Age of Empires III

In a word: exceptional! I don't play many real time games, so a good strategy guide is a must for me. This one is really, really good. I wish the author wrote for some other games I foolishly bought. And now the rant: Most strategy guides I've purchased in the last 5-6 years are not worth the price of the paper they're printed on. And a lot of games that don't have one, truly should. I wonder if anyone else has noticed how rare good, clearly written, complete, illustrated game manuals have become? Anyway, if you're thinking of buying this guide: do!

Filled with many helpfull tips and tricks anyone who plays Age of Empires 3 needs this guide. I don't care if you say you are plenty good at this game already(I was), there will surely be something in that will make AoE 3 even more fun to play! It features: Great and in-depth analysises of each civilization as well as strategies for them(even the native americans!). Great economic and militaristic strategies as well as multiplayer strategies from the experts. A helpful appendix showing every unit, shipment, and upgrade and what each one does. Step by step walkthrough for the single player campaign. Great strategies and suggestions for your home city as well as telling you what cards are keepers and what ones are not and so more. The thing I loved most about this guide is that(though the suggested strategies are killer) I was never given the feeling that I had to play the game just like those suggestions said as so many other guides do. You can always mix in your own touch creating a new(and maybe improved)strategy. This guide is the only one that I have that is not a prima's official; it's also the best. For twelve bucks this 280 page guide is a must have for anyone who owns AoE 3. Even if they don't love the game this guide will shed new light on it and get them begging to play.

I am a big age fan since AOE II. This guide has helped me get up to speed on AOE III quick. I especially like the strategies for each civilization as laid out in chapter 5 . I also found the cilization strategies from members of the AOE III team in chapter nine very helpful.

The guide is well written and covers most relevant topics. It will give you a head start in understanding the game, and the opportunity to start and finish levels easilly. What I did miss is some color in the guide, it's all black and white which makes it more boring to read. All in all, worth the money.