What are your opinions on video game strategy guides / guidebooks?

1. 77

   JohnGreasyGamerposted 10 years ago

   What are your opinions on video game strategy guides / guidebooks?
   
   With video gaming becoming ever more popular through the ages, it's hard to be stuck on a particular level, or scratch your head when confronting a particular boss. Do you turn to the strategy guide, which you've paid $20 for, or simply go to the internet to have all your questions answered? Are video game guides in the book form now completely useless? Do video game guides need to stop being published in paper due to costs, and availability?

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2. 73

   EJ Lambertposted 10 years ago

   They were perfect back in the 90s, concise, visual and having everything needed to topple a game.  However, as the internet progressed and grew bigger, people found it more useful (and cheaper) than the guides.  It's also unfortunate because games have become a little easier to conquer without them since the ability to cheat went out the door.

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   1. 77

      JohnGreasyGamerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Totally agreed. I think the best example of video game guide hands down is Nintendo Power, the US magazine which was originally aimed at the NES/SNES, alongside Virtual Boy, Game Boy and later on would expand to the N64 and up.

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   2. 73

      EJ Lambertposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Ah, the good old days.

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3. 61

   Kexulposted 10 years ago

   I've always liked them personally. I never really shell the money out for them though. I only have five or six guides. I'm usually really bad at games even though I play a lot. I have gotten better and don't really need them anymore but i always enjoyed looking at the pictures and charts.
   
   I do use the internet more often for help, as usually there is a forum post with the answer just a few clicks away. However, I do still enjoy the book form as our internet use to drop right when I'd finally look up for a solution to a problem.

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4. 82

   Vitallaniposted 10 years ago

   I have never bought guides. If I get stuck, I'll try for as long as I can to figure out the answer myself; if I can't, then I'll go online for a walkthrough or FAQ, and avoid reading any of the following gaming spoilers.

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5. 86

   Dvd Zermeno Perezposted 10 years ago

   In my opinion, a game guide in book form is useless, because the internet is faster, cheaper and has MANY more options than one guide books.
   For example all the MMO right know have a guide book for leveling, battle styles, searching, groups, raids, etc... but with every new patch or expansion that guide book become even more useless because it's "outdated", the modern games have several patches and expansion, and those keep the game evolving, and in constant change making it harder to a guide book to keep useful, it's more expensive, zero ambient friendly due to the use of paper and the numbers of copies will be limited...instead in the internet you have the option to re-edit your guide, cheaper option, and a more green-friendly with the ambient.

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6. 60

   Tygher41posted 10 years ago

   I still use them. My boyfriend always says its "because I'm a girl and am more patient playing", but I like being able to find all of the little hidden games, awards and things you may miss cruising through without having some guidance.

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7. 54

   nipsterposted 8 years ago

   I think selling a paper guide is outdated. I also probably wouldn't pay $20 for it. I think it would be better if it were digital. I would pay $10 for an e copy. I would rather pay for a beautiful, cheap digital guide than go onto gamefaqs.

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