How to Learn a New Video Game: Top 5 Tips to Frustration-Free Gaming

So you just got a new video game for your birthday or for Christmas. You're all hyped to start it, but as soon as you pop it in and arrive at the first scene, you're stuck. Learning a new video game can be challenging, especially if you've never played its predecessor or are new to the whole gaming thing in the first place. Here's five great ways to learn a video game if you're just starting out.

1. Read the Booklet: Almost every video game comes with a small insert in booklet form, located inside the jacket of the game disc. This booklet gives you the game's synopsis as well as each controller combination and command. By first studying the booklet, you can familiarize yourself with many game options and determine how you can beat enemies, maneuver through the game, find treasures and earn trophies.
   
2. Start Out on the Easy Level: One of the best ways to learn a new video game is to begin at the easiest level. If you're a seasoned player, you might balk at this idea, but it's always helped me get familiar with the game without worrying that I'll spend time backtracking or keep respawning over and over after a fight sequence that's too advanced to handle right away.
   
3. Leave the Treasures Until Later: Many games, like Uncharted and Arkham Asylum, feature hidden treasures and hard-to-access trophies. Don't go out on a deliberate hunt for these until you have a better handle on the game. For one thing, you might get lost, as is often the case in games with a dark ambience, steep drop-offs and various pathways. Get used to the terrain first, then focus on winning the game. Pick up the less obvious trophies on your second run through.
   
4. Look for Online Cheats: There's something to be said for figuring everything out yourself. But are you really going to justify spending 2 hours trying to find how to get out of a locked tower when the answer is probably right in front of you, and you just can't find it? GameFAQs.com and Cheats.IGN.com are some of my favorite go-to websites for getting out of a rut.
   
5. Get a Second Opinion: I realize you're not going to the doctor's office for a procedure, but getting a second opinion has its benefits in the gaming world, too. Ask a fellow gamer friend or sibling to play the game with you - even if they just watch for a little while and take turns. We do this all the time, and it's typically more fun for everyone. Plus, with more eyes watching the screen, we often spend less time learning the game and more time strategizing our attacks, which is the way it should be. This also breaks up those monotonous mountain climbs, walking scenes and otherwise boring sequences.

Learning a new video game can be challenging, depending on the intricacy of the game and your experience. Using these tips might help take some of the frustration out of the game and make it more fun during your first few hours.