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[I collect VHS tapes]

mostly asking re: RPGs

up until a few years ago, I would often refer to online guides to find high tier gear/loot or look up meta builds for RPGs that have a lot of character customization

I recently decided to force myself to not look up anything online. it was tempting for games like BoTW to look up where the last piece of my berserk set was or what mutagens exist in Witcher 2 before committing to applying mutagens or what mini games in Yakuza 0 offer prizes that are worth going after, but I managed to exercise my willpower and avoid doing so.

I feel like playing games like this has greatly increased my enjoyment. it has restored some magic to games that I haven't felt in a while. I think, for me, stumbling on great hidden shit organically is one of the best feelings in a video game.

I think I might start reading up online for NG+ playthroughs but I'm going to continue to avoid going online during my first time playing a game

curious how everyone else feels about this

 

[Vangellis]

I try not to. My rule is I try to go in blind as much as possible, but after exhausting all options I will check a guide to nudge myself back on the right direction. My feeling is if my enjoyment of the game has dropped too much due to frustration I check.

Im sure we all have missed something a designer thought was obvious, and wasted hours backtracking or whatever... only to find is was something totally stupid.

 

[AJUMP23]

I need my eyes. Games would be hard with only sound. No blind gaming for me.

 

[BigBooper]

If it's finding the last piece of armor in a set, or solving a puzzle I can't figure, I will. Otherwise I never look stuff like that up. Never been a completionist, especially if just following a checklist walkthrough. Seems more like work to me.

 

[SteelCurtain 59]

I'll generally look up whether there's a "point of no return" and/or any missable quests, as I don't often replay games so want to make sure I don't miss any cool sidequests. And then if I get REALLY stuck on something I usually look it up, but I don't really read walkthroughs or guides

 

[Azelover]

I give it a try without using guides, first.

 

[Closer]

Always finish a game by myself first then see what others are up to.

 

[JCK75]

If I get really stuck and I'm getting frustrated I'll look it up.

 

[Hawking Radiation]

Fuck man, my time nowadays to game is so limited that most times I just look up useful beginner tips/tricks on youtube when starting a new playthrough. Back in the day I could sit around all day and figure out things as I go along. Not so much now.

I mean I even checked out useful tips/tricks for Call Of Duty Cold War multiplayer lol

Also fuck RPG's, tips and tricks won't help here. You need to read multiple guides to get a grip on stuff haha

 

[Kacho]

If I get stuck for 10-20 minutes I’ll usually look up what to do next just to save myself time. It’s rare though.

 

[lachesis]

Usually only for the collectibles. Sometimes I get stuck (but not often) - then I look for the tips for that specific situation.
A lot of times, my tangent of gameplay is so far off from those guides/videos and whatnot... so they are not that helpful, nor I have any idea of what they are talking about though... lol.

 

[Edgelord79]

Depends on the game. Not a yes or no answer across the board.

 

[Ailynn]

It completely depends on how invested I am in the game..

Random game on GamePass?
- I might look up general tips or a map

Games I'm super hyped for, like Metroid Dread?
- GO IN COMPLETELY BLIND & LOOK UP NOTHING

 

[Mister Wolf]

Always guides with From Software games. You will miss something if you don't and im too busy to be playing through games multiple times.

 

[ReBurn]

I go to the internet when I get stuck

 

[TrebleShot]

I play with my eyes closed.
Not strictly blind because when I open them I can see again.

But if I was blind I wouldn’t be able to read any guidance so this topic clearly makes no sense.

Also because I can see I don’t feel as though I need guidance how to play a game unless it’s very complicated like chess.

 

[CitizenZ]

There is one loser who is often quoted on here whom i asked, "Do you look at achievements prior to playing(he is big Achievement guy). he answered yes and uses a walkthrough guide with every play through. I just shook my head, why even play? And due to this information, it makes everything he says a bout anything concerning games meaningless, like his life.

 

[synchronicity]

I usually play blind, but if I'm not in love with a particular game, but still enjoying it enough to keep playing, I'll look stuff up rather than wandering stuck. But if I'm really into a game, I almost never use any guide/faq unless I've proven to myself that I'm an incapable buffoon.

 

[Doom85]

I’ll look up guides that keep it as spoiler free as possible on how to get the true/best ending of certain games. Makes for better closure, anything but the True Ending for Persona 4 is the height of blasphemy given how perfect the True Ending is, the third/arguably True Ending of Bloodborne is the most satisfying to me IMHO, and the basic “Link the Fire” ending of Dark Souls 3 is boring AF as the two other (and even the “betrayer”) endings are way more interesting.

 

[Ebidramon]

Blind.

 

[Northeastmonk]

On some games, if there are numbered chapters, I’ll look up a mission count or Google how many chapters there are. I sometimes like to know when I’m approaching the end. That doesn’t mean I want to know what ultimate final boss is. That completely sours the whole experience. Newer games that I’ve waited months for, I’ll maybe research an item that I got or maybe check to see what it’s upgrading path looks like. For the most part, it’s a blind run. For some older JRPGs I don’t mind looking at the guide. Some of that I’ve long forgotten and it’s always interesting to see someone’s guide from the early 2000’s. I’ve been wanting to get a Platinum, which is outside my norm. I’ve been looking up guides, writing down items and their locations, so it really all depends.

It’s funny cause sometimes I see 20 YouTube channels devoted to finding a particular item or fighting a particular boss.

