A step-by-step walk-through of 1999's Pac-Man World Playstation game, this heavily-illustrated book also features some trivia about the original games the inspired the new remake. Tips are included for the game's quest, maze and classic modes, including strategies for defeating specific villains and solving specific levels in the former.

I'm just about impressed with this book. It's a bit pricey, but then again, it's full-color glossy all the way through. What really impressed me was the fact that the original game was referenced at all, let alone made the subject of an entire trivia section.

But other than that, this really seems to be a typical video game strategy guide, which brings me to my underlying problem with this whole cottage industry that's sprung up. The games are made so they can't be finished, or in some cases even very effectively played, without the guides. It's almost like a mob racket, or a drug habit. You need one to get the full enjoyment of the other. Which could lead me to a whole dissertation on the problem with modern video games, but I'll spare you that sermon for another time.

Reviewed by Earl Green
theLogBook.com editor/webmaster

• Year: 1999
• Author: Chip Daniels
• Genre: Video game hint book
• Length: 80 pages
• Publisher: Prima