This post is from the now defunct website “A GameDev Plays…”, copied here for posterity
Is it a game? Is it an experience? No, it’s The Stanley Parable.
Superficially a first-person walking simulator, The Stanley Parable has the player wandering around their abandoned office building - where is everyone? While exploring, a voiceover addresses what the player’s avatar is doing or thinking, often in a humorous manner. This narrative is key, as it examines what it means to play games and what exactly it means to be a player in such a designed environment. It is intended to be played many times and has multiple endings, but a couple of hours play will uncover most of them. Well-made, thought-provoking and funny; The Stanley Parable is closer to an interactive art experience than a game (in my opinion).
The Stanley Parable is out on the Steam store for PC, Mac and Linux at US$14.99. It has been bundled many times.