The Beginner's Guide

What conversation does The Beginner’s Guide insist on having? As the game unfolds, Coda’s games become less and less abstract think-pieces, digital punchlines punctuated by the completion of a level, and more and more cohesive experiences. These games, as a collection, document Coda’s struggle to find meaning in creation or with what he’s created, and on another plane, Wreden’s difficulty in interpreting the emotions of and helping his friend. Coda’s growing apathy coincides with Wreden’s increasing frustration and feelings of ineptitude until Wreden’s attempts to ‘fix’ his friend blow up in his face and force Wreden to confront the deeper issue at hand: his own need to seek validation and derive meaning from the approval of others.

87%Game Brain Score

story, emotional

replayability, grinding

88% User Score Based on 18,116 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

The Beginner's Guide is a single player simulation game with horror, drama and comedy themes. It was developed by Everything Unlimited Ltd. and was released on October 1, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

The Beginner's Guide is a narrative video game from Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable. It lasts about an hour and a half and has no traditional mechanics, no goals or objectives. Instead, it tells the story of a person struggling to deal with something they do not understand.

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 18,116 reviews

story1.7k positive mentions

replayability94 negative mentions

The game offers a deeply immersive and evocative atmosphere, combining minimalist visuals, haunting sound design, and a compelling narrative that creates a thought-provoking, emotional, and introspective experience.
Its storytelling is widely praised as a masterclass in video game narrative, providing a poignant exploration of creativity, mental health, and complex human relationships through a unique and personal journey.
The soundtrack is highly acclaimed for its emotional depth and perfect integration with the story, significantly enhancing the game's mood and impact.

Gameplay is minimalistic and linear with limited interactivity, which may lead to a lack of engagement for players seeking complex mechanics or challenges.
The graphics are deliberately minimalist but often viewed as low quality or amateurish, with some considering the visual design repetitive and uninspired.
Some players find the story slow-paced, emotionally heavy to the point of being overwhelming, or unengaging, and criticize the game’s monetization as misleading and exploitative.

