Strategy Guide Reviews Archives - Page 12 of 44

Super Smash Bros. Strategy Guide Review

December 23, 2014 By Chris Nitz Leave a Comment

Of all the fighting games out there, I believe none are as chaotic and insane as the Smash Bros. series. This is no different for Super Smash Bros. on the WiiU and 3DS. The amount of fun this game is providing me is making it one of my must own titles for 2014. Sweetening the pot is this wonderful Super Smash Bros. strategy guide from Prima Games.

When it comes to fighting game basics, Prima Games put a heap of info in here. Not only does this guide detail the fundamentals of spot dodging, fast fall, tilt attacks, and so on, but the authors included notes that draw attention to how some moves change based on various characters. I found this section to be a solid refresher.

An evil Link costume…HECK YEAH!

The one added item to this section is a small area dedicated to the Amiibos. I was totally not ready for this. It’s a nice bit detailing what the Amiibos do for this game, and why anyone might want to invest in the figures. It’s also nice to see all of the launch figures in once area. Anyone on the fence over this latest Nintendo add-on craze, this might be the final push needed to get a character or two, if you can even find them now.

With the basics done, it’s off to the characters. I found this area to be pretty standard fare. Each character has a small stats block detailing the number of jumps, wall jump, wall cling, and crawl stats. Each attack contains a small blurb on what it does and how much damage it produces.

What I found most useful is the strategy portion for each character. Let’s say that I wanted to try out Duck Hunt, but wasn’t really feeling the mechanics for said fighter. The strategy section gives me a good place to start and what attacks I might want to focus on over others. The tips might seem basic, but they are very useful when trying to master more of the fighters.

Following the massive character section, the stages now get their time in the spotlight. Each stage has a small screenshot and a blurb detailing what to watch for in how the stage works. Anyone wanting to know how to unlock the hidden battle grounds will want to pay attention to the very beginning of this area. What I like most about this section is that the stages are broken down between the WiiU and 3DS versions. Complimenting this is that the tab navigation queues on the side is color coded, thus making it much easier to quickly skip one console section for the other. It’s a small detail, but one that saves a good bit of page flipping.

Up next are all the items, and man are there a lot of friggin items in this game. This is one area where the repetition of the info was a bit much. The guide breaks down the items by their types, and lists the items fitting that type. After that, each item gets a blurb of detail, and again, the item type is listed. It’s a bit redundant, but it’s a small section, so nothing that makes it harder to read or navigate through the guide.

I covet thee.

Now for the section I spent the most amount of time in: Game Modes. There is a lot to do in both versions of Super Smash Bros. and this is why this area is still my best friend. I mean, all of the unlocks are listed here, and I had to unlock everything! This also covers things such as challenge details, enemies, battle items, the shop, and so on. Yes, for the 3DS crew, this also tackles the Smash Run mode. While this area is a bit scatterbrained in the organization, it is probably the most useful part of this guide. While I’m still working to 100% the game on both my WiiU and 3DS, this will be by my side until that task is completed.

As I mentioned before, the only big complaint I have with this guide is that some info is repeated at times. It’s nothing major, but it did sometimes feel as though my wife was “reminding” me to take the trash out…again….for the sixth time. There is also a timeline of the Smash Bros. series on the last page, and I felt this would have been better spent with some art from across all the games. Smash Bros. has a rich history, and having some bonus content on that would have just sent this guide to the next level.

You know, Prima Games impressed me with this guide. They could have just kicked a guide out covering one version of Super Smash Bros., but they didn’t. They waited for both games to drop and then released this guide. The amount of info they put in here is ridiculous. Regardless if you’re a seasoned veteran or completely new to the game, there is something in this guide for everyone.

SGR Rating 4.5/5

Authors: Nick Von Esmarch, Reepal Parbhoo
Publisher: Prima Games
Editions Available: Paperback and Collector’s Edition
Acquired via Publisher

Assassin’s Creed Unity Strategy Guide Review

December 12, 2014 By Keri Honea Leave a Comment

It’s ridiculous how far behind I am in my reviewing of strategy guides, but what better way to start getting caught up than with a review of the Assassin’s Creed Unity strategy guide from Prima Games? I am still using this strategy guide, because my overall conquest of Revolutionary Paris is far from complete. It’s not the strategy guide’s fault by any stretch of the means; it’s strictly my own because I want every single little thing out of this game. And I mean everything. Those looking to get that 100% completion in the game, with the main campaign, co-op missions, and all those darn collectibles, the Assassin’s Creed Unity strategy guide will save you countless hours and desynchronizations.

