Manos: The Hands of Fate

About

Manos: The Hands of Fate is a single player arcade platformer game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by FreakZone Games and was released on July 26, 2012. It received positive reviews from players.

"Manos: The Hands of Fate" is a survival horror game based on the cult classic film. Players must escape the clutches of the sinister Master and his ageless bride, navigating a eerie landscape and solving puzzles to progress. With a unique retro aesthetic and fiendishly difficult gameplay, this unofficial sequel is a must-play for fans of the original film and horror enthusiasts alike. Please note that the game contains mature content and is not recommended for children.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 224 reviews

music10 positive mentions

gameplay6 negative mentions

A fun homage to the cult classic movie, capturing its spirit and humor.
Simple yet enjoyable gameplay reminiscent of classic NES platformers.
Great for fans of MST3K and bad B-movies, with plenty of references and charm.

Gameplay is often repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a joyless experience.
The game is very short, with many players finishing it in under an hour.
Controls can be unresponsive and frustrating, with issues like knockback and poor level design.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
68%
19%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many criticizing it as boring and unimaginative, particularly in its repetitive level design. While some appreciate its retro charm and beginner-friendly mechanics, others find it lacks originality and depth, making it suitable mainly for quick playthroughs. Overall, the game offers solid controls and nostalgic references, but fails to deliver engaging gameplay that would keep players invested.
- “The gameplay is cute and easy to manage, the boss fights can be tricky enough, and the whole thing is lovingly crafted to look and feel like a bad 80's NES game movie adaptation.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's a simple platformer where you run and gun enemies, but the fun thing is that you run into other bad movies like Plan 9 from Outer Space and The Giant Claw.”
- “There are plenty of in-jokes from the MST3K series to make you chuckle, the gameplay is solid and straight to the point, the music is beautifully rendered, and the achievements will keep you playing.”
- “The gameplay is atrocious (something I didn't expect from such a basic sidescroller), just like the level design (the same cheap trick over and over).”
- “It's boring and unimaginative gameplay won't keep you interested.”
- “However, while I like the presentation for the most part, the gameplay is where the game starts to fall apart.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
60%
9%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic 8-bit renditions of the film's soundtrack, which effectively contribute to the game's creepy atmosphere. However, others found the music forgettable, with only a few standout themes, such as the Torgo theme, while some noted a lack of music in certain stages. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its fitting style, but it may not leave a lasting impression on all players.
- “I had a lot of fun revisiting scenes from the movie and the music is a spot-on 8-bit rendition of the music from the film, which I thought was incredibly impressive.”
- “The soundtrack is a perfect 8-bit rendition of the film's jarring soundtrack.”
- “There are plenty of in-jokes from the MST3K series to make you chuckle, the gameplay is solid and straight to the point, the music is beautifully rendered, and the achievements will keep you playing.”
- “No music in game.”
- “The music, oh god is it forgettable!”
- “Artwork, music nor gameplay are noteworthy here, only redeeming quality is that it's not too long so your suffering will be minimized.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The graphics of the game are described as simple yet charming, featuring a grainy filter reminiscent of old horror films and a muted color palette that highlights key characters and objects. While the pixel art and NES-style aesthetics are appreciated, some reviewers note a lack of substance and originality, particularly in later levels that reuse graphics. Overall, the visuals contribute to a creepy atmosphere, but opinions vary on their overall impact and effectiveness.
- “This game has a grainy filter, just like an old horror movie, and some stages have tunnel vision lighting; the cutscenes in between stages are presented through well-drawn pixel-art illustrations. I also like how the in-game graphics go for a more muted color palette with a few contrasts to highlight important characters and objects, all of which have interesting designs as well; finally, the music and sound effects also help give the game a creepy, mysterious atmosphere.”
- “I like pixelated games, and the graphics are bright and colorful.”
- “The game has great graphics and the art style is similar to other games in the 8-bit genre; it's also really similar to the follow-up game by FreakZone, which of course is the AVGN game.”
- “The graphics and sound are appropriately NES-styled, but they have no substance and fail at making an impression.”
