There comes a time throughout every gamer’s career when we have to consult the wisdom of a guide or playthrough to get past a particularly difficult segment. Even the most hardcore gamers among us need to look up a guide from time to time, and there are a few games out there that are almost outright impossible to beat without looking up a tutorial.
However, apart from these select moments when we are in dire need of help, most people tend to stay clear from guides, or perhaps even look down upon them. As we are going to discuss throughout this article, this might not be the way to go, and there are a plethora of reasons why guides/playthroughs can enhance your gaming experience even when you aren’t pulling out your hair trying to overcome a seemingly invincible boss. Let’s get right into it.
Allows You To Pick-Up On Things You Would Have Missed
One aspect of game playthroughs/guides that most people tend to forget is that they offer an amazing way for people to get everything possible from a game. Games nowadays are incredibly big, and that goes without even mentioning all of the secrets and easter eggs developers are notorious for putting in.
In fact, most games are so massive now that very few people ever actually experience a game to its fullest capacity, and most just swiftly move through the main story without even noticing all of the little details that developers spent months perfecting.
This is even more so the case when talking about fully completing a game, and it would be an understatement to say that some games are hard to 100%. Although, in reality, most gamers never manage to get anywhere near the 100% mark, and more often than not, the vast majority never even experience half of what a game has to offer.
Well, this is where guides and playthroughs come in. Guides can give an excellent way for players to explore more of a game, and they can be the key to truly opening up a game and exposing its secrets.
Of course, the natural argument to this point would be that guides/playthroughs may take away some of the mystique from discovering secrets for yourself, and in all truth, we would have to agree. However, this only applies to people that are truly willing to dig deep and search every little crack and crevice to see what a game has to offer, and this just isn’t applicable to the vast majority of gamers.
Guides can allow the average gamer to get a lot more out of any video game they play, and in some cases, they could open a whole new world you never even knew existed.
Knowledge is Power
Something that is all-too-common for the average gamer of today is that when a particularly difficult game comes along, the question of whether or not it is even worth continuing begins to become more and more prominent.
This didn’t used to be as much of an issue in times past, and people were much more accustomed to the difficulty of games and it was widely accepted that some level of difficulty was required in order for a game to be fun. However, this is no longer the case.
Games have been getting easier every year that passes, and there are even those out there that equate gaming to being more similar to a film than a rewarding experience. So, whenever a game comes along that breaks this norm and takes gamers by surprise, most people find themselves being in for a rude awakening.
It is not uncommon for people to get frustrated extremely quickly and give up just minutes into a game if it seems too difficult, and whilst this may be the right course of action in some cases, most of the time, it’s not.
Walkthroughs/guides provide an excellent solution to this common phenomenon, and they can help gamers get past the troublesome hurdles that may be blocking their paths towards an incredible game.
Some may say this route would be taking the easy way out, but if you look at other industries where a hobby is under scrutiny, guides are never seen as a negative thing. For example, it would make complete sense for someone with a fondness for gambling to take a look at an online slots and casino blog, and this may just give said person the motivation they need to push ahead and keep enjoying their hobby.
Using a guide or walkthrough is not “cheating”. No, it is simply making full use of all the resources you have in front of you, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with consulting a guide if you find yourself struggling throughout a game.
Help Can Give You The Confidence To Push Forward
Some games are just made to be difficult, and for those select few among us that love to torture ourselves by going up against the same boss one thousand times over in order to learn their tactics, this is perfect.
It is highly unlikely that anyone would have made it through any of the souls games without scouring through an endless array of Dark Souls walkthroughs, and it would be an understatement to say these guides have been a lifeline for many.
Without this help, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see people become hopeless at the thought of going blind into such a venture, and there is no doubt that walkthroughs can give you the confidence to push through when facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge.
Whatever your opinion on guides and walkthroughs may be, I’m sure we can all agree that they serve a vital purpose. If it were not for these valuable crutches, it is likely that many of us would not even still be the avid gaming fans we are today.
Even when used for the bare minimum (being stuck in a game), guides and playthroughs provide extraordinary value, and there is no doubt that millions of gamers from all around the world would be at a loss were they to disappear. However, as we discussed in this article, guides can be so much more than just a simple passage to overcome a difficult obstacle.
Next time you play a new game, why not give them a try and follow along whilst playing? You may just find that you end up having a better gaming experience overall, and in the end, your perspective on walkthroughs and guides might just change. Have fun.
