Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Collector's Edition: Prima Official Game Guide

Great guide to Fallout 4. Yes, there are walkthroughs and WIKIs available online, and I still use those on occasion, but the book is what I keep next to me when I play the game. I got the hardcover version, and it comes with a huge wall map of The Commonwealth. Deep dive into every aspect of the game - locations, weapons, loot, enemies, combat, creatures, companions, crafting... when I got the book realized more than ever how huge and varied the world of the game really is. I also like the book because it doesn’t ruin the fun of finding things out for myself, but it’s a handy reference when I get a bit lost, or want to know more about an aspect of the game. It’s written as a guide created by Vault Tech, with the fun, retro-futuristic vibe of the game. There are has a ton of color photos as well as neat illustrations from the world of Fallout 4. Book itself is high quality, hefty cover and crisp, glossy pages. I do sometimes wish there was a more detailed Table Of Contents, but there are so many characters, quests, locations and other variables that a TOC would be as big as the book itself! Like the game, the book is just fun to explore.

OK - Let me start with the admission that not only am I a Fallout newbie, but this is my first experience with one of these new generation immersion type games. I typically stick to simple quick games where I can blow off twenty to thirty minutes at a time. Fallout 4 requires a time commitment, and as much as I dislike that aspect, this game/world is incredibly deep. Being used to just opening a game and going right at it I popped Fallout 4 into the X-box and started to play. About an hour into the game I realized I had no idea what I was in for and little experience in what I was doing. Thank goodness for You Tube and gaming sites for pointing me in the right direction. However even with all the help available on the web there was still something missing as most of that material seems geared towards those who have experience in the Fallout universe. Realizing how deep this experience can go I wanted to tackle it all and began to search. The game developer provides limited help from within the game and no manual on it's website - at least not yet. That led me to this product (that has the game developers fingerprints all over it) which is, for all intents a, World Book Encyclopedia for Fallout 4. Yes it is a game manual, but the game is so big, deep and involved that an encyclopedia is what's needed. Some seasoned Fallout veterans say this book doesn't capture it all, which is good, because the last thing I wanted was a manual that takes the exploration fun out the experience. After a few quests with the manual by my side I can happily say it doesn't. This manual provides some very useful maps, strategies, and hints without revealing everything. It delves into some key details and explains the concepts of items, their uses, and improvement modifications without giving you all the answers on what to use when - the gamer has to figure that out. This book gives a good overview of the mission objectives, warns of the pitfalls, and provides helpful hints on how to either engage or avoid conflicts. It doesn't give all the answers but it should set thoughts in the right direction. It gives general information on where key items can be found via a chart system, but if that's not enough the detailed information on item locations are on the maps; you can choose how much help you take. The information is broken down into sections and is written in such a way that once you understand the basic concepts of game play you can jump from section to section based on what you need to know when you need to know it. "Vault Boys Helpful Hints" strewn throughout the pages give you very some handy tips as well as a window into the developers thoughts. I purchased the hardcover edition because I wanted the large map of the wasteland so I sprung for the extra $5. One of the reasons I enjoy this game is because I know Boston quite well and seeing these places in a post-apocalyptic scenario gives this game some fun familiarity. The large map is broken down into individual sections included within the manual, so it is more of a convenience than a necessity. Also included with the hardcover edition is a pack of 7 prints of the Vault Boy depicting the Attributes as seen on the attribute chart. They do nothing for me but for a collector they might have value. If the map and mini-posters don't tickle your fancy save a few bucks and go with the softcover edition. Other reviewers have posted very accurate pictures of these contents. Included with both the softcover and hardcover editions is access to an electronic version of the manual that you gain access to through an included redeem code. Note that it is not a downloadable file so access to it requires an internet connection. The electronic version works well on the PC, however navigation on my iPad and iPhone is a bit cumbersome. The style and publication of this manual is right in line with the "Atomic Age" concept of the game so it all ties together very well. I'm guessing Bethesda worked very closely with Prima games to publish this work to get a little extra cash for their game manual. It's fun to read even while not involved in the game. I often find myself stopping life for an hour to play Fallout 4 only to find that I get immersed in it for three or so hours - I figure might as well enjoy it to the fullest and this manual has been a big help in doing that. To think I've only just begun. Enjoy!!

This is one of the best non-spoilery game guides I've ever used because of the way the info is compartmentalized. The high level area maps keep you oriented in this densely packed game world. The color coded one showing the level of mobs/monsters is particularly useful for helping players to not wander into areas they are not powerful enough for yet. The interior maps for each location are also brilliantly thought out. Quests that take place in a location are listed, but story/walk through details are contained in a separate section of the book. Special loot is also listed with the local maps. This arrangement makes it possible to do a blind run through a location and then check the map before you leave to make sure you haven't missed any special items that you may not be able to come back for later since some locations are only open when a particular quest is active. This is a major improvement over the Fallout 3 game guide which had a fraction of the maps and walked you through by plot points that gave the story away. The Fallout 4 guide is more in keeping with the open world nature of the game and encourages discovery.

