STAY

 Xbox One
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. GameCritics
    May 23, 2018
    90
    The issues I had controlling it weren’t nearly enough to dampen the incredible experience I had playing STAY, though. In fact, because it features multiple endings, it made me do something I’ve done (maybe) twice in my life — I immediately started playing it again after the credits rolled. I didn’t necessarily want another ending, but I desperately wanted to know more about Quinn, more context to his life, and to learn more about how he got to this point. For a videogame, the ability to engender such curiosity is pretty damned rare, and a true achievement worth celebrating.
  2. Xbox Tavern
    May 29, 2018
    80
    Stay isn’t going to be for everyone. This is less of a traditional game and more of an interactive dialogue-heavy experience with a theme that largely revolves around motivation, self-esteem, will-power and anxiety. Stay’s clever “the clock is always ticking” mechanic holds up really well, as does the main character’s mood system. Though, issues with delayed input and the, at times, irritating pace, holds it back slightly.
  3. TheXboxHub
    Jun 19, 2018
    70
    STAY is completely different to anything out there at the moment, in a good way, and so it’s definitely worth checking out. Just remember that there are people that can help with those darn puzzles.
  5. Gamers' Temple
    Jul 2, 2018
    60
    In the end, STAY is a game that's premise is more interesting than the game itself. If Quinn was more focused on escape than on philosophizing and the game ditched the annoying and unnecessary puzzles, it would be a better experience. If you're expecting a game that plays like an escape room experience, you'll be disappointed in it.
  6. GameSpew
    Jun 4, 2018
    60
    It’s just a shame that my enthusiasm and interest was eventually fully deflated by obtuse puzzles that offer no guidance and ultimately feel superfluous to the game. Get rid of them altogether and you’ve got a gripping interactive story that’s dying to be told. But with the puzzles as they are, STAY is reduced to feeling more like a badly-designed old-school adventure game. I’m gutted.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 3 out of 11
  1. Xbox_Alive
    Jun 7, 2018
    8
    Point-and-click adventures are something that I’ve enjoyed ever since I was little and I think that’s mainly because you can escape the hustlePoint-and-click adventures are something that I’ve enjoyed ever since I was little and I think that’s mainly because you can escape the hustle and bustle of the more complicated and action-packed games and instead go around at your own pace. STAY as far as point-and-click adventures go is a fantastic addition to the ever growing genre, and to say I enjoyed my time with the game would be a massive understatement. The most important thing for me in a game of this ilk is the story, and thankfully STAY nails this aspect of the game perfectly. The story remains interesting and immersive from start to finish and in the end it ends up conjuring up a number of different emotions along the way. These different emotions are also felt through the gameplay as well and in the end you end up getting quite attached to Quinn because of this. Despite the gameplay on the whole being very good you will however get a little frustrated from time to time because making wrong decisions can mean you have to redo the whole chapter again, which can be a pain. Here’s where a skip option would’ve been very welcome because even though the story is brilliant it can become a little tedious reading the same text over and over again. Thankfully though here’s where the frustration ended for me because everything else is pretty much spot on. The puzzles in the game were something I was especially impressed with and that’s because they made sense and were very cleverly designed. Some of the puzzles may cause a few of you some problems, but I would recommend that you ride it out because you get a great sense of achievement once you complete a difficult puzzle. Thankfully the controls that have been implemented help you a great deal when tackling the puzzles and that’s mainly because they remain fluid and responsive throughout your time with the game. In fact as far as the technichal side of the game goes there isn’t any problems at all which is great because it allows you to enjoy the presentation side of the game even more. Speaking about the presentation side of the game without a doubt this was one of my favourite things about the game. Visually the game ticked a lot of boxes for me and it definitely made me enjoy the game even more. The same can also be said about the game’s brilliant sound design and in the end they both combined together flawlessly delivering to you a very immersive experience. At the end of the day if you’re a fan of point-and-click adventures then this game is an absolute must buy. You will find it difficult to find a better game in this specific genre and that’s because they’ve got the most important aspects correct, which in turn means you end up having an unforgettable journey.… Full Review »
  2. Dukduka
    Nov 4, 2020
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. The game is fun at first, the puzzles are okay. I have a big problem once you reach the halfway point. The puzzles start making no sense. I've have to look up help for several of them. It also becomes virtually impossible to make him happy. I went from having the highest trust for the entire first half to having the lowest within a matter of two chapters. If you want gameplay that actually makes sense, this isn't the game for you… Full Review »
  3. KovakhiinQuinn
    Sep 29, 2020
    10
    Holy cow. As of writing this I just finished one of the seven endings (not saying which one here) in Stay. Is this game worth the $/£10? Yes!Holy cow. As of writing this I just finished one of the seven endings (not saying which one here) in Stay. Is this game worth the $/£10? Yes! A thousand times yes! Stay is a pick your path game in real time, where of you stay away too long, well, I won't spoil that. My only complaint is that some of the puzzles crash very easily on the Switch version. All in all, one of my top 10. Would recommend, if you see it, buy it. You won't be disappointed. Especially if you love Meta-horror and pop culture references.… Full Review »
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