This is the worst strategy book I have ever seen. I can’t understand why a company like Ensemble Studios/Microsoft approved this book by BradyGames.
I have read every book since Age of Empires II and strategy guides for several other games. This is the worst I have ever seen.
Multiplayer strategy
It basically contains one short page with multiplayer strategy. Advice like: “Share your resources with your teammates to make them build whatever they need.” Is that supposed to be helpful? How about some tips regarding, booming, rushing, turteling, special strategies, etc. There in NOTHING in this book regarding these important issues.
Strategy on different maps
Age of Empires III, The Asian Dynasties includes 36 maps (including the ones from AoE3 and The War Chief expansion). This guide has a very short strategy for 27 of them! Most strategies for these maps are only one sentence long! Where is the description for the rest of the maps? (Andes, Auraucania, California, Upper Himalayas, Northwest Territory, Orinoco, Ozarks, Painted Desert and Plymouth)
Civilizations
This book have basically unit tables for the three new civilizations and for the reference tables for the Europeans too. Where is the reference for the Aztecs, Iroquois and the Sioux? There in no reference to the natives either. Actually they are not even mentioned. There is no strategy in this book for any civilization!
Overall
This book include 174 pages. It is basically divided this way:
7 pages of basic game information
73 pages of unit tables for the three new Civilizations
31 pages of “Walkthrough” single player campaigns
3 pages of information regarding single player skirmishes. No strategy.
1 page multiplayer strategy
7 pages with poor maps strategies containing 1-2 sentences for each 27 maps
46 pages with European unit tables
1 page with 11 cheat codes for single player
3 pages covering the Scenario Editor
Conclusion
How can they call this “Official Strategy Guide – Age of Empires The Asian Dynasties”? It contains basically lots of unit tables and “walkthrough” single player campaigns. There in only a few pages with poor strategy included. I will NOT recommend this book to anyone else than those who need a “Walkthrough” single player campaigns.
References
BradyGames - TAD Strategy Guide
Amazon bookstore
ISBN: 0-7440-0990-1
Retail price: $20
All ETs aren't nice!
I have read every book since Age of Empires II and strategy guides for several other games. This is the worst I have ever seen.
It basically contains one short page with multiplayer strategy. Advice like: “Share your resources with your teammates to make them build whatever they need.” Is that supposed to be helpful? How about some tips regarding, booming, rushing, turteling, special strategies, etc. There in NOTHING in this book regarding these important issues.
Age of Empires III, The Asian Dynasties includes 36 maps (including the ones from AoE3 and The War Chief expansion). This guide has a very short strategy for 27 of them! Most strategies for these maps are only one sentence long! Where is the description for the rest of the maps? (Andes, Auraucania, California, Upper Himalayas, Northwest Territory, Orinoco, Ozarks, Painted Desert and Plymouth)
This book have basically unit tables for the three new civilizations and for the reference tables for the Europeans too. Where is the reference for the Aztecs, Iroquois and the Sioux? There in no reference to the natives either. Actually they are not even mentioned. There is no strategy in this book for any civilization!
This book include 174 pages. It is basically divided this way:
7 pages of basic game information
73 pages of unit tables for the three new Civilizations
31 pages of “Walkthrough” single player campaigns
3 pages of information regarding single player skirmishes. No strategy.
1 page multiplayer strategy
7 pages with poor maps strategies containing 1-2 sentences for each 27 maps
46 pages with European unit tables
1 page with 11 cheat codes for single player
3 pages covering the Scenario Editor
How can they call this “Official Strategy Guide – Age of Empires The Asian Dynasties”? It contains basically lots of unit tables and “walkthrough” single player campaigns. There in only a few pages with poor strategy included. I will NOT recommend this book to anyone else than those who need a “Walkthrough” single player campaigns.
ISBN: 0-7440-0990-1
Retail price: $20
All ETs aren't nice!
[This message has been edited by KoN_BerZerk (edited 12-13-2007 @ 06:10 PM).]