The main campaign is fairly straight forward, and it is incredibly lenient on the never-getting-spotted stipulation that previous AC games were notorious for. Occasionally, remaining in the shadows is a requirement to avoid desynchronization, but it’s often a bonus objective to achieve 100% synchronization. Each mission has at least one bonus objective for 100% synch, and the strategy guide will walk you through the most efficient way to accomplish these goals.

The strategy guide was especially helpful for the final fight, as that was one boss fight that was hardly intuitive. I have no idea how many times I would have died trying to take care of the head Templar in the battle leading up to the final fight as well as the final fight. Thanks to the guide’s heads up and tips, I was able to defeat the final Templar rather quickly (only died once during the final battle, which was mostly my fault and Arno’s fault for running up a wall instead of hiding).

See? No one has time for this.

But the real reason to pick up the strategy guide is for all of the side questing, especially the Nostradamus Enigmas. I was patient with the first couple I came across, and after that, the guide has stayed open in my lap as I “cheat” my way through solving the rest. I have zero patience for such riddles. I applaud them for being so clever, but ugh, I don’t have time for that. I didn’t use the guide for the murder mysteries as much, as I do love those and I have patience for those. For the occasional moment when I really was stuck, the guide was a life saver. Same goes for the Paris Stories, that I had a lot of difficulty with. The strategy guide pointed out all of the abilities I should have unlocked before attempting each of these side quests, which alleviated most of my frustration instantly.

For me, the best reason for the strategy guide, other than looking up the answers to the Nostradamus riddles, was getting help with the Heist missions. These co-op missions are 100% stealth only, and I’m not stealthy and my co-op partners are less stealthy than I am. I’ll try to pan out a strategy for breaking into a building, and my partners have already dropped down into the courtyard trying to stab everyone at once. Heist missions fully embrace and enforce the “not-getting-seen” requirement, so having a plan from the get-go is vital unless you enjoy desynchronizing over and over through trial and error.

The back sections of the strategy guide serve as additional tips and story analysis. The “Optimal Progression” page provides invaluable advice on making money fast, when to attempt side quests, and when it’s best to go collectible hunting. The pages explaining what the little Companion App is for also relieved quite a headache.

The last section is for diehard Assassin’s Creed fans only, and should only be looked at after completing the game. This section analyzes the entire story of ACU, including why certain Templars were killed, what other side characters were up to, info on the sages, and the present day characters as well as the First Civilization. This section is perfect for hardcore fans looking for deeper analysis or brand new fans who are wondering what in the world is going on.

If I have one complaint about the strategy guide, it’s that not all of the Achievements/Trophies have tips on how to complete them. Many of them do, such as referencing where to look for more information or straight out saying exactly how to accomplish it. And then a few others say nothing, such as the “Guillotined” Achievement/Trophy. I honestly have no idea how to kill an enemy with a counterweight. How is this possible and where is the easiest spot to nab this virtual reward?

Considering how much I loathed the Assassin’s Creed II strategy guide, I’m so pleased to see Prima Games and Piggyback greatly improving their AC products. I’m extremely happy with the Assassin’s Creed Unity strategy guide, and I can definitively say it’s the perfect companion for that 100% synchronization in Assassin’s Creed Unity. Don’t go stabbing things in Paris without it.

SGR Rating: 4.5/5

Author: James Price
Publisher: Piggyback
Distributor: Prima Games
Editions Available: Paperback, Collector’s Edition, and Initiate’s Edition
Acquired via Distributor

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Strategy Guide Review

November 11, 2014 By Brad Hilderbrand Leave a Comment

I do not envy the folks who were tasked with writing the Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel strategy guide. The Borderlands franchise has always been one with sprawling maps, countless enemies, and so many weapon variants that it boggles the mind. Anyone who has agonized over swapping out a gun that deals more base damage over one that fires corrosive bullets knows exactly the pain I’m talking about. With new characters, new powers, and a whole new world to explore (with reduced gravity!) the BradyGames crew does an admirable job delivering a comprehensive, informative guide that serves as a vital companion to the experience.

What originally struck me as funny when thumbing through the guide is that the main story walkthrough is actually a fairly minor section. Don’t get it wrong, the guide does a fine job of walking you through the main story missions and letting you know how to effectively get around Pandora’s moon of Elpis, it’s just that in the grand scheme of the game the primary missions are but a small piece of the overall experience. Still, the guide dutifully takes you from point-to-point in your adventure, complete with extensive maps and helpful screenshots to guide you to those hard-to-find locales.

In a brilliant bit of foresight, the strategy guide also has special callouts at the end of each relevant story mission to let you know which side quests have unlocked. Borderlands titles have always been mostly about losing yourself for dozens of hours completing secondary and tertiary mission’s for the world’s eccentric (and mildly insane) citizenry, and it’s truly helpful to know when and where you can pick up new missions as they become available. Sometimes, the guide even points out that a mission may be unlocked, but it’s more beneficial to wait a bit before starting it because you’ll be in the same area later on doing another task. Having a comprehensive strategy for conquering the chaos of these bonus missions is potentially the guide’s greatest strength.

