Review – Tomb Raider Limited Edition Strategy Guide
Overview
Type: Strategy GuidesPros:
+ Gorgeous design from cover to cover
+ Extremely detailed walkthrough and maps
+ Supreme build quality
+ Included goodies and DLC
Cons:
- No in-depth achievement guide
- Could use a couple of sewn-in ribbon bookmarks
The Tomb Raider Limited Edition Strategy Guide is one of the more artistically polished guide books BradyGames has released. The content is rock solid and the detailed maps with have you surviving against all odds, while missing nothing along the way.
Cover
The Tomb Raider Limited Edition Strategy Guide is simply a stunning book. The hardcover binding elegantly shows off the brutally nature-worn reimagining of Lara Croft amidst the turbulent, violent wreckage she finds herself in the new Tomb Raider game. The scene wraps congruently around the spine and back cover in high resolution, glossy detail.
Build
The quality of the cover, binding, and internal pages, show a deliberate effort toward creating a book that you’ll want to keep on your shelf. The paper used is a heavier stock than the BradyGames Signature Series line of guides, and each page overflows with detailed artwork and a much more tailored design than you might expect in a simple strategy guide book. A book of this quality could use a sewn-in ribbon or two to serve as a bookmark across the expanse of heavy pages.
Design
Design is where this book shines. This is more a visual tour through the game than a flip back-and-forth looking for answers appendage to the game, and for that the Limited Edition is a far better choice than the standard guide if you care about aesthetics. Each section of the walkthrough utilizes high resolution stills from a scene from that portion of the game as its backdrop. Each choice for font and color perfectly match the in-game menus and title screens. If all guides looked this good, I’d buy them for each of my favorite games simply for their eye-catching artwork and dedication to maintaining the theme of their source.
Content
I personally do not care for game related trinkets or knick-knacks anymore, mostly because it becomes a hoarding situation with all the spoils that cross my plate, but that aside this guide comes with a fun one. Included in the Tomb Raider Limited Edition Strategy Guide is a 1.5″ painted metal replica of Lara Croft’s amulet worn by the title character throughout the game.
Perhaps slightly more relevant to most players is the inclusion of DLC with this Limited Edition guide. A DLC code to download two multiplayer characters is printed on the back cover of the book, and allow you to download and play as Scavenger Scout and Scavenger Executioner in multiplayer modes.
Beyond these extras, weighing in at 317 pages, this guide is rich with content. One thing I like is the detailed breakdown of what to expect with each difficulty level. This is a nice feature to find in a guide like this and not something we see often enough. Also included are the standard compendiums regarding gear, characters, enemies, collectibles, and maps. The maps are extremely detailed and easy to follow throughout the walkthrough, and are some of the best I have seen. The walkthrough itself is a breeze to follow and points out every missable item before you miss it. There was nothing I found lacking in any aspect of the walkthrough.
The multiplayer guide has some great tactics and strategies to get you started, but of course there’s only so much reading can help regarding success in a multiplayer mode. There is also an achievement list, which gives you useful information on how to complete the game’s achievements or trophies, but is lacking any type of achievement guide. That alone is the only thing missing from this wonderful book.
Value
The Tomb Raider Limited Edition Strategy Guide is listed with an suggested price of $36.99, but is available for around $23 on Amazon and BradyGames.com. The must-buy price for this book I’d put right around $20 so I’d definitely say it’s worth it to any fan to pick up this beautifully designed, hardcover tribute to one of the better games released this year.
Buy at Amazon – Tomb Raider Limited Edition Strategy Guide
