The Stanley Parable

some mindless entertainment. no real meaning or deeper story even though it's set up to look like it would. not my preference

The Stanley Parable feels like it was the champion of small game studios doing something different for a while. The game itself didn't blow me away, but it did have a bit of charm. There are a lot of meta parts. The game doesn't really have an ending, just a bunch of short routes. I'm left feeling like it was mildly entertaining, but also like I didn't really do anything for the last 2-3hrs. I'll give a thumbs up for the game's ingenuity. On a personal enjoyment level it was much more of a wavy middle thumb.

Great game with lots of branches. I'm thinking of picking up the new edition that came out a bit ago!

really wacky story and overall fun experience but the beginner's guide was a better game

The HORRENDOUS things I'll do to the Narrator is something man, I'm going to cry. Also someone puh-lease needs to make a Freeman's Mind=esque like series for this game considering both games are made in the Source Engine (specifically this one). Otherwise the broom closet ending was my fav

Honestly if you enjoyed the game, if you haven't played the demo, you should also play the demo. They are separate experiences with the same idea and feel behind it.

"This is the story, of a player called Leonard."

"Leonard was a lonely swedish autistic gamer who despite now owning a powerful PC, didn't forget that the Source engine games had always been there for him during his low spec childhood. "

"Then one day, everything would (mildly) change as Leonard noticed one source game on the steam store yet to be in his collection: The Stanley Parable.
The main feature was a third person narrator that would comment on any action the player could care to perform.
Being desperate for validation & judgement, this made Leonard buy the game instantly so he could be invested in the deep lore, and invested he was.
So invested that his sloppy speedrun exceeded the refund period. Oh what a fool he was!
Leonard was so invested in the narration, that he decided to grind the "go outside" achiviement."

"That tured out to be the best desicion he ever made. As a token of grattitude he felt obligated to recommend the game to everyone else no matter how bloddy pointless he found it."

A really good example of a game where you had to be there at the time and now is not that time anymore.

Maybe i just don't get it. The point is to explore the number of ways you can find alternate endings or trigger different dialogue. Sure, the voiceactors are great but i just don't really care about that when i have nothing to do. Most often you find yourself standing still, be it because of the paths that are very very slowly creating themselves while you have absolutely nothing to do or be it the endings that require you just standing still.
This game is less than a walking simulator, a standing simulator even. On top of that, exploring the endings is incredibly repetitive due to you having to walk the same way a lot just to make one different decision at the end and get a few insults by the narrator in return, than you repeat. I just wish there was something to do, anything.
Even the achievements are terrible, one is impossible, some are tedious, annoying or impossible to know without a guide and one is literally not playing the game (i am seeing a pattern here). The one with door 430 is neat though, i liked that one.
And finally a huge problem i have, everything feels very expected. The whole game seems to rely on you being surprised by the reactions to stuff, but it seems incredibly obvioious to make dialogue options for everything you do, standing in a closet or running in and out of rooms. It is expected because there is nothing else the game has to offer, that makes the reactions bland and boring and also makes the times there is no reactions even worse since you did nothing for nothing, a pure lose-lose situation.
I should stop trying walking simulators, i only dissappoint myself, hoping for something that just isn't there.

Waited five freaking years, happily reinstalled the game today just to grab that ‘Go Outside’ achievement… Only to find out I was off by one day. Amazing, guess I’ll wait another five years :-)

Simply a brilliant game. Go into it blind, I beg of you. I probably haven't seen everything this game has to offer, but what I have seen in the few hours I've played is all I need to see to know this game is great. That should already tell you this game is good. It's an emotional roller coaster. There's many moments in this game where I felt baffled, shocked, or amused at it's antics. Granted, if you aren't the kind of person who enjoys very 'meta', 4th Wall breaking, story focused games, then this probably isn't for you. What I love most about The Stanley Parable is how the narrator reacts to almost everything you do, and often when you're doing something stupid, he knows that you're trying to get a rise out of him to find out the intricacies of the game, as if he can read the player's mind. I haven't played the ULTRA DELUXE version of The Stanley Parable yet, but from what I've seen, you should definitely play this game first if you plan to.

