Final Fantasy XIII: Complete Official Guide - Standard Edition [Paperback]

I'll start with saying I really don't purchase that many strategy guides. With a Gamespot membership I get all my reviews, guides, and more. The only times I place an order for a physical guide is when there will be a hardcover or collector's edition released for select games. With that said my most recent claims have been the Mass Effect 2 Hardcover Col. Edition, and the Fallout 3 Hardbind Col. Edition. Based on my experiences with all the game guides out there that I have browsed through and the one's I own. These are my feelings.

This guide has topped them all. I have never seen a more impressive display of in-game screenshots, cinematics captures, and artwork all bound into one book. The detail is exquisite. The pages are truly high quality heavy duty paper as advertised. The cover and binding are done wonderfully. I would buy this guide again, and in fact I have, just because of the quality put into it. It is truly a coffee table book that will go amongst my best.

If you were smart enough to pre-order a copy, or lucky enough to snag one if you weren't aware of it's release. Then congratulations, you're in for a real treat. This guide has been sold out at almost every store accross the continent, and will be sold out online within weeks. The price of the original Amazon pre-order was a remarkable $25 CD average, $20 US. Unbeatable for the quality. Gamestop and Ebgames were offering it for $40 with a 10% discount if you purchased the game as well. I anticipate any remaining copies after the first week will rise in price by 100-150%. Only 226,000 copies in print.

For those of you unable to get this version, the paperback version is basically identicle in content. The quality is slightly above standard from your average paperback guide. Regardless of which one you get, it's worth getting at least one for the price they're being released at. Without a doubt those prices will double within a month, so grab it now.

Pretty! Love the paper quality and pictures, and it gives a good walkthrough while showing you locations for treasures etc. It gives full maps, labeled, and takes you through the game in the order they recommend you play it in. Very happy with this purchase.

Even though I have not completed the game yet the information I received from this book was second to none. I have played all final fantasy games and have boughten books for almost all of them as the information in the instruction booklet that comes with the game just does not cover all the basics. As we all know that every final fantasy game changes how things are done so therefore extra help is always needed. While the internet is a great tool it is much better to have a book right there when you need it an this book is great, I would recomend this book to anyone who plays this game and you cannot beat the price.