How can I describe everything and nothing at the same time? This my friends, is the Seinfeld of gaming! If you’re unfamiliar with that household name which shaped US comedy in the '90s, you can basically boil it down to a highly successful television sitcom about nothing in particular.

Just like good ol’ Stanley here. Explaining The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe without spoiling half its fun would be like trying to describe colors to someone visually-impaired since birth.

And yet I will do my best to review it. What started as a social commentary mod for Half-Life 2 in 2011, managed to gain a cult following and thus, here we are with a 2022 remaster which traded the Source Engine for Unity, but still kept that tongue firmly planted in the proverbial cheek.

More dry humor and the sort of ironical puzzles within faux escape rooms that make you question your life choices. Now, the development aspect can be a bit convoluted, but long story short, this game is the brain child of Davey Wreden while William Pugh had a major contribution in designing the later versions of Stanley, this remaster included.

Galactic Cafe became Crows Crows Crows at some point, yet the most important aspect to all these rebrandings is that a PC mod which came virtually out of nowhere still managed to become one of gaming's finest examples of satire. This helped The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe get ported on all the current consoles.

Steam is still its rightful place, this platform being synonymous with Half-Life 2 and Valve's long past creativity. Without HL2, Stanley would have never seen the light of day. And Stanley's narrator is a veritable gift of words when compared to Gordon Freeman's heavy-hitting crowbar, but you're still about to embark on a journey of video game history in the making.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2804221508

Of course there's a story here. Do yourself a favor and play the Stanley Parable Demo first. Yeah, that 2013 bite-sized vertical slice is crucial to understanding the evolution of this game. And guess what, it's a demo entirely unique towards the main version content.

I can literally count games which approached demos like that on the fingers of a single hand. Believe me when I claim that I've been playing pretty much every PC release since 1998. Very few slipped through the cracks and many were cracked before I made Steam, my new gaming oyster.

Unique demos are the sort of surprises equivalent to finding a potato wedge inside a French fries package. While we're discussing past creations from Stanley's dev team, add “Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist” to your Steam backlog and try it out sooner rather than later.

Another fine, free example of gaming outside the box in terms of both narrative and level design. With such a mouthful of a title, you realize words alone won't cut it. And the gameplay delivers.

Enough dawdling, time to dive right into the thick of this remastered storyline. A workaholic discovers there's more to life than vapid spreadsheets and self-important managers? Or perhaps it's an entire allegory on the toxic corporate environment mingled with commentary on equally complacent, cushy government jobs enjoyed by stereotypical civil servants?

Only one way to find out and I won't spill the beans. Unique to this remastered version however, are the added elements of satire towards sequels, gaming conventions and even the passage of time, nostalgia in tow. You are getting more of Stanley, not just a visual overhaul.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2805136599

Speaking of which, now it's a Unity project remade from scratch after the initial Source Engine version has certainly outlived its usefulness by 2022. Expect a smooth experience, no hiccups in sight. Delightfully HUDless, if I can say so myself. As all walking sims should be.

Jokes don't stop after you hit the pause/escape buttons. Some funny Options, hidden like Easter Eggs almost. It's a beautiful game without putting any strain on older systems such as my current one. Then again, being too shallow about the visuals is also getting parodied here.

Far more important than how Stanley Parable looks, is how well it sounds. Make no mistake, you're roleplaying a silent protagonist but then again, you're not the center of attention in this story. That place is reserved to a most eloquent narrator you shall follow and occasionally disobey.

Actor Kevan Brighting has been representing British humor in gaming even better than the entire cast of “Her Majesty's SPIFFING”. Most of the soundtrack is literal elevator music and you won't be paying any attention to it as the voice acting outshines any other in-game sounds. Top-notch stuff, I might add.

Imagine a walking sim littered with situational puzzles and multiple endings which may be more abrupt or elaborate based on how soon you'll be taking that wrong turn. Even going backwards might yield some interesting results. Leave no nook or cranny unexplored.