At first, I thought it was a pretty serious game... but I was wrong (or almost). It's a pretty silly game, that you can do whatever you want, and also do not hear the narrator, what it a pretty cool mechanic, the secrets are also pretty interesting. I didn't made all endings, but I got a lot of fun playing the game, and I think is a good game to pass the time for someone who doesn't want play a very busy game

The game is a gem. A gem of absurdity, but kind of a good one. The Narrator is hilarious with his lines and jokes, the gameplay is smooth and fun. I enjoyed it a lot when playing for the first time and even coming back 7 years later. This is the kind of games that are legendary and which you will never forget.

It's a very fun game with some meta-commentary on the average gamer. Amazing narrator. Getting the achievements is a nice and fun challenge, especially if you try to get them legitimately, as legit as it can be (I'm looking at you Unachievable).

I really wish I could transfer the narrator of this game to my GPS system. It would make missing a turn a lot more enjoyable.

Honestly, almost reviewed this one negative because there are no buckets in it. I sure hope they fix that issue in the remaster

When I got the Demo for this game it seemed great. When I watched a trailer it seemed great. What I heard about it (Including Tik Tok clips, or reviews) It seemed great. Plot twist ... it was not great. The demo was actually better than the game, and the trailer intrigued you to buy it. The trailer made it seem good, it was not good. I would not recommend. Or it's just not the game for me.

SPOLIERS...










They put PORTAL & MINECRAFT in this game. I died laughing.

Goated game, fun narrator and different endings, see you in 5 years.

When you're tired of the endless stream of games and endless tedium of work this is the Reset-Button you need.
It's an experience and it's absolutely worth every second.

It's all a joke! Everything anybody ever valued or struggled for... it's all a monstrous, demented gag! So why can't you see the funny side? Why aren't you laughing?

I don't know if I've played many games that are as experimental with their design as this one is. It's definitely worth it if you like games that think outside of the box.

A fun parody of video games and free choice that changes every time you restart, which you will be sometimes be forced on you. I'm still not sure what "winning" this game really means or why almost 3% of games have unlocked the impossible achievement. Definitely an original game.

The game is interesting and has a lot of content,but the achievments are a PAIN(especially the tuesday one)
I would advise to ignore the achievments and enjoy the story

This game is absouletly amazing i would recommened it to anybody. Thank you and goodbye

This game is such a gem. It's so wonderfully on-the-nose with its frustrated narrator and humor. What could be considered a simple premise for a game proves to be more than meets the eye (ha) when you delve into it. The Stanley Parable has such Source vibes, leading to a cozy-yet-uneasy feeling being instilled in me. Can't recommend this game enough. I also can't wait to get back into it once I hit 5 years of not playing this game in November. Cheers!

I love this game. It's a true work of art in my mind and greatly encourages me to get into game design. It has everything. It's every game ever created.

Best game that was ever made, also the best game that will ever be made. Is what I would say if I could jump.

Didn't realize that there was a newer version :DEAD: but still fun and very interesting :)'

A classic for a reason, Stanley Parable is a fucking masterpiece.

I just- Don't enjoy it. Honestly I don't get it. The point is to explore the number of ways you can find alternate endings, but after a few hours you've tried everything you can think of and it's just boring. I've seen people say the point is the experience, but I don't even find the experience enjoyable. Novel at first, but that's it. It gives me a slight headache playing- essentially nothing.

Maybe I just don't get it, but it feels like it's just- not really a game? It's kind of interact-able? Kind of a story? But not really because there is no "ending"- Honestly I don't even know how to categorize this because it's not really a game. You can't win or lose, there's no objective, there's not really anything to do other than walk around, how can it be categorized as a game? Is it even a story without an ending? It's just- a thing. An experience entirely about the concept of not being a normal story. I guess some people like it, but I don't.

Very fun and funny game with lots of endings to experience!

This game doesn't work. It crashes at the play button. It's resolution is old as well. There's a newer version of it as a separate game.

