Manual Samuel Reviews
Manual Samuel is a short but interesting title, however its gameplay gets very repetitive and infuriating quickly with the constant blinking and breathing. The game's controversial approach to humour also dampens the experience and makes it difficult to enjoy the best bits without feeling guilty for laughing at something you feel like you really shouldn't.
Simply put, Death is annoying and Sam is easy to hate.
With an attractive art style, generally fun gameplay, catchy music and some fantastic narration, Manual Samuel isn't just another clumsy physics-based simulation game - it stands alongside Octodad and Surgeon Simulator as the cream of the physics-based crop.
Better responding controls would do a lot of good, but for £6.40 you’ve got a lovely idea, often delivered very well.
There are some great ideas in many of the mini-games and the humour is great, but the controls are frustrating and detract from the fun.
The game is very fun, you catch love as fast as you hate it because of the frustration it brings. It's a short experience, too. And maybe the fact that it comes to an end as soon as I know a little.
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More than most games, I would urge potential purchasers to watch the trailer and see whether the sense of humour in this game appeals before buying. It is a lot of fun while it lasts and it provides a really interesting alternative to the increasingly automatic and cinematic fare of many AAA games, but it’s not for everyone. I can’t think of many more niche games than Manual Samuel, but it’s great that such projects still exist.
Manual Samuel is a good-looking, genuinely funny button-pressing test of dexterity that starts out well, but unfortunately becomes increasingly complicated and frustrating as the game wears on. It's a nice idea, but one that will probably only appeal to those who enjoy games like QWOP.