With a new game and a blockbuster movie just around the corner, it’s a busy month for Prince of Persia fans. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands continues the popular Sands of Time story line. Set between The Sands of Time and The Two Thrones, the latest game fills a critical gap in the saga as the Prince struggles to restore order to his brother’s kingdom following the release of an ancient threat: The Sand Army.

While the game shares many similarities to its predecessors, there are several new layers of innovative features. One of the most exciting additions is the customizable upgrade system. As you defeat enemies and discover the treasures locked within hidden sarcophagi, you earn XP. As XP accumulates, new levels are earned along with upgrade points. These points can be spent in the upgrade menu, a tree-like interface filled with different unlockable skills and powers such as Trail of Flame, Stone Armor, Whirlwind, and Ice Blast. This light RPG touch gives the game some nice depth, allowing you to customize the gameplay experience based on your style of play.

Beyond the skills and powers unlocked through the upgrade menu, the Prince also acquires several ancient Djinn magics during the adventure. This includes the abilities to rewind time, freeze water in time, and restore damaged sections of the palace. In classic Prince of Persia fashion, many of these powers must be used in conjunction with the Prince’s already impressive array of acrobatic skills to advance from one area to the next. At first, the combination of powers and acrobatics required to traverse certain areas can seem overwhelming. But with some practice, the complexities fade as you dial-in to the flow of the game, effortlessly overcoming one obstacle after another by reading the environment and responding accordingly. It’s during these sequences that the almost-hypnotic rhythm of the game sinks in, adding the thrill of accomplishing seemingly impossible feats.

Still, the game is no pushover. Like previous installments, the puzzle-like level design offers plenty of “What do I do next?” moments. In addition to the complex environments, the palace is filled with a variety of enemies and bosses eager to halt the Prince’s progress. These are areas where our strategy guide offers some meaningful assistance, showing exactly where to go as well as how to solve each puzzle, defeat each boss, and find all 21 hidden sarcophagi. Tips are also offered throughout the walkthrough highlighting ideal areas to earn Achievements and Trophies.

So whether you’re a Prince of Persia fan from way back or simply inspired by the Prince’s adventures on the big-screen, The Forgotten Sands offers plenty of memorable moments and a rewarding gameplay system that’ll have you coming back for more even after you’ve put the Sand Army to rest.

I advise you to check out www.forgottensandswalkthrough.com for more information.

Sunset Valley, on the other hand, is more of a metropolis. It has a central park that is the social focus of the city, but its buildings are not only larger, but much more spread out and connected by wider, busier streets. Whereas the science center in Riverview is nestled on the waterfront right next to the stadium and military base, these three buildings are on completely different sides of Sunset Valley. The military base in Sunset Valley is pushed back into one of the hillsides that help define Sunset valley as a valley. The science facility in Sunset Valley is much larger than its Riverview counterpart. Because it needs more space, it is also set up into the hills above the city.

Four Bridges Park is a major part of downtown Riverview's plaza.

There are some substantial differences between the Sunset Valley and Riverview, too. Riverview does not have an oceanfront like Sunset Valley; instead, Riverview is defined in large part by the freshwater river that snakes through the farmland surrounding the downtown area. Without any way to catch saltwater fish in the wild in Riverview, Sims must instead visit the hatchery to reel in these beauties. Riverview has far fewer lakes and ponds than Sunset Valley, too. But there is no shortage of freshwater fishing thanks to the lengthy rivers in Riverview.

The locations of collectibles like butterflies, beetles, and gems are also completely different. If you’ve already exhausted the discovery of rare collectibles in Sunset Valley – how many rainbow gems do you have? – then move into Riverview and start the grand hunt all over again. Just make sure you give your Sims a day or two for collectibles to appear in Riverview before searching them out. After a few days (which you can easily fill by starting a career, meeting Riverview citizens, and developing a skill or two), then start scouring the town to find the goodies. Prima is publishing the location of all of the collectibles in the upcoming The Sims 3: Neighborhood Resource & Map Pack.