I bought it to try it and because I buy games and play them later time, I couldn't refund it because of time limit (stupid thing to not get a refund for a product it doesn't work)

I give up after trying some things to make it work and buy the newer version and play it there. This game is broken and doesn't work. I'm not sure maybe some computers you can play but I have 3 different windows computer and all of them are the same.

Don't buy it.

It's a game like no other. With features that people can only imagine of happening. Different rooms that act the same? Awesome! Achievements that take real commitment and effort to get? Awesome! And most important of all, a stupid narrator that gets annoyed easily and annoys easily too! Those are the core components of a game with really short gameplay, but the side missions being 5 times as long as the game itself!

4/10

The Stanley Parable is an interesting game made within the Source Engine, but I seriously recommend get The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe over this since that version has everything in this but with better graphics and more stuff as well. Overall The Stanley Parable is a game where you play as Stanley, there is a narrator, and you can follow his instructions, or you don't and see where you end up. I can't say to much though since I don't want to spoil any of the things that happen in the game, but all-in-all this is a game that you can really manipulate the plot of, so I would recommend this, but Ultra Deluxe exists so get that instead (TSPUD also includes a few bug fixes as well). Another final complaint I have about this game, and can be said the same with TSPUD is that, although you can play the different story options over and over, they eventually get repetitive and the charm that was in playing the game for the first few times starts to disappear and hence the game becomes obsolete, whilst this could be said about any game this effect does kick in quicker than most games, so I would recommend waiting for a sale.

tryna the not playing for 5 years but its kinda hard not to play. this game is so good its hard for me to explain

🖥️ The Stanley Parable – A Brilliant, Mind-Bending Narrative Experience 🖥️

The Stanley Parable isn’t just a game—it’s an existential journey through choice, free will, and the absurdity of video game logic. What starts as a simple first-person walking simulator quickly transforms into a surreal, hilarious, and often unsettling experience where nothing is as it seems.

🔄 Gameplay: Follow the Narrator… or Don’t

You play as Stanley, an office worker who suddenly finds himself alone in his workplace. A mysterious narrator guides your every move—but whether you obey or rebel is up to you. Every choice (or refusal to choose) leads to a different outcome, often breaking the fourth wall and questioning the nature of storytelling itself.

🎭 Writing & Humor: A Masterpiece of Wit

The game thrives on its witty, often darkly humorous narration. The narrator, voiced brilliantly by Kevan Brighting, reacts dynamically to your actions, whether you’re following instructions, disobeying out of spite, or just standing in a broom closet for way too long. The result is a game that constantly surprises and delights, no matter how many times you play.

🎨 Graphics & Sound: Simple but Effective

The sterile office environment perfectly complements the game’s themes of monotony and control, while the subtle sound design and music add to the eerie, dreamlike atmosphere. It doesn’t need flashy visuals to pull you in—the narration and unpredictable scenarios do all the heavy lifting.

⚖️ Final Verdict: 10/10 – A Must-Play for Anyone Who Loves Narrative Games

The Stanley Parable is one of the most unique and thought-provoking games ever made. It’s hilarious, unsettling, and endlessly replayable, offering new surprises every time you step into Stanley’s shoes. If you enjoy games that challenge conventions and make you question everything, this is an absolute must-play.

As a person who enjoys free games quite a lot, I do feel like the price for this is a little high for my taste however on sale I think it is more reasonable. This game is quite fun, the narrators voice is very nice (10/10 would listen to again) and even though a lot of this game is walking and seeing what happens, what actually happens often takes you for a whirl. I think is a game that you are able to replay a fair amount of times and even though I harped on the price, I see that a lot of effort and time went into it's creation.

I need help when I press start game in the game it sticks me in the loading screen then I see 90s version of my desktop for a second, then the game closes and i puts me back in my normal screen

Quite an entertaining game! I would very much recommend this game. It's not a long game but it definitely very funny and worth it. The achievements are insane too. if people dislike this game it's either because of poor luck with the game quality or they're just a hater with no sense of humor. There are multiple endings and multiple ways to annoy the narrator. whoever made this game was very smart and funny.

You'll have a bit more fun if you don't quite follow instructions :)

I haven't played for long, and I usually hate these kinds of 'thought provoking/what is life' games, but this game is so funny, I love it!

