Grand Theft Auto V: The Manual APK

Pros

• Multiple Map Views
• Full GTA V Guide
• Various Language Options

Cons

• Essentially Pointless

Grand Theft Auto V: The Manual is a companion app for GTA V that includes a number of helpful tips and tricks for dealing with the open-world game. This app is basically like one of the old paper game manuals that were once highly popular amongst gamers. Unfortunately, the prevalence of the internet has essentially made those paper manuals obsolete, and in many ways the internet has made all game manuals obsolete. Some have wondered why a companion app such as this even exists, and it is a decent question to ask in a world where the entire content of the app can be found online in other sources that are arguably easier to find or understand.

When you first open this app, it will ask you what language you'd like to use and what platform on which you'll be playing the game. Those that have the GTA V app for Android will find this app both helpful and a bit tedious because it will require switching back and forth between the game and the manual app. This isn't exactly a killer for the app, but those that have access to a second Android device would probably prefer to use the game on one device and the manual on another.

This app is basically a digital version of the paper manual that already exists, but it is a bit easier to navigate since it has selection menus and easy touchscreen controls. It's more difficult to simply browse through all the content, but finding specific tasks is relatively easy and straightforward.

The fact that this manual is in a digital format isn't taken advantage of by those who created it. There are no advanced tutorials that actually detail the use of the digital game, and even specific tasks only tell what should be done and not how to actually do it with the controls on the Android platform. This makes the app feel more like a port of the original manual than a new piece of software that will help with the game.

Perhaps the one saving grace of this app is that it has a digital map that goes far beyond what is available in the actual game itself. There are a total of three different views that players can select, and those are road view, satellite view, and atlas view. Each view provides different details about the GTA V world, and it is also possible to filter out missions and focal points so that only the map itself is viewed. While these features aren't exactly necessary for the game, they do provide a sense that some thought actually went into the app.

The sad truth of this companion app is that it is basically unnecessary. The GTA V tutorial is more than adequate enough for the vast majority of players, and the interface is intuitive enough to make this digital manual feel a bit pointless.

Pros

• Multiple Map Views
• Full GTA V Guide
• Various Language Options

Cons

• Essentially Pointless