The Beginner's Guide

 PC
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

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. sassskeleteonaa
    Oct 3, 2015
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A complete waste of time.

    The "walking simulator" that this type of "game" belongs to is essentially an audiovisual gallery. Interactivity is minimal, gameplay mechanics simply don't exist. Look around, move around, press buttons in the game. Maybe open a door. That's the extent of the interactivity.

    That's fine. There are games, such as the Daveys "The Stanley Parable", which are essentially the same thing. The Stanley Parable was well received, and I enjoyed it myself. I feel like this is a cash-in on the reputation gained from that game.

    Spoilers will follow, because the excuse of it being "misunderstood" falls if I show that, yes, I do understand it, and no, it is not a good story.

    The narrator claims early on that the game is a compilation of real "games" his supposedly real "friend" named Coda made. Which, really, are just maps in a game engine. None of them contain novel gameplay. The "games" are terribly broken, and utterly terrible. The narrator claims to gleam insights into the mental state of his friend from these games.

    His friend was apparently reclusive, and seemed to entertain themselves by making these games. The narrator claims Coda was "depressed". Coda later on dismisses this, in the final level. How someone could think that a person with depression would be able to go through the menial task of mapping menial levels is beyond me, and that's where the idea that this game is actually a compilation of real games begins to fall.

    The idea is that Coda is frustrated by the narrator compromising his artistic integrity by modifying the often impossible-to-solve puzzles to be solvable or skipable. Coda at one point creates a game about how people would persecute him if he stops making games- something that he apparently was doing for his own enjoyment. There's no reason for him to stop enjoying making games for himself. Additionally, there is no reason for Coda to keep supplying his "friend" with games, either. So, the idea of the game being "a real story" has fallen completely.

    What's left? Having to listen to the narrator feign an emotional breakdown due to guilt over having made things worse for Coda by sucking the fun out of making games. I can relate to the idea of trying to fix people, but messing things up. I truly can. But an emotional appeal from a stupid character in a scenario that seems unrealistic prevents any true emotional attachment to them.

    Save your money, and more importantly, save your time. This game has a very slow pace, and considering the nonexistent payoff, it makes a dentists appointment seem more rewarding.    … Expand
  2. ZorotheGallade
    Nov 30, 2015
    0
    This..."game" tries to be two things and fails at both. It falls flat on its face on the "interactivity" side, forcing the player to only move at the pace of the narration and never making anything they do matter at all. Some games do that, such as Presentable Liberty, but in that case they do at least make the player involved by telling them a story, making identifiable characters andThis..."game" tries to be two things and fails at both. It falls flat on its face on the "interactivity" side, forcing the player to only move at the pace of the narration and never making anything they do matter at all. Some games do that, such as Presentable Liberty, but in that case they do at least make the player involved by telling them a story, making identifiable characters and making the player care for them. The Beginner's Guide fails at that as well, making the narrator-author the only reference point for everything, giving the "player" absolutely no way of getting the gist of the plot. Which is fair because there is none, it's just a 90-minute rant from the author trying to get the audience to care about what is essentially a self-centered hipster rant. The "experience" would still be good since it can appeal to some people, but...it's being SOLD. And for a way higher price than many more entertaining games with way more longevity. It's like a social experiment trying to see how effective it is to use a bandwagon effect and have people gush about the game whether it can actually be called a game or not.… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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. The Escapist
    Feb 10, 2016
    90
    The Beginner's Guide is an incredible art piece of a game that gets you thinking your relationship with the games you play.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Feb 4, 2016
    30
    Instead of engaging interactions, great animations or wonderfully crafted characters The Beginner’s Guide offers empty, amateurish, uninteresting environments and a story about two immature game developers. [01/2016, p.54]
  3. Power Unlimited
    Dec 10, 2015
    88
    The Beginner’s Guide is as fascinating as The Stanley Parable is hilarious. One of the most intriguing ‘games’ that we’ve played in recent history and an easy recommendation for everyone who likes weird game experiments. [dec. 2015 / page 062]
See all critic reviews »