Great game, got the achievement for not playing for 5 years but actually I didn't play it for more than 10! Can't say much about it without spoiling it other than it's got funny narration and a a decent amount of stuff to explore.

I wish they would give the Deluxe version for free if you own the original. It's 50% off right now but i don't think it's worth £10 for almost the same game. Might get that on if it's on sale for £5 or less in future.

The Deluxe version is the only fun version. This version is very quick and doesnt have much to it.

The game doesn't need a skip button, it needs a choice tree. like Henry Stickman

The demo was great, convinced me to buy the game...

The game however is boring and repetitive

The Stanley Parable is a showcase of creativity, critical thinking, and dark humor, forming the foundation of an incredibly fun loop. What begins as a simple game develops a strong sense of curiosity in the player, igniting the desire to understand what is really happening in this somewhat surreal office. In addition, the game provides critiques ranging from the current work model and how companies view their employees, to deeper questions about the purpose of each person's life.

one of the most overrated walking simluators, it's good, like it's good, but it's overrated and is honestly not that mature as a game, the graphics is nice, source engine works everytime for being nostalgic and memorable, and this game has some few and short peaks, but... no, the game try to be philosophical and/or funny, and it actually is pretty good at it less than 10% of the times, but it's philosophy that is pretty banal, and the sense of humor try to be good, i see it... but is not actually that good, overrated, for being a game that try to be philosophical, it doesn't say much actually... sorry

---{ Graphics }---
☐ You forget what reality is
☐ Beautiful
☐ Good
☑ Decent
☐ Bad
☐ Don‘t look too long at it
☐ MS-DOS

---{ Gameplay }---
☑ Very good
☐ Good
☐ It's just gameplay
☐ Mehh
☐ Watch paint dry instead
☐ Just don't

---{ Audio }---
☐ Eargasm
☑ Very good
☐ Good
☐ Not too bad
☐ Bad
☐ I'm now deaf

---{ Audience }---
☐ Kids
☑ Teens
☑ Adults
☐ Grandma

---{ PC Requirements }---
☑ Check if you can run paint
☐ Potato
☐ Decent
☐ Fast
☐ Rich boi
☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Game Size }---
☐ Floppy Disk
☑ Old Fashioned
☐ Workable
☐ Big
☐ Will eat 15% of your 1TB hard drive
☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it
☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data

---{ Difficulty }---
☑ Just press 'W'
☐ Easy
☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master
☐ Significant brain usage
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls

---{ Grind }---
☐ Nothing to grind
☑ Only if u care about achievements
☐ Isn't necessary to progress
☐ Average grind level
☐ Too much grind
☐ You'll need a second life for grinding

---{ Story }---
☐ No Story
☐ Some lore
☐ Average
☐ Good
☑ Lovely
☐ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }---
☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee
☑ Short
☐ Average
☐ Long
☐ To infinity and beyond

---{ Price }---
☐ It's free!
☑ Worth the price
☐ If it's on sale
☐ If u have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended
☐ You could also just burn your money

---{ Bugs }---
☐ Never heard of
☑ Minor bugs
☐ Can get annoying
☐ ARK: Survival Evolved
☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

---{ ? / 10 }---
☐ 1
☐ 2
☐ 3
☐ 4
☐ 5
☐ 6
☐ 7
☐ 8
☑ 9
☐ 10

---{ Author }---
☑ https://vojtastruhar.github.io/steam-review-template

As a child,I watched many lets plays on this game, I had practically every ending memorized, recently I bought the game, this may be the best purchase I've ever made in my life, I've never experienced a game within the vicinity of the intro cut scene in term of greatness. the level of thought and care put in to this game is incomprehensible. every single thing in this game is amazing, the amount of character Stanley and the narrator have without being seen/heard is incredible, you could be wandering around, walk into the broom closet and the game has more than 5 lines of dialogue just for that. this game has so much story to it to, while at the same time not having any, every story is not true and the other will contradict it, you don't know what to believe and that is beautiful. i would recommend this game very very strongly.