. While I found it helpful in explaining how the game works, the free style section was tiny when compared to the chapters on how the missions work. But I don't play story mode. So, while parts were helpful, the book didn't help me improve my games. Much of it was easy to figure out just by diving into the game.
   Also, I have heard many of the missions of the story mode are impossible to play - which means, if correct, story mode only goes so far before becoming a dead end.

5 comments about Microsoft Age of Empires II: Age of Kings : Inside Moves (Eu-Inside Moves).

1. I am a rookie at AOK, so I thought this book might help me improve. I have played the game for only a couple of weeks and almost all the tips given here were things I had already learned in the course of playing the game. This book adds very little to the knowledge base of the manual and/or that which one obtains by playing a few campaigns. I felt it was a real waste of money.



2. Well if you're looking for in-depth strategies you're in the wrong place, it only works if your manual is missing or something like that, this only gives the very basics of the game and if you're a semi-experienced then you already found out for yourself most of the "tips" in the book.
   I give it 3 stars because the Mexican edition of the book (which I own) includes a CD-ROM with additional levels and AI files and many other utilities that will allow you to take more fun of the game.



3. I must say that I disagree entirely with others who have written a review for this strategy guide. I think that it's great that the author gave so much information on each civilization; that way you can become an expert in one area. His advise is great and it works, and he seems to know a lot about the game. I do, however, agree that he should have written more general tactics, but a lot of the general tactics he explains when writing about the civilizations. His walkthroughs for each campaign and scenario are fantastic and prescise, and if I were you I would buy this guide in an instant.

   (By the way, I was about in the middle of between expert and novice when I bought this book.)




4. This is an awesome game for anyone who likes constant action...You advance trough the middle ages while making the best military you can. Then with your military you attack your enemy. I suggest this game to everyone. With more than 3000 players online, I think youll like it.It is an awesome gift for anyone.



5. This guide is fairly useful, although there is a lot of info about factions that I never play. Just a personal preference. Otherwise, this book is useful, especially for strategies and tips on how to win the game.

5 comments about Super Mario Sunshine Official Strategy Guide.

1. If you want a guide to Super Mario Sunshine, this isn't a bad buy. It goes more into the game basics than most other guides, and the walkthrough gives me more info than some of the others did (though I still think that the Nintendo Power is the best but sadly Amazon doesn' have it).

   The guide is more organized and easy to read and actually helps you get through the game. The maps are detailed and actually point out where all the items are, they give you info on all the FLUDDs and such.

   The walkthrough has Crystal Clear screenshots. To most people you may think this guide can't be good becasue you're paying only [money], but its better than some of the others out there, and because its cheaper makes it more of a bargain!

   OVERALL
   The Good
   +Beautiful Maps
   +Great ORGANIZED walkthrough
   +All 120 shines revealed!
   +Nice Screens and strategy

   The Bad
   -Boss strategies lack
   -Doesn't really cover too many of the cheap tricks




2. I went over to play at my friend's house, and since he has a Gamecube we played Super Mario Sunshine. He also had this guide to the game. We flipped through it together, and I looked around at it and it was a great guide. It had detailed maps showing where shines were and blue coins. You name it, this guide has it. However, when I got Super Mario Sunshine, I just looked aroung for walkthroughs on the internet and I found some at various gaming websites. They all had information on where to find shines, how to get them, and blue coins. Not that this isn't a great guide, but I prefer things for free ... However, if someone is always on your home computer or you simply don't have the time to get online, this guide is for you.



3. Game needs better controls, but the guide is very good. I highly recommend this guide.



4. Arguably, when these third-party companies try to make very good strategy guides for video games, they just really need to be improved little by little everytime. Arguably, it sometimes must be a better option to buy it directly from the company that conjured the game. With Brady Books issuing of their strategy guide to Super Mario Sunshine, it does showcase some great detail on some of the most difficult courses, but it just doesn't seem to showcase enough particularly on the harder levels, and the secret courses. I only suggest that you get this, if you can't find any other strategy guide. Otherwise, get the actualy strategy guide that officially Nintendo made for Super Mario Sunshine.



5. This game is pretty hard, and I really had a hard time figuring it out, but this book really, really helped me! If you have this game, then you'll definintely need this book! This game is great! (Too bad Daisy isn't in it. It'd be better that way.)

1 comments about La Pucelle: Tactics Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. If you liked Disgaea: Hour of Darkness then you will thoroughly enjoy it's sequel, La Pucelle:Tactics. Basically, this game like a lot of other games I know is about stopping the battle of good and evil. However, this game implores a lot more strategy as one has to purify portals to the netherworld in order to stop even more enemies from participating in battle. One can also recruit monsters to your side as well. As for graphics, I would say that I actually prefer the traditional animation here. In some games it works in others it doesn't. The sound was great considering the voice acting. All in all, I think that this game is pretty good for a sequel and since it is kind of a rare gem so to speak, one would definitely want to add it to his/her collection.

