[sushiboat]

As a newbie who played the demo in late December 2004 and bought the game shortly thereafter, the lack of a manual didn't bother me. The in-game information -- mouseovers and right-click -- told me much of what I wanted to know. I will say, however, that spell and item descriptions are often so vague as to be useless. Even now, before I try a new spell or item that requires a substantial investment, I do a search on this forum to see what it really does and whether people feel it is worth the cost. Of course, unless the manual's descriptions are expanded quite a bit -- which seems impractical -- I don't see a way around the problem. As the game reviews say, the game has a steep learning curve. That comes with its complexity and richness.

Therlun's comments just go to show that this game (or anything) isn't for everyone. Some people won't like it no matter how detailed the information is. There are some aspects that I don't like, but I see them as minor flaws in a very enjoyable game. Other won't get past the flaws.