Using Game Guides/Walkthroughs...

I was just curious. How many of you guys use a Game Guide when playing a game? For example... do you use a Guide anyway, or do you only use it when you are seriously, seriously stuck? Do you prefer to explore a game on your own at all times or will you use the help of a guide you got from somewhere like GameFAQS?

Me, personally... I love using guides and do so for every game I play. In my opinion, using a guide enhances some games. Some of the guides on gameFAQS are so in-depth and often tell you about areas of a game you would never think existed at all.

Or if I don't use a guide the first time I play through a game, I sure as heck will the second time through so that I don't miss anything out. Paper Mario 2 springs to mind when I think of using a game guide. It had so many star pieces scattered through various levels which I would never, ever have found without the help of a guide.

Also... I dont see the point of being in a room in a game and being completely stuck and frustrated now knowing where to go next. I'll just open up a guide and use that to get to the next stage of a game.

But what about you? Do you always use a guide, or only when you need to, or do you completely avoid using a guide altogether?

I only use them for RPG's, and only the second time I play. (since that's when I get all the extra's.)

I only use a walkthrough in extreme circumstances. When Ive been pushed to my limits in a certain puzzle. I will only use it for that though, walkthroughs can be addicting.

I only use a walkthrough from Gamefaqs when it's absolutely necessary. For example, to get the secret ending in Warrior Within, I needed to know the locations of the special fountains, so I used a FAQ for that. Or when I've tried something again and again and again without success, I consult a FAQ. Just as a last resource or for a secret.

Also, I never use cheats. Ever. It ruins a game IMO.

Usually on the second time I play a game, so I don't miss anything. But I have no qualms about using them for puzzles.

I'll use them on second playthroughs or when I'm really stuck. If I really can't figure something out I try not to let it cross the line of being challenging to utterly frustrating. If things get too frustrating it just takes all the fun out of it.

I only really use them for Suikoden games so that I can get all 108 characters on my first playthrough.

Hardly...

only when it seems hard

I oddly only buy them for MMO games o_o...


but I then regret buying them because most of the time they are outdated and inaccurate. ... I still buy em though.

One game that comes to mind is Legend of Mystical Ninja for the N64. It wouldn't necissarily tell you where to go next, so I had no problem with using a guide.

Yeah, that game could be frustrating. I ended up paying that fortune teller many a Ryo.

i used to buy them cause EB would give you a deal if you bought it with the game....now i never do because of online services. i only use them if i'm SUPER stuck, and then on the second playthrough i will use it as a bible unless i found my methods worked better.

uses:

1) long games, most certainly RPG/adventure genre
2) if i am stuck, i'd look it up online, but i rarely buy the guides

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Originally Posted by roto13-ness

One game that comes to mind is Legend of Mystical Ninja for the N64. It wouldn't necissarily tell you where to go next, so I had no problem with using a guide.

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!!! I remember being lost for about 2 days in that game!

then I figured out that I was meant to go to a tree of somesort.

I suck at games so I need a guidebook

I don't normally use guides these days.

I used to buy them when I was younger, but I don't really need them any more.

I buy them for pretty art and collecting, but I only use them after I've finished the game pretty much. I guess with the exception of a few things, like being close to the end of KH I may have looked up which enemies drop which orbs and stuff so I could synth things...I don't think that's massively cheating or anything though :p

There may be a few other things like that I looked at towards the end of the game but mostly I just love to own strategy guides for the games I love <3 Animal Crossing's one is great and its helpful knowing when which fish are around and stuff.

The first time I play through a game I never use a guide because I feel like it ruins the experience. The second time I play a game I do sometimes use a guide to find secrets and other neat stuff.

The only real game guide I own is the one for Final Fantasy IX. I like using it sometimes because of its boss info and such, plus it has pretty art :) Otherwise I just go to gamefaqs.com if I need a walkthrough.

I usually use them on second play throughs or when im really stuck. I also tend to use them for really old games such as snes games and nes games. Its hard to finish a NES game and stay entirely interested, theyre still good games but i guess im used to new styles more so i usually need something to keep me going through the game.

I never use to, but I try and get a guide for new games or just use the Internet.

Some of them :P especially FFX-2.

I don't use guides anymore because that's one of the reasons why i have the internet. when I did it was for The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Tima and Majora's Mask, and Final Fantasy X. In use them throught out the game. To find hidden treasures and with Zelda without my guide I would've never found out about the biggoron sword, or a lot of the sidequests in Majora's Mask.

I only use guides (on the internet, or off if a family member happens to own one, I don't buy them myself) if I'm at loss and have no idea how to advance (this can ruin game experience, too, imo). Otherwise I wouldn't because a lot of aspects of the game can be spoiled while reading through a guide. Yeah, some guides are said to be "spoiler free", but for some even what to do after they've gotten past the "hard part" is sort of a "spoiler". For games I'm anticipating I don't even like to see previews...

Depends on if I'm borrowing a game or bought it myself. I tend to use guides more often for borrowed games then self-bought ones. I hardly ever use guides on a first playthrough though.

I always play through the game and try my best to master it without a guide, and once I've done all that I'm gonna figure out, I have no problem browsing Prima's Official Guide to finish it up.

Only in DMC3 to make sure im killing the bosses the right way

Guides are cool, they help if you get stuck n' stuff. I find myself buying guides occasionally, even if I don't use them. Sometimes they have free cool stuff in them, like Street Fighter Anniversary and Soul Calibur 3's guides coming with music soundtracks in them. I don't actually use the hardcopy guides all that much, i usually get them for the pictures.

Case in point: I bought Kingdom Hearts 2 Ultimania, 4 months after I finished the game--and it's all in Japanese. Cool art though.

When you think you have done everything in a game you should check a guide but i think you should only use it on those situations.

It´s much more better and fun to find and complete things for yourself.

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Originally Posted by RiseToFall

I only use them for RPG's, and only the second time I play. (since that's when I get all the extra's.)

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Originally Posted by JKTrix

I don't actually use the hardcopy guides all that much, i usually get them for the pictures.

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For really long RPGs, I typically like to have a guide for things like, a list of all the weapons and their locations, what skills people learn when... stuff like that. I also HATE missing something that you can only get at one point in the game, so I typically will consult a guide for things like that. However I enver use a walkthrough to find out where to go next, or to figure out how to beat any enemy, that would ruin the fun of the game honestly.

THE JACKEL