In addition to the step-by-step mission guides there’s also an exhaustive beastiary, a full breakdown of Achievements/Trophies and Badass Challenges, as well as a great primer for new players and a few handy tips on new mechanics for franchise vets. One of my favorite touches is the recommended builds for both solo play and co-op for each of the main characters, as well as a great analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each skill tree. In previous Borderlands games I always felt like I was flying blind as I built up my character, so it’s great to have a template from which to build.

Some players may be a bit sad to hear that the weapons breakdown is fairly straightforward, merely laying out the different manufacturers and their weapons’ unique qualities. You won’t find an exhaustive list of every possible weapon in the game, but to ask for such a thing is foolhardy anyway. Since weapon/loot drops are random and there are countless possible combinations it would be impractical (if not impossible) to try and list them all. What is offered is perfectly sufficient, and the guide will call out specific weapons that are either granted as part of a mission or as a reward for completing a quest.

I’ll admit that when I first picked up the guide for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel I had no idea how anyone could possibly explain this incredibly huge, complex game in a way that made sense. I was very happy to find that not only can it be done, but done in such a way that feels effortless. Every time I boot up the game I’ve got the guide at my side, not because I have to for the purposes of a review, but because I want it at my fingertips to help me beat every baddie and uncover every secret. I can’t imagine higher praise than that.

SGR Rating: 5/5

Author: Rick Barba and Michael Lummis
Publisher: BradyGames
Editions available: Paperback
Acquire via publisher

Bayonetta 2 Strategy Guide Review

November 7, 2014 By Keri Honea Leave a Comment

The first Bayonetta game was an absolute beast, despite how simple it seemed on the surface as an action game. Hidden levels, a grading system, and more collectibles than should be allowed filled Platinum Games’ game to the brim. If you had any hopes in securing all of the collectibles or finding all of the hidden levels, both of which only appeared on certain difficulties, then the strategy guide was almost an requirement. Bayonetta 2 isn’t as crazy as that, but finding all of the collectibles is still a horrific issue. and I know I couldn’t have found all of the Muspelheim and other hidden levels without the Bayonetta 2 strategy guide. If only the strategy guide could have also given me mad fighting skillz so I could have finished all of the Muspelheim levels or found all of the collectibles, but that’s more about me learning to suck less than anything else.

Bayonetta 2 is combo heavy, but the brilliant thing about it is that you don’t have to be perfect at it to get through the game. However, don’t you want to earn those Pure Platinum medals and beat the game on the ∞ Climax difficulty? I thought so. And if your combo-pressing skills are about as abysmal as I am, then you will want to look in the Combat Primer chapters of the Bayonetta 2 strategy guide. The primer goes over the tutorial information found in the game itself, but it also goes above and beyond what you can learn when purchasing new techniques. Many of the combo presses are confusing to say the least when the game tries to show you what they are. Those who are more versed in these types of games may understand completely what the instructions are trying to say, but I needed a translator. The Beginning Primer and Advanced Primer explained how some of these more complicated techniques were executed, which made far more sense than the in-game instructions. In addition, the Advanced Primer gives several useful tips for improving your technique.

The meat of the strategy guide is of course the main story walkthrough. I apologize in advance for not being able to scan in some of the guide pages to illustrate how useful the book is. For those who missed it, the baby did a number on my copy, and well, the whole thing is close to ruined.

Each chapter is divided into the corresponding Verses, and if the verses are hidden, the guide does explain where to find them on the map. For each Verse, the enemies are listed, and a quick strategy is detailed for the 1st/2nd/3rd Climax difficulties. A separate strategy is set for the ∞ Climax. And then yet another strategy is set aside for Pure Platinum tips. A table sits at the bottom of each Verse that lists the requirements for each medal in each Climax difficulty. I personally loved the assistance for the Muspelheim challenges, as for a few of them, I had zero clues how to even attempt them.

When the chapter shifts to a new location, the chapter in the strategy guide kicks off with a complete map of the area, marking all of the collectibles. Fortunately, all the collectibles are also marked in the main walkthrough as well, including when you can get them (some you have to come back for with certain abilities) and what abilities you need to get them. For the Umbran Resting Places, each has its own tips for snagging all of the memory fragments efficiently.

The back of the Bayonetta 2 strategy guide contains behind the scenes goodies, such as an interview with the lead designer, a look behind the concept art for the villains, and a letter from everyone’s favorite angry man on Twitter, Hideki Kamiya.