I only just received it today but I spend a few hours gaming with it and here are my thoughts.... Overall it is a really great guide with several types of detailed maps and explanations about mutiple different ways to approach the various aspects of the game. But I'm only giving 4 stars for a few reasons.... 1. Even though there is more info than you could ever need I feel it could be actually be more detailed. For Example: It tells me an item can be found at the location but does not always tell me exactly where it's going to be in that location. However, I think some of these details are omitted so that the gamer can still discover things for themselves and to keep the challenge. 2. It could be slightly better organized although I'm not sure how. It's so much information I can understand how it would be difficult to put it in an easily understandable format. And 3. I didn't understand the purpose of the s.p.e.c.i.a.l. stat posters that were included. I have no intention of hanging them or anything so really it's just extra clutter and paper waste. Part of me wonders if the slightly hefty price tag was due to the posters being included. A little bit irksome. But Overall a wonderful guide and I'm pleased with my purchase.

Complete maps, walk thrus, tips, it's a veritable encyclopedic reference for Fallout 4, strongly recommended if you want to get everything out of this sprawling game without pulling your hair out or repeating quests or trips multiple times. The book layout is well-designed and easy to reference, full-color images, maps of everything and details details details. Includes a passcode for the online version which is equally helpful if even a bit faster to use as you can simply type a keyword into the search and voilà. Only a couple item location errors out of thousands so far that's I've crawled through. In use I typically use the maps to locate goals, or if I'm already on a mission I look over the map of the building or area maps to make sure I don't miss a bobble head, magazine or other goodies. I also reference missions and quests. I've got aboit 30-40 hours into the game and the guide is dog eared, scribbled in and chocked full of book marks!

This guide is a must have for all hardcore fans of the Fallout 4 game. It is presented in a gorgeous leather like binding and is a large book absolutely chock full of information to allow you to make the most of the game. From strategies on character development, to walkthroughs of critical missions, this book is very, very detailed. The artwork included is superb and gives one a direct look at many of the Wasteland's many wonders. The writing style follows the game very closely and humor abounds, in the classic Fallout tongue in cheek manner. I really can't recommend this book any higher for all Fallout fans. If you haven't yet tried Fallout 4, do so, soon. It is a remarkable game with many, many, many hours of gameplay in it's vast open world. I for one cannot wait for the DLC content to arrive. More Fallout goodness is only an excellent thing. Though it will of course mean that many more hours of hermit living as I tend to get a little lost in such a well crafted world.

The guide do seem diluted in contents compared to other Fallout guides made by the same publishers in the past, how most of the guidelines, tips, and information are not exactly difficult to learn on your own just by playing the game for few days, but it does help and come in handy for those who are new to the whole Fallout franchise and don't know anything about the V.A.T.S, or that there are different factions like the other Fallout games that you can side with that determines the shape of your game's story and such things. As far as the vaule of the guide (and the Lithograph and map poster that came with it) for the purpose of collection is concerned, you can't really go wrong there. The lithographs are printed in glossy slightly thicker version of printer papers that will not flop if you hold it by the bottom but stay straight (quality). The commonwealth map seems like it has too many things going on at first look but it begins to make more sense (like any other games) as you progress through the actual commonwealth as you progress it. For the price, it's a great collectible, and a conditionally efficient guide.

Better than most guides but its nothing like the epic guides written for the last Fallout or for Skyrim. Suffers from severe lack of judgement as to what to put in vs what to leave out. Obviously not written by people who played the game but with dev input. Let's start with the most basic problem. In order to keep the book a reasonable size, they reduced the font size to unreadable. Many people will need a magnifying glass to read this and that is no joke. Considering how much should NOT be in the guide this is stupid. Which is also a basic problem. It's just jammed packed with trivial information you absolutely will not look for in the game guide because it's done far better and more readable in your pipboy. Plus it is Fallout 4...if you don't have some idea about this basic stuff, why are you playing the game. Turn on the tips and then play through the beginning. Makes some effort to document the various items in game and where they are, more or less. Good. No analysis of what might make them desirable or any real analysis of builds or whatever. Which is why people play PC rather than failbox and just look up cheat codes. Maps are fantastic. Walkthrough is mediocre but common sense tells you what to expect. Fallout is spectacular in hidden content and surprises but the game guide fails utterly in tips about how to best approach them. The real failure here is crafting. Fallout 4 has a significant and highly confusing crafting element, complete with building your own towns and tearing down and rebuilding the wastelands to suit your desires. This is almost completely absent from the manual and tough to get a hold on even if you spend a lot of time looking his stuff up on youtube. Basically, it amounts to this. See that crappy destroyed town with all the worthless garbage hanging around? Well, for some reason your character is some sort of super human robot town rebuilder and can rip all that down for raw materials. And then build stuff and attract people. Why? Why not. Any benefit? Not really....it is fun though. Especially if you cheat. Your towns will be attacked occasionally. Except.....they will be armed to the teeth with super missile launcher, advanced death rays, mines every where and a legion of guards with advanced armor and weapons.....ahahahahaha. Does it matter. No. Is there any real benefit. Nope.