mass-effect-3
I ordered the digital edition of ME 3 from Origin. Origin does have a 'Download Manual' button for it's games, but when I used it for Mass Effect 3, it downloaded a 1.5 MB Zip file named Manuals. Inside?
There was this:
23 of those, covering a wide variety of languages.
But no manual. I like to read game manuals because I'm a nerd like that. Where is the manual for ME3? Does it even exist in a digital form?
It depends on what you mean by "in-game". You cannot get to them while actively playing as your character, but you can get to them from the main menu when you start the game. They're under Extras->Accomplishments.
No, you can not legally lend a friend a copy.
SERIAL CODE REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO ONE EA/ORIGIN ACCOUNT PER SERIAL CODE. SERIAL CODE(S) ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE ONCE USED.
Additionally from the full Mass Effect 3 EULA (emphasis mine):
Through this purchase, you are acquiring and EA grants you a personal, limited, non-exclusive license to install and use the Software for your non-commercial use solely as set forth in this License and the accompanying documentation. Your acquired rights are subject to your compliance with this Agreement. Any commercial use is prohibited. You are expressly prohibited from sub-licensing, renting, leasing or otherwise distributing the Software or rights to use the Software.
Unlike a book, you don't legally have the ability to rent or loan (even free of charge) the game (even the physical copy) to a friend.
In addition, if you have a PC copy you're required to use Origin, and you have to use the origin account the game is registered to. This makes it much harder to "borrow" the PC copy of the game, but technically you can't legally borrow/lend a PS3/360 version.
Due to certain exemptions in the First Sale Doctrine it does appear that EA's EULA is valid, especially for Console video games.
Best Answer
In addition to the in-game manual, I think you're specifically searching for an offline copy.
There's not a paper manual in boxed copies of the game (we just get a printed version of that same epilepsy warning that you've already seen).
However, you can find PDF copies of the Mass Effect 3 manual at EA's help site. They have digital copies for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.