story
5,881 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
The story in "The Beginner's Guide" is widely praised as deeply emotional, thought-provoking, and masterfully told, offering a poignant exploration of creativity, mental health, and complex human relationships. Although it lacks traditional gameplay and is essentially a narrative-driven walking simulator, the unique storytelling method immerses players in a personal and sometimes uncomfortable journey that resonates with many on a personal level. However, some find the story heavy-handed, slow-paced, or unengaging, and its fictional or autobiographical nature remains ambiguous, leaving interpretation open to the player.
- “A masterclass in storytelling in video games.”
- “The beginner's guide is an expertly crafted narrative story, that drives you to think about thousands of different things at once, while still providing something engaging to do and listen do while you think and speculate on the story.”
- “This game achieves in 90 minutes what 90% of games fail to do in 20 hours: deliver a story that you won't ever forget.”
- “The story becomes quite self-centered towards the end and the anticlimax is terrible.”
- “It's just some dude telling an unbearably boring story while you move around some rooms and hallways.”
- “The story is boring, waste of time.”
emotional
2,300 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The aspect "emotional" of the game is widely described as a profoundly moving and intense experience that resonates deeply with players, often evoking tears and introspection. Many praise its heartfelt narrative, emotional depth, and unique ability to connect on a personal level, particularly with themes of creativity, mental health, and human relationships. While some find it emotionally overwhelming or manipulative, the consensus highlights it as a rare, thought-provoking emotional journey that leaves a lasting impact.
- “A beautiful, thought-provoking game with an emotional depth I don't see in much media that keeps you hooked from the very beginning until the very end.”
- “The beginner's guide is perhaps one of the most story-rich, emotionally stimulating, thought-provoking games I have ever experienced.”
- “The beginner's guide is a truly exceptional game that offers a beautifully crafted and emotionally powerful narrative experience.”
- “It's just some dude telling an unbearably boring story while you move around some rooms and hallways.”
- “It just came off as fake-deep, wrapped up with a vague and pretty boring story.”
- “Don't play this game unless you're fine playing a completely uninteresting game with no challenges and a boring story.”
gameplay
974 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
80%
5%
Gameplay in this game is minimalistic and heavily narrative-driven, primarily consisting of walking through environments and occasional minor interactions. It functions more as an interactive story or walking simulator rather than a traditional game with complex mechanics, puzzles, or objectives. While many appreciate the innovative storytelling and emotional impact conveyed through the limited gameplay, those seeking substantial, engaging, or challenging gameplay may find it lacking.
- “The merit lies not just in the plot, but in the coherence between the voice, the level design, and the rhythm of the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is "basic" but really adds to the storytelling, plus the music and narration are great.”
- “The game masterfully blends storytelling and gameplay, with a unique narrative that is both personal and introspective.”
- “It isn't even research, past a certain point – it strikes me as coda, serving as the requisite socially inept and withdrawn game developer, choosing to aggrandize mechanics that have no rhyme or reason, no true purpose.”
- “Even the weirder “games” feature basically no gameplay at all, and what little gameplay we do see has no bearing on what that particular “game” is trying to tell us.”
- “The description warns you that this has "no traditional mechanics, goals or objectives" but tbg is so utterly without meaningful interactivity that even that warning isn't strong enough.”
music
415 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
62%
1%
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth, atmospheric quality, and seamless integration with the narration and story. Many players describe the soundtrack as haunting, beautiful, and perfectly suited to evoke introspection and mood, often recommending it as a standalone experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a core strength that deeply enhances the game's impact on creative and emotional levels.
- “The soundtrack for The Beginner's Guide is simply immaculate. It is ambient music done right, with impactful tracks that leave a lasting mark.”
- “The soundtrack by Ryan Roth fits so well with the atmosphere and is beautifully done (more people should listen to more of Ryan's work if they love this game's soundtrack, he doesn't get the attention he deserves).”
- “One of the best soundtracks for an indie game.. with some being so uplifting in harmony with the narration and the feelings resonating from the gameplay at that current moment, whereas some can tear you down to make you feel so lonely and insignificant.”
- “It's like if you took the song "Is This Dust Really From the Titanic?" out of the album, removed the bridge and outro, and presented it as a single.”
- “Sorry, with no way of controlling the volume on the music, I cannot play this game more than 10 minutes before getting nauseated.”
- “Tries to be "meaningful" with music score and cues, but just falls flat.”
graphics
367 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The graphics in this game are deliberately minimalist and utilize the Source engine, resulting in a somewhat dated but purposefully simple and utilitarian aesthetic. While not technically impressive or high-fidelity, the visuals effectively support the autobiographical narrative and emotional tone, with some moments of striking atmosphere and creative design. Overall, the graphics serve as an artistic backdrop rather than a highlight, aligning with the game's focus on story and introspection over gameplay or visual spectacle.
- “A perfect mix of stunning graphics (without it having to be high end) and storytelling.”
- “The graphics and soundtracks are great and really fit into conveying the desired mood the story tries to convey.”
- “The design of every chapter and all the visuals are gorgeous, the soundtrack fitting in beautifully too.”
- “Despite the very "amateur" graphics / aspect to it, there's a strong story which hits harder than most games.”
- “Also, the game mechanics and visuals are pretty much trash, but that was something I didn't mind initially because it's presented as "let's explore these games created by an amateur developer so that we can learn to understand him better." Once you realize that excuse is artificial then the mechanics and visuals are harder to forgive.”
- “The graphics are awful, the textures and objects are mostly taken from stock - and it feels as though the game could have been made in a month.”
humor
312 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in this game is notably absent compared to its predecessor, The Stanley Parable; it is more serious, introspective, and emotionally heavy, with only occasional subtle or darkly funny moments. While some players appreciated its thoughtful and sometimes quirky narrative, most emphasize that it is not meant to be a humorous or lighthearted experience. Those seeking witty, comedic gameplay akin to The Stanley Parable will likely be disappointed, as the game prioritizes sincerity and emotional depth over humor.
- “It's funny, it's sad, it's uncomfortable, and it's a masterpiece.”
- “An inventive, poignant and sometimes surprisingly funny story about friendship, conflict and creative struggle.”
- “This game is a wonderful blend of funny and incredibly sad.”
- “It is a mess barely held together by a narrative that is not funny, the great strength of Stanley Parable. It isn't witty and doesn't give you anything.”
- “It tells a story that isn't interesting, not funny, not complex, and doesn't connect with the viewer emotionally.”
- “The narrator is not funny and just made this game to pity himself and his friend Coda.”
replayability
229 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
48%
41%
