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The Stanley Parable

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#1 ·
The Stanley Parable

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Single-player PC game.
 

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#2 ·
An experience that goes well beyond the game itself.

review by tpi2007

Let me start by saying that it's hard to review this game. Not because it isn't good, but because describing it in detail gives away some of the fun. So let's keep it short and succinct: did you love Portal and Portal 2 ? You'll love this too. This has the short length of the original Portal, combined with the narrative depth of the second game. And all in all it makes a compelling case for a sequel.

What really got me to download the demo and then buy the game (actually the demo didn't really convince me, I was already convinced before) ? The videos on the Steam store page. The first one is more of an introduction of the general game mechanics / story, but what really stands out are the two other videos. Not only are they hilarious, they are completely original content, they aren't in the game at all, and in a way they extend the game outside the game, they add to it, I get the feeling they're part of the global experience the makers of the game wanted to pass on.

But what exactly is "The Stanley Parable" ? Well, for starters there isn't much you can do in the game, except decide where to go, and push a few buttons, it doesn't feel like a game as you commonly perceive one, but more of an experience, which comes to life with the help of a witty, cynical and devious narrator that is there with you along the way. You can start by questioning the nature of the game. Is it a game ? Are there any goals, and if you identify a goal, which one is it and why, and what do you get out of it ? In reality, this is a very cleverly written piece of modern day computer game critique masked as a game. And as such it's brilliant.

On the other hand, after watching the third video, I got the feeling that the game seems alive, that is has an advanced A.I. that reacts to every single thing you do, how you move, and changes things accordingly, but after 'finishing' the game in all the several possible ways, I do get that it holds promise for a sequel, this is just a start. So, if at first it seems like a maze where the narrator is actually playing with you, you come to realize it's all just a bunch of scripted events with a finite number of endings according to perfectly describable performed actions by the player. Well, in all fairness, most A.I. in games is just a bunch of scripted events with more or less triggers, what really makes a difference is how complex, and how vast it is to make you believe that it is actually sentient. For now, that part is left for the player alone, as usual, but this is a good start. It wouldn't be fair to ask for a whole lot more content for the asked price, and perhaps generating the type of content this game requires on the go is still technically impossible, but if I can make a positive out of this somewhat negative aspect is that I was left wanting a sequel with more content, and I'd say that is a good thing.

All in all, this first game, just like the original Portal, serves to teach you how to "think with Portals", and from then on a world of new possibilities emerge.

There, I just managed to review a game without actually saying much about it. Mission accomplished! Honestly, for the price it's selling for (as of the writing of this it's on sale in the Steam Holiday Sale for 7,19?, or -40% off the normal price), it's worth just as much as a good movie. Money well spent.

ProsCons
Brilliant narration, great script and a different kind of experience.If at first it seems nearly endless, you eventually get to understand how it works.

Ratings
Overall4
 
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