Do you think using Brady Games strategy guides is cheating?

[DMKA]

What a waste of money... All that can be found here within an hour.

Or on GameFAQs within 30 seconds.

ou know technically the game itself is a waste of money because it serves no real purpose. And I mean yeah you can get all this info online, but nothing compares to having charts down in front of you. I could find a skills chart for Tales of Symphonia somewhere online, but nothing is as easy as flipping to the charts in the guide as I play and approach a level where I learn a new skill.

The game serves the purpose of entertaining and passing time. If you want it "down in front of you" you can just print it out.

Anyway, as for the initial question...I don't think it's necessarily "cheating"...I just think it defeats the purpose of playing the game to begin with. You may as well just go on the internet and read a summary, saving yourself the time and money. I do however buy the strategy guides, but for collection purposes and not for use to beat the game.

I do take a look at the guides and faqs under only two circumstances: if I'm absolutely stuck I'll look at that specific part and what I have to do, and if I've already beaten the game and I want to do everything I didn't do the first time around. Aside of that, I see no reason to ruin my gaming experience because I'm too lazy to actually play the game...I'd just rather not get the game instead.