The game is generally regarded as a short, linear experience with minimal to no replayability, often compared unfavorably in this aspect to the developer's previous work, "The Stanley Parable." While some players find value in revisiting it for its thought-provoking story and subtle details, the consensus is that it offers little gameplay variation or incentive for multiple playthroughs, making it more akin to an interactive narrative or short film. It is usually recommended to purchase on sale due to its limited replay value and brief duration.
- “Divided into chapters for easy replayability, with a chapter select option to revisit parts anytime.”
- “An experience unlike any other "walking simulator": it's short but infinitely replayable, as each playthrough offers new interpretations and insights.”
- “Though it is short, it has amazing story depth and infinite replayability through reinterpretation after each playthrough.”
- “The game is fairly short, two hours max, hardly replayable, yet it does convey a story hard to forget, one that was never told by a game before.”
- “However, since it's quite simple, linear, and non-replayable, I would recommend getting it on sale.”
- “This game costs $11 for just over 1 hour of gameplay with absolutely no replayability.”
atmosphere
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
32%
2%
The game is widely praised for its deeply immersive and evocative atmosphere, combining minimalist visuals, haunting sound design, and compelling narrative to create a thought-provoking, emotional, and introspective experience. Many reviewers highlight its unique blend of surreal, oppressive, and dream-like moods that enhance the storytelling and leave a lasting impression. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a defining and exceptional element that draws players into the game’s intense and personal world.
- “The environments, brutalist megastructures mixed with an almost dreamlike atmosphere evoke both awe and oppression.”
- “The combination of its music, conversations with NPCs, or simply the atmosphere of the map makes me want to replay it endlessly.”
- “It's atmospheric, thought-provoking, gripping, emotional, and achieves all of this with effective minimalism.”
- “Meanwhile, the atmosphere felt like the same regurgitated landscaping over and over again.”
- “Gloomy atmosphere all over.”
- “However, your enjoyment of the game doesn't rely on the story or the atmosphere.”
grinding
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
14%
79%
Reviews consistently describe the grinding aspect as tedious, boring, and overly drawn-out, with repetitive gameplay that lacks meaningful choices or engagement. Many players found the experience dull, filled with pretentious or flat dialogue, and reminiscent of uninspired, grind-heavy mechanics typical of less enjoyable games. Overall, the grinding detracts significantly from the game's appeal, making progression feel like an endurance test rather than an entertaining challenge.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Unlike lesser story games, there's no tedious gameplay or annoyances that get in the way of its ideas.”
- “Grindy, like every MMO ever.”
- “☐ you'll need a second life for grinding”
- “So, the problem with interactive movies is that if you pick where they're going early on, you're basically grinding out the rest of the game time.”
- “There is just one problem with this plan: you spend all your time playing tedious and half finished games, so it's super boring.”
optimization
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
57%
12%
The game is praised for its excellent technical optimization, running smoothly without crashes and supporting high refresh rates like 144Hz. Some users recommend adjusting compatibility settings for optimal performance on Windows 10, but overall it is not demanding to run. The focus on narration and immersive performance is central, with the optimization effectively supporting the experience rather than hindering it.
- “The optimization is excellent, and the game ran at 144hz for me the entire time with no crashes.”
- “This game is just ... wow I did a one sit of it and I was just so impressed by every moment of it so many emotions and messages no bugs at all runs smoothly and the game itself the narrative is just fantastic.”
- “It has good performance and isn’t that demanding to run.”
- “Compatibility modes, admin rights, fullscreen optimizations off/on.”
- “Before you start complaining, go into the game's file, find the beginner's guide executable, go into compatibility and check 640x480 and disable fullscreen optimizations. Then adjust settings like disabling anti-aliasing for better performance.”
- “While it's mostly genuine narration, especially in the epilogue, it could not be a worse, read-what-is-in-the-script performance and you realize, 'oh my god.'”
monetization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
7%
80%
Reviews criticize the game's monetization as misleading and exploitative, describing it largely as a cash grab that leverages the predecessor's name to drive sales without delivering meaningful content. While some microtransactions are limited to cosmetic or optional content, overall the approach is viewed as damaging to the developer's reputation and undermines the game's intended message.
- “I usually don't recommend any game that you pay for upfront and then have it include microtransactions, but in this case I will make an exception.”
- “The microtransactions are mostly for needless cosmetic items such as extra levels, the ability to carry more items, letting you slap Wee Baby Shamus, and the secret/real ending.”
- “If all those messages from coda were real and really to you, it is pathetic and a cash grab to have made this game.”
- “The microtransactions are mostly for needless cosmetic items such as extra levels, the ability to carry more items, letting you slap wee baby shamus, and the secret/real ending.”
- “If you wanted the game to be a message instead of enjoyable, and have that message spread, then why charge for it at all? Makes the entire point seem made-up, like you've just done nothing for a few years and wanted to push out some unfinished stuff as a cash grab.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Stability feedback is mixed, with some users experiencing frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes causing frustration and restarts, especially after recent updates. However, a few players reported no issues, praising the game’s smooth performance and intentional use of glitches for narrative effect. Overall, stability varies significantly depending on the platform or version played.
- “The one with the island was actually just buggy and caused me to get frozen in place multiple times, having to restart the level.”
- “The recent update has made the game extra buggy and prone to crashing, so buyer beware.”
- “I did notice some glitches along the way that had me restarting a level once, which is kind of shocking considering the deliberately low quality level design.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Character development in the game is polarizing, with some praising its surprising depth and symbolic approach despite the absence of traditional gameplay, while others find it lacking, unengaging, or inconsistent, ultimately diminishing emotional investment. The narrative's impact hinges heavily on player expectations, with contrasting views on how well characters evolve and maintain coherence throughout.
- “Walking simulators can offer: a good story (Soma), interesting ideas (Soma & Stanley), good character development (Edith), humor (Stanley), and beautiful art direction (Edith).”
- “In fact, I believe this game has the best character development without ever seeing a single person.”
- “He rather quickly wrests the game away from the player's hands, but for a while it is not hard to be essentially okay with it, because he is both genuinely useful in showing you some features of the world that you might have otherwise missed, and shows to have gone through some impressive character development in the past, the fruits of which he is very willing to share.”
- “It's really hard to care for the narrator and the other character; there is no mystery, no plot, and not even much character development.”
- “I'd recommend you watch a movie instead - at least there's character development.”
- “This effect makes the narrator character rapidly deteriorate, to the point where he even begins to act in a way that is incompatible with his own past character development.”

