Portal 2
Portal 2 is a video game developed by Valve for PC, Mac, Xbox 360, and PS3. I am reviewing the PC version that includes Steam Play (Valve’s online gaming service for PC and mac) for Mac and PS3. You can play co-op with Mac and PS3 users using your PC version. You also use your same copy and play it on Mac. If you get the game on PS3 you will also get a digital copy of the game for both PC and Mac.
Portal 2 is the sequel to the Orange Box collection’s Portal. Portal was originally packaged in the Orange Box with Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2 Episodes One and Two and the multiplayer shooter Team Fortress 2. The Orange Box is available on PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PS3. Portal was available later separately on disc and digitally on PC and Mac. It also saw a bonus release on Xbox Live Arcade under the name Portal: Still Alive which added bonus challenge room levels. Why am I telling you so much about the original? It is because it still is an excellent game and well worth your time before playing Portal 2.
Portal 2 is the reason why I play video games. Portal 2 also brought me back into videogames. I have been waiting for something to really turn on the switch of caring about videogames again. The game has a difficult first act to follow but instead of rehashing the plot they try something new and different that