The Stanley Parable

[Dracos]

Stanley started this day like any other... he arrived at the office, as worker 412, and waited for instructions to arrive on the screen...

The Stanley Parable is an enhanced version of a very clever and Free to Play Halflife 2 mod that explores Actualization, Narrative, and Self-Direction in video games with a coy and introspective meta-analysis, that in fairness probably costs a bit much for the 1-2 hours the story is likely to hold your attention  (if you're cheap, just play the demo, really).  The interactions that the game provides to work with are simple, and the first few and clearly discoverable ones are the best parts of the game and can be experienced in about 20-30 minutes tops.  Stanley, after all, is a man who does what he is told... or does he?

There are only two characters in the Stanley Parable.  Though sometimes, one might count three, or four, or one might say that only Stanley is there.  There is Stanley, who you control in a very simplistic choose where to walk and sometimes what button to push control scheme.  And there is the Narrator, a bold and compelling voice who tells Stanley...what the story is.  Indeed, Stanley has arrived at work today, to find no instructions, after sitting for some time, he decided to go see what was going on for himself.  The narrator is with him, every step of the way, detailing in clear view what Stanley finds and what Stanley is going to do.  The simple available interaction is to do what the Narrator tells you....or not.  There is no action, no puzzle solving.  This is a game about story...OF story.  And nothing else.  I honestly can't say that the variety of additional options (There are 19 possible routes each with their own exotic ending and narrative journey) actually improve upon the simple story being told with the handful of various obvious first routes.  The expression of clearly discussing the satisfaction of free decision making in the context of such a restricted game through a narrative involving a <spoiler> is simply compelling and a creative way of making play with writing by itself.  The shorter the better almost.

Well, there is also the broom closet, which is a setting to itself, worthy of deep exploration and patient meditation as Stanley and the Narrator can battle to see whether a broom closet is really an appropriate included element in a video game story and you simply cannot just sit there because that is boring.

It is very short, and saying more is quite spoiling...  I think the official game's strength is in its simplicity and its clear dedication to saying "We are going to play with the telling of a story and nothing else.  The story being told is the story being told".  There are no heroes, no mysteries, no greater depth.  There is a solid concept, well delivered and with no intent of overstaying its welcome.  You are free to end it at any point, and it can be quite satisifying there.  I certainly didn't go do all nineteen endings, but I don't feel like I missed out on anything.  It was one of those few games that did not trigger my completionism, instead feeling like it had told several interesting related short stories, each with a satisifying 'you are done now, if you want to be' vibe to them.

[Kaldrak]

Wait, people were comparing this to Gone home? Gone Home is a romance and this sounds like a thought experiment. They are totally two different types of things. I mean sure, a western novel and a science fiction epic are both books, but come on people.

[Dracos]

Yes, they really were.  It annoyed me a bit, partially because I was boycotting gone home on account of the social drama about it, but also because I thought Stanley Parable was one of the more clever game efforts I'd seen in a while.  I really do enjoy the occasional simple short effort, like Portal.

[Anastasia]

The game's interesting for what it does. I don't think it makes a good game, but it is an amusing commentary on several video game issues. It's a game that takes a little too long to say what it has to, but it's not bad for what it is.