The Stanley Parable review: the soul of wit

The Stanley Parable is the most hilarious ten minutes I’ve spent with a game all year.

I’ve actually spent more time than that — close to three hours — but each individual playthrough lasts no longer than 30 minutes. In its pursuit of that rare title of comedy game, The Stanley Parable joins Shakespeare’s Polonius — the would-be jokester from Hamlet — in prizing brevity above all else.

The short running time is a positive force; in fact, in this case it’s essential. Outside of the jokes, The Stanley Parable teaches players about the limits of linear game narratives by blowing up those limits. It tells you what to do but then allows you to break its own rules and change your path in a myriad of unexpected ways. It kept me guessing, and it kept me laughing.

(Read the rest of the review)

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

The Stanley Parable review: the soul of wit