3 comments about You and Wii: Everything You Need to Know (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. Die Hard gamers definitely all crazy over the newest systems, especially Nintendo's Wii. But, finding the system in the stores is very difficult right now, no matter where you look. If you do want to find out about the system, before you buy the system, than this book will help you out. You & Wii: Everything You Need To Know is a simple and comprehensive guide that shows you everything you need to know about how to setup your system, from the way to download games from Nintendo's Virtual Store, all the way to how to use the Wii Remote with games like Wii Sports which comes with the system. This is a really good buy for anybody who wants a simple way of installing, and playing the Wii any way around. I definitely recommend this book a whole lot. Although Prima hasn't done a good job making strategy guides for video games recently, this guide is really a great book that delivers well.
   
   Price: B+
   
   Convience: B
   
   Maps & Graphs: B
   
   Overall: B 1/2+



2. The book is well written with good pictures and explinations. Much better than the manual that comes with the unit. It is however limited to the games that come with the wii, and basic concepts. Worth 15 bucks to get started, but if you are already using your wii and want in depth reference material this is not for you.



3. Don't waste your time on this book if you have any experience with using a video game, computer, or even a remote control. You can do it on your own. But if you are truly technologically illiterate, then it might be helpful.
   
   I would recommend it for my grandma.

4 comments about Max Payne(tm) 2: The Fall of Max Payne Official Strategy Guide for PS2 & (Brady Games.).

1. Reviewing a strategy guide for a game you are lukewarm about is one of those piquant experiences. Especially when the guide is better than the game. Unfortunately, Max Payne 2 failed to grab me. I didn't find it particularly difficult either. If you go everywhere and try everything you will eventually figure everything out. Except for maybe the last 15 minutes.

   So here is a guide, put together by Tim Bogenn, that is a clear, easy to use walkthrough. One could almost fault it for a lack of emphasis on strategy, since it simply tells you what to do each step of the way. The only source of confusion is that Begenn chose not to provide maps, and sometimes the pictures aren't as graphic as they should be.

   But if you need a guide, this will carry you through. It includes information on the advanced modes and weapons as well. Since there are exactly 12 weapons there really isn't anything left out. So this is a first for me - a five star rating for a guide to a game which I only gave 3 stars. Go figure!




2. Very thorough guide to all the steps you need to take to master this violent noir thriller.
   
   Detective Max Payne returns to fight the crime world. Love comes calling, as the gumshoe's heart is under siege as well this time.
   
   Helped me beat some of the hardest puzzles in the game. I turned to the guide whenever it seemed like I was stuck at an impossible spot.
   
   Max is one of my favorite video characters. This game is a rare intelligent thriller. If you're tired of the same rocket-launcher binges against the same monsters and aliens, get into the murkiest world of all: the criminal mind.



3. Hello. My name is Ivan. I recieved this booklet in great condition. I was very pleased with this. This booklet was very helpful while I played my game.Thankyou.



4. thanks for the great deal on this game, ever since i saw the movie i have been wanting to play the games all over again, you guys made that possible for me.

2 comments about Suikoden: Unauthorized Secrets & Solutions (Secrets of the Games Series.).

1. This is a totally awesome guide book to one of my favorite games for the Playstation. The maps are easy to read and the book gives you all the hints you need to gather all 108 of your characters.



2. this guide might be one of the easy's to follow your steps.it also helped me out alot on the 108th stars of destiny you will know were to find them and how to get them.this guide is also one of the rares't guides you will find.

5 comments about Pokémon? Ruby & Sapphire Official Trainer's Guide.

1. I bought this guide and found that everything in it is exactly what I could have figured out on my own. No PokeDex and nothing about breeding pokemon except one lousy sentence. This guide is horrible! Buy a Prima or Nintendo guide instead if you want helpful information. This book is a dud...



2. I have all three Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire guides out there - prima's, nintendo's, and (shudders) brady's.
   
   Bradygames' strategy guides either are downright awesome or downright bad, and this guide is answer B. This was the first of the three PR&S guides that I bought. I went home, played the game with the help of this guide, and without leaving Littleroot Town, went out to EBGames the next day and bought the Prima guide.
   
   Bradygames includes a decent walkthrough of the game with detailed info, but that's about it. The guide has a list - just a basic list - of all the Pokemon, but forces you to buy a whole other $15 book to get info on the other Pokemon. May I note that in both Prima and Nintendo's guides, they include just as full Pokedexes but in the same guide? Yeah, that was a huge downside of the Bradygames' guide. Also, the walkthrough really could have been more detailed now that I think about it. After I compared the three guides, Nintendo had the best walkthrough, Prima came in second, and guess who came in last.
   
   I'm getting tired of listing endless bad things about Brady's Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire guide, so I'll just say:
   BUY NINTENDO OR PRIMA'S GUIDE...'nuff said!



