Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Mediocre guide for a complex, fun game..., October 13, 2006
I have to start by saying that I really don't think this is a "poor" guide, per se, but it's definitely not one of Bradygames' better ones. I've noticed a distinct pattern in Bradygames' guides - they tend to alternate in quality, with one being great and the next being useless. The guide for Dragon Quest VIII wasn't good, for example, but the guide for Xenosaga: Episode 3 was great. Unfortunately, the pattern continues here, as this guide for Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria is mediocre, an overall disappointment.
While the guide provides maps - not the best quality, but at least they're there - it really provides little in the way of a walkthrough or strategy, save a few comments peppered here and there. While locations that you visit are clearly laid out in the recommended order, a thorough, detailed walkthrough with directed suggestions/hints is absent. Often, the strategy for a particular location (many of which are extremely complex) is limited to a paragraph of general tips with little specific information.
But hey, at least there's *some* walkthrough, right? Unfortunately, the guide falters elsewhere as well. When it comes to recruiting einherjars, the guide will point out when you get them, but fails to suggest when to release them or what equipment to give them at that time to maximize the stat-boosting items you receive afterwards. The guide is equally inept at suggesting equipment to purchase, or in recommending which of countless rune-word-based skills you should attempt to learn at what time.
While I don't expect to have my hand held every step of the way, my take on it is this: if I'm going to pay $15-20 for a book that tells me how to play the game to maximize rewards, find all of the hidden goodies, and get the best ending, then I expect the guide to publish that information. Without it, it's little more than an incomplete reference - an atlas with maps, pretty pictures, and not much else.
While no guide can ever be totally comprehensive, it can easily provide more information than this one does. The walkthrough, while passable, is still incomplete; other tips, tricks, and pointers are almost absent. Not as bad as some of the guides I've seen, true, but this one isn't worth the cover price either.
And Bradygames, please start holding all of your guides to the same standard instead of letting short, incomplete ones like this one slip through the cracks. Bottom line: skip this one and use a walkthrough or FAQ you find online. Save your money for the (hopefully better) guide to FFXII.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not so good..., November 5, 2006
I have to agree with the other reviewer in that this is a mediocre book at best. It is extremely brief in its approach, especially for a game as complex as this one. You basically just get a map of the dungeon and a few tidbits on item locations. They don't go over what enemy parts you should break for runes/items, they don't tell you how to manipulate the sealstones, there isn't anything on releasing einherjars, etc.
Save your money and wait for someone to write a good guide online..
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Need badly so i got, June 12, 2009
I had just recently lost the copy i had and i am very glad, after searching every game store in three cities that i was able to find it here on amazon.com. Also i igot a good deal on an exellent copy of Final Fantasy 7.
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