I cracked open my copy of P4G a little while ago. I don't have a Vita yet, but figured I might as well see what the manual had to say about the new game elements. Except that there wasn't a manual in the case.

Is this actually the norm for the game? I just find it surprising because Atlus has generally been good about including detailed manuals with their games in the past.

It's the norm that Vita games don't have manuals in general.

Hopefully that isn't the case. The Persona games are one of the few in which a manual can actually serve a very important purpose (fusion chart). I often have my manual in front of me when playing P3P.

No vita game I've purchased has come with a manual insert.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps2/945498-shin-megami-tensei-persona-4/faqs/55266

Fusion chart above.

@Autumn_Thunder said:

Hopefully that isn't the case. The Persona games are one of the few in which a manual can actually serve a very important purpose (fusion chart). I often have my manual in front of me when playing P3P.

Do you not have a phone with internet access?

@Autumn_Thunder: The manual can be read on the Vita, but yes, generally Vita games tend to not include physical manuals.

@Landon said:

@Autumn_Thunder said:

Hopefully that isn't the case. The Persona games are one of the few in which a manual can actually serve a very important purpose (fusion chart). I often have my manual in front of me when playing P3P.

Do you not have a phone with internet access?

Well, there's something about the feeling of just having what comes with the game, that reminds me of playing games when I was a kid, you know?

I recall Shipwreck saying that about the Vita version of Virtue's Last Reward. Something about manuals not being required.

No Vita game has a manual.

When you pop the game in, it (to my understanding) installs the manual to the system.

Either way, when you hit the game icon you can then hit the book-looking icon - that takes you to a 72 page, full colour manual which covers all of the basics and goes into some of the new stuff, though nowhere near all of it. There's just too much new stuff I guess, for instance I don't think it even mentions the scooters or gardening.

@Autumn_Thunder said:

@Landon said:

@Autumn_Thunder said:

Hopefully that isn't the case. The Persona games are one of the few in which a manual can actually serve a very important purpose (fusion chart). I often have my manual in front of me when playing P3P.

Do you not have a phone with internet access?

Well, there's something about the feeling of just having what comes with the game, that reminds me of playing games when I was a kid, you know?

can't you just hold a peice of paper and pretend?

The manual is on the cart like all the other Vita games.

@Bocam said:

No Vita game has a manual.

False! MGS HD Collection has a manual.

But no, P4G does not have a physical manual. Haven't checked for a digital version yet.

My question is why did you buy the game at retail instead of on PSN ?

@AuthenticM said:

My question is why did you buy the game at retail instead of on PSN ?

Because they don't have a Vita lol

@HansKisaragi said:

Publishers stopped caring about manuals years ago..

Bethesda and Rockstar put out some decent manuals, Fallout 3 was pretty thick, GTA IV was packed with heaps of fake advertising from the game.

Rayman Origins has a 20 page manual and Army Corps of Hell came with a full-color 10 page one. The JP games I've bought all came with a button insert at least.

@Bourbon_Warrior said:

@AuthenticM said:

My question is why did you buy the game at retail instead of on PSN ?

Because they don't have a Vita lol

I know. You don't need a Vita to buy stuff on PSN.

Manuals have been finished with their relevance in games for a while now do I'm not surprised.

The manual on the vita is actually pretty detailed, still has the fusion chart and such.

@AuthenticM said:

My question is why did you buy the game at retail instead of on PSN ?

Because I like having physical copies. Digital/cloud-based future my ass.

And it's really odd that Vita games don't have manuals, yet the cases have clips meant to hold manuals in place. Just...why?

@Hailinel said:

And it's really odd that Vita games don't have manuals, yet the cases have clips meant to hold manuals in place. Just...why?

Presumably it is so that if the publisher wants to include a manual, they don't need to switch to a different type of cases. Also, sometimes they want to include codes for bonus items, online passes, or promotions for other games, and they have to go somewhere.

@Hailinel: I used the clip in my P4G case to hold my pre-order "bonus" card with the website of Vita screensavers. But yeah, it's kind of a weird decision to have them in there if there are no manuals.

I'm with you on the not having digital copies thing - if those servers get fucked, or Sony decides to revoke your access/rights to games you purchased, no more games. Happens every once on a while with Amazon and Kindle books. And it would be one thing if digital distribution was a thing and proprietary memory wasn't an issue too - those Vita cards are not cheap. Should have just gone with more standard storage (or better yet, allow us to connect USB drives). Jeff is right: if someone makes you think about memory management instead of games, someone has messed up.

@Hailinel said:

@AuthenticM said:

My question is why did you buy the game at retail instead of on PSN ?

Because I like having physical copies. Digital/cloud-based future my ass.

And it's really odd that Vita games don't have manuals, yet the cases have clips meant to hold manuals in place. Just...why?

Maybe Sony has jumped on the no-manual bandwagon that seems to be getting popular.

Another reason just to go digital. I personally just like having all my games on my system and not worrying about carts, Persona 4 Golden like Persona 3 Portable is a game I expect to play it bits and pieces over a long period.

The only Vita carts I own are the copy of Little Deviants that came with my bundle and a copy of Mortal Kombat I grabbed in Hawaii since my hotel room had terrible internet. Mortal Kombat now lives as a permanent fixture in my system.

At the very least I think the digital copies are better future proofed than the carts. If Sony every releases a 3rd portable system (not holding my breath) then there is a decent chance you'll be able to re-download Vita purchases onto it but probably almost no chance that thing has a Vita cart slot.

Nope, it doesn't. Next question.

just like the home improvment game there is no manual. real men dont need manuals.

I can't even think of the last time that I learned anything from a manual.

Wait, you opened the game box, saw that there was no manual, and had to ask the internet whether or not the game comes with a manual before you were sure? Do you have so little trust in your own perception of the world?

I never cared about manuals. Inspired by Adam Sessler, I threw out a bunch of video game cases the other day, including the manuals. There is no info in the manual that can't be found online.

And this is the first and only time I will ever comment in a P4G thread, because I've never gotten into the Atlus games and I have zero interest in buying a Vita. So, it's been real guys. Later.

Halo 4 doesnt have a manual ether. At lest Australian copies Tbh I find them useless anyway