Speedrunning the game in 4 minutes and 22 seconds is even a Steam Achievement. So your mileage may vary, yet inquisitive minds shall be well rewarded. It takes a few playthoughs for the sequel content to fire up, consider yourself warned if you're a Stanley Parable veteran, puzzled by the all-too-familiar corridors and rooms. You should have known by now that appearances can be so deceiving.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2806935726

Naturally, there are self-aware yet still meaningless collectibles, plenty of fourth wall breaking and more self-irony than you can probably handle. There are even a couple of chances to "visit" other video games within this wild ride. The key towards truly enjoying Stanley Parable (Ultra Mega Super Duper Deluxe or not) is to allow your expectations to be more subverted than usual.

“There are no surprises where nothing is expected. If you offer nothing, then everyone accepts.” Truer words have never been spoken by Robbie Williams. Meta gaming at its finest, before the digital hellscape of Metaverse will fall upon us. Savour it while you still can.

As it stands in a subgenre of its own design, dictated by whims outside conventional comprehension, I'd say that Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe has no immediate competitor or even distant equivalent if you don't count its past versions.

You haven't truly played walking sims unless you're taking this one for a spin or two. Wait for a Steam Sale or not, just pick this up as soon as your disposable income shall allow it. In a landscape filled by reboot / remaster detritus, Ultra Deluxe is a beacon of excellence and an example which few dev teams shall follow, sadly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5csecT8Z7cA

+ Superb voice acting.
+ Steam Achievements.
+ Gaming satire at its finest.
+ Replay value through multiple endings & Easter Eggs discovery.

- No Steam Trading Cards.

This article was submitted for Imperial Reviews. Following my Curator Page, will help me keep publishing new reviews as soon as I can. Thank you for your support!

