Age of Empires III: Sybex Official Strategies and Secrets (Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets) [Paperback]

Doug Radcliffe (Author), Michael Rymaszewski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2005 | Series: Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets

This exclusive, official strategy guide, written with the full cooperation and support of Ensemble Studios and Microsoft Game Studios, features:

• Strategies and tips straight from the game's creators
• Expert analysis of each civilization's strengths and weaknesses
• Detailed military and economic strategies
• In-depth statistics for everything in the game
• Step-by-step walkthrough of the single-player campaign
• Hardcore multiplayer tactics for every game mode

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This exclusive, official strategy guide, written with the full cooperation and support of Ensemble Studios and Microsoft Game Studios, features:

• Strategies and tips straight from the game's creators ­
• Expert analysis of each civilization's strengths and weaknesses
• Detailed military and economic strategies
• In-depth statistics for everything in the game
• Step-by-step walkthrough of the single-player campaign
• Hardcore multiplayer tactics for every game mode

About the Author

Doug Radcliffe and Michael Rymaszewksi are expert gamers and accomplished strategy guide authors. Doug has written more than 20 guides for such games as Age of Mythology, Dungeon Siege II, Halo, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. Michael has written more than a dozen strategy guides for such games as Rise of Nations, Age of Mythology: The Titans Expansion (which he co-authored with Doug), and Microsoft Combat Flight Simulators 2 and 3.

Product Details

• Paperback: 257 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1 edition (October 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471786152
• ISBN-13: 978-0471786153
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How refreshing! A good strategy guide at last., July 24, 2006

By 

J. E. Didier (Baton Rouge, LA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Age of Empires III: Sybex Official Strategies and Secrets (Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets) (Paperback)

In a word: exceptional! I don't play many real time games, so a good strategy guide is a must for me. This one is really, really good. I wish the author wrote for some other games I foolishly bought.
And now the rant: Most strategy guides I've purchased in the last 5-6 years are not worth the price of the paper they're printed on. And a lot of games that don't have one, truly should. I wonder if anyone else has noticed how rare good, clearly written, complete, illustrated game manuals have become?
Anyway, if you're thinking of buying this guide: do!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant strategy guide, March 19, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Age of Empires III: Sybex Official Strategies and Secrets (Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets) (Paperback)

Filled with many helpfull tips and tricks anyone who plays Age of Empires 3 needs this guide.
I don't care if you say you are plenty good at this game already(I was), there will surely be something in that will make AoE 3 even more fun to play! It features:
Great and in-depth analysises of each civilization as well as strategies for them(even the native americans!).
Great economic and militaristic strategies as well as multiplayer strategies from the experts.
A helpful appendix showing every unit, shipment, and upgrade and what each one does.
Step by step walkthrough for the single player campaign.
Great strategies and suggestions for your home city as well as telling you what cards are keepers and what ones are not and so more.

The thing I loved most about this guide is that(though the suggested strategies are killer) I was never given the feeling that I had to play the game just like those suggestions said as so many other guides do. You can always mix in your own touch creating a new(and maybe improved)strategy.

This guide is the only one that I have that is not a prima's official; it's also the best. For twelve bucks this 280 page guide is a must have for anyone who owns AoE 3. Even if they don't love the game this guide will shed new light on it and get them begging to play.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Complete and well written guide, January 29, 2006

By 

L. D. Vervat (Barcelona, Spain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Age of Empires III: Sybex Official Strategies and Secrets (Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets) (Paperback)

The guide is well written and covers most relevant topics. It will give you a head start in understanding the game, and the opportunity to start and finish levels easilly.

What I did miss is some color in the guide, it's all black and white which makes it more boring to read.

All in all, worth the money.