The Stanley Parable is a great game, but it's endings and achievements are quite… obscure. I made this guide to help those who are trying to figure out how to unlock and complete these hidden components of the game.
Achievements
These achievements vary in complexity and difficulty, so a guide is most likely necessary at one point or another.
'narration.intro100' 'This is the story of a man named Stanley.' 'narration.intro101' 'Stanley worked for a company in a big building where he was Employee 427.' 'narration.intro102' 'Employee 427's job was simple: he sat at his desk in room 427 and he pushed buttons on a keyboard.' The Narrator's dialogue is the highlight of The Stanley Parable. Based on what the player does, he will respond accordingly. This leads to many breaks in the fourth wall. Every action is judged or commented on by the entity that is The Narrator. Even doing nothing at all leads to some humorous moments.
Also, you may have checked my profile to realize there are two achievements I have not obtained, those being Speedrun and Commitment. I was never able to complete Speedrun although I know the process, and I didn't do Commitment because… I have a life.
Beat The Game
Simply unlock the Freedom Ending.
Welcome Back!
Simply exit and restart the game, which you'll probably end up doing while hunting for the rest of the achievements. It's pretty much impossible to miss this achievement if you're aiming for it.
Achievement
In the 'Options' menu, select 'Extras' to find 'Achievement' set to off. Switch it and you will unlock this achievement.
88888888888888888
In the Boss' Office, you will find a pinpad. Type in 8888 once, and it will reject it. Type '8888' again and the achievement will unlock.
Click On Door 430 Five Times
If you click Door 430 five times, the narrator will monologe about how you don't deserve the achievement yet, and will lead you all across the office to click and stand on random things. Finish these objectives to unlock the achievement.
You Can't Jump
At any point, try pressing 'Space' several times to unlock the achievement.
Go Outside
You can be a weird person and spend five years not playing this game, or you can just change you're computer clock five years ahead, go in to get the achievement, and then set it back.
Speedrun
This achievement requires some preparation.
First, you need to go to the Office, enter the code into the pad, then restart the game. Return to the office and the narrator will talk before opening the door by himself. Now if you ever head back you can skip any dialogue and just go straight to the elevator.
Now you need to continuesly start a new game until you get a different start room. The two ones you can get are a narrow dark corridor, or a big blue room both immeditaly leading you to the door choice.
Once you get one of those rooms, race to the Freedom Ending.
Unachieveable
Close the game and head to the Stanley Parable game files in 'steamapps'. Next enter 'config.cfg'. Now you want to make a new line and write ‘bind 'x' '~;_u' (without the ‘s). Now re-enter the game and click 'x' to unlock the achievement.
Commitment
You. no joke, have to play the game for 24 hours on a Tuesday. Either you do this legit, in which case you can't just leave your computer on, you have to be playing, and if a random crash or glitch occurs, that's tough luck, or you cheat it. There are several strategies to cheat this achievement on the Internet so make sure to check those out.
Endings
Below is listed every single ending. Please note that variations of endings will not be noted here. As an example, trapping yourself in the Portal simulation, or the difference the Suicide and Cold Feet endings. Most endings are unspoiled, meaning only the process to unlock them are described. However, in a few endings, this may not be the case.
The Freedom Ending
To get this ending, you need to follow the narrator at all times. In other words, you need to pick the left door, head upstairs to the office, enter the Mind Control Facility, and press the 'OFF' button to destroy the facility. This will unlock the ending.
Pressure Ending
Instead of leaving the room, shut the door to trigger the ending immediately.
Sick Of This Gag / Not Sick Of This Gag Ending
In the first section of the office, you can climb up on a chair onto a desk next to a window. By crouching you can walk through the window out. After you do this, the narrator will begin speaking until he asks if you are sick of this gag yet. You will then be given an option to reply 'Yes' or 'No'. Clicking either of them proceeds with the respective ending.
Red Door Ending
You need to first take the right door to reach the lift. When you go across, drop off the platform onto the walk below. Eventually you will reach two doors, one red, one blue. If you enter the red door, the Narrator will take you to a new area, where lights will be blazing, and will begin talking about how you need to stop moving and relax. Here, there is a door that will lead to corridor which will eventually open into a small area with a high staircase and a ledge. Continuesly climb up the stairs and drop down to kill yourself, despite the Narrator begging you to stop. After the fourth drop, you will die, and the ending will finish.
Blue Door Ending
Same criteria as the Red Door Ending except that you must enter the Blue door. This will lead to an empty area where the Narrator will put you through random surveys, eventually leading you to his game, where you have to press a red button to stop a baby from running into fire. To win the game, you have to do this for four hours. For the purpose of this run, you can just fail the game. Afterwards, the Narrator will bring you into a simulation of Minecraft, and then Portal. Eventually he will say he's done playing and is leaving you. After that a big hole will appear. If you drop down you will be in a big dark narrow corridor. Eventually the ending will trigger by itself.
Baby Ending
Play The Stanley Parable Free
For the first two hours, you just need to press the red button to save the baby. After the two hour mark, you need to now alternate between the red button, and a blue button to save a dog from suffocation. If you complete this, you will be taken to a scene where you are talking to the essence of art itself. This unlocks the ending.
Escape Pod Ending
Go through the left door and up to the Boss' office. When you enter into the office, move back as fast as you can so that the doors shut before you enter, trapping you out. When you turn around, you will see that all closed doors are opened. If you return to the beginning a pitch black door will be open. If you enter you will be taken to a dark area with stairs. If you go all the way up you will be led to a dark room where you will find an escape pod, and interacting with it unlocks the ending.
Broom Closet Ending
If you enter into the Broom Closet and stay in there for a while, the Narrator will monologe for a while, until he stops completely. If you restart the game and return, he will speak a bit more then stop again. If you reset and go back again the Broom Closet will be boarded up by wood.
Heaven Ending
There are computers hidden around the office that contain a screen displaying purple bars. If you click it, a purple bar will appear. You need to find all five computers to be teleported to Heaven, where you can push buttons for eternity.
Suicide Ending
When on the lift, simply fall off and all the way down to die and unlock the ending.
Wife Ending
All Of The Parables
If you head across the lift, you will reach an area where a phone is ringing. If you click it, you will be teleported to Stanley's wife's apartment. When you enter, the Narrator will start narrating about how you died. He will keep repeating things and the world will change around you back into Stanley's office. Eventually the Narrator will tell you to die, and this unlocks the ending.
Choice Ending
Same criteria as the Wife Ending, except that you have to unplug the phone. The Narrator will then show you a video about choice. Afterwards, he will direct you back to the beginning of the game and will tell you to head into the left door. Head into the right to find that the game is breaking. Now return and head to the left. Keep going until the game is destroyed. The game will then reset itself, back to when you choose the left or right door. Go to the left to find that you are in some kind of alternate universe. The game will reset again, and will unlock the ending.
Museum Ending
The criteria of this ending is the same as the Freedom Ending up until the elevator. Instead of going into the Mind Control Facility, head into the corridor marked 'ESCAPE'. Continue forward even as the Narrator warns you. Eventually you will fall into a pit where Stanley is crushed to death. From here you will be directed into the Museum. From here you can explore to find many interesting sprites and other things. Enter the exit sign to find the ending.
Countdown Ending
Same criteria as the Freedom Ending up until the final choice. Instead of clicking the 'OFF' button to destory the facility, click 'ON' to start a detonation sequence. As the Narrator monologes, you are directed to figure out how to decode a huge puzzle in less than five minutes. It is impossible nevertheless, and eventually you will be blown up, unlocking the ending.
The Stanley Parable For Free
Dream Ending
Head through the left door first. Instead of heading to the boss' office, head downstairs. From here, you're going to be in a huge area with a few rooms. As you walk through, you'll begin to realize that the rooms are repeating themselves. The Narrator will be talking about how you are having an identity crisis and how your mind is collapsing. Eventually the screen will go black and you will lose control of Stanley. This will begin the ending.
The Confusion Ending
Head through the right door and then go through the detour back to the left path. Instead of going all the way through, head into the hidden elevator. When you go down, you'll find yourself above the Mind Control Facility. The Narrator will try to prevent spoilers by restarting the game. When you head back to the two door choice, you will find a dozen. After you look around for a while, the Narrator will restart the game again. When you head back, there will be no doors. The Narrator will lead you back to the beginning where you will find yourself in a wooden hut. The Narrator will then reset the game yet again. Now the Stanley Parable Adventure Line will appear. It will guide you into previously inaccessible areas and will go in a full five minute circle, eventually leading you back to above the Mind Control Facility again. The game will reset, and the Narrator will say that he wants he and you to make a new adventure. He opens a random door and you will have to follow him to eventually find two doors. The Narrator himself will make an equation and come to a conclusion of opening the door on the right. Inside you will find the Confusion Ending timer, along with the whole setup and schedule. After a while, the game will reset once again, which unlocks the ending.
