Instruction Manual
In progressThe instruction manual is a collectible booklet in TUNIC whose pages are scattered through the game world; each page found is added to the booklet. Finji describes TUNIC as taking the lost art of the instruction manual and building it directly into the game. Finji launch post, Xbox Wire According to the store description, its pages reveal maps, tips, special techniques and secrets, along with hints and full-color illustrations. Steam store page Finji also describes it as a manual that doubles as a puzzle book, or triples as a strategy guide. Publisher post, PlayStation Blog
Use the whole page
EditThe manual is part of the game's discovery system. Andrew Shouldice, the lead developer, says TUNIC is at its core about mystery and discovery, and that the manual is collected gradually as you play, with each page packed densely with information. Its worn look is deliberate: he built a blank real-world copy, folded, ripped, taped and stained it, and scanned each page for the game. Developer post, PlayStation Blog
Finji says the manual appears to be written in some unknown language. Finji launch post, Xbox Wire Some labels are readable, though: the Overworld map on page 28 includes "THE OVERWORLD", "TO EAST FOREST" and a pointer to another page, "WELL (P. 29)". Manual page 28, Finji launch post The pages also carry strange notes from a previous owner. Publisher post, PlayStation Blog Read a page as a diagram as well as text: a marked map or an illustration can be useful before any of the script is understood.
| Page feature | A useful way to inspect it |
|---|---|
| A map | Compare landmarks with the current area |
| An illustration | Look for the object, place or creature it shows |
| An annotation | Check which part of the page it points toward |
| A pointer to another page, such as "(P. 29)" | Return when that page has been found |
These are reading approaches rather than puzzle solutions. The developer lists the manual's contents as illustrations, tips, maps and "of course, secrets", and he wanted the game's text itself to be a mystery. Developer post, PlayStation Blog When Finji announced a physical edition in March 2023, it called the full printed manual "spoiler-filled" and listed a separate, "non-spoilery" Controls & Concepts booklet alongside it. Finji announcement, 7 March 2023 A complete translation or page gallery can therefore reveal more than the answer to one question.
Apply a page to a concrete problem
EditFinji's launch post suggests studying the pages to get a lay of the land and the upper hand on enemies. Finji launch post, Xbox Wire A map is the clearest case: the Overworld map on page 28 marks three routes leading off it with red arrows, which can be checked against the area around you. Manual page 28, Finji launch post If a clue seems unclear, note its page number before asking about it. At least one clue has been clarified since release: patch notes posted on 31 March 2022 list "Clarifying a clue on page 48 of the manual". Patch notes, 31 March 2022 For fights that keep going badly, Tips for Beginners covers what the developer has said about the stamina meter.
Read a new page without opening a full solution
EditUse this checklist on a page already collected. It is a repeatable reading method for the manual's illustrations, maps and notes. It does not translate the language or reveal a late-game solution. For PlayStation, the developer's blog post says the X button zooms in on each page. Developer post, PlayStation Blog
| Pass | Action | Stop when |
|---|---|---|
| Identify | Find the page number and a recognizable object or location | You can name what the page seems to discuss |
| Inspect | Zoom in and trace arrows, annotations and small diagrams | You have one specific detail to investigate |
| Compare | Look for that detail in an area you have already reached | You find a match, or the area gives no supporting clue |
| Revisit | Return to the page after finding a related sheet or landmark | The new information changes what you can try |
Keep a question narrower than the whole puzzle: "Which feature on this page should I inspect?" preserves more discovery than requesting a translation. If a hint names an unfamiliar area, ask whether it assumes later progress before following it.
Ask for the smallest useful hint
EditWhen asking anyone for help, state the area reached, the manual pages collected, and whether a location hint or a full solution is wanted. Finji's launch post encourages players to share hints and compare notes with friends. Finji launch post, Xbox Wire Ding describes what page 28 shows about the bells, with the West Bell notes behind a spoiler control. Common Questions covers the unfamiliar language and the combat options.
More TUNIC guides
Common Questions
In progressThis FAQ answers early questions about TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure, published by Finji. Steam store page It covers the game's unreadable language, its in-game manual and its combat options without translating later secrets. Is the…
Tips for Beginners
In progressThis guide collects beginner tips for TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure. Steam store page It covers reading new manual pages, stamina, items and the game's settings without revealing late-game puzzles. Read a page when you find it The…
Ding
In progressDing is a TUNIC achievement awarded for ringing the Eastern Bell. Steam achievement list Scope: the Ding achievement, its official description and the manual map Finji published, without later puzzle solutions. Start with the manual's map Ding's official description on Steam is…