Maken X
Below is the original manual that came with the game Maken X. The pictures have been removed to save space on out servers but the text is complete and accurate. Maken X Manual has been translated onto the web by atArcade, if you plan to using Maken X Manual on another site be sure to link back to the original source. You can find a complete archive of game manuals back at our Game Manuals page.
Maken X Manual
Thank you for purchasing Maken X.
Please note that this software is
designed only for use with the
Dreamcast console. Be sure
to read this instruction manual
thoroughly before you start
playing Maken X.
Contents
2. INTRODUCTION
3. PROLOGUE
4. THE DREAMCAST
CONTROLLER
6. STARTING UP
8. SOUND SETTINGS
9. NAME ENTRY
10. THE GAME
12. WORLD MAP
13. SYSTEM WINDOW
16. ACTION SCREEN
17. BASIC ACTIONS
18. LOCK-ON
19. BRAINJACKING
& PSI POINTS
20. ITEMS
21. CHARACTER
INTRODUCTIONS
25. GLOSSARY
Maken X is a memory card compatible game
[Visual Memory Unit (VMU) sold separately].
In order to save game files, the VMU to be used
must have at least 10 memory blocks of free
space available.
PSI…
A mirror image of yourself… In a proven spiritual world…
Five minutes into the future…
The limit of foreseeing the future, the destruction of the real world…
An artificial God sweeps down upon this land.
This is a machine with the power to create a supreme ruler.
He carves out his own destiny.
The guardian of spirit, the last hope, a sword of judgment…
He will bring order to the world.
He will destroy all evil.
He will protect the one whom he loves.
He will found an eternal Utopia.
But there is only one future.
Should he sacrifice everything to save a single girl?
Or should he abandon her for the sake of righteousness?
Should he defeat the people’s enemy in order to save the world?
Or, as a ruler, should he reign over it…
Through all the struggles, he will find the true nature of power.
Creation and destruction, life and death, joy and sorrow…
What is it all for? Who is it for?
The answer lies in his future…
Maken ~Deus Ex Machina~
The world was tumbling into chaos.
Five minutes into the future, China and the USA had reached a
standoff in their battle for supremacy.
The curtain will fall on a round of confidential Sino-American talks in
only five minutes. Their discord is tangible.
The European Union is about to be engulfed by the shadow of
misfortune, and is losing its strength like a dying old man.
People will be embraced by a sense of uneasiness that they have
never felt before.
Japan
At the Kanazawa Research Institute, funded by an overseas Chinese
merchant, epoch-making research was being carried out on a
treatment for mental illness that involved PSI engineering.
PSI
The existence of the human spirit which has been scientifically
proven…
Maken
The first medical instrument in the world that can extract PSI and
modify it. The development of artificial life is based on Plan X.
Maken is about to awaken.
What kind of PSI will it have?
The world was tumbling into chaos.
Five minutes into the future, China and the USA had reached a
standoff in their battle for supremacy.
The curtain will fall on a round of confidential Sino-American talks in
only five minutes. Their discord is tangible.
The European Union is about to be engulfed by the shadow of
misfortune, and is losing its strength like a dying old man.
People will be embraced by a sense of uneasiness that they have
never felt before.
Japan
At the Kanazawa Research Institute, funded by an overseas Chinese
merchant, epoch-making research was being carried out on a
treatment for mental illness that involved PSI engineering.
PSI
The existence of the human spirit which has been scientifically
proven…
Maken
The first medical instrument in the world that can extract PSI and
modify it. The development of artificial life is based on Plan X.
Maken is about to awaken.
What kind of PSI will it have?
PSI…
A mirror image of yourself… In a proven spiritual world…
Five minutes into the future…
The limit of foreseeing the future, the destruction of the real world…
An artificial God sweeps down upon this land.
This is a machine with the power to create a supreme ruler.
He carves out his own destiny.
The guardian of spirit, the last hope, a sword of judgment…
He will bring order to the world.
He will destroy all evil.
He will protect the one whom he loves.
He will found an eternal Utopia.
But there is only one future.
Should he sacrifice everything to save a single girl?
Or should he abandon her for the sake of righteousness?
Should he defeat the people’s enemy in order to save the world?
Or, as a ruler, should he reign over it…
Through all the struggles, he will find the true nature of power.
Creation and destruction, life and death, joy and sorrow…
What is it all for? Who is it for?
The answer lies in his future…
Maken ~Deus Ex Machina~
INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION PROLOGUE PROLOGUE
2 3
5 4
Maken X is a one player game. Before switching the power ON,
ensure that the controller and all other peripherals are connected to
the Dreamcast.
Connect the controller with a memory card [Visual Memory Unit (VMU)
sold separately] to Control Port A.
