Sometimes the temptation is just too great.

I never set out playing an RPG with the intention of reading a walkthrough, but I can’t remember the last time I didn’t use one. Chances are it was in that nebulous couple of years after the Sega CD squelched my need for keeping current with the gaming world. Back then there was no Gamefaqs. Phantasy Star II had a hintbook included with it, but for everything else you were out of luck.

I do remember when I finally broke down. A roommate in college had a Playstation and Final Fantasy 7. I remembered enjoying II (SNES) and decided to give this new one a shot.

I loved it. My buddy had the strategy guide, but I wasn’t going to have anything to do with that. Why ruin the game that way? I had soldiered trough a dozen of these things on the old systems. I knew I could handle it without any help. And I did. I made it about three quarters of the way through without even being tempted to cheat.

One night during a party at the apartment a few of us were getting blazed in my buddy’s room and I picked up the guide just to look over the parts of the game I’d already been through. Here’s where my fall from grace takes place. I couldn’t believe the amount of shit that I’d missed. There were all sorts of sidequests, rare weapons, and out of the way summons that I’d completely blown past. All the old RPG’s I’d played didn’t have this stuff. You just got strong enough to beat a dungeon, or boss and then moved on to the next one. I’d missed half of the game so far.

Well I didn’t plan on missing any more. I’d try and avoid plot points and maps so as to keep from ruining the game entirely, but I wasn’t about to miss out on all this other cool stuff.

That’s been my relationships with walkthroughs ever since. Recent games have only gotten worse. It’s gotten to the point with many RPG’s that you’d have to be completely Autistic to track down a lot of this extra content. If you managed to track down all the rare game in Final Fantasy 12 without the help of a strategy guide then you’re a better gamer than I.

Well here I am coming off another short period of reduced gaming. I just picked up Dragon Quest 8 at TRU for $9.99. I had heard that it was a throwback to a more classic style of grinding and exploration. I’m loving it so far. I’ve made a promise to myself to avoid any guides, or even reviews for that matter. I’d forgotten how much that the exploration of a created world can be its own reward. I’m staying strong so far, but Trode just gave me an alchemy pot.

Dammit.

Item creation?

I mean son of a bitch. This is the reason guides were created. They’re for those of us who don’t want to try mixing every possible combination of every item in the game engine. Oh you mean the weapon I need beat that boss is made my mixing the rat crap with an herb and some boxer shorts. How did I not think of that?

Even so I’m still not looking at a guide. I’m staying strong. I swear… Pray for me.