I like some visual help because I can't bother myself to reading if I get stuck in a game, you could say I'm impatient then. So what I find most effective for me is to search for Walkthroughs on Youtube :D
I normally game on my super unorganized desk with loud metal music on and I just game with ear phones, i get more sound that way than with a headset and I have a mic installed in case i need it :D