Do not touch the Analog Thumb Pad or the triggers while turning the
Dreamcast power ON. Doing so may disrupt the controller initialization
procedure and result in malfunction.
Note: This game can only be played properly with the Dreamcast
Controller.
EXPANSION
SOCKET 2
EXPANSION
SOCKET 1 TRIGGER L
TRIGGER R
X BUTTON
B BUTTON
A BUTTON
Y BUTTON
Make sure that you insert the Jump
Pack (sold separately) into Expansion
Socket 2 of the controller.
ANALOG
THUMB PAD
START BUTTON
THE JUMP PACK™
MOVES
ANALOG THUMB PAD Move character/cursor;
Press down and hold during battle to guard
D-PAD Move cursor
A BUTTONJum p, select
B BUTTONCancel
X BUTTONAttac k
Y BUTTONA ctivate lock-on✽
TRIGGER L Hold down while moving the Analog Thumb Pad to
look around
TRIGGER R Hold down while moving the Analog Thumb Pad to
strafe left or right
✽ You can change the lock-on controls in Options.
NOTE: To return to the Title Screen at any point during the game, simultaneously
press and hold the A, B, X, Y and Start Buttons.
DIRECTIONAL
PAD (D-PAD)
THE DREAMCAST
CONTROLLER
7 6
Place the Maken X disc into your Dreamcast
console, press the disc down until it clicks into
place, close the lid and press the POWER Button
to turn ON the power. The Title Screen will be
displayed and then the demo will start a few
moments later. Press the Start Button when the
Title Screen is displayed to display the Menu
Screen.
NEW GAME
LOAD GAME
Start a new game.
Start the game from a previously saved position.
Press the Analog Thumb Pad or the D-Pad to select
a saved file and press the A Button to enter your
selection.
OPTIONS
You can modify all the game settings. Press the
Analog Thumb Pad or the D-Pad to select an
item. Select “EXIT” to make your modifications
effective.
LOCK-ON TYPE
Select a lock-on type.
TOGGLE Enables you to use the
Y Button to toggle the
lock.
HOLD Enables you to lock on
only when Trigger R is
held down.
SOUND
Select from “STEREO” (Speaker),
“STEREO” (Headphone) and
“MONO.”
SE
Adjust the volume of the game’s
sound effects.
BGM
Adjust the volume of the game’s
background music.
JUMP PACK
Switch the Jump Pack ON or OFF
(if it is connected).
INITIALIZE SETTINGS
Revert to the default settings.
EXIT
Return to the Title Screen with
changes in place.
STARTING UP
9 8
This game employs a surround sound system that allows you to feel
as though you are actually inside the game.
If you are playing using a stereo TV, follow the explanation below to
get the most realistic sound effects from Maken X.
SPEAKER ARRANGEMENT
Select “SOUND” from the Option Menu and select “STEREO” (Speaker)
to enable this feature. Adjust your speakers to an angle of 10-15
degrees to the position where you are sitting to create the ideal
environment to play Maken X!
NAME ENTRY CONTROLS
Once the game starts and the story
has been introduced, you will be able
to enter a name. Press the Analog
Thumb Pad and the D-Pad to select
letters and press the A Button to enter
your selection.
ANALOG THUMB PAD Move cursor
D-PAD Backspace/space
A BUTTONEnter a letter
B BUTTONBac kspace
X BUTTONR eturn to Menu
Y BUTTONDelete
TRIGGER R Not used
TRIGGER L Not used
START BUTTONMo ve the cursor to “END” (Will not enter)
SOUND SETTINGS NAME ENTRY
11 10
Maken X is comprised of three parts; “Event Scenes,” “Action Scenes”
and the “World Map.” The game constantly alternates between these
parts.
1. EVENT SCENES
These show how the story unfolds. Press the Analog
Thumb Pad to select and press the A Button to enter
when you are presented with a decision.
2. ACTION SCENES
Defeat your enemies, to reach an important
character. Action Scenes influence the story.
3. WORLD MAP
Move around the world. The story will unfold further
if you go to a new place.
PAUSE
Press the Start Button during game play to display
the Pause Screen. Press the Start Button again to
return to the game.
GAME OVER
When your life gauge reaches 0, you will be given
two options: “Restart current stage” or “Restart from
the world map.”
SIDE STORIES
The story will split off into several side-stories depending on
the player’s actions and decisions. The story will be altered
according to your response to key questions during Event
Scenes and your actions in Action Scenes.
!
Restart current stage. Return to the beginning of the stage in the
same condition as when you started it.
Restart from the world map. Restart from the World Map in the same
condition as when you started the previous
stage.