- “The first two levels of the game follow the movie, but everything is thrown out the window once you reach level 3, which looks like Castlevania... as in it reuses the same graphics!”
- “Artwork, music, nor gameplay are noteworthy here; the only redeeming quality is that it's not too long, so your suffering will be minimized.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The story of "Manos: The Hands of Fate - Director's Cut" revolves around a cult leader and his dark rituals, which, while not the main focus, captivates players with its intriguing premise. The game effectively incorporates elements from the original film, offering a variety of levels that reflect key scenes, and its quirky narrative complements the retro gaming experience. Overall, the storytelling is engaging enough to hold attention, despite being secondary to gameplay.
- “Though I've never seen the movie (at the time of writing), I think it has an interesting story about a cult leader with minions and maidens who conducts rituals to worship the god of darkness, Manos.”
- “Manos: The Hands of Fate - Director's Cut follows the original film's story and has a fun variety of levels representing different scenes from the movie.”
- “The background story to how this movie was made is far more interesting than the movie itself.”
- “I don't know the entire story, but the game definitely had a major update compared to how I saw it, which is not saying it's a bad thing but rather something I wasn't expecting when I bought it.”
- “Even if the story isn't the main focus, it held my attention, and it was complemented by its presentation.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, serving as a clever parody of poorly made NES platformers based on films, which resonates well with fans of retro gaming and internet reviewers like the Angry Video Game Nerd. While the game successfully captures the comedic essence of its source material, the accompanying movie is described as a "marvelous joke" that is best enjoyed in a social setting. However, some gameplay elements detract from the overall experience, suggesting that not all aspects of the game maintain the same level of humor.
- “This game is a pretty funny parody of a particular NES subgenre, namely really bad platformers based on popular films (see the Beetlejuice NES game, for example, though pretty much every NES game based on a film was pretty bad and often unplayable, to be honest) - a phenomenon you might be familiar with if not through personal experience then by having watched the Angry Video Game Nerd or a similar reviewer.”
- “Definitely worth the purchase if you enjoy NES homages - it's also the first game I've run across that's paying homage to the part of the 8-bit era people would rather forget, which I think is kind of funny.”
- “The movie in itself is a marvelous joke and it's really funny. I highly suggest getting friends together, getting absolutely wasted, and watching it, because it's a delight.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily serving as a time killer, but it does include features like hardcore mode and the option to play as a different character after completing the game, which can enhance replay value for some players. Overall, while it may not be highly replayable, there are enough additional difficulties and modes to provide some incentive for revisiting the game.
- “Some sections are difficult, but with enough tries you can easily finish the game in an hour, but this game has some replay value like a hardcore mode and you can play the game again as Torgo after you finish the game with Michael.”
- “It does, however, have replay value.”
- “It was okay enough of a time killer, but there's very little replay value. It only caught my eye because the same programmers also did the AVGN games.”
- “Some sections are difficult, but with enough tries, you can easily finish the game in an hour. However, this game has some replay value like a hardcore mode, and you can play the game again as Torgo after you finish the game with Michael.”
- “There is replay value in the additional difficulties and modes.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is heavily influenced by a grainy filter reminiscent of classic horror films, complemented by tunnel vision lighting in certain stages. The muted color palette, combined with striking pixel-art cutscenes and well-designed characters, enhances the eerie ambiance, while the music and sound effects contribute to a creepy and mysterious overall experience.
- “This game has a grainy filter, just like an old horror movie, and some stages have tunnel vision lighting. The cutscenes in between stages are presented through well-drawn pixel-art illustrations. I also like how the in-game graphics use a more muted color palette with a few contrasts to highlight important characters and objects, all of which have interesting designs. Finally, the music and sound effects contribute to a creepy, mysterious atmosphere.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences occasional bugs, but they are generally minor and do not significantly disrupt gameplay. Overall, stability is acceptable, with no major game-breaking issues reported.
- “The game tends to be a little buggy at times, but nothing horrendous or game-breaking.”