 

[20cent]

Completely blind, don't care about success/achievement etc.
Unless there is a game mechanic requiring crafting trials and errors / grinding then looking it up will make my life easier (BotW receipes, Persona fusions etc)

 

[Captain Toad]

If I never gave up and asked for or looked up help, I'd still be hopelessly trying to figure out what to do next in Castlevania 2.

 

[joedan]

If I get stuck for 10-20 minutes I’ll usually look up what to do next just to save myself time. It’s rare though.

Pretty much. More specifically in relation to getting lost. E.g Recently in Metroid Dead on an occasion when I was wandering around for too long not knowing where to go next I looked at a YT walkthrough to see my next step. I don’t use guides to defeat bosses or levels of anything skill-related like that.

 

[V4skunk]

Never use a guide and I always go in blind.
On Soulsborne I'm very thorough and find all the secrets by my self on the first run which on average is 120hours long.

 

[RoboFu]

I never understood why someone would want a guide BEFORE playing through a game. What’s the point?? Why not just read a book….

 

[Lady Redfield]

Both.

I will play blind first, then, if it's a game I want to plat, or at least get as many trophies as I can, I will use a guide.

 

[MayauMiao]

There was that one time playing God of War (PS4) on hardest mode, killing one of the mini bosses.

Other time would be finding small hidden items or levels during replays for 100% completion sake.

 

[Hendrick's]

It really depends on the game. I only look at guides for online games, never single player.

 

[KielCasto]

I play blind unless I get stuck in a sidequest or I took a really long break from an RPG. But I also find following guides a bit boring so usually I just button mash if it's an action RPG or spam the strongest move in turn-based RPGs until I remember how I used to play the games.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Most games I reference a guide to know what’s missable for trophy purposes. Nothing sucks more than having to go back for superfluous playthroughs.

Only a handful of games do I go blind, and they tend to be AAA release (Souls-like games and shooters mainly).

 

[Rayderism]

I only use a guide if I get stuck on something.

 

[_Ex_]

Top 5 Reasons I don't like Strategy Guides or Walkthroughs | Hardcore Retro Gaming

Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and I don't expect anyone else to agree with them.

hardcoreretrogaming.boards.net

 

[adamsapple]

Try to go blind, but look at achievement guides to see how feasible 1000g-ing a game is and if there are misable things to keep an eye out for.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Try to as much as I can unless I'm going for 100%

 

[DGrayson]

I def use guides especially when there are ultimate weapons/spells/abilities which are missable.

 

[Hypereides]

Blind playthrough all the way.

Don't want to spoil my playthrough by referencing some guide/walkthrough.

 

[Bernardougf]

I dont see how to NOT use guides for fromsoft games, it just seems that you would loose a lot content in the game... there is no way someone can uncover souls games many many litte secrets all by himself

 

[MatrixReloaded101]

I dont see how to NOT use guides for fromsoft games, it just seems that you would loose a lot in the game... thats no way someone can uncover souls games many many litte secrets all by himself

I agree and that’s one of the things I don’t like about souls games. If you don’t use a guide with them your going to have a frustrating time with those games.

As for the general topic, I only use guide if I am looking to platinum a game, get all of the achievements and get stuck on a puzzle.

 

[DragoonKain]

Guides for RPGs always. I don't have time to replay games and I'm an OCD completionist, so I'm not going to play an 80 hour game knowing I missed some ultimate sword or armor and the only way to get it is to start another playthrough. F that.

 

[BigBooper]

Gotta admit I'm surprised at how many completionist gamers there are here. We have an older crowd and several of you have mentioned not wanting to have to replay a game for something you missed, because of your limited time. But then you will follow a guide that inevitably slows you down and makes the game slower.

Maybe it's because I never grew up playing JRPGs and grinding, but I just don't relate. If I see an achievement that says "do 1000x of something" or "find all *", I never wonder how long that would take. I just think, "welp, not gonna do that boring shit."

It would save me some money if I was that way.

 

[Bakkus]

For games with a lot of branching paths and hidden items. I usually check playthroughs on length with my progression. Biggest examples are the Soulslike games and Metroidvanias. I would have hated some of them if I didn't have this. Also, if I'm stuck and don't know what to do next in a game, I always check YT guides. I can't understand how people can think it's fun to wander around aimlessly in games hoping to find the progression. Please don't confuse this with being stuck on puzzles. Those, I very rarely turn to guides on.

 

[Kuranghi]

How about a a 4th option:

I don't look up guides before finishing except if its for an extra/side challenge thing I cant get past after 10 tries or so and I'm not understanding it, but I also buy Piggyback guides and use them after playing the game through sometimes and often I keep them sealed for opening later in life when replaying the game.

They're beautiful guides, highly recommended:

Home - Piggyback.com

Latest GuideS The Legend of Zelda™: Tears of the Kingdom The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom offers a vast world full of varied quests, challenging puzzles, ferocious monsters, and unique sights to behold. Working closely with Nintendo®, we have created the authoritative, all-encompassing...

www.piggyback.com

 

[EverydayBeast]

 

[It's all in the wrist]

Blind, until the second that they frustrate me, at which point I hit up Google. I do not have time for that. I enjoy the game more that way, anyway.

 

[Deerock71]

I still have that very guide. I'm gonna say it depends on the game. Unless you're idiot-savant levels of good at strategy games, you're daft if you don't consult several sources when starting a game of Brigandine, for example.