The Stanley Parable was one of the most influential indie games of its time, and it's only grown in prominence since. As one of the most absurdist video games ever made, it could be a very strange, off-putting game for many gamers — but many find it hauntingly fascinating.
Now, The Stanley Parable is back with a fresh coat of paint in the form of The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. This new-and-improved game features a ton of new content for new and old fans to enjoy, including a bunch of new endings that will test the limits of imagination. But with so much to discover and so many twisting paths to navigate, it can be difficult to see all there is to see without a few helpful tips to get started.
8 Keep Moving Forward
Most video games have trained gamers to double back for clues or thoroughly explore every room for possible hints or secrets. While there are definitely some cool things to find around The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe's many rooms and scenarios, this isn't a stock adventure game with tons of collectibles and hidden treasures around every corner.
The game is narrative-driven, and its best feature is the Narrator who guides Stanley along his journey, no matter what direction he may take. Continuing along whatever path the player might be on is the best way to see the best parts of The Stanley Parable. Plus, any room players visit once, they'll almost certainly have the chance to see again on another loop.
7 Look Around For New Paths
There is a clearly defined path for Stanley available from the very beginning of the game, and it's a path the Narrator is eager to see Stanley complete. There's a certain satisfaction to this ending, along with a trophy for reaching it within a certain amount of time, but it's far from the only ending players can experience.
To reach these other endings, though, players will need to defy the Narrator's will and stray from his designed story. Look for alternative paths everywhere. Some are obvious, but a few are hidden quite deceptively. Every path has something new to offer, and the introduction of the Bucket changes how every path works, effectively doubling the number of possible endings.
6 Click On Stuff
The most frequent action players will take in The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is the simple act of walking from room to room. Maybe up some stairs, sometimes. But there's also a clicking feature that allows players to sort of click on things to see if they react. Most things won't, but some stuff does.
Many of the things that do react don't really do much other than move in a very small way, like buttons, but there is an entire achievement tied to clicking on a specific door. This leads the Narrator on a wild chase to get Stanley to do any number of ridiculous things before finally awarding players with the achievement. Players can also open the broom closet and stand inside, which will annoy the Narrator.
5 Defy The Narrator
The Narrator thinks his story is the only way The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is meant to be played, and many players might be conditioned to agree with him. Video games are, more often than not, bespoke experiences designed by developers to be played in a certain way.
The Stanley Parable is both not like this at all and exactly like this. Defying the Narrator is part of the game and is meant to be something players do if they want to see everything the game has to offer. It isn't always easy, though, and often forces the player to hurt the Narrator's feelings or, in one instance, drive him insane.
4 Pay Attention To The Scenery
Environmental storytelling has always been important to narrative video games, even if most gamers look right past some of the more clever details developers include. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe plays with this notion by being extremely meta and silly with their environmental storytelling.
Some examples include encouraging players to do things like resetting the game entirely or reminding players that there is actually a reward for finding all the collectibles in the game, despite the Narrator's insistence that there isn't. One of the whiteboards even has a checklist that provides clues for where to find any of the collectibles the player might still be missing.
3 There Are No Wrong Endings
With multiple endings and a plethora of content waiting just beyond each one, there really isn't any way to fail in The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. There aren't any wrong endings, because each one is a unique moment that can't be experienced any other way than by making those exact choices.
In fact, some of the more interesting endings might feel like they're a fail state or just a boring, easily accessible ending, only to reveal more once the next loop starts up. The Confusion Ending is one such example of this phenomenon, and the game delights in faking players out this way.
2 Take The Bucket
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
The Stanley Parable 2 Reassurance Bucket is a new addition to the game with The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe content, and it dramatically alters how each loop goes should Stanley take it along. With the Bucket in tow, the Narrator will reference the Bucket in all his dialogue, and previous pathways take on new life with the Bucket along for the ride.
For example, a path that might have once led to a signature set of red and blue doors is now off-limits to anyone carrying a Bucket. Instead, players will be diverted to a side path where the Narrator will put them through a test designed to tell if a person can tell the difference between what is a bucket and what isn't a bucket. In the end, everything was a bucket.
1 Remember It's Supposed To Be Off-Putting
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Players shouldn't feel bad if they need to put The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe down after playing for a bit. It's designed to be an off-putting experience, and it follows in the footsteps of famous theatrical endeavors that were based around upsetting their audiences.
The unease The Stanley Parable causes in its players is absolutely intentional, and taking some time to think about what just transpired (or get away from it for a while) is a perfectly valid response. The Skip Button ending is particularly heavy, largely thanks to Kevan Brighting's performance as the Narrator as he slowly loses his sanity while isolated from the world.
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is available now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.