THE GAME
13 12
Use the World Map to move between the different stages. Press the A
Button to display the System Window.
WORLD MAP SCREEN
STAGE SYMBOL
The stage available
for selection.
NPC SYMBOL
Indicates the
location of the
key characters.
BRAINJACK SYMBOL
Indicates the location
of characters that can
be brainjacked.
Press the A Button on the World Map
Screen to display the System
Window.
6
4
5
3
1
2
1 MAKEN NAME
The Maken name that the player
selected.
2 PSI LEVEL
Current accumulated total of PSI.
3 SAVE
Save a game file.
✽ Your memory card must have at least 10 free memory blocks
to save game files. Also, you can only save and load from
the memory card that is connected to Control Port A of the
Dreamcast.
✽ Never switch the Dreamcast OFF, remove the memory card
or Jump Pack, or disconnect the controller while saving.
!
WORLD MAP SYSTEM WINDOW
15 14
4 LOAD
Load a previously saved game file.
5 STAGE
6 BODY
View your present status and Brainjack potential
character data.
STATUS . . . . . . . Display data on present Brainjack
characters
HISTORY . . . . . . Display data on present Brainjack
potential characters
You can Brainjack if there is a character with
Brainjack potential in the stage.
STAGE START . . Enter the selected stage
BRAIN JACK . . . Brainjack a character with Brainjack
potential who is in the stage
STATUS SCREEN
SPECIAL ATTACK
Press the A Button on the Status Screen to display
an explanation of the special attack.
CHARACTER’S NAME
CHARACTER’S LIFE
CHARACTER’S SPEED
BRAINJACK RANK
SPECIAL ATTACK NAME
CHARACTER’S POWER
CHARACTER’S
JUMP POWER
17 16
This is an explanation of the first-person perspective Action Scene
Screen.
CLEAR SYMBOL
This is your goal. Enter it to leave the stage and
return to the World Map.
WARNING MARK
These arrows point towards off screen enemies.
The game ends when
this gauge is empty.
See page 11 for
more details.
LIFE GAUGE
This displays the
charging process to
perform a special
attack. Wait until
the gauge is full
before you unleash
a special attack.
EX GAUGE
Present Brainjack
Rank.
BRAINJACK RANK
Current PSI Points.
PSI GAUGE
ATTACKING
MOVEMENT/OTHERS
MULTIPLE ATTACK
SPECIAL ATTACK
ATTACK
DEFLECT
JUMP
BACKSTEP
GUARD
SWITCHES
Press the X Button to attack.
Press the X Button repeatedly to
perform a combination multiple
attack.
Press and hold the X Button until
the EX Gauge is full, then release
to perform a special attack.
Press the X Button at the right
time to deflect your opponents’
projectiles. Note that some
objects cannot be deflected.
Press the A Button to jump.
Press and hold the Analog Thumb
Pad down and press the A Button
to perform a backstep.
Press the Analog Thumb Pad down
when your opponent is attacking
to guard. Note that some attacks
cannot be guarded against.
Press the X Button to activate a
switch.
ACTION SCREEN BASIC ACTIONS
19 18
WHAT ARE BRAINJACKS?
Maken can acquire a new body by
brainjacking certain characters.
Brainjack someone, and you will find
that not only will you be able to perform
new actions, but you may also learn
information essential to the development
of the story.
In order to Brainjack, the other character
must have an equivalent Brainjack Rank to
the character you are presently using.
HOW TO BRAINJACK
Lock-on to a potential Brainjack character to display
the option “Brainjack this character?” Select “YES”
to brainjack the character.
PSI POINTS & BRAINJACK RANK
To brainjack a new character, you must achieve the
same Brainjack Rank as it. Gather a fixed number
of PSI points to gain promotion to the next Brainjack
Rank. Collect PSI points by collecting the PSI that
appears when you defeat opponents.
The lock-on system allows you to automatically center on your opponent.
The lock-on cursor will be displayed when an enemy approaches you.
Press the Y Button to lock-on to your enemy. There will be a visual
indicator on your enemy. Press the Y Button again to disengage the
lock. The red gauge in the center of the focus-mark indicates the
enemy’s life. The following actions are possible depending on the focus.
✽ You can set Trigger R as the lock-on key in Options. You will lock-on only
when Trigger R is held down.
SPECIAL LOCK-ON MOVES
ROTATE
LEAPING ATTACK
Press $/^ when locked-on to
circle your opponent while
facing it.
Jump while advancing towards
your locked-on opponent to
leap over it and land facing its
back. Attack quickly before
your opponent can turn to face
you again!
When the lock-on cursor is displayed… Press the Y Button to lock-on!
LOCK–ON BRAINJACKING
& PSI POINTS
20 21
LIFE CAPSULE (SMALL)
Recovers a small amount of life.
