Strategy Guides: Collectors Items??

[Robster]

Im quite fond of collecting SG's to compliment my collection,imo I must admit they do look impressive when presented with the actual game itself.

I know alot of gamers thing they are cheating so what do you all think ?. Personally I tend not to use them for help but only to compliment my collection of games.

Any thoughts..........

[Crimson Day]

I feel that some games go well with stratagie guides for example i remember how good it was to have a guide when the pokemon games came out on the gameboy, i didnt see it as cheating more as getting more out of the game.

[goldenhawk]

some are rare most are quite common

the rarest one i know of is the curse of monkey island one or even escape from monkey island i have seen either go in the excess of ?60-100 on ebay.

[goldenhawk]

my opinion on the guides themselves varies, if you buy it because you are stuck then yeah worthy investment (this was back in the day when the internet werent too big.) but buying it on release is a bit stupid imo as its just a slap in the face, pay ?30 for the game and an extra ?9.99-?15.99 to know how to play the game. you will just be tempted to just open it up and help yourself out.

[anephric]

I've only picked up strategy guides when GameStation etc get desperate and stick them out for 99p or so (I picked up Piggyback's Halo 2 guide mint and sealed at this price) and even then it's as a piece of memorabilia.

The Piggyback stuff is really beautifully presented: gtf, Prima.

[eastyy]

Think i saw a killer instinct gold guide for sale on ebay at least $150

[Family Fry]

Also the Original Silent Hill guide has sold between ?20-?40.
There is a market, I would say the only problem is it takes a few years for the price to increase as they become more sought after and harder to get hold of.
A good resell point is also artwork featured in the guides think that always helps.

[Bleeders]

I tend only to get Bradygames guides for the "big" titles. For example; I'll pick up the Okami one next-month. But I've already got Shadow of the Colossus, Resident Evil 4, Halo 2 and the Dragon Quest 8 SG's.

[chopemon]

i tend to buy them for games i like to get the most out of them and for all the art and stuff

i'm far more likely to get a guide if it is by piggyback, gods of strat guides

[eastyy]

I got the god of war strategy guide which was ace

Came with a dvd walkthrough and even had a audio commentary from the makers of the game

[Chunky]

I have quite a decent sized RPG collection, and try to compliment each one with the strategy guide. Have FF Origins, FF Anthology, FF Chronicles, FF7, 8, 9, X, X2, Xenogears, Xenosaga Ep 1, Chrono Cross, Star Ocean 2, 3, Parasite Eve, Brave Fencer Musashi, Kingdom Hearts, Legend of Mana, Shadow Hearts 2, Threads Of Fate, Valkyrie Profile, Vagrant Story, Disgaea, Phantom Brave, La Pucelle Tactics, Lunar Silver Star, etc all with guides, also a few others like GTA: SA, Animal Crossing, Metal Gear Solid.

I don't usually look at the guides until after i've completed, or in the case of some RPGs (step forward Final Fantasy) i wait until just before the end when you get a free reign, then go through all the secrets using the guide.

[Wools]

I really dont like Stratgey guides for the obvous reasons that it lays the game out for you. However I do own the combined Resi 2 & 3 guide as I'm a big Resi fan and it was cheap as chips in my local indie. Also I own the Final Fantasy VII guide as me and my friend completed it when it came out together and when I decided to play it again I though it would decipher the random battle locations.

Alas it was not to be and I can only just play it. ft:

But I guess guide do have their place but I for one dont use them.

[MattyD]

Piggyback's are really, really nice. I've got their Silent Hill 2 - 4 guides and every single one is beautifully presented and really captures the look of the games very well. I don't really care for the walkthrough parts although the maps can sometimes be handier than switching to menus during play and the secrets in the back are always good replay fodder.

Prima's strategy guides are nasty though, they look like those cheap cheats and walkthrough magazines that used to be on sale during the PS era.

[Champloo]

I buy a lot of JAP SG's for the artwork and just to add to my collection, in some ways a bit of a pointless purchase but I rarely spend a lot on them.

[AdamJW]

I don't mind the occasional strategy guide here and there. My own favourite are ones such as the Ogre battle 64 one. I've seen copies that were falling in bits, and still selling for daft money. Also Brigandine's SG is also still quite rare and expensive, and the hard back ones for the working designs games are excellent. Especially Vanguard Bandits. I also liked the English published one for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance not the American Nintendo power one.

I agree though they do seem to add something to the value of games when sold together and really only get them myself for the decent artwork. I don't use them to cheat - honest.