Gameology: Commentary and Resources for the Game Studies Community

That's a great question, Tom. The purist in me would say that you should first make a determined effort to complete the game without a hintbook. If you just can't do it, or find yourself experiencing more frustration than fun, go to a site like UHS that will gently prod you in the right direction. However, after you've completed the game, I think it's a great idea to look at walkthroughs and point lists just to make sure you've seen every part of the game. Otherwise, you might miss out on really cool stuff.