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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

The Beginner’s Guide
What conversation does The Beginner’s Guide insist on having? As the game unfolds, Coda’s games become less and less abstract think-pieces, digital punchlines punctuated by the completion of a level, and more and more cohesive experiences. These games, as a collection, document Coda’s struggle to find meaning in creation or with what he’s created, and on another plane, Wreden’s difficulty in interpreting the emotions of and helping his friend. Coda’s growing apathy coincides with Wreden’s increasing frustration and feelings of ineptitude until Wreden’s attempts to ‘fix’ his friend blow up in his face and force Wreden to confront the deeper issue at hand: his own need to seek validation and derive meaning from the approval of others.
Co.uk
80%

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3h Median play time

19h Average play time

2h Main story

2h Completionist

2-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 72 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Beginner's Guide is a simulation game with horror, drama and comedy themes.

The Beginner's Guide is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, Linux and others.

The main story can be completed in around 2 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 2 hours to finish. On average players spend around 19 hours playing The Beginner's Guide.

The Beginner's Guide was released on October 1, 2015.

The Beginner's Guide was developed by Everything Unlimited Ltd..

The Beginner's Guide has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked The Beginner's Guide for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

The Beginner's Guide is a single player game.

Similar games include What Remains of Edith Finch, When the Darkness comes, Awkward Dimensions Redux, Before Your Eyes, Pleh! and others.

The Beginner's Guide

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