The Beginner's Guide

 PC
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 35
  3. Negative: 4 out of 35
  1. GameCritics
    Oct 29, 2015
    70
    As a philosophical rumination on the ownership of art, The Beginner's Guide is what Boswell might call an "ingenious sophistry", but not a compelling argument. As an exploration of an obsessive relationship that failed painfully, it's a sneakily effective success. Is the latter so bound up in the former that it loses impact? I thought not, but that's just me.
  2. Vandal
    Oct 26, 2015
    70
    This is a nice way to tell an interactive story, and even though not everyone will grow fond of it, it's worth a try.
  3. Game Revolution
    Oct 8, 2015
    70
    As such, if you’re a fan of Davey Wreden’s work or simply wish to see these themes tackled in a video game, then I’d recommend giving it a shot. At the very least, The Beginner’s Guide will provide you with an experience unlike anything else in the medium.
  5. PC Gamer
    Oct 6, 2015
    69
    A peculiar experience that’s personal, sincere, and full of questions to unpack, though it asks them far too bluntly.
  6. Games Master UK
    Dec 1, 2015
    63
    It's a smart idea with fascinating concepts, executed in a way that never lets them breathe. [Dec 2015, p.82]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. IGN Spain
    Oct 8, 2015
    60
    One of those experience that requires a connection with the player. It's not so in our case, as it is just another pedantic game that's not even a game.
  8. Gamer.no
    Oct 14, 2015
    50
    Quotation forthcoming.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

?
  1. Ars Technica
    Dec 9, 2015
    Potential meta-joking aside, The Beginner's Guide plays out like a diary, wholly and shamelessly. While there's an argument to be had over whether or not a straight-up diary counts as art worth celebrating, a video game trying to do the same thing, without meaningful interactive options or epiphanies, and without giving us as players the space to come to our own conclusions, doesn't respect the viewer or create interesting opportunities for either empathy or outrage.
  2. The A.V. Club
    Dec 8, 2015
    The feeling of connection might be an illusion, though, and that tension is what gives The Beginner’s Guide its strongest moments.

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 335 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 225 out of 335
  2. Mixed: 55 out of 335
  3. Negative: 55 out of 335
  1. kitano123
    Oct 2, 2015
    0
    If you like utterly pretentious, overbearing interpretations of mundane game elements you'll like The Beginners Guide. Charging money for thisIf you like utterly pretentious, overbearing interpretations of mundane game elements you'll like The Beginners Guide. Charging money for this tripe should be a crime.… Full Review »
  2. Trypsinogen
    Oct 1, 2015
    3
    What a waste of $8 (and this is the on-sale price!) and time out of my life. The game is worse than the trash games within the game.

    Here's    What a waste of $8 (and this is the on-sale price!) and time out of my life. The game is worse than the trash games within the game.

    Here's what the game is: Davey Wreden, creator of The Stanley Parable, makes you walk through a bunch of garbage, throw-away games one of his friends supposedly made with the Source engine while he pretentiously overanalyzes everything in them. His friend never published these games because they are, in fact, trash, throw-away "games" he made using the Source engine.

    No Davey, there aren't boxes in the sky of your friend's garbage Couter-Strike map because they are supposed to represent the fragmentation of his metaphysical superego. They're there because he was just messing around with the editor and randomly put ridiculous objects all over the place.

    And no Davey, the games aren't unfinishable because they represent the inconquerability of life. They're unfinishable because they're garbage, throw-away works he didn't care to finish or never got around to finishing.

    Makes me question if The Stanley Parable was even as good of a game as I thought it was.    … Full Review »
  3. LucasZL
    Oct 3, 2015
    10
    So finally it's here. The next game from the Stanley Parable developer. I really loved Stanley Parable so I was very excited about this one.So finally it's here. The next game from the Stanley Parable developer. I really loved Stanley Parable so I was very excited about this one. First of all I am a game developer by myself, so the idea of making a game about a game dev is cool to me. I personally think the story of the game is great and it's true that you don't have to do anything by yourself but to me that's no problem. The only problem of the game is: you have to like it. And this is not a game like any other game, so you can't say "I like game xy so I will like this one too". You just have to try it by yourself. No rating on this site will help you. I read some of the bad reviews they all say "save your money". But you shouldn't. Whether you like the game in the end or not in my opinion it's worth a try.
    And to all who say, people who like this game will say this game is misunderstood: no it isn't it's just not for you!    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »