Now you're probably going to see some kind of variation of this sentence in every review of this game, partly because it's true and partly as a justification for a lack of any genuine analysis or review, but it's really difficult to talk about The Stanley Parable without ruining it.
Let's just put it this way, in this ever maturing (along not quite there yet) world of videogame storytelling and rise of real gaming criticism where the medium is being put under the magnifying glass more than ever, there's probably never been a game before that not only makes you question what its story is, but makes you question whether there's a story at all.
There you go, that's the game, what else is there to say other than GO PLAY IT AND UNDERSTAND. How can you possibly discuss that concept with someone who doesn't know what this project is yet or communicate why it's as good as it is. Well this is supposed to be a review and not a pondering about the idea of knowledge and opinion itself, so let's give it a good honest try.
At its core, assuming that it has a core at all, DAMNIT THIS IS HARD ALREADY. Anyway, the game is an exploration of interactive storytelling, commenting on and parodying the relationship between narrator and protagonist, and is even extended to the relationship between player and video game developers. There's a lot of toying with the fourth wall going on, but it's not fair to say The Stanley Parable "breaks" the fourth wall as that just implies it only does it now and then for a quick joke. It would be more accurate to say that you're constantly having a big cuddle with the fourth wall for the majority of the play time, which sometimes get a big out of hand and the fourth wall itself seeks to destroy you.
A lot of the ideas that have gone into The Stanley Parable and the way it deals with narrative could be used for a good horror game someday. The world has potential to completely tear itself to pieces and become something new, at other times its flat and boring, other times its your worst enemy and you're not sure when its going to turn. As mentioned above, there's always at least a slight scratching at the fourth wall and its not always easy to tell when the game is messing with you, or if actually you've found a way to mess with the game.
The Stanley Parable deals with established videogame narrative tropes and design choices. It parodies players desires for a hand to hold, to earn awards for petty and pointless tasks, the frustration some players feel when a game is railroading them too much. Its a commentary and what can be achieved when player and designer, and indeed story and gameplay come together and gel properly, and the frustrations and tension that comes when they utterly fail to.
Personally, I was reminded of my time with The Last of Us. A game, which despite being otherwise mechanically sound and professionally crafted, was a story told with complete contempt for the fact it had to include a player on this tale. I wanted to get to know you Last of Us, I just wanted to get inside you a little bit more, but you constantly held me back and just told me to look at things and wait my turn before I could do anything. When the narrator in The Stanley Parable gets a bit manic-depressive, going from yelling at me for not blindly following him or tongue licking me trying to convince me that "no really, the story I have laid out is best for you, just go with it" I felt like it entirely understood what is wrong with so many games today, and what is so special about itself.
So there you go, overall it's an imaginative title with strong ideas and writing which is both thought provoking, hilarious and will leave you with more questions and ideas in your head than you had going into it. Most importantly of all though; it gets me. I get you too, The Stanley Parable, and I'll tell you this, you're bloody wonderful.
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