Strategy Guides

[JIst00]

Ok, what is the general concensus on strategy guides for games. We all see em in Game and the like, but is it ever ok to buy and use one, or is it akin to cheating?

Personally, I usually see them as something for pussies who cant figure out a game on their own, but for a few years now whenever Ive bought a new JRPG, I always try and pick one up for the game in hand.

Now I know that screams hippopotocrit, but heres the thing, I play the game through to completion so I get the most out of the game and story without spoilers and so the challenge remains intact. THEN, being a bit of a completionist, replay it using the guide, mainly to pick up bits I may have missed out, minigames I may have skipped, make boss fights a little simpler than just winging it, etc etc etc.

I only do this with my JRPG collection, I just feel it makes my collection feel a bit more complete and gives it a little bit of a collectors feel, like owning a set of something instead of just one or two pieces.

Anyway...discuss.

 

[silasbufu]

So did you just call yourself a pussy? .. anyway..yes I have used them sometimes. When I really got stuck after hours of trying in games like Syberia , or to find solutions to certain bugs.

 

[DigitalSushi]

So did you just call yourself a pussy?

Yep, he also called himself a Hippopotocrit!, which is a word that has now entered my lexicon!.

I'm not sure, I wasn't looking forward to playing Killzone 2, I just wanted to own it... man its so much fun but Radec is hard!, so I used the gamefaq and I still can't beat him!.

I'm rubbish!

 

[JIst00]

So did you just call yourself a pussy? .. anyway..yes I have used them sometimes. When I really got stuck after hours of trying in games like Syberia , or to find solutions to certain bugs.

Pretty much =P

Personally I feel like strategy guides are a bit redundant thanks to GameFAQ's. I only use the latter when I have completed a game and I need something to waste time on so I can play it some more.

Yeah GameFaq's has helped on many an occasion, but I like having something I can hold in my hands, with pretty pictures. Looks good on my shelf too

 

[GodsAndFishes]

I only bought the one for Oblivion, and that was just so that I had something to read on holiday, and later for completionistic reasons.

 

[kawaiiamethist]

I proudly collect official strategy guides, sometimes even the UK AND US editions. And if I don't purchase a guide, I download the best possible before starting my game. Yes, I am a pussy, but I know what I am.

Before I did this I never completed games. I do sometimes think for myself, but I like having a guide to fall back on so I don't take a wrong turn. I also hate to miss good items.

I wouldn't advice always relying on the official guides though, in some cases they get it wrong or completely miss things. The worst and laziest guide I've ever come across is Shadow Hearts Covenant. People may complain about FFIX having holes, but at least it wasn't vague when guiding you around.

 

[CD-R]

I bought the Fallout 3 strategy guide during Circuit City's going out of buisness sale. If it's for a huge rpg or open world type game like Oblivion or GTA then I don't think that makes you pussy. I seriously doubt anyone was able to find all of the hidden packages in GTA III without a map or guide.