I cannot recommend this game enough. It is simply one of the best games released in the last few years. The Stanley Parable puts you in the shoes of an office worker who suddenly finds everyone has disappeared. A narrator begins to set up the plot, and from there everything goes wild. I cannot say too much without ruining the first-time experience you *desperately* deserve for a game like this, so I'll try to stick to the mechanical aspects. The control system is your typical WASD/mouse navigation. Your character, unlike many FPS games, has no jump function (try it anyways and see what happens) because you're walking a linear (HA!) path the entire time.

Your interactivity with the environment is limited. There aren't very many objects you can physically manipulate besides those necessary for progression. The narrator, on the other hand, will have something to say about almost everything. The graphics are pleasing to the eye, and the game is well optimized, running perfectly fine even on integrated laptop graphics cards. The environment has a soft, clean feel to it. Don't come here for realism.

Lot's of fun passive background humor and gags. Take the time to stop and read notes and examine documents and pictures. You'll notice something new every time.

I will say that this game has endless replay and exploration value. No two playthroughs will be the same. Expect dark humor, dry wit, complete lunacy, tranquility, hostility, happiness, and fear. This game will take you from laughing your ass off to a sobering, thought-provoking state. It's a beautiful demonstration of the concepts of free will, causality, fate, and sense of individuality. Just how much are you in control of your life? TSP has some interesting thoughts on the matter.
Buy it. You won't regret it.

And for the love of God, DON'T go to the community page if you haven't bought it yet or if you're just starting. Spoilers everywhere, and spoilers are the exact last thing you could possibly want in this game. You have been warned...

I cannot recommend this game enough. It is simply one of the best games released in the last few years. The Stanley Parable puts you in the shoes of an office worker who suddenly finds everyone has disappeared. A narrator begins to set up the plot, and from there everything goes wild. I cannot say too much without ruining the first-time experience you *desperately* deserve for a game like this, so I'll try to stick to the mechanical aspects. The control system is your typical WASD/mouse navigation. Your character, unlike many FPS games, has no jump function (try it anyways and see what happens) because you're walking a linear (HA!) path the entire time. Your interactivity with the environment is limited. There aren't very many objects you can physically manipulate besides those necessary for progression. The narrator, on the other hand, will have something to say about almost everything. The graphics are pleasing to the eye, and the game is well optimized, running perfectly fine even on integrated laptop graphics cards. The environment has a soft, clean feel to it. Don't come here for realism. Lot's of fun passive background humor and gags. Take the time to stop and read notes and examine documents and pictures. You'll notice something new every time. I will say that this game has endless replay and exploration value. No two playthroughs will be the same. Expect dark humor, dry wit, complete lunacy, tranquility, hostility, happiness, and fear. This game will take you from laughing your ass off to a sobering, thought-provoking state. It's a beautiful demonstration of the concepts of free will, causality, fate, and sense of individuality. Just how much are you in control of your life? TSP has some interesting thoughts on the matter. Buy it. You won't regret it. And for the love of God, DON'T go to the community page if you haven't bought it yet or if you're just starting. Spoilers everywhere, and spoilers are the exact last thing you could possibly want in this game. You have been warned...