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Darksiders II Strategy Guide Review

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Darksiders 2 strategy guide reviewI am not ashamed to admit that I am a fan of the Darksiders franchise. Sure, the games do get a bit long and somewhat repetitive, but the world is immersive and the stories do engage me while I crawl from dungeon to dungeon. I am also thankful that Prima was kind enough to let me review the Darksiders II strategy guide as it provided a nice compass on my spelunking adventures!

Anyone who played the first game already knows that the combat in this game leans towards combo junkies. This is where Prima does a nice job with the beginning of the guide by going into great detail over the combat and exploration aspects of the game. Everything from the basics of wall grabs and swimming to complete charts detailing every combo with various weapons make an appearance. What I liked a lot were the tips scattered about this section. They not only pulled the info together, but also aided in making this combo rich game that much more fun.

After handling the fundamentals, the guide dives into the walkthrough of this lengthy game. This area is chock full of screenshots, maps, tips, and other useful information. I found it to be pretty thorough and easy to follow, with the rare exception being that some item location descriptions can become a bit cryptic, but the included screenshot usually aids in deciphering these riddles.

Another nicety is that each mini-boss and every main-boss receive a good amount of attention. The guide nicely describes behaviors and what to look for in order to bring each baddy down to their knees. I found myself relying on these sections after several failed attempts on my own. I also found I cursed myself for not seeing something as obvious as mines here, or a crevasse there.

The last bit of goodness in the walkthrough portion is that it starts with a small description of each area as well as a breakdown of what one can expect to find in their dungeon crawling endeavors. I also liked that each area ends with the optional sidequests listed, thus giving me the option of tackling those or continuing with the main story. One subtle addition is the recommended levels attached to each sidequest. This saved me a lot of time and frustration from tackling objectives I had no right in doing so early in the game.

Speaking of sidequests, the next section is dedicated to these time sink morsels. While the details on these are small blurbs of what to do and where to do it, I still found it easy to tackle them thanks to the descriptions and tips included. Also included are the rewards and recommended levels for tackling each quest.

This section does also include a breakdown of each side area along with maps and locations of items like Boatman coins, Stones of Power, and so on. While these areas are optional, Prima put the same care and love into them as though they were part of the main quest line, and that I appreciated that so much. In addition, yes, explanations on how to solve the various puzzles throughout the game are easy to read and understand.

The inclusion of an appendix is more helpful than I first gave it credit. This is full of charts detailing where to find every item and collectable scattered about the world. It may lack maps and pushpins of where to find things, but the maps scattered about the rest of the guide do a fine job in filling in that piece. Completionists will want to spend time combing through this portion as they quest for that 100% trophy/achievement.

Finally, we arrive at my favorite section–the behind the scenes pages. This consists of an in-depth interview with the developer, along with a look at how the art went from concept to reality. It is an amazing glimpse into how this game came together and a view into some of the thoughts and ideas behind making Darksiders II what we have now. I strongly recommend reading this over some morning coffee or to pass time at lunch.

Overall, I am very happy with how Prima handled this guide. The little touches like a table of contents on the right side showing where I am in the book down to solid combat tips made me appreciate it. While I strayed from the walkthrough portion a few times and struggled finding some items, I relied on it more than I thought I would. If you are a fan of the Darksiders franchise, this is a must purchase!

SGR Rating 4/5

Author: Stephen Stratton
Publisher: Prima Games
Editions Available: Paperback
Acquired via Publisher

Soul Calibur V Strategy Guide Review

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Soul Calibur V Strategy Guide ReviewSoul Calibur is a series near and dear to my heart due to spending countless hours playing the first game on my Dreamcast with a college buddy of mine. We once sat there kicking the snot out of one another for three hours straight, and we loved every minute of it. Fast forward a few years and Soul Calibur V improves on the original formula while bringing back that hook that was so addicting all those years ago.

Future Press must also love this series because they made a small bible to help players become the master of duck, dodge, and stab. Their Soul Calibur V strategy guide is friggin impressive to say the least. The amount of work that went into this book shows the moment you peel the cellophane off and crack the spine.

So much detail!

The first three chapters are dedicated to how to play the game and the abundance of mechanics contained within it. That is 91 pages of learning about things like the difference between a crouching throw and air throw, character fighting styles, stance transitions, just guard, evasion, and a bounty of other useful information. I took my time with these sections because they helped me develop strategies for the different characters I enjoy playing. These also helped me acquire a deeper understanding of just how complex the fighting system in this game has become over the last few years.

The Game Modes section was particularly useful due to it breaking down strategies for each character. Following this up is a key attack blurb that pretty much defines the character. The coverage of the Story Mode provides a good idea of how to handle every chapter without chucking the controller across the room in frustration. Heck, even the Character Creation section goes into great depth on how something as simple as stickers work and how players can utilize them to further customize player made characters. Seriously, prepare to spend a great deal of time in the first 100 pages of this guide!

