Manual Samuel Reviews

Manual Samuel is ranked in the 20th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8.5 / 10.0
Aug 20, 2018

Manual Samuel remains a must-have on Nintendo Switch, especially if you've not already played it. [OpenCritic note: Richard Seagrave separately reviewed the XB1 (9) and Switch (8) versions. His scores have been averaged.]

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Oct 10, 2016

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.

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8 / 10
Aug 16, 2018

While it's not going to set your world alight with flashy features or ground-breaking mechanics, we enjoyed our time with Manual Samuel enormously. The joke risks wearing thin, but Sam's adventure is brief and self-aware enough to hold your interest. Co-op play is surprisingly fun with a willing accomplice and Time Attack offers some longevity, although for most players it'll be a short ‘one-and-done' affair. For our money, it's a pleasant amuse-bouche of a game – a welcome little treat between the larger courses being served up on Switch this summer.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 13, 2018

Like a hybrid car, Manual Samuel starts slow, but once it kicks into high gear, there's far too much charm to not enjoy yourself. Controlling Samuel is a daunting, but incredibly rewarding task for anyone who can master the button-mashing physics this game relies on. If there's room for PC adventure games in your heart, you'll be right at home with Manual Samuel.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 30, 2018

Given the likely polarizing nature of the game's controls, Manual Samuel gets a highly conditional recommendation. If you're willing to roll with the punches, there's definitely a unique good time to be had here, just be very aware of its intent to make controlling just about anything more challenging than you'd ever imagine.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 24, 2016

The narrative and characters here are some of the funniest of any recent game I’ve played and the challenge of having to perform all of these normal day to day routines in a new and innovative way was fun as well. If you’ve played and enjoyed other games with challenging and different control schemes such as Octodad or others then you will feel right at home playing Manual Samuel.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2018

What story there is over the handful of hours you’ll play tends to be odd as well, but the strange characters and the ever-present narrator commentating on what you’re doing (complete with celebratory hashtags for mundane achievements like taking a leak) do a good job of rewarding your continued efforts. If you can see the amusement of nearly killing yourself while simply trying to drink some water or narrowly avoiding running over little old ladies while struggling to control your car (of course complete with a manual transmission) the experience has its silly rewards. Given the likely polarizing nature of the game’s controls Manual Samuel gets a highly conditional recommendation. If you’re willing to roll with the punches, there’s definitely a unique good time to be had here, just be very aware of its intent to make controlling just about anything more challenging than you’d ever imagine.

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7.3 / 10.0
Oct 16, 2016

There are a few animation quirks, but for the most part the 2D style looks great and the games simple control scheme means almost anyone can pick it up. It’s just unfortunate that the momentum Manual Samuel builds in its earlier levels can’t be maintained for the entire course of the game.

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TheSixthAxis
Steve C
Top Critic
7 / 10
Oct 12, 2016

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.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2016

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.

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Oct 11, 2016

Manual Samuel is a fun game with its quirky humor and innovative concept.

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70%
Oct 11, 2016

Madder than a box of frogs, Manual Samuel is surreal, a bit dark and slightly sadistic, but will bring a smile to your face. There are annoying bits, sure, but overall, Manual Samuel is an enjoyable QWOP-alike that will put your dextrous digits to the test. Holy faeces!

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7 / 10.0
Sep 19, 2018

Manual Samuel is an adventure game for a specific type of player, who is fond of dark humor with a huge dose o absurdity. With brilliant dialogues and unique characters set in a grotesque world, the game manages to give some good laughs throughout its very short game time. Entertaining local co-op makes Manual Samuel a perfect addition to games for Switch.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Nov 2, 2016

A decent little budget game with a unique mechanic, but fix those crashes guys.

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6.3 / 10.0
Aug 30, 2018

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.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

USgamer
Top Critic
Oct 21, 2016

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.

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60 / 100
Aug 29, 2018
6 / 10
Sep 9, 2018

Because of its topic and to the absurdity of having to perform countless everyday acts, the game ends up becoming a hilarious act in itself. Unfortunately it doesn't quite achieve the same success when it comes to its short lifespan. Its strange motion controls make it feel very unusual and a high price tag means that this is not the most recommended piece of gaming at the moment, despite the marvelous humour and overall presentation.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

6 / 10
Dec 24, 2018

Manual Samuel is a unique little adventure with some good moments and a bizarre (to its benefit) control scheme. It's notably short, and some levels do lean on the repetitive side, but it's rare to see something quite like this. It has a lot of soul to it, much of which is due to focusing so heavily on comedy. It's enjoyable overall and is worth looking into if you don't mind playing something a bit different than usual, even if it could have been executed better.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
5 / 10
Oct 11, 2016

Manual Samuel is a fun little diversion. The control scheme perfectly reflects the absurdity of the premise, and the various objectives keep the game from becoming redundant. Not everything clicks as much as it could, but it's endearing in its own way. This is also the kind of game that's probably at its best when played with friends. If there were more levels, better written characters, and funnier dialogue, this would be a much easier recommendation.

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