The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe for Windows

A classic gets expanded and reimagined

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is a premium expansion and reimagining of the 2013 cult classic The Stanley Parable. In this philosophical choose-your-own-adventure, you get to play as Stanley once more, as well as play “not Stanley.” It gives you more choices, and it gives you no choices. To paraphrase, “You don’t play The Stanley Parable, it plays you.”

Its approach to decision-based gameplay revolutionized the genre, inspiring titles such as the indie God’s Basement or the mainstream success Detroit: Become Human. However, its simplicity and unpredictability will definitely have The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe setting the bar higher.

Prepare for a mind-bending experience

In the original Parable, you put on the shoes of Stanley, an employee left to wander around an abandoned office building. You can choose to follow a narrating voice out of the blue or do as you please–everything is here and more. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe feels like the new stages have already existed in the original one and will leave you wondering if you simply missed them before.

Of course, as a remaster, the first thing to notice is the better, crisper graphics quality. If anything, it only drives home the eerie, existentially confusing feel of the original game. Now that it feels more like an actual office you’ve probably seen once or twice, it gets easier to doubt your decisions–and will definitely pull you back to play it again and again.

Lastly, the equally crisp narration of Kevan Brighting will be there with you every step of your way. This Big Brother-ish presence makes the game unusually calming and creepy at times. The only drawback from a work like this is that some endings are really difficult to find, especially when the entire game feels like it’s built to mess around with the player.

A must-try, no doubt

The effect that The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is quite difficult to accurately put into words, whether or not you’re familiar with the original game. It’s not meant to be relaxing or joyful, as it leaves you wondering if your choices–in-game or otherwise–are as relevant as you proceed further. You can try it once and be done with it, or try to unlock everything and still feel wondering.