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.
The Stanley Parable tells the story of, well, Stanley — an everyman office drone whose mundane existence is interrupted one day when he discovers that all of his coworkers have mysteriously disappeared. As you take control of the protagonist and begin exploring the abandoned office building, a snarky British narrator (voiced by the wonderful Kevan Brighting) explains each of your decisions before you make them.
It was the first time I went opposite of the story that was being told to me, but it wouldn't be the last
the end is never the end
You may have heard of The Stanley Parable before — or even played it in a different form. The Stanley Parable was first released in 2011 as a Half-Life 2 mod. This new release follows the same basic format but it's well worth revisiting. The assets are totally redone and look great, dialogue has been re-recorded and added to, and new paths and endings wait around every corner.
Before long, I realized that I didn't need to follow along with the narrator. Stanley comes to a room with two doors in front of him. The narrator says, 'Stanley entered the door on the left.' At this point, my exploration and rebellion instincts kicked in at the same time, and I bolted for the door on the right. It was the first time I went opposite of the story that was being told to me, but it wouldn't be the last.
With each disobeyed order, The Stanley Parable's narrator becomes increasingly annoyed and unhinged from the game's fragile reality. The narrator is self-aware that this is a video game and that there are limits to what you can do and what he — as the storyteller — can offer. The never-ending conflict with game narratives as a whole is written clear and obvious here: Do you have control or does the designer? Thoughtful observations and musings on this topic are hidden amidst the humor.
But comedy remains the point. As the narrator chides you for straying from his predetermined path, he tosses out sharp zingers about Stanley's life, his inability to follow orders and more. Go down one path, and he might give up and restart the game (with glitchy results). Another leads to the indie game equivalent of a behind-the-scenes documentary. I never knew what to expect, which made me want to replay the game over and over to try new paths.
The short length also serves those replays. Stanley moves through the game's warm environments quickly, and even with the furthest branches, it never takes longer than five minutes to blast through a portion of the game you've already witnessed. Any annoyance from hearing the same bits of dialogue disappears thanks to the wild imagination on display in each new segment.
Once you've explored all of its paths and heard all of the jokes, The Stanley Parable doesn't provide much reason to return. A lack of mechanics keeps replay minimal, but it also keeps the game focused. It doesn't have collectibles or combat to master, but that traditional structure would detract from what's so special about The Stanley Parable. This is a game about storytelling, so it's fitting that the only gameplay revolves around figuring out new ways of twisting that story.
The Stanley Parable doesn't last long but doesn't let up on laughs either
Like the best comedians, The Stanley Parable is both hilarious and insightful. It respects quick, cutting observations over a padded experience that would be deemed more valuable by some. For a small commitment in terms of time and money, it delivers a ton of laughs and just enough thought-provoking commentary on the nature of narrative in games. Getting everything you need out of a game in a few hours might just be the ideal format for comedy.The Stanley Parable was reviewed using a final Steam download code provided by Galactic Cafe. You can find out additional information about Polygon's ethics policy here.
Once you get one of those rooms, race to the Freedom Ending.
Unachieveable
Close the game and head to the Stanley Parable game files in 'steamapps'. Next enter 'config.cfg'. Now you want to make a new line and write ‘bind 'x' '~;_u' (without the ‘s). Now re-enter the game and click 'x' to unlock the achievement.
Commitment
You. no joke, have to play the game for 24 hours on a Tuesday. Either you do this legit, in which case you can't just leave your computer on, you have to be playing, and if a random crash or glitch occurs, that's tough luck, or you cheat it. There are several strategies to cheat this achievement on the Internet so make sure to check those out.
Endings
Below is listed every single ending. Please note that variations of endings will not be noted here. As an example, trapping yourself in the Portal simulation, or the difference the Suicide and Cold Feet endings. Most endings are unspoiled, meaning only the process to unlock them are described. However, in a few endings, this may not be the case.
The Freedom Ending
To get this ending, you need to follow the narrator at all times. In other words, you need to pick the left door, head upstairs to the office, enter the Mind Control Facility, and press the 'OFF' button to destroy the facility. This will unlock the ending.