Many people complained that this strategy guide wouldn’t be as great as the original Bayonetta strategy guide, but I strongly believe the Bayonetta 2 strategy guide is just as great as the guide for the first game. I wasn’t surprised by anything the bosses and enemies threw at me, it had great tips for completing the Muspelheim challenges, and I was able to get the collectibles with ease. It’s hard to ask for much else in a strategy guide.

SGR Rating: 5/5

Author: Geson Hatchett
Publisher: Prima Games
Editions Available: Hardcover
Acquired via Publisher

Tales of Xillia 2 Strategy Guide Review

November 6, 2014 By Chris Nitz Leave a Comment

I’ve heard a lot of great things about the Tales series, and that holds true for Tales of Xillia 2. This is a series that many love and adore, and it is finally making its way to the United States. When I beat the game, I understood why this is so popular. Complimenting this solid game is the Tales of Xilia 2 strategy guide by Prima Games. Yup, you’re gonna want this add-on!

Considering this is a JRPG, and I’ve also never played a Tales game, I spent a hefty amount of time with the game basics section. Between the cat dispatching, crazy combat, and even how various choices change the game, there is a fair amount to take in. The game itself does okay at breaking in new players, but I was extremely thankful I could go back to the guide and read a bit more detail on anything I was left questioning. This was especially true in those moments where the memory got a bit weak.

Before hitting the main story walkthrough, the strategy guide goes into some immense detail on the characters. This is a lot more than just plain backstory or a grid of miscellaneous stats. Sure, there is an overview which gives vital info for quick reference, but I found things such as the tactics and recommended combos to prove the most beneficial. If there is a specific character that is giving you trouble, chances are this might give you some pointers to make gaming life just a smidge easier. I know it did for me!

Is this where I connect the dots?

The walkthrough and side quest sections are, well, bursting with content. Each chapter comes with maps that are simple enough to quickly glance at and utilize. Yes, the maps even include all the locations of the cats, thus making it easier to snag all 100 of those friggin furballs.

It is also nice to have each new areas enemies detailed per location, instead of just one massive index in the back. This made it much easier to plan how to tackle new places and not be totally blind going in. I do wish there was more detail on the boss fights. Some of the bigger boss battles have just enough info provided to make the battle not entirely controller smashingly frustrating, but some of the bosses only get a paragraph. I found myself asking for more detail in this regard more than once.

Also, if you’re a side quest junkie, there is plenty of love given to that section. It follows the same flow as the main walkthrough, and I found it pretty painless to jump from main story to side quest with the guide. There is a lot to do, so plan on doing a good bit of reading.

Finishing off the guide are sections dedicated to Item Data, Shop Data, and Trophies/Titles/Skits. Anyone that loves Excel will totally dig these sections. I liked how the author broke down the various items so that it was easier to find a specific piece of armor or consumable. There is just so much, it can take a minute or two of page flipping to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Now for the one area I skipped over, and that is the character story section. While I deeply appreciated this, I became turned off by the spoilers. The layout doesn’t change from the main walkthrough/side quest chapters. However, it was too easy to stumble upon a spoiler as to what was going to happen next. While this was still a useful section, it highlights one of my only gripes with the guide: spoilers.

Let me be fair and say that almost every strategy guide, outside of the racing and fighting games, contains spoilers of some sort. It’s just the nature of the beast. Sometimes I read what I need to do next and continue to read ahead a bit, and that is my fault. I am asking for spoilers with this action. However, this guide moves from one place to another, often right on the same page. There were a few times that it was far too easy for me to read a paragraph on what I needed to do at a specific point and run into a spoiler of how the story progresses. While most of the spoilers can be avoided with some effort, it just sucks that they are there and so easily stumbled upon.

You had one job, printing press!

One other gripe, and it might just be my guide, but I had some pages which clearly slid around during printing. Thankfully these were towards the end, and only a handful of pages. However, with the guide being so nice, having badly inked pages hurts. I hope this is a rare coincidence and not indicative of an entire run.

There are two things that caught me by surprise with the guide. The first is the letter from Hideo Baba at the beginning. I know that getting this game to various countries was a lot of hard work, and seeing the producer take some time to thank fans for all their support is a splendid touch here.

The second item that caught my attention was the Q&A with Hideo Baba. This gave me some great insight into the history of the series, as well as why the game was the way it was. It’s a wonderful look into some of the thought process that goes into designing a game. This is a short read and well worth the time.

Despite the spoilers and bad printing on a few pages, I loved the Tales of Xilia 2 strategy guide. It made my first foray into a Tales game completely enjoyable. This is one of those strategy guides that when you go to buy the game, just do yourself a favor and buy this along with it. Heck, it even looks pretty to boot.