However, let me give you a little Brownie Bite before that’s released. In the shadow of the Jones mansion above the waterfront, you will not only find aquas, emeralds, yellows, tanzanite, and diamonds, but also the super-rare pinks. The minimum value of the smallest pink gem is 1,200 Simoleons. That’s quite a payday. You’ll find cool tips like that and more in The Sims 3: Neighborhood Resource & Map Pack, which I just finished writing earlier this week and is coming soon.

Tip #6: Exploit the Back Row

Characters you place in your party’s back row are tougher targets compared to those who stand up front. Always fill your back row with as many characters as possible to limit your party’s exposure, equipping backline combatants with staves, bows, and other long-range arms so they can still pitch in during a scrap.

Tip #7: Unleash the Fury

Your party members gain full HP and MP each time they level up, so don’t shy away from unleashing potent Marks of the Stars attacks that help to hasten each fight, particularly when facing fierce foes that give big EXP when felled!

Tip #8: Unbalance Baddies

Marks of the Stars that inflict the Unbalance status effect are some of the best, because an Unbalanced enemy cannot act for several turns. It’s therefore wise to include at least one character that can Unbalance baddies into each party you make, especially when running up against big, burly brutes!

Tip #9: Carry Curatives

Monsters don’t just like to beat up your party members, they also throw all sorts of nasty status ailments at them, such as Silence and Confusion. Be prepared and always carry a healthy variety of status-curing items. They can be real lifesavers!

Tip #10: Find Fortune with a Friend!

There’s plenty of glory and adventure to be had in the Suikoden: Tierkreis’s epic single-player saga, but some of the coolest loot can only be obtained when you hook up with a buddy, sending a few of your characters across the Infinity and over to their world to take on special Infinity Quests, all of which are fully disclosed in Prima’s exceptional eGuide!

Click here for a free preview of the Suikoden Tierkreis  eGuide!

Click here to purchase the Suikoden Tierkreis eGuide!

Resident Evil 5 Preview Available Now

Get the antidote you need…a little early. We’re able to give a brief preview of the Resident Evil 5 Official Game Guide by our publishing partner and exclusive author team, Piggyback Interactive (whom also did our Metal Gear Solid 4 and Halo 3 guides).

This 16 page preview includes a portion of the walkthrough, weapons and exclusive art section found in the Collectors Edition Hard Cover guide.  For more information about the collection of our Resident Evil 5 guides, check out our RE5 Feature Page.

Now available at the Street Fighter IV feature page, a 7 character HD or SD video bundle including:

Abel
Akuma
Balrog
C. Viper
Ken
Ryu and
Sagat

You can also purchase the bundle + eGuide for a discounted price.   So above, check out our sample of Ryu.

Cammy rocking out at Unity

For extra advanced tips on Cammy and other console characters, check out our guest blogging posts over at Capcom-unity.com!

We have a Basics overview teaching you the combat chain, followed by three different mission type walkthroughs: The Conquest of Rovaniemi walkthrough, The Raid on Rozenburg walkthrough, and The Siege of Washington D.C. walkthrough.  You can check out the End War Video Strategies at G4 here.

You can also go to our Tom Clancy Feature Page and purchase them in a discounted HD or SD bundle or with their eGuide.

2. The LPO-50 flamethrower is a great way to quickly eliminate enemies in assault trucks. Duck behind cover and wait for an assault truck to approach, then when it’s nearby, stand up and douse the vehicle in flames. Due to the vehicle’s open sides and rear, the driver and gunner don’t stand a chance. Just make sure you’re not hit by the truck before you can attack-if you’re spotted, the driver will try to run you down.

3. The enemy AI’s vision is significantly reduced at night, making it harder for them to detect you. Hiding in tall grass or behind shrubs can also make it difficult for them to spot you. For best results, stay on higher elevations too. If you’re standing on lower terrain, they’ll have a much easier time detecting you.