3. Too many mistakes! Do not buy it no matter what! NEVER EVER BUY IT. I recomend the Nintendo Power or Prima.



4. BUY THIS! THIS IS THE BEST GUIDE EVER! IT HAS EVERYTHING!
   IT EVEN HAS LOTS OF THINGS! THE NINTENDOPOWER IS BOOBOO!



5. This is the best guide ever. It does not have a Snotedex. 'Tendo and Primer have a Snotedex though.
   
   This says "Sabdshrew," which means "No mistakes." The sandy waterfalls, Tendo calls slippery slopes. Rock Crush. Tendo says Rock "Smash." "Smash" is a word for two-year-olds!
   
   This is a big strategy guide. It'get you past everything. If you get Tendo or Prime, start over. You MUST 'gree with me!
   
   Get this. If you don't, then you will get stuck.
   
   Without a guide, you do great too. Buy this, you year-old!
   I am Crabbiest! See ya next time on the Bad Word-No Show!

5 comments about Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. I have used a lot of strategy guides for video games. Mostly, it is a strictly utilitarian venture.
   
   I have to say, though, the design of this book BLEW ME AWAY. It is AWESOME! It accomplishes its utlitarian purpose with flying colors, thanks to the excellent writing. Even in that context, the layout and the design were phenomenal. I really don't think I've ever seen a more well-designed strategy guide, EVER!
   
   This book is so amazing, I would recommend it to people who aren't even going to play the game. It is really that good. The design transports you to another world. I am going to be especially mindful of Prima Guides into the future. They have won my loyalty with this book.



2. ...on a regular basis. After each mission, you get rated, one might think that a strategy guide would not only show you all the ins and outs, of a mission, but also how to get the 100% rating for it. There was sadly, very little useful information in this book. The maps and locations of things are nice, but that's pretty much where you have to put the book down and play the game on your own.
   The book is setup for all the platforms that SC-CT appears on, but what the writers didn't take into account is how the game differs on each platform. Whoever wrote it, didn't play it on the Xbox, because the things he writes about, don't work in a normal setting. For instance, they never mention that the ambient sound levels drop as you progress in difficulty. Or they promote the use of your lethal attacks when that hurts your score. Not that it even gives good strategic advice there. When it mentions the cargo ship, it tells you to knock out the second of two guards in a hallway, and when the first guard turns around to see what's going on, you have a moment to shoot him. It never mentions that you could just shoot out the three lights in that area and silently grab each guard while they are standing around in the dark with no flares.
   There are so many different paths in every mission, it is hard to cover them all. There are also a lot of things in each mission that don't change. For instance, it's always better to capture a guard and interrogate him, rather than sniping him from some distance off. Either hack everything you can or get a guard to open it for you.
   Splinter Cell has always been a detail oriented game, lots of little things to pay attention to. To get the most enjoyment and playability out of this game, you can't go through any of the missions with your guns blazing. I only bought this because I was hoping to find out how to finish the Bathouse mission with 100%, and it didn't even help me do that.



3. Whenever Prima gets its hands around a project, it really gets its hands around a project. By looking through the guide you can get an accurate feel for what the game actually looks like. There are plenty of maps and screen shots to help guide you--not only through the game, but on whether the game is worth buying in the first place. I always check out a PRIMA guide before buying a game. So many of today's strategy guides are filled with empty swatches of page, or else LAME clip art. Just show me the game!
   
   It really seemed like the designers of this guide put in the extra effort too. There are helpful tips and comments throughout. Nothing was left to chance. Visually stunning and magnificent.



4. For someone who hasn't played the game before, this book is a good one to help you get through it the first time. It gives some good basic pointers and discusses the weaponry and basic tactics. It is really more of a walk-through for first time players.
   
   For anyone who wants a score of 100%, forget the book. It became quickly obvious that the author(s) didn't look past the obvious in each scenario. I found many ways in the stealth mode of avoiding bad guys altogether instead of knocking them all out or killing them (you lose 2% on your score per kill). Obvious ways around the map and ways of avoiding contact with the enemy (and resulting alarms or being spotted) aren't mentioned. Some situations have a very easy way out, but the author(s) didn't mention that - obviously because they didn't sit down at the game and try out all the possibilities.
   
   The worst part of the book is the map section. There is no attempt to connect the various two-dimensional maps into the third dimension so you know, for instance, what ventilator shafts go where on different floors of a multi-level building. The map section was the primary reason for me getting the book and I was very disappointed. It wasn't as thorough as other Prima books I have purchased in the past.
   
   Again, for someone just starting in the game, it is a great book to keep you from getting lost or frustrated. It provides you a way to complete the level. But after you use the book, play again and again, exploring other avenues of completing the scenarios. Do a quick save, then incapacitate all the bad guys in the area so you can explore it in detail. Then you can reload the quick save and move on. Every area has multiple ways of getting through them - some overt, some covert. Some are hard to find in the heat of battle or while hiding. That's where incapacitating, then exploring comes into play.
   
   Chaos Theory is a great game. This book just doesn't do the game justice in my opinion.



5. All in all not a bad strategy guide. Walk-through is clear and will get you through the levels with ease. It gives you options on how to play your game either through stealth or kill everybody in sight. All objectives are given to you and where you can find them. The walk-through pictures suggesting where you should position yourself are a little dark. They could of been a little brighter.