Game Manuals

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Bobbikis Posted: 11-04-2009 7:17 PM

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I remember back in the day when I was just a wee young one, whenever I'd get a game (buying, renting, or trading with someone), the first thing I'd *always* do is check to see if the game had a manual.

I remember there being some very elaborate manuals back then, and I always considered them an appetizer to the actual game. Usually giving me some background info on the setting, the characters I would encounter, and a peak at some of the weapons, I always thought manuals were a necessity to any 'good' game.

Now however, it seems like manuals are taking a more passive role then they once did. If I remember one game specifically, Dark Sector had a manual that was about four pages long. You could not even begin to imagine how disappointed I was when I opened it up to see it filled with most of the typical legal crap!

I remember one game specifically that had an AWESOME (read: TOTALLY RAD DUDE), manual. Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls... what a lovelying game, I played the hell out of it. But the manual for the game was structured like a comic book, and the developers through in all these jokes while they were at it. I absolutely adored it and would constantly find myself rereading it because it had such an interesting way of presenting the move sets to you (take that, SF2!).

Arg, bollocks, muppet! Am I alone in my cry for game manuals to go back to what they use to be?

PS: this is what the alphabet would look like if 'q' and 'r' were eliminated. Totally not stealing that joke from Mitch Hedberg!

In all honest though, let's look at the "Notes" section that usually occupies the last few pages of gaming manuals. Does anyone even use them anymore? If you did, for what? Enormously long cheat codes, stuff to remember in puzzle games?

Now if the notes section were used for those above reasons, is including them in today's modern manuals just a cliche? Or is it a homage? Or maybe just "They've always been there!" type deal?

PSS: Feel free to talk about any manuals you remember as being particularly awesome, and why so.

[mod edit: removed profanity]

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ElfShotTheFood replied on 11-04-2009 7:27 PM

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I can't remember too many great manuals, but two or three of them stick out:

Redneck Rampage: the manual was presented entirely as a redneck tabloid newspaper. Funny stuff, with lots of jokes about pigs and people marrying their sisters. Too bad the game wasn't as funny as the manual.

Arcanum: never read it, but the thing is the size of a phonebook. It's a real quality piece of work if you're into high-quality instruction manuals.

Devil May Cry 4 (PC): there's a nice message from the president of Capcom thanking you for buying the game. He even includes his email address. I thought that was a good touch.

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Atheist replied on 11-04-2009 7:40 PM

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Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. Most manuals these days lack substance, indeed. But with the advent of the internet, I rarely open one. Now I know everything about a game prior to buying it, rather than just a general idea of the premise.

For the notes section, I used to write in level passwords or whatever back when games didn't save. Now I usually put a funny comment in it, and hope that the person I sell or lend it to reads it and laughs.

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timpysan replied on 11-05-2009 9:18 AM

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BlackCoyote will back me up on this. The manual for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was awesome. It was produced to look like the actual grail diary.

That game rocked.

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Kenny007 replied on 11-05-2009 9:37 AM

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I agree with you wholeheartedly, and often would read the manual in its entirety before loading the game up.  I found enjoyment in reading them, and back in the preonline days, it was often an edge over my human opponents just to know the buttons or other simple commands.

Manuals these days surely are taking a backseat...ESPECIALLY for PC games which used to have some impressive literature.  Unfortunately, those like us who enjoy manuals seem to be a dying breed if the Goozex community is any measure.  Many would rather ensure the case is available in a trade rather than the manual, and many don't find a lot of value in the booklet...a shame really.

Join the Goozex Pokerstars Club!

GreenManGaming

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I-Weapon-X replied on 11-05-2009 10:12 AM

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you want to see a pathetic manual? Take a look at Battlefield 2 for 360; 4 pages INCLUDING covers

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Hexpane replied on 11-05-2009 11:49 AM

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I-Weapon-X:

you want to see a pathetic manual? Take a look at Battlefield 2 for 360; 4 pages INCLUDING covers

Is that an EA game?  That's part of their mantra, list controls, options and that's a wrap.  Thankfully they could not get away with that on Dragon Age

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Wildo88 replied on 11-05-2009 11:56 AM

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The first Fallout had an awesome spiral bound "Wasteland Survival Guide" type of manual. 

Diablo 2 had a great one as well, and I think other Blizzard games back then did too.  I remember some awesome artwork in the Warcraft 2 manual.

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Zenverse replied on 11-05-2009 12:04 PM

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I loved the game manual and map that came with the original Legend of Zelda on NES. You got a nice instruction booklet with background info and lots of artwork along with tips on the bottoms of the pages. The foldable map was also awesome. I used it so many times that I had to tape it up a lot. Too bad it's all in pieces now. =(

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G-Nitro replied on 11-05-2009 12:05 PM

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All the GTA games have come with interesting manuals.

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larpi replied on 11-05-2009 12:09 PM

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Manhunt had a cool Manual and so did Morrowind