Manual Samuel Critic Reviews

Manual Samuel asks you do the mundane, but in doing so it makes it funny, challenging and engaging.

Manual Samuel is a truly unique game that was made as a labor of love.

One of the most unique and nonsensical games we tried so far, asking us to manually manage every single body function - from moving his legs to breathing - of the poor Samuel. This mechanic goes often over the top though, making us confront with highly frustrating scenarios.

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.

A fun game with its quirky humor and innovative concept. The game is easy to learn and enjoyable to play as one helps Sam through his day, but it can begin to pall from simple repetitiveness as one replays chapters and hears the same jokes a few too many times. With its mostly easy achievement list and fast playing time, it will be a fun addition to most achievement seekers' collections.

Developer Perfectly Paranormal should be commended for creating a unique game that stands out among the numerous remakes and nostalgic 8-bit indie titles. While the game does suffer at times from repetitive, frustrating gameplay, and the comedy wears thin very quickly, there is still some fun to be had as you hilariously and manually take control of Sam and his bodily functions.

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.

Manual Samuel starts well but sadly loses steam fairly early on. Which is a real shame as I wholeheartedly loved the first hour or so into Sam's nightmare day. The game is at it's strongest when it's gamifying the mundane aspects of life, but this one trick pony loses its appeal when it tries be a proper game with fighting, boss levels and high scores.

Too inconsistent to truly shine.