LIFE CAPSULE (LARGE)
Recovers a large amount of life.
LIFE CAPSULE (TOTAL)
Recovers the maximum amount of life.
POWER UP
Increases attack power for a fixed amount of time.
PSI
Increases PSI points.
Maken
An artificial life
developed to be an
incredible medical
instrument, which can
extract PSI and modify
it. Its official name is
“Maken.” Its common
name is in the hands of the
player. It has an artificial
brain and the knowledge of
an average adult. It thinks and
it can make decisions. However
it also contains a hidden purpose.
Kay Sagami
A student at Jyusei High School.
Her mother died when she
was young, leaving her to
be raised by her father,
the chief scientist at the
Kanazawa Research Institute. She
respects and admires her father
and dreams of becoming as great
a scientist as he is.
ITEMS CHARACTER
INTRODUCTIONS
Anne Miller
Peter Jones
A researcher at
the Kanazawa
Research
Institute,
responsible for
Plan X PSI
genetic
algorithms.
She’s just like a
big sister to Kay.
A researcher at
the Kanazawa
Research
Institute,
responsible for
Plan X artificial
brain total
system control.
A rude and
self-centered
man. He and
Anne go back
a long way.
Chief Hiro Sagami
Kay’s father and the chief
scientist at the Kanazawa
Research Institute. He is a
world authority on PSI
engineering.
Fei Chao Lee
An exchange
student from Hong
Kong and Kay’s
tutor. In fact, he is
also a blademaster
who is entrusted to
awaken Maken.
22 23
25 24
Plan X is the plan to develop a medical device,
“Maken,” which can detach pieces of PSI and make
changes to it. It was developed in top secrecy by
Hiro Sagami, Anne Miller and Peter Jones at the
Kanazawa Research Institute.
PLAN X
The PSI is a soul that can be manipulated in
another dimension. Emotions and senses stem
from the PSI, not from the brain. Thoughts and
feelings are a function of PSI, but it can be
neither seen nor touched because it exists in
another dimension. People do not yet
understand this concept.
PSI
Kou Yamashiro
The son of a very wealthy
family and Kay’s best
friend. Raised by his strict
grandfather, he has grown
to become a simple and
strong Japanese boy. He
really likes Kay.
Fu Shou Lee
The leader of a
Chinese merchant
group. He is also the
head of the
Blademasters, a
secret organization
that is seeking to
maintain world order.
He is the founder of
the Kanazawa
Research Institute. He
is also the man who
requested Hiro Sagami,
the world authority on
PSI engineering, to
develop Maken.
GLOSSARY
26 27
Maken’s special ability is that it can occupy the human brain and
command the body. It is not that the brain is physically replaced, but
rather that the PSI is replaced, so the memory of the host human is
maintained. For this reason, Maken uses the knowledge and abilities
of its host human. It is a mystery why something that was
developed for medical purposes has this ability.
BRAINJACK
A Hong Kong based crime syndicate.
Originally, these people were Blademasters,
but these members felt their purpose was
useless, and formed a new faction. After
the restoration of Hong Kong to China,
they increased in power until they had
a worldwide network. It has been
suggested that they are behind the
disasters that are occurring
throughout the world.
SANGOKAI
Hakke is the general name for the
leaders of the Sangokai. Hakke
have deformed PSI, which has also
had a physical influence on their
appearance.
HAKKE
The Blademasters are an
organization of people
who sacrifice their
personal lives to
maintain world order.
They have a special
gene called the
D Gene, and were
chosen to work in
secrecy throughout
history to keep the
human race from
destroying itself.
BLADEMASTERS
The following credits list the staff responsible for the localization, marketing
and manual production for the U.S. version of Maken X. Credits for the
original development staff are listed in the game itself.
CREDITS
Product Development
Localization Producer
Jason Kuo
Localization Manager
Osamu Shibamiya
VP of Product Development
Jin Shimazaki
Lead Product Analyst
Todd Slepian
Assistant Lead Analysts
Joey Edwards
Jonas Robledo
Marketing
Product Manager
Robert Alvarez
Product Marketing Specialist
Dennis Lee
Marketing Director
John Golden
Public Relations
Heather Hawkins
Creative Services
Bob Schonfisch
Angela Santos
Project Management (SOJ)
Koji Kuroki
Manual Production Staff (SOJ)
Writer/Editor/Translator
Luke Valentine
Writer
Jun-ichi Murakami (ATLUS)
DTP Operator
Makoto Nishino
Supervisor
Kaoru Ichigozaki
Special Thanks to:
Rick Bowman
Sandy Castagnola
Shinobu Shindo (SOJ)