Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

Rating:
Summary: Decent Volume
Review: The guide is in black and white, which makes it hard to discern some of the images. The appendices in the back of the guide make up for this detriment somewhat by providing vital information on the more obscure aspects of this title. The boss strategies presented in the game are not the best, but they do work. The main reason for getting this guide would be the persona compendium in the back, as it includes an impressive fusion listing, which no online guide (as of 10/18/1) has been able to reproduce.

Rating:
Summary: Just the Basics
Review: There is absolutely nothing in this strategy guide that you could not get online, for free, at gamefaqs.com or something similar. Although the spells/demon contacts/rumors listings seem to be complete and accurate, the actual strategies in the book range from the obvious to the ridiculous. Most bosses in the game, except for the final boss, can be beaten in just a few turns if you've really got a good strategy; the strategies in this book often take 10 or twenty minutes, and the author himself states that it may take that long to win the battle. Basically, he seems to advocate the stupid, brute, battle of attrition way rather than giving cleaner, more economical strategies that don't waste all of your SP and life-restoring items -- he doesn't seem to have quite grasped the point of the game and battle system. The character bios aren't even that great. You won't learn anything new from this book. If you really need help, just find a good faq or walkthrough online. I promise they will be more helpful than this book.

Rating:
Summary: Decent Volume
Review: This one could have been so much better with just a bit more work applied to it. The black-and-white layout (including screenshots) used throughout is the first tip off that this guide takes only a halfway serious approach to its subject; is there really any valid excuse not to use color thoughout (saving money for the publisher doesn't count - Prima should know better)? The "maps" are just about nonexistent: the crude "overall" ones found in the actual game are used in place of the far more detailed - and legible - "closeup" ones which, with a little effort, could have been transposed into the book and linked together to form complete floor layouts. There is some value to be found in this guide, though. It's heavy on statistical information on subjects such as the Persona themselves, and it explains how to access and play through the "secret" dungeon. I haven't checked the accuracy of any of this information against the game, but it appears valid. Disappointing overall, but better than nothing - if you need a reference guide in the form of a book.

Rating:
Summary: better than nothing
Review: This one could have been so much better with just a bit more work applied to it. The black-and-white layout (including screenshots) used throughout is the first tip off that this guide takes only a halfway serious approach to its subject; is there really any valid excuse not to use color thoughout (saving money for the publisher doesn't count - Prima should know better)? The "maps" are just about nonexistent: the crude "overall" ones found in the actual game are used in place of the far more detailed - and legible - "closeup" ones which, with a little effort, could have been transposed into the book and linked together to form complete floor layouts. There is some value to be found in this guide, though. It's heavy on statistical information on subjects such as the Persona themselves, and it explains how to access and play through the "secret" dungeon. I haven't checked the accuracy of any of this information against the game, but it appears valid. Disappointing overall, but better than nothing - if you need a reference guide in the form of a book.