[h1]Introduction[/h1] How can I describe everything and nothing at the same time? This my friends, is the Seinfeld of gaming! If you’re unfamiliar with that household name which shaped US comedy in the '90s, you can basically boil it down to a highly successful television sitcom about nothing in particular. Just like good ol’ Stanley here. Explaining The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe without spoiling half its fun would be like trying to describe colors to someone visually-impaired since birth. And yet I will do my best to review it. What started as a social commentary mod for Half-Life 2 in 2011, managed to gain a cult following and thus, here we are with a 2022 remaster which traded the Source Engine for Unity, but still kept that tongue firmly planted in the proverbial cheek. More dry humor and the sort of ironical puzzles within faux escape rooms that make you question your life choices. Now, the development aspect can be a bit convoluted, but long story short, this game is the brain child of Davey Wreden while William Pugh had a major contribution in designing the later versions of Stanley, this remaster included. Galactic Cafe became Crows Crows Crows at some point, yet the most important aspect to all these rebrandings is that a PC mod which came virtually out of nowhere still managed to become one of gaming's finest examples of satire. This helped The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe get ported on all the current consoles. Steam is still its rightful place, this platform being synonymous with Half-Life 2 and Valve's long past creativity. Without HL2, Stanley would have never seen the light of day. And Stanley's narrator is a veritable gift of words when compared to Gordon Freeman's heavy-hitting crowbar, but you're still about to embark on a journey of video game history in the making. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2804221508 [h1]Story[/h1] Of course there's a story here. Do yourself a favor and play the [b] Stanley Parable Demo[/b] first. Yeah, that 2013 bite-sized vertical slice is crucial to understanding the evolution of this game. And guess what, it's a demo entirely unique towards the main version content. I can literally count games which approached demos like that on the fingers of a single hand. Believe me when I claim that I've been playing pretty much every PC release since 1998. Very few slipped through the cracks and many were cracked before I made Steam, my new gaming oyster. Unique demos are the sort of surprises equivalent to finding a potato wedge inside a French fries package. While we're discussing past creations from Stanley's dev team, add [b] “Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist”[/b] to your Steam backlog and try it out sooner rather than later. Another fine, free example of gaming outside the box in terms of both narrative and level design. With such a mouthful of a title, you realize words alone won't cut it. And the gameplay delivers. Enough dawdling, time to dive right into the thick of this remastered storyline. A workaholic discovers there's more to life than vapid spreadsheets and self-important managers? Or perhaps it's an entire allegory on the toxic corporate environment mingled with commentary on equally complacent, cushy government jobs enjoyed by stereotypical civil servants? Only one way to find out and I won't spill the beans. Unique to this remastered version however, are the added elements of satire towards sequels, gaming conventions and even the passage of time, nostalgia in tow. You are getting more of Stanley, not just a visual overhaul. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2805136599 [h1]Graphics[/h1] Speaking of which, now it's a Unity project remade from scratch after the initial Source Engine version has certainly outlived its usefulness by 2022. Expect a smooth experience, no hiccups in sight. Delightfully HUDless, if I can say so myself. As all walking sims should be. Jokes don't stop after you hit the pause/escape buttons. Some funny Options, hidden like Easter Eggs almost. It's a beautiful game without putting any strain on older systems such as my current one. Then again, being too shallow about the visuals is also getting parodied here. [h1]Audio[/h1] Far more important than how Stanley Parable looks, is how well it sounds. Make no mistake, you're roleplaying a silent protagonist but then again, you're not the center of attention in this story. That place is reserved to a most eloquent narrator you shall follow and occasionally disobey. Actor Kevan Brighting has been representing British humor in gaming even better than the entire cast of [b]“Her Majesty's SPIFFING”[/b]. Most of the soundtrack is literal elevator music and you won't be paying any attention to it as the voice acting outshines any other in-game sounds. Top-notch stuff, I might add. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] Imagine a walking sim littered with situational puzzles and multiple endings which may be more abrupt or elaborate based on how soon you'll be taking that wrong turn. Even going backwards might yield some interesting results. Leave no nook or cranny unexplored. Speedrunning the game in 4 minutes and 22 seconds is even a Steam Achievement. So your mileage may vary, yet inquisitive minds shall be well rewarded. It takes a few playthoughs for the sequel content to fire up, consider yourself warned if you're a Stanley Parable veteran, puzzled by the all-too-familiar corridors and rooms. You should have known by now that appearances can be so deceiving. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2806935726 Naturally, there are self-aware yet still meaningless collectibles, plenty of fourth wall breaking and more self-irony than you can probably handle. There are even a couple of chances to "visit" other video games within this wild ride. The key towards truly enjoying Stanley Parable (Ultra Mega Super Duper Deluxe or not) is to allow your expectations to be more subverted than usual. [b]“There are no surprises where nothing is expected. If you offer nothing, then everyone accepts.”[/b] Truer words have never been spoken by Robbie Williams. Meta gaming at its finest, before the digital hellscape of Metaverse will fall upon us. Savour it while you still can. [h1]Verdict[/h1] As it stands in a subgenre of its own design, dictated by whims outside conventional comprehension, I'd say that Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe has no immediate competitor or even distant equivalent if you don't count its past versions. You haven't truly played walking sims unless you're taking this one for a spin or two. Wait for a Steam Sale or not, just pick this up as soon as your disposable income shall allow it. In a landscape filled by reboot / remaster detritus, Ultra Deluxe is a beacon of excellence and an example which few dev teams shall follow, sadly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5csecT8Z7cA [h1]Strong Points[/h1] + Superb voice acting. + Steam Achievements. + Gaming satire at its finest. + Replay value through multiple endings & Easter Eggs discovery. [h1]Weak Points[/h1] - No Steam Trading Cards. [quote]This article was submitted for [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ImperialReviews]Imperial Reviews[/url]. Following my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/25802515-Imperial-Reviews/]Curator Page[/url], will help me keep publishing new reviews as soon as I can. Thank you for your support![/quote]