Any graduate student in linguistic or literary studies looking for a neglected corner of prosaic endeavour on which to work could do worse than embark on an analysis of the humble manual. A washingmachine manual; a hi-fi manual; a videogame manual. The primary purpose of a manual, of course, is to convey practical information, but the best of them do far more than that.
The higher purpose of any manual, really, is to employ literary and visual devices tofor example, is a triumph of this art, blending cinematically angled screenshots with more abstract diagrams and gorgeous hand-drawn concept art, with written advice on what to do in situations you probably hadn’t experienced before in a videogame. (“When Using a Cardboard Box” and, frighteningly, “Torture Event”.) It even explains the use of the tech goodies you might find (PSG1 rifle, Digital Camera, etc), so increasing the player’s appetite to find them.
