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Game Manuals Suck These Days
I remember buying 8-bit Nintendo games the day they came out. Oh yeah, I’m an old-school gamer through and through. One of the things I loved about getting those games was that the manual explained things that perhaps the game had no way of going over. They also had sections on items and their uses, weapons and the damage they dealt, characters and a bit of backstory about them. It was awesome! Talk about bathroom reading material! Oh, and if I was ever stuck? Well, no worries! Loads of times, these manuals came with hints for some of the more difficult areas!
I was playing video games before I could read. If I got stuck, I would ask my parents to help me read through the manual to find some kind of clue. By them helping me leaf through them, I started picking up on words and associating them properly. So, game manuals actually aided me in my quest to learn how to read. But that’s not the case anymore. In fact, it’s pretty much the complete opposite. Take for instance Silent Hill: Downpour (which I just purchased and can’t wait to play). The manual is the same few pages but repeated in English, French, and Spanish. Know what’s in those few pages? A warning page, a “Table of Contents”, a controller lay-out, and a warranty. That. Is. It. Were this Twitter, I would add “#bullshit”.
Where’s a little something about the main character? Where’s a map of the town? Maybe an item list? Maybe a little bit of a backstory? How about the freaking credits so I can know who designed the monsters? Don’t game companies want to give credit to the employees who busted their ass to put out this game???
No. That’s not what people get these days. Hell, you’re lucky if you get an insert at all. As a matter of fact, I think some games are abandoning printed manuals entirely in place of putting the manual on the disc. Thanks, but no thanks. I want my booklet so I can actually leaf through it.
It seems like anything that even closely resembles a manual of worth is only included in the special editions of games. But why should I pay extra for that? Basic instructions and advice should be made available to ALL the players, not just the ones who shell out an extra $20!
In summation, I miss awesome manuals. That is all.
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All of us here at Bloody Disgusting are deeply sad to learn that The Blob director Chuck Russell has passed away at 74 years old.
Russell’s career began with his directorial debut, 1987’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.
The multihyphenate film director, screenwriter, and producer is best known for helming 1994 comedy The Mask starring Jim Carrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger actioner Eraser, and adventure spinoff The Scorpion King. The latter served as the first leading role for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
The filmmaker left an indelible mark on horror with his ANOES sequel, 1988’s The Blob, and 2000’s Bless the Child.
Russell’s final film credit is 2024’s Witchboard remake starring Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Aaron Dominguez (Only Murders in the Building), and Jamie Campbell Bower (“Stranger Things”).
It marked Russell’s return to horror after a lengthy hiatus, and he shared sequel hopes to Bloody Disgusting in an interview ahead of the remake’s release: “I got to design the board with real mystical symbols and things that I know represent good and evil, and where that board takes us if the audiences respond to the film, and I hope they will; I know it’s out there for you guys, but the sequel is a world we’ll get to go a little further. That’s sure the intention.”
He also recently expressed interest in returning to the franchise that began his career.
TMZ notes that Russell passed away at his San Diego-area home.
We send our deepest condolences to Chuck Russell’s family, friends, and fans.
Director, Co-Writer & Producer Chuck Russell behind the scenes of the horror film, WITCHBOARD. Photo courtesy of The Avenue and Atlas Distribution
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