Customer Reviews

Metal Gear Solid: Official Mission Handbook (Authorized Official Strategy Guide)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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All I can say when I got this book was WHOA. This book rocks and is the best srategy guide for any game. It is so detailed and cool. I recommend this book to any Metal Gear fan even if you already beat the game. The book is worth all the money. It comes jam packed with info on all the characters and guards. Info on guns and items in is included also. If you own Metal Gear Solid BUY THIS NOW!!

Metal Gear Solid is a fantastic PSX game no matter how you play. But attempt to uncover EVERY secret and master EVERYTHING the game has to offer and you could probably use a leg up. While a guide for MGS isn't needed, those wanting to master the game will probably need it.

The guide is vividly detailed in the aspect of its artwork and maps (both of which are official) and incredible interviews. The guide certainly has lots and lots of eye-candy for you to look at. The character bios are in-depth and provide LOTS of info on the characters.

The guide also does what virtually all the other ones don't. Actually detail the differences between the difficulty levels! Want to know what changes when you play EXTREME? This guide will actually tell you! Unlike all the others I saw. The guide even provides tips and hints for the higher difficulty levels.

The guide also gives off strategies for the VR Missions and they're useful. They'll help you get some good times, although some of the unauthorized guides will give you better. But you'll definitely pass through ALL of the VR missions with ease, speed and using the least of your resources.

The walkthrough is grand. Complete with official maps that point out where you start and where you should go. The strategies and tips are unbelievable and the guide is full of screenshot after screenshot after screenshot. All of which are incredibly detailed. The screenshots are crystal clear and there are a huge abundance of them!

The maps have points in them (A,B,C and all that stuff) as well as an items list. Incredible detail that guides you through everything you need.

The walkthrough however, is where the problem is. This is a Mission Handbook and therefore the walkthrough talks to you as if briefing you on an area. This isn't so bad but it makes it so the guide takes a while to get across information that could be vital to your survivial.

The second part wrong with the walkthrough is that some info is all over the place. Looking at point A on the map will mean reading an entire page to get the gist of just what the author is trying to tell you. Also, they have "Tech Notes" which is more or less repeated information from what you read in the main sections of the walkthrough.

The guide also has a crapload of spoilers! Yeah, spoilers. I don't mind spoilers very much but the next gamer might. The endings and every movie cinema can be spoiled if you look to the bottom of a page.

The good news is the game has been out for a while now so everyone probably knows the story. The bad news is that a guide is still a guide and therefore I must be fair.

So yes, grab this guide ESPECIALLY if you're into collecting them. The guide is by far one of the best looking and most presentable of any strategy guide I've ever seen before. A great guide for a great game.

I've played many rpg games and I must say Metal Gear Solid takes the cake. The guide was very dedicated to detail making it easier to figure out the games many creative traps and tricks. Unlike other rpg games such as Resident Evil Directors Cut, Resident Evil 2, and Parasite Eve the guide was complete and left you prepared for lurking guards and cameras prepared to shoot you with machine guns. The guide actually gives you full descriptions of things such as stationary trucks and tanks and helicopters, but even the forklift truck in the loading dock. This kind of accuracy almost makes the guide more interesting than the game! The only problem is when it tells you how to snap a guards neck. If you aren't precise when you do it you can end up throwing the guard and causing attention to yourself. In all this guide is for any person who is having trouble with the game. I should know becuase it helped me find Revolver Ocelot on the B2 level. Now when ever my Nintendo loving freinds wave GOLDENEYE64 in my face I whip out Metal Gear Solid and my guide in theres. In laymans terms they shutup real fast when I do. My only advice to other gamers is to buy this guide as soon as they possibly can. No true psx gamer should be with out a handy thing like this! Now all we need is them to write up a guide for Syphon Filter and playstaion will rule the market. As a final word I would like to thank the writers of this guide for making my life a little easier. TTTTHHHHAAAANNNNKKKK YYYYOOOOUUUU!!!!

Forget the rest - this strategy guide is the best on the market for MGS (which also happens to be the best game available today). All the detail is there, everything you would want or need to know, and it avoids giving away the endings where it can. The illustrations are excellent as well.

My only slight criticism is that not all of the tips for tackling bosses are optimal. Fighting Vulcan Raven, for example, it suggests using Nikita missiles, when a fistful of Claymores does the trick much better and safer. But that's a minor quibble. Otherwise it's perfect.

The book is great! It's got the walk throughs of all the levels, gives you specific details as to how to use your weapons and items, and lets you become aware of your surroundings and their use. Metal Gear Solid fans, this book is REALLY for you!

Highly informative. Recommended for any one that is a fan of Metal Gear or any one having trouble finishing the game.

Not to be Captain Obvious here, but in discussing a strategy guide, the most important thing is the game. Not to worry though, Metal Gear Solid is a classic game (still good even though its sequels and a new game system has come out). It has a great story, great gameplay, and great graphics. Because it doesn't matter how good a strategy guide is (it could be the Holy Grail of strategy guides) if the game [isnt great]. So, onto the guide. This is a great strategy guide. It's good for the beginner (and will walk you through the game) or for the more advanced player (and will help when you get stuck). It has maps, tips, hints, backstory (and it is a good one), and discusses the characters. There's an interview with the creators and the upper levels are in a sealed part of the book, so you can't accidentally see it if you don't want to. This is the Holy Grail of strategyguides. If you have a Playstation or Playstation 2 (and you should by now) or any system that has this game (I'm not sure if others do), then you need to get the game and the guide.

OK, it's an official guide so you can expect that it will have all the standard "secrets" and tricks. As far as strategy guides go it is a good one, BUT I can't understand why they made up details about the characters which are not supported in the game itself and do not come from any of the original Japanese source material. Big Boss a 3rd generation Japanese American? What a crock of ****.

Even though I didn't read the book, anything with the name MetalGearSolid is the best.