Gamers - do you use strategy guides?

[yoda313]

So do you use strategy guides for games?

I have bought several for different games.

THough I haven't finished any of the games I bought them for yet. But it is comforting to know i have them there.

Or do you not use physical guides and just hop online for a quick read on a challenging section?

I do both I guess. I actually did finish two games last year - Ghostbusters on the 360 and Uncharted 2 on the ps3 - both on the normal difficulty by the way - and I traded both in after I finished (gamestop). I went online for a few sections on both games. However for the large part I did it on my own. Both games were a lot of fun.

[retroborg]

Sadly most modern games have been very simplified and basically “Grab you by the hand” and guide you through, killing off the sensation of exploration & discovery.
One example is C&C3. The goals & buildings of each objective are clearly shown on the map, leading you straight to them!

I haven’t had to use a guide since 1999 for Hexen II on the PC. That game had some awesome RPG / Adventure elements and large hub-like levels to explore. It greatly puzzled the mind.

But other than that, today YouTube has many video long-play walkthroughs so you don’t even need a magazine or online guide any more.

[yoda313]

has many video long-play walkthroughs so you don’t even need a magazine or online guide any more.

But it still is technically a "guide". I mean you're still using a source for advancing your game play.

Actually the New Super Mario Wii game has stepped it one up. They have it where if you die so many times in a level it "unlocks" a playthrough video to show you how to do it.

One I actually like is SPLOSION MAN for Xbox Live that I bought. It lets you skip a level entirely after dying so many times.....


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I have Infamous for the ps3 which is great and is an "open world" game. The only trouble I have with that type of game is its almost too "open" for me. I would like to have kind of a roadmap to see a good way to finish the game.

DOn't get me wrong - side missions are fun but sometimes there too many side missions and you lose track of completing the game itself.

Uncharted 2 was great. It was relatively linear but had some quest stuff (treasures you could find) but it was a clear cut path to the end that was well worth the effort.

[lordsmurf]

I'm not a "gamer", but I use guides when something gets boring and obviously requires some non-obvious action to win and/or move forward in the game.

I used a guide online to figure out how to beat a boxer in Wii Punch-out a couple months ago. Before that, I think I looked for help finding some pieces in Star Wars Lego several years back. I remember using it for Mortal Kombat II fatalities, babalities and friendships many moons ago (arcade game was new, read off a BBS). Bought a guide for Dragon Warrior in 80s. That's really about it that I can remember. There were probably some more.

[yoda313]

Bought a guide for Dragon Warrior in 80s

I got the nintendo power super guide for Dragon Warrior 3. That was a superb game.

I remember when I had Nintendo Power during the wanning years of the NES and the birth of the SNES. The Super Guides had everything in full color and all the maps. Great read too. Those were the days

[ps2daddy]

I use gamesages.com and gamefaqs.com a lot of times dont have enough time to beat many games without one. They have many great walkthroughs.

I used to use gamefaqs over a 28.8kb modem back in the day to download guides via ftp before they had an actual website back in the day around 1993

[tgpo]

Yep. I don't get enjoyment at failing to realize what to do next.

[retroborg]

I use gamesages.com and gamefaqs.com a lot of times dont have enough time to beat many games without one. They have many great walkthroughs.

I used to use gamefaqs over a 28.8kb modem back in the day to download guides via ftp before they had an actual website back in the day around 1993

I didn't know gamefaqs was around since 1993!
ign also has codes & walkthroughs.

[ps2daddy]

I use gamesages.com and gamefaqs.com a lot of times dont have enough time to beat many games without one. They have many great walkthroughs.

I used to use gamefaqs over a 28.8kb modem back in the day to download guides via ftp before they had an actual website back in the day around 1993

I didn't know gamefaqs was around since 1993!
ign also has codes & walkthroughs.

Yep used to use gopher to ftp to their guides on their bulletin board

Also gamesages became ign too