Do you think strategy guides are a waste of money?

[Armymanis]

Hey guys. With so many videos out on youtube these days, do you think strategy guides are a waste of money for video games? I know I got rid of a lot of them as a kid, but now as I am starting to become a hardcore video game collector/gamer they might be useful for getting out of those tough situations. what do you guys think?

[Jmustang1968]

Hey guys. With so many videos out on youtube these days, do you think strategy guides are a waste of money for video games? I know I got rid of a lot of them as a kid, but now as I am starting to become a hardcore video game collector/gamer they might be useful for getting out of those tough situations. what do you guys think?

I rarely ever use them for their intended purpose. Youtube or gamefaqs usually suffices. However, it is nice to have something in print, and it is great if there is good artwork. I mainly get them as collector items to go along with the games, and then usually only for RPGs or adventure games.

[MrPopo]

Maps are the biggest thing they are useful for, as maps are generally the last thing generated in online guides (if at all). I found the maps in the Dark Souls guide to be invaluable.

[Armymanis]

I find the youtube videos very useful myself, but sometimes it is still hard to find youtube videos on every game. That is why I was thinking about getting strategy guides to fill in the gaps.

[Hazerd]

I buy certain ones, like the Skyward Sword one as my most recent, im preparing for when the nukes go off and the internet dies...

[DinnerX]

For a game like Pokemon, with a lot of items, attacks, and abilities to keep track of, a physical guide is much handier than going between a bunch of web pages.

I buy certain ones, like the Skyward Sword one as my most recent, im preparing for when the nukes go off and the internet dies...

Better get a generator to go with it.

[Zing]

The last strategy guide that I enjoyed was for the original Everquest. The game was truly a lifestyle game, and being able to read something, anything, about the game while sitting on the toilet* was awesome. The game was truly a whole new world.

I can't believe there are enough suckers out there to keep the strategy guide business viable with modern games. The games are so easy and rarely require a manual, let alone a guide. In-game tutorials and linear gameplay have rendered both obsolete.

*I really only read the book while on the toilet, since any time off the toilet was spent actually playing the game.

[BurningDoom]

For most games, an online strategy guide is provided for free, so yeah, it kind of is a waste of money in my eyes. Unless you're a collector and a big fan of the game, then I guess it's just another piece in the collection.

However, I have to say, the strategy guide for Morrowind was fantastic. There was no quick travel and directions to caves or dungeons were often very vague, so you'd get lost a lot. And referring to an online guide for a game that big and detailed, is more of a pain in the butt than just having the guide next to you in print.

[Evildeadmanwalking77]

Yes and I used to spend a lot of money on them. It was almost always a given that when a Resident Evil game came out then I was going to need the guide or Mortal Kombat games.

You definitely needed them in the late 80s into like the mid 90s ,for me anyways as there was no internet in my house until 98. I have such an accumulated collection of them too, I may go through whatever I don't need anymore and see if I can sell them somewhere.

[BoringSupreez]

I think they're a total waste of money. I used to use them, until one day I discovered Gamefaqs.