The Stanley Parable

 PC
The Stanley Parable Image
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2289 Ratings

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  • Summary: The Stanley Parable HD Remix is an updated version of the Half-Life 2 mod The Stanley Parable. It is a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have noThe Stanley Parable HD Remix is an updated version of the Half-Life 2 mod The Stanley Parable. It is a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have no choice. The game will end, the game will never end. [Steam]… Expand

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The Stanley Parable - Teaser Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. GameOver.gr
    Jan 23, 2014
    100
    It's one of those games that tries and succeeds in making a bold statement. Be prepared for something really special.
  2. USgamer
    Oct 18, 2013
    100
    By turns hilarious, disturbing, witty and poignant, The Stanley Parable is a successful experiment in the video game medium's inherent interactivity and how this can affect an author's story -- for good and for ill.
  3. Eurogamer
    Oct 17, 2013
    90
    Familiar but consistently surprising, this new Parable even fits beautifully into the existing game - a game that took its power not from a single narrative but the interaction of all its possible narratives, super-positioned and entangled.
  4. Digital Chumps
    Oct 18, 2013
    90
    The Stanley Parable has this provocative and perpetual elusiveness that aches to break whatever system it’s applied to. Perhaps it's part of a weapons-grade disinformation campaign appointed to destroy all videogames, or maybe it was commissioned to wreck game criticism. Through any interpretation The Stanley Parable is equally hilarious and genuine, and if nothing else it’s going to merit inclusion in any serious discussion of its medium.
  5. Games Master UK
    Dec 25, 2013
    90
    Step away from this review and play it now. Or don't. Whatever you do is already ordained. OR IS IT?! [Jan 2014, p.83]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Vandal
    Oct 21, 2013
    85
    It's like a hipster game. It manages to make you think about narrative in video games, and maybe something else. Sometimes fun, sometimes clever, but always unique. One of those games you either love or hate.
  7. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 25, 2013
    60
    Basically a variation on the concept of a Russian doll, with some of the layers containing unexpected satirical diversions. Although if you had the chance to play the original mod, this overhaul has less new ideas than one would hope for. [Issue#236]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 47 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 349 out of 521
  2. Mixed: 78 out of 521
  3. Negative: 94 out of 521
  1. OHIC
    Jul 17, 2014
    10
    I'm giving this a 10 because it's one of the games that makes me happy to be a PC gamer. Because it's built so powerfully around humour, yourI'm giving this a 10 because it's one of the games that makes me happy to be a PC gamer. Because it's built so powerfully around humour, your experience may vary considerably from mine. It's not like Portal 2, where if Wheatley and GlaDOS's script left you cold (you monster) then at least you had the excellent puzzle action. This game is for anyone who loved Portal 2's writing, for fans of Douglas Adams, for fans of British TV comedy. It's going to occupy you for a limited amount of time - maybe 3 hours or so, possibly more if you go through the Wikia to find all the secrets - so you'll have to decide if you think that's worth it. I and many thousands of others did, and we regret nothing.… Expand
  2. HothouseKibbles
    Dec 27, 2013
    10
    The Stanley Parable is a variation from what is accepted as a traditional game with different and unique aspects. What one user might assumeThe Stanley Parable is a variation from what is accepted as a traditional game with different and unique aspects. What one user might assume to be right could turn out to be your demise.… Expand
  4. El_Calhau
    Oct 17, 2013
    10
    I won't say a damn thing about this game. Every little thing I may talk about it will be a spoiler and this game is all about those spoilersI won't say a damn thing about this game. Every little thing I may talk about it will be a spoiler and this game is all about those spoilers eventually. SO if you want to know why this game is 10/10, go buy it now… Expand
  5. Bsrkr
    Nov 19, 2013
    9
    When I first saw this game I had no clue what it was about and what it looked like. It's really interesting I really enjoyed. I'd love to seeWhen I first saw this game I had no clue what it was about and what it looked like. It's really interesting I really enjoyed. I'd love to see a sequel. Go buy this game!… Expand
  6. fartheststar
    Aug 5, 2015
    8
    I really enjoyed the Stanley Parable. Clever game, with excellent narration and rewards exploration. If you like walking sims and justI really enjoyed the Stanley Parable. Clever game, with excellent narration and rewards exploration. If you like walking sims and just exploring the worlds to see what will happen there's plenty to find in this game - and again the narration is excellent. If you've worked in an office environment there's a lot of jokes to identify with also - but there's also some thoughtful philosophical observations built into the game. I've played about 5 1/2 hours so far trying to find different hidden elements of the game and have found alot of them, but there are still more.

    If this even sounds halfway interesting to you play it. I haven't played anything quite like it, and found it totally worth the exploration.    … Expand
  7. Sk3z
    Dec 22, 2013
    6
    This game costs too much for what it offers. Brilliant idea, but you just move with arrows in a repetitive ambient. Poor realization, boringThis game costs too much for what it offers. Brilliant idea, but you just move with arrows in a repetitive ambient. Poor realization, boring game, VERY FUN for the first couple of hours, after which you'll have explored everything you could, wondering why you did that.
    Rate 6 for the concept.
    Should be a lot lower for the realization all around.
    PORTAL has very similar concepts, but it's actually a game in which you have to think and do stuff... you know? a game, basically. This is not. And after all, it's not as clever as it could.    … Expand
  8. super_absorber
    Jan 7, 2021
    0
    One of the worst games I have played.....0 gameplay at all and very boring story..

See all 521 User Reviews

Trailers

Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PC Game of 2013
15
#15 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
50
#50 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

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