The manual is not like normal manuals - it's more like a history lesson. As a matter of fact the whole game is a history lesson. There are e.g. areas that are permanently terra incognita and there are other areas that are incognita at the outset but become available later on as it actually was during this time period. Count on spending a lot of time on this game. Each single full campaign will take several days to complete.
Graphics are adequate for the main purpose of the game.
If there is a version 2 of the game this is an area that could be improved on e.g. making the map more interesting like the kind of map that is used in Rail Road Tycoon II where you really get a feel for the land. But - in this game the graphics are not very important to the main game play. If you get into a conflict there will be a lot of gunshots from all over the place which can become rather tediuos. Some sounds are used for more than one type of event so pause the game and inspect the log when you don't know what is happening. You play a nation throught he turbulent historical period of 1492-1792.