It's not really accurate to refer to The Stanley Parable as a game, or maybe another choice would be to consider just how wide and encompassing the definition of a game is. It's choice that is really at the core of the experience this game offers.
You see what we have here is a game with very little interaction. The story is about Stanley who suddenly realises everyone he works with has disappeared and goes off to investigate. The twist is that there is a narrator describing what is going on, in advance, and there are a number of opportunities to choose differently. The outcomes of varying from the story line and the reaction of the narrator is what drives the game experience. It is nearly impossible to give an example without major spoilers though but it's safe to say that some of the outcomes are pretty surprising.
You do need to cover the same ground multiple times in order to experience the game to its fullest and there is different narration to help relieve the potential monotony but it gets a bit wearing once you've walked through the initial corridors a half dozen times. The game itself is quite short but given it is tailor made to be replayed multiple times this also helps prevent it becoming stale. Some of the "ending" sequences go on a bit too long with very little for the player to do which does detract from the enjoyment of the strange goings on.
The Stanley Parable provides an interesting and entertaining experience for the gamer willing to try something a little different. Patience is definitely required and there are many surprising rewards tucked away in unlikely places.
So, should you wish to try something a bit different that falls into the "games as art" (still a very general description) category then pick this one up, preferably on sale, when you can.
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