In Grim Fandango, Manny managed to get out of El Marrow. Sadly he needed a hint about getting the proper tools to make a dental impression. He then ventured forward to the Petrified Forest and managed to make some progress by following the signs.

Incidentally, I ordered the paper manual to add to the fun of replaying the game. And in the manual, as is usually the case, there are hidden clues, such as that’s particularly important to follow the signs in the Petrified Forest. Without such clues, the solution of the puzzles may be somewhat bewildering. I therefore once again make an argument for having manuals with games.

The manual perfectly manages to get the player into the mood and serves as a more detailed backdrop of why Manny is where he is and what the afterlife is all about. I would say that playing the game without having read the manual does give a lesser experience. I therefore find it very annoying that the physical release that I have for the PS4 doesn’t come with one. Also, the manual that I have now comes from the big box PC version. I used to have a one myself, but sadly sold it. As the manual probably doesn’t fit inside the PS4 box, I may have to get the PC box again (which probably comes with it’s own manual…).

On another note, the manual also pictures the controls via a Microsoft SideWinder gamepad. That one I also used to have. I actually kept it long after I got a XBOX 360 controller for Windows, but I no longer have it.

In Dungeon Master, the party revived Halk on the first level and managed to get his gear back on the third, while mapping out the progress. The found a magic mirror of which they do not know yet how or where to use it. Eventually they all perished to packs of zombies, so they need to try a different part of the dungeon first.