FINAL FANTASY IV Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Official Strategy Guides)

It is well-known that Final Fantasy IV is one of the more difficult games to reach the DS. For those who don't already know, the game chronicles the adventure of Cecil and his party of stalwart friends in their quest to save the world by retrieving the crystals from the clutches of the evil nemesis, Golbez.

This BradyGames Guide is very useful for those who need anything from simple tips and strategies to a complete walkthrough of the game. It is packed with detailed information on the game including a very thorough bestiary, detailed stats on weapons, armor and other items, a description of spells and augments as well as data on all the playable characters in the game.

The Guide also contains complete maps of all the areas in the game (i.e. dungeons, towns, castles etc) and highlights where hidden treasures can be located. It also points out what items are available from the various shops within each town and makes suggestions as to what weapons, armor etc should be bought.

As a walkthrough, the Guide is very comprehensive. It provides concise instructions on what to do at each stage of the game without giving away the plot twists (and there are many plot twists in the game). The Guide also does a great job of identifying the major battles at each stage of the game and provides detailed information about each boss' stats and instructions on how best to defeat the boss. While the player is free to use a different attack strategy, the Guide does serve as a fallback if all else fails.

Lastly, the Guide also contains information on the secrets within the game itself such as secret boss battles, hidden areas and strategies on how to improve your Whyt (and earn extra costumes in the process).

In summary:

Pros
+ A thorough guide, packed with heaps of information and useful data.
+ Provides a clear walkthrough of the game without giving away the story and surprises in the plot.
+ The information is presented in a easy to read and understand format.
+ Contains maps, screen shots etc in full color making it easier for the player to relate the Guide to the game itself.
+ Identifies the secrets within the game which players may not be aware of.

Cons
- The font sizes of some of the text may be a little small, but it's manageable nonetheless.
- There may be too much information to pick up though not all of it is relevant for the game.
- There are a few errors within the Guide but nothing too significant. One I feel I should point out (without giving away too much) is to simply this: if you lose the Lustful Lali-Ho, it can be replaced with the Ninja Sutra :)

Overall, I feel that this Guide is a great companion to the game. It gives the player a lot of useful information and leaves it to him/her to decide how much help he/she wants. In short, it's an ideal resource for those who are new as well as veterans of this game and the series.
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