4. The turrets on swamp boats only fire in a limited forward arc. So if facing a hostile swamp boat head-on, throttle past it at full speed to get out of the kill zone. The hostile boat must then turn completely around before it can reacquire you, by which time you should be well out of range.

5. If you injure an enemy, they will usually cry out, triggering an alert. But be careful when killing enemies too-alerts are propagated when bodies are discovered too. So be mindful of where bodies drop and try to neutralize targets outside the sight lines of their comrades.

6. When attacking convoys with IEDs, place your first device near a landmark that’s easy to distinguish from long range, such as a tree or signpost. Once you move to a safe distance, spotting the IEDs on a road can be difficult without the aid of your monocular, so using a landmark allows you to easily identify the blast zone. Therefore all you have to do is watch the landmark and detonate the explosives when the convoy passes it.

7. Bus stations function like a warp, taking you directly from one station to another, allowing you to bypass all the hostile forces along the way. The bus is also a great way to get back to town after completing a mission. Use them as frequently as possible.

8. Long grass has grains at the top of each blade and provides the most effective concealment. If attempting to hide in shorter grass (without the grains), enemies will have no trouble spotting you. When using the Camo Suit upgrade, you’re virtually invisible while remaining motionless in high grass.

9. When firing rocket launchers, a large plume of fiery exhaust shoots out the back of the tube. So be mindful of your surroundings. If you’re standing in dry grass, it may cause a wild fire, setting your legs on fire shortly after the launch. For best results, stand on rocks or other nonflammable surfaces when firing rockets.

10. Setting wild fires is a great way to distract hostile units. The AI recognizes fire as a separate threat and will take steps to avoid it, making it a kind of force multiplier working in your favor. But pay close attention to the wind before going pyro. Orient your attack so the wind is at your back, blowing toward the enemy-watch the swaying movement of grass and trees to determine the wind’s direction. Wind can carry a fire quickly, especially when moving through dry grass. Fire is less effective in lush (green) or wet environments. Starting a raging wild fire during or after a rainstorm is nearly impossible.

1. If your vehicles are damaged in combat during the Civilization Stage, just move them adjacent to any friendly city, and they will automatically start to repair.

2. When building up a city or colony, start by placing a Factory and an Entertainment building on opposite sides of the City Hall, and then build Houses around each of them to multiply their positive effects while minimizing the Factory’s negative effect.

3. When trading in the Space Stage, remember that different races and even different planets have different needs, so be sure to shop around for the most eager buyers. Don’t just unload your spice for a couple hundred Sporebucks. There are planets out there who will pay thousands!

4. If your city is about to fall to enemy forces, sell off every remaining building for whatever you can get for them. You get a few Sporebucks in your pocket, and the enemy takes control of a completely empty city.

5. When you have an alliance with an empire, visit their colonies, open a communication channel, and request that they donate a spaceship to your Fleet (if you’ve advanced far enough to be able to have a fleet). Having a Fleet to back you up makes a huge difference in the Space Stage and gives you an edge in combat that no single spaceship can match.

1) Your actions in earlier stages affect your starting points in later stages. For example, if you’re an aggressive race in the Tribal Stage, you will begin the Civilization Stage as a military society. If you win over other tribes by performing songs or giving them gifts, you will begin the Civilization Stage as a religious or economic society, respectively.

As always, you can click on the image to enlarge it.

2) Offer wild creatures food from your stores in Tribal Stage to domesticate them and harvest eggs from them, which herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores can all eat. In a pinch, carnivorous and omnivorous tribes can also eat their domesticated animals if food runs low.
3) Economic vehicles are the only vehicles in the Civilization Stage that do not have any offensive capabilities. To protect them, retreat to a city fortified with turrets, or escort them with military or religious units.

4) Hold down TAB when creating a creature, building, or vehicle to bring up a variety of advanced part placement options.

5) Keep at least one or two of your tribesmen in your village in the Tribal Stage to discourage wild animals from stealing your food.