The Stanley Parable (2013) and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe (2022) are two wholly different experiences. The former is a tug-of-war between player and narrator as you both struggle to whatever conclusion that you can muster from the little (or even lack of) control you have. The latter is a satire of gaming remakes, expansions, and serialization. I could only see a successful satire of video game serialization succeeding while having the foundation be some recognizable, poignant, and made for the purpose of experience, not monetization. Hence, The Stanley Parable (2013) is the foundation for this new game: Ultra Deluxe (2022). Really, the foundation could have been anything popular, but, principally, this satire of game industry norms is NOT a replacement for playing The Stanley Parable (2013). The logo really says it all: "The Stanley Parable" is smaller, more miniscule, more unimportant to the messaging of this game than "Ultra Deluxe." They are two completely different experiences, and that's something I had to reconcile before I could fully appreciate Ultra Deluxe (2022).