Pressure Ending
Instead of leaving the room, shut the door to trigger the ending immediately.
Sick Of This Gag / Not Sick Of This Gag Ending
In the first section of the office, you can climb up on a chair onto a desk next to a window. By crouching you can walk through the window out. After you do this, the narrator will begin speaking until he asks if you are sick of this gag yet. You will then be given an option to reply 'Yes' or 'No'. Clicking either of them proceeds with the respective ending.
Red Door Ending
You need to first take the right door to reach the lift. When you go across, drop off the platform onto the walk below. Eventually you will reach two doors, one red, one blue. If you enter the red door, the Narrator will take you to a new area, where lights will be blazing, and will begin talking about how you need to stop moving and relax. Here, there is a door that will lead to corridor which will eventually open into a small area with a high staircase and a ledge. Continuesly climb up the stairs and drop down to kill yourself, despite the Narrator begging you to stop. After the fourth drop, you will die, and the ending will finish.
Blue Door Ending
Same criteria as the Red Door Ending except that you must enter the Blue door. This will lead to an empty area where the Narrator will put you through random surveys, eventually leading you to his game, where you have to press a red button to stop a baby from running into fire. To win the game, you have to do this for four hours. For the purpose of this run, you can just fail the game. Afterwards, the Narrator will bring you into a simulation of Minecraft, and then Portal. Eventually he will say he's done playing and is leaving you. After that a big hole will appear. If you drop down you will be in a big dark narrow corridor. Eventually the ending will trigger by itself.
Baby Ending
Play The Stanley Parable Free
For the first two hours, you just need to press the red button to save the baby. After the two hour mark, you need to now alternate between the red button, and a blue button to save a dog from suffocation. If you complete this, you will be taken to a scene where you are talking to the essence of art itself. This unlocks the ending.
Escape Pod Ending
Go through the left door and up to the Boss' office. When you enter into the office, move back as fast as you can so that the doors shut before you enter, trapping you out. When you turn around, you will see that all closed doors are opened. If you return to the beginning a pitch black door will be open. If you enter you will be taken to a dark area with stairs. If you go all the way up you will be led to a dark room where you will find an escape pod, and interacting with it unlocks the ending.
Broom Closet Ending
If you enter into the Broom Closet and stay in there for a while, the Narrator will monologe for a while, until he stops completely. If you restart the game and return, he will speak a bit more then stop again. If you reset and go back again the Broom Closet will be boarded up by wood.
Heaven Ending
There are computers hidden around the office that contain a screen displaying purple bars. If you click it, a purple bar will appear. You need to find all five computers to be teleported to Heaven, where you can push buttons for eternity.
Suicide Ending
When on the lift, simply fall off and all the way down to die and unlock the ending.
Wife Ending
All Of The Parables
If you head across the lift, you will reach an area where a phone is ringing. If you click it, you will be teleported to Stanley's wife's apartment. When you enter, the Narrator will start narrating about how you died. He will keep repeating things and the world will change around you back into Stanley's office. Eventually the Narrator will tell you to die, and this unlocks the ending.
Choice Ending
Same criteria as the Wife Ending, except that you have to unplug the phone. The Narrator will then show you a video about choice. Afterwards, he will direct you back to the beginning of the game and will tell you to head into the left door. Head into the right to find that the game is breaking. Now return and head to the left. Keep going until the game is destroyed. The game will then reset itself, back to when you choose the left or right door. Go to the left to find that you are in some kind of alternate universe. The game will reset again, and will unlock the ending.
Museum Ending
The criteria of this ending is the same as the Freedom Ending up until the elevator. Instead of going into the Mind Control Facility, head into the corridor marked 'ESCAPE'. Continue forward even as the Narrator warns you. Eventually you will fall into a pit where Stanley is crushed to death. From here you will be directed into the Museum. From here you can explore to find many interesting sprites and other things. Enter the exit sign to find the ending.
Countdown Ending
Same criteria as the Freedom Ending up until the final choice. Instead of clicking the 'OFF' button to destory the facility, click 'ON' to start a detonation sequence. As the Narrator monologes, you are directed to figure out how to decode a huge puzzle in less than five minutes. It is impossible nevertheless, and eventually you will be blown up, unlocking the ending.
