Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings: Prima's Unauthorized Strategy Guide [Paperback]

James Mecham (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Rome Has Fallen. It's Your Turn to Rule.

Product Description

Thorough analysis of all civilizations
Detailed strategy for optimizing unit effectiveness
Complete descriptions of all cheats and taunts
Comprehensive unit sheets
In-depth military formations tactics
Trade route maps

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Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Prima Games (October 27, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761519068
• ISBN-13: 978-0761519065
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,398,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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  Books > Computers & Internet > Games & Strategy Guides > Strategy Guides > Age of Empires

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book for Attack Bonus and Campaigns, February 3, 2000

By	Allen Sitho "superbettafish" (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings: Prima's Unauthorized Strategy Guide (Paperback)

I bought this book along with the Ensemble Studio book. This book has a few tables that list the actual number of Attack Bonus of the unique units (like cataphract +8 vs infantry) that I can't find elsewhere unless you actually play the game (it becomes handy). Also the chapters on Campaigns are very very good (to me, better than the ES book on this aspect). I actually won a few campaigns using the guidance of this book that I can't win before. If you are starting as a single player and want to win the campaigns, I recommend this book. But if you want to be a good multiplayer gamer, this book offers no help at all and get the ES book instead (see my other review).

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A biased but fair review, November 25, 1999

By	Andy Schwarz (from Oakland, CA, currently in Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings: Prima's Unauthorized Strategy Guide (Paperback)

I am biased because I contributed to this book, and I know all of the authors and contributing authors. I would, nevertheless, encourage this book for players who plan to play this game online against other people. In truth, the single-player campaign strategy is top-notch as well, but the key differentiating factor between this book and the others is that is was written entirely by on-line real-time strategy players and experts.

Section 3 on Civilizations, Section 4 on game features, Section 5 on Advanced Unit Control, and Sections 6 through 9 on planning, building, defending, and expanding your empire are all really crucial for someone who is good versus the computer to read BEFORE venturing onto the internet and feeling like a deer stuck in the headlights on an oncoming battering ram.

Most good single-player players do not realize the enormous chasm between expert at single player and intermediate at multi-player in skills. Playing versus other players is the only way to make the leap, but this book helps that transition.

Even Chapter 11, on multiplayer etiquette is a must read for the online neophyte.

On the other hand, if you yourself are a top-100 player, this book is more interesting as a snapshot of ThumP, Methos, et al.'s thinking as the game was released. The downside, is of course, that strategy thinking evolves. When the book was written, for example, Teutons were thought to be a very good civilization, but with sufficient weakenesses to keep them balanced. Now, most games ban the Teutons b/c their TCs are too strong. This book notes the TC strength but publishing deadlines prevent it from discussing the next two months of game evolution.

All strategy books should come with a free "tune up" addendum online, three to six months after release.

I'd give this book 5 stars if it had that feature, but otherwise, no written computer-strategy book can ever learn more than 4 in an online world.

Andy "AndyHRE" Schwarz, contributing writer

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still reading, but already pleased, January 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings: Prima's Unauthorized Strategy Guide (Paperback)

I received the book through Air Mail three days ago and I just began reading yesterday, but I already recommend it. There is a nice introduction, and then it explains the civilizations, shows units carts and gives detailed strategies on maps. Then it takes an extensive explanation, during several chapters, on how to develop a civilization and rule the world. After, it shows detailed walkthroughs to each campaign. Some online ettiquete finish the book. I highly recommend it to any player who is beggining on Age of Kings, mastering, or playing knowing its brother, Age of Empires (my case). Buy it and excel at your games, I guarantee!