5 Modern Games That Desperately Need Physical Manuals

Destiny

Destiny has to be one of the most poorly explained games of all time. Maybe some people like having an inventory full of items that have no use before reaching level 20 and wondering what they do, but it’s mostly just frustrating. Why am I collecting spin metal? What do strange coins do? Where is Xur and why does he keep moving around every week and disappearing? There are so many little aspects of Destiny that are left to be confusing and not in a good way.

Also, if Bungie is so keen on keeping Destiny’s story out of the game and hidden away in a mobile app, including some backstory in a manual would have been the least the could have done. Although it’s hard to believe if you never checked out the grimoire, Destiny does actually have some interesting lore. The game’s back story (that the Speaker could tell you but won’t), the reason for why we raid the Vault of Glass, and the military structure of the different enemy groups all make for a good read. But alas, you’re going to have to get up your grimoire score if you ever want to read all about it.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

If you’ve been with Dragon Age from the very beginning then Dragon Age: Inquisition probably isn’t too difficult for you to grasp. But oh boy, if you’re coming in fresh with the newly released title good luck to you. There is just so much going on in the game that assumes the player knows about it already or is easy to understand.

From the moment you hit the Hinterlands for the first time you already have journal full of quests. Similar to Destiny, you’re collecting resources for some kind of future reason. There are a lot of skill trees between all of your party members and you’re often stuck buying abilities without knowing exactly how they will preform. Managing one skill tree can be complicated enough but in Dragon Age: Inquisition you have four to worry about each across multiple different characters.  Also, it’s easy to start racking up some power and influence without really knowing why you want them.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is great, but a physical manual could have solved a lot of the early bewilderment for new players. Oh, and that’s all without even talking about the game’s Tolkien-esque plot. Let’s leave that for another day.

Elite: Dangerous

Creating a game where the player base is expected to go and learn everything is becoming quite the norm recently, and usually it works out. Throwing a player into the heavily complex world of Elite: Dangerous with next to no guidance, though, is simply a sin of the highest order. To succeed in Elite: Dangerous without any physical reference point like a manual is nigh-on impossible. In all fairness, there is a full digital manual which can be accessed by anyone.

As a totally new player who may not even know the website even exists though, Elite: Dangerous is without question a difficult game to get into. Anything from turning off modules in your craft to optimize power usage right down to how you mine or even how you freaking land is not conveyed in any way by the game itself. Every single activity requires an extensive amount of research to really see any success in. Having a manual of some sort just to guide players through the process without the need for a Google search or trawling through the developer’s website would’ve been nice. Just sayin’.

Disney Infinity

Disney Infinity is not a game that you would expect to be difficult. After all it is clearly geared towards children who want a new way to interact with their beloved toys. However, you couldn’t be more wrong. The game can become really confusing as you try to get into all the available content activities. Disney Infinity not only has story missions but also a full level creator suite.

While there are many tutorials scattered throughout the game it sometimes takes a while to find them and then you need to wait through some really annoying load times. A physical manual inside the case explaining some of the more confusing intricacies would be more than welcome. It would definitely be beneficial when your children come to you seeking help. Nobody wants to be the adult that doesn’t know how to play their kid’s video game.

The Witcher

The Witcher 3 will likely be in a similar boat as Dragon Age: Inquisition when it releases later this year. It has a loyal fan base that has grown from game to game, and has a lot of hype leading into its third iteration. Lots of newcomers will probably pick up The Witcher 3 and many of them will feel very disoriented.

The Witcher and The Witcher 2 doesn’t exactly have the world’s most intuitive combat system and can overwhelm players with how complicated it can be. Mastering aspects such as alchemy and signs without the help of any sort of guide can definitely be off-putting to those not willing/able to invest the time to do. Also, it has a lore-rich plot that will leave you behind you if don’t pay close attention.

Sure online guides are readily available for all of these titles, but there’s something about cracking open a new game and having that manual right there when you need that just makes us feel like everything is going to be OK. Did we miss some good ones? Let us know in the comments!