I like to think I’m a tough critic, especially when it comes to narrative games, but The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe has a way of immediately disarming me every time I boot it up.įor all of its commentary and cynicism, at its heart, it has so much charm, and so much love for the medium it’s so dedicated to deconstructing. I’ve written pages and pages of notes trying to piece this review together, trying my best to convey why I think this game truly is genius (a word I use sparingly in any part of my life, let alone when discussing video games). The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe ( PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) Not just as one of the best games of the year, mind you, but as one of the best games period. So much of what makes this game special is the surprise and the discovery of it all, so in order to maintain the spirit of The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe, all I can tell you is that this is a must-play. Nine years ago, we reviewed The Stanley Parable when it originally came out, and James Stephanie Sterling’s sentiment was that to give anything away was to ruin the game’s whole appeal, and the same goes for The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe.

The Stanley Parable is what every other video game that claims to be art should aspire to, because it is able to so effectively convey its thesis while at the same time entertaining you to all hell. Sure, you can call it an open-ended walking sim with multiple endings, but while that may be true, it doesn’t even come close to doing the experience of playing it justice. Where do I even begin with this? You can’t review The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe like a normal game - no, not even close.

The stanley parable online