I especially liked that the author went to great pains to give the essential tips without spoiling the surprises or turning the actual playing of the game into an exercise in carrying out the guide's instructions (a real problem with the FFVII guide). So, since this was the guide's goal, I was willing to put up with some ambiguity and the occassionally odd placements of information - I had to read pretty far ahead sometimes to avoid missing crucial tips or else I missed out on things.

The only truly bad part of the book is the area maps: they are incomplete and the way they are laid out is almost incomprehensible. Fortunately, you shouldn't need them often. Of small consequence, but occasionally very frustrating, there are some factual errors in the guide (perhaps things that were changed in the game after they were written in) but this is a pretty minour glitch - overall the book is much better on accuracy than most guides.

The real high point of the guide - apart from having a thorough walk-through that doesn't spoil the game's surprises - is the appendix, especially the bestiary and lists of cards and items. I found these indispensible and, while the FFVII guide's bestiary was almost useless, here it is comprehensive and easy to use.

On the whole, this guide is very, very good. It will enhance your enjoyment of the game rather than spoiling it. I don't have time to play a game this big twice - or spend the rest of my life hunting for hints about side quests and extras - so a guide is an essential tool for me. That said, I was entirely satisfied with this guide and would not hesitate to recommend it to others.

25 of 26 found the following review helpful:


A great guide for a great game  Dec 09, 1999 By Bobby Hollingsworth
This is a great guide for anyone needing help in Final Fantasy VIII. I played to the end of the first disc without the guide. After I got it, the guide showed me all of the things that I had missed. This guide was very helpful near the end of the game, where I couldn't solve a couple of puzzles by myself. I wouldn't have found all of the guardian forces without the walkthrough. I didn't mind that the area maps are at the back of the book because I would know what to do without knowing exactly where to go to do it. The item lists are a big plus, especially for getting all of the items in the game. In all, this guide helped me a lot with Final Fantasy VIII.

13 of 13 found the following review helpful:


A Top Gaming Value  Oct 05, 2003 By Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™"
Most players suspect that using game guides is cheating. And in some cases, that is undeniably true. But in an RPG as large as Final Fantasy VIII the effect is exactly the opposite. Instead, the guide functions more like a travel guides, making sure you know all the cool places to visit, and providing maps. The remove some of the irritations, help in planning, and improve the overall experience.

It is quite possible to get through FF8 in less that 50 hours with goot strategy and a bit of luck. Some people no doubt do, and think they've really experienced the game. Others get bogged down by a complicated puzzle sequence and miss an important feature and become frustrated when they can't complete the game. This guide is designed to alleviate just these problems, and enhance the entire gaming experience.

If you actually tried to do everything the guide covers playing time could go over 120 hours, making FF8 three times the game you thought it was. The guide also makes an effort to clear up some of the poor (or non-existent) explanations of useful game features. And yes, there are clues and explanations for those of us who aren't capable of reading the minds of our consoles,

So I would recommend the guide to any new owner of FF8. Whether you follow it religiously or just keep it handy as a reference I think you will feel it's well worth the price. It has all the charts and item lists, full details about characters and character building, and all the other paraphernalia that will enhance any enthusiast's experience.

16 of 18 found the following review helpful:


Better than what others say it is...  Oct 15, 1999
Regardless of what a handful of people have said, this is a great stategy guide. Some people complained about page numbers. Well obviously they are a bit slow and don't know how to read very well, cause they are clearly marked. Additionally, I found it to be very detailed and did not give away the good parts of the plot at all. The only part I will say I didn't like was the maps being in the back of the book. But besides that, this is one of the best strategy guides I have ever used. For the people who complain about it... I'm surprised you even know how to use the internet to FIND online walk-throughs.

As an aside... this is also the best game I've ever played in my life!!!!

12 of 13 found the following review helpful:


Best one so far!  Jan 06, 2000
This strategy guide is 10 times better than anybody else says. Who cares if the plot is given away! All strategy guides do... This tell you all you need to know. The maps? Don't need them! You can figure it out (if you passed kindergarten that is). Don't let all the bad stuff you heard stop you from buying his. You want to get a 'perfect' game this is the guide for you. I have not seen any guide better than this. Maybe because there are only two out there. (Do not try the other it is a waste of money). If you need a guide get this one. To sum it up Buy it. It is the best one you will see for a while!

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