The Stanley Parable For Free
Dream Ending
Head through the left door first. Instead of heading to the boss' office, head downstairs. From here, you're going to be in a huge area with a few rooms. As you walk through, you'll begin to realize that the rooms are repeating themselves. The Narrator will be talking about how you are having an identity crisis and how your mind is collapsing. Eventually the screen will go black and you will lose control of Stanley. This will begin the ending.
The Confusion Ending
Head through the right door and then go through the detour back to the left path. Instead of going all the way through, head into the hidden elevator. When you go down, you'll find yourself above the Mind Control Facility. The Narrator will try to prevent spoilers by restarting the game. When you head back to the two door choice, you will find a dozen. After you look around for a while, the Narrator will restart the game again. When you head back, there will be no doors. The Narrator will lead you back to the beginning where you will find yourself in a wooden hut. The Narrator will then reset the game yet again. Now the Stanley Parable Adventure Line will appear. It will guide you into previously inaccessible areas and will go in a full five minute circle, eventually leading you back to above the Mind Control Facility again. The game will reset, and the Narrator will say that he wants he and you to make a new adventure. He opens a random door and you will have to follow him to eventually find two doors. The Narrator himself will make an equation and come to a conclusion of opening the door on the right. Inside you will find the Confusion Ending timer, along with the whole setup and schedule. After a while, the game will reset once again, which unlocks the ending.
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.
The Stanley Parable tells the story of, well, Stanley — an everyman office drone whose mundane existence is interrupted one day when he discovers that all of his coworkers have mysteriously disappeared. As you take control of the protagonist and begin exploring the abandoned office building, a snarky British narrator (voiced by the wonderful Kevan Brighting) explains each of your decisions before you make them.
It was the first time I went opposite of the story that was being told to me, but it wouldn't be the last
the end is never the end
You may have heard of The Stanley Parable before — or even played it in a different form. The Stanley Parable was first released in 2011 as a Half-Life 2 mod. This new release follows the same basic format but it's well worth revisiting. The assets are totally redone and look great, dialogue has been re-recorded and added to, and new paths and endings wait around every corner.
Before long, I realized that I didn't need to follow along with the narrator. Stanley comes to a room with two doors in front of him. The narrator says, 'Stanley entered the door on the left.' At this point, my exploration and rebellion instincts kicked in at the same time, and I bolted for the door on the right. It was the first time I went opposite of the story that was being told to me, but it wouldn't be the last.
With each disobeyed order, The Stanley Parable's narrator becomes increasingly annoyed and unhinged from the game's fragile reality. The narrator is self-aware that this is a video game and that there are limits to what you can do and what he — as the storyteller — can offer. The never-ending conflict with game narratives as a whole is written clear and obvious here: Do you have control or does the designer? Thoughtful observations and musings on this topic are hidden amidst the humor.
But comedy remains the point. As the narrator chides you for straying from his predetermined path, he tosses out sharp zingers about Stanley's life, his inability to follow orders and more. Go down one path, and he might give up and restart the game (with glitchy results). Another leads to the indie game equivalent of a behind-the-scenes documentary. I never knew what to expect, which made me want to replay the game over and over to try new paths.
The short length also serves those replays. Stanley moves through the game's warm environments quickly, and even with the furthest branches, it never takes longer than five minutes to blast through a portion of the game you've already witnessed. Any annoyance from hearing the same bits of dialogue disappears thanks to the wild imagination on display in each new segment.
Once you've explored all of its paths and heard all of the jokes, The Stanley Parable doesn't provide much reason to return. A lack of mechanics keeps replay minimal, but it also keeps the game focused. It doesn't have collectibles or combat to master, but that traditional structure would detract from what's so special about The Stanley Parable. This is a game about storytelling, so it's fitting that the only gameplay revolves around figuring out new ways of twisting that story.
The Stanley Parable doesn't last long but doesn't let up on laughs either
Like the best comedians, The Stanley Parable is both hilarious and insightful. It respects quick, cutting observations over a padded experience that would be deemed more valuable by some. For a small commitment in terms of time and money, it delivers a ton of laughs and just enough thought-provoking commentary on the nature of narrative in games. Getting everything you need out of a game in a few hours might just be the ideal format for comedy.The Stanley Parable was reviewed using a final Steam download code provided by Galactic Cafe. You can find out additional information about Polygon's ethics policy here.
Our review of The Stanley Parable (2013)
- PlatformWin, Mac
- PublisherGalactic Cafe
- Release DateOct 17, 2013
- Win Score9
- DeveloperGalactic Cafe