The VS Play chapter is where most will spend their time, as this is where Future Press dives into each character in massive detail. It even begins with a few pages on how to use the section as well as defining the terms used throughout. Each character starts with a small blurb about who they are, overview of their fighting styles and where they excel versus where they are weakest. From there each attack/stance/throw/combo gets the meticulous detail treatment. Anyone that wants to know if the Hwu Dye maneuver is worth executing for Leixia will find plenty of insight in this guide.

Besides all the info on moves, Future Press tackles both offensive and defensive strategies. Following this is brief blurbs on how to fight against the character, like letting readers know that Leixia struggles in mid-long range. This is a beautiful piece of info for those that spend any amount of time battling other players online or want to tackle the game at higher difficulty settings. Finally, each character section is followed up with a chart that shows every command and its damage, impact, hit, and property. This is a no frills chart that makes for a fantastic quick reference guide.

Two of the most useful pages in the guide

The last portion of the guide goes to all the extras of the game. Unlockable characters, achievements/trophies, character profiles, equipment and titles all find a home here. The unlocked characters are not as detailed as those of the main game are, but there is still a nice amount of info in here.

The guide does falter in a few places however. One of the biggest letdowns is that the cover art for this book is simple yet elegant, but that does not carry through the rest of the guide. There are a few pieces of art scattered about the pages, but this feels more like a textbook than something dedicated to a video game. Where other guides bring in elements of the game to help make it feel as though the guide is part of the game, this feels more like something one would use to cram before an 8AM exam. It is a bit of a lost opportunity to show off some of the fine artwork this series has.

Continuing with that textbook feel, this is not a light reading type of guide. This is going to be something that gamers sit down with, read, digest, try out the newly acquired info, and come back to in order to verify various aspects of the digested knowledge. Let’s face it, 480 pages of combos, blocks, and moves is a lot to dig into and make proficient use of. You are warned now.

Despite a lack of continuity between guide and game, along with a massive amount of reading, this sets a high standard for fighting game strategy guides. The lack of artwork is forgivable when one realizes useful items such as a quick reference chart of moves replace the missing eye candy. It also looks damn good sitting on a coffee table. Anyone new to the Soul Calibur franchise need this book, veterans will find it rather useful too.

SGR Rating 4/5

Publisher: Future Press
Editions Available: Hardcover
Acquired via Publisher

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Strategy Guide Review

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Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City strategy guide reviewIt is funny how in every iteration of the Resident Evil series we have always been fighting the Umbrella Corporation. Well, that is about to change in Operation Raccoon City. Here we take up the role of an elite Umbrella agent tasked with various acts of corporate shenanigans. It is fun to play the enemies’ side for once, and even better that Dan Birlew enjoyed it enough to document it for us noobs. Yup, even the bad guys can benefit from the work put forth by BradyGames.

This is one of the better laid out strategy guides from BradyGames. It begins with a small breakdown on all the characters along with each playable class. Considering there is a need to pick a character to stick with relatively early in the game, this info is handy in speeding up that decision. From there a full on breakdown of the game follows with even the differences in the 360 and PS3 control scheme getting some attention.

Following the mechanics and nitty-gritty of the inner game workings, enemies and weapons receive some attention. While the weapons have minimal stats, the enemies are nothing more than pictures with small descriptions of what they do. It would be nice to see some vitals here, but knowing that the zombie dog is going to pin you to the ground is better than nothing.

Love this little throwback to the game's roots

Upon completing the formalities, the main story walkthrough begins. Each chapter receives a map breaking down various weapons, ammo, and monster locations. From there it dives into what to expect as you work your way through the mission. I didn’t have many issues here and found the flow of the walkthrough worked well and provided enough to aid me on my undead slaughtering tasks.

I ended up using this guide as though it were a textbook for the game, meaning I would study small portions of it and then go take the zombie-slaying quiz. I would study the maps to get an idea of where ammo and data packages were while getting a clue of what enemies to expect or traps to watch for. I did this in small chunks as to not spoil any of those “spooky” moments, but yet just enough to keep getting me from checkpoint to checkpoint.

One piece of design I really enjoyed, and this may seem minor, is the little table of contents printed in the upper corner of every right hand page. Being able to close the guide and pick it back up later while still quickly and easily finding the section dedicated to where I was is pure awesomesauce. It honestly made navigating through the pages a breeze. In addition, noting how collectables like the typewriter were used to save games in the older Resident Evil games added some nostalgia to the guide while showing the author was up on his lore of the series.

Helpful, but not that helpful

My biggest issue with this guide was in the security camera location maps, although I cannot entirely lay blame on the book for this. The mini-map in the game and the broken out floor structure of the guide just do not work well together. I was lost more often than I was shooting out the watchful eye in the sky. I eventually just gave up and went about finding these on my own and forgetting about the maps unless I was completely clueless and needed some guidance on general locals.

I am glad I had this guide to hold my hand through the game, because it is scary and such. The maps can be a bit troublesome, but they were good for study material and did come in handy in the Versus mode. There are just enough helpful hints and tips to get players through the game, but nothing that are so glaring as to take away from the experience. Those who are stuck or just need to know where the flamethrower is, this is the strategy guide for them.

SGR Rating 4/5

Author: Dan Birlew
Publisher: BradyGames
Editions Available: Paperback
Acquired via Publisher

Street Fighter x Tekken Strategy Guide Review

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Street Fighter x Tekken Strategy Guide reviewGaming worlds have once again collided and we are graced with a fighting game bringing characters from two different universes together. What sets Street Fighter x Tekken apart from something like the DC/Mortal Kombat mash-up is this game mixes two very distinct fighting styles, and does it well. This happens to be where BradyGames, and their Street Fighter x Tekken strategy guide, bring knowledge and guidance to us noobs that are taking our first bite of this Capcom cake.

Anyone who is familiar with a BradyGames fighting strategy guide will feel right at home here. The first 49 pages explain to the controls, mechanics of the fighting system, and general knowledge of the new styles introduced into this game. Remember, Capcom took what makes Street Fighter great and blended it with the mad juggling found in Tekken. This portion of the book is vital to the understanding of the nuances, and complexities, of this new setup. Yes, you trophy/achievement hunters have a breakdown of these right here too.

The bulk of the pages following dive into the characters included on the disc that are not DLC. Vital info such as specific character stats, forward dash movement broken down by fames, jump distance, and basic attacks are listed. From there, combos, special moves, and an overview of how to play said brawler finish off each character detail. Pictures depicting the moves along with easy to follow charts aid those looking for quick info without needing to do heaps of reading.

All the info you need is in a quickly accessable format. This is full of win!

Rounding off the guide, the back is full of character art and concept drawings. This is a nice touch as it adds a little eye candy to enjoy while providing a glimpse at how the game came together during development. It may not be something you stop and gawk at every time you crack the spine, but it is fun to flip through while sipping on morning coffee.

This guide is standard fare for BradyGames. I found little wrong with many of the strategies on different characters, and the charts showing all the moves is much nicer than having to dig through the in-game menus. However, I did have some issues with this guide. Unlike the Marvel vs. Capcom and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom guides, this one did not carry the pizzazz and cohesiveness of the video game. Where the pages of MvC/UMvC resembled comic books, this was rather plain. I did like the winning quotes displayed and the character art at the beginning of each fighter, but that was pretty much all you got for eye candy and bringing the video game presentation into the guide.

Another issue, which is not so much a fault of BradyGames, is the lack of DLC characters. We already know there are characters on the disc, but they are missing from the guide. I realize this maybe due to some PR with Capcom, but this seems like a big portion of info that is not included. I am also curious how this guide will translate when the Vita version hits (look for that article here in the future).

Overall, this is yet another excellent fighting guide from BradyGames. I would have liked the aesthetics of the book to match the game more, but that is a minor gripe to all the tips and tricks it divulges. If you are looking to duke it out in this mixed up world, then this is your roadmap to greatness and well worth picking up alongside your purchase of the game.

SGR Rating: 4/5

Authors: Joe Epstein, Daniel Maniago, Josh Richardson, Logan Sharp
Publisher: BradyGames
Editions Available: Paperback
Acquired via Publisher

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Strategy Guide – The Vita Perspective

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The PlayStation Vita is finally out; YAY!! Even better is the fact that the Vita launched with a solid line-up of games, of which Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a part. Now I could go into just how badass this game is, but I want to talk about the strategy guide for a bit. This is not a review of the guide, of which can be found here, but rather a look at how it holds up on this new gaming platform. Let’s get this show started so I can get back to kicking some Galactus ass!

No matter whether Capcom did a great job in translating the Vita game, or BradyGames kicked butt when they wrote this, the guide holds up well despite the fact that it focuses on the console versions. The basic walkthrough of fighting strategies, tips on how to better your skills, and even combos still hold true and are worth taking time to study. You can find you favorite character and read their strengths and weaknesses along with detailed instructions on their moves and combos. For the most part, this all translates to the Vita version well.

However, there is a bit of work that needs doing on your part to utilize this guide for the handheld game. Obviously, the controller mapping needs a Vita picture instead of a fighting stick or standard controller. Damage percentages need to be taken with a grain of salt as some tweaking to the fighting formula went on since this guide released. Lastly, a few new modes are not covered due to them being Vita specific, like the touch screen fighting or watching replays of online matches and seeing detailed hit boxes. Really, these are but minor issues when compared to the guide as a whole.

If this is the first copy of the game you own, the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 strategy guide is a hard sell at full price and not totally worth the purchase. However, if you own the game on 360/PS3 and have yet to snag the guide, then this is still well worth the investment. This guide may not cover everything brand new to the Vita game, but boy, will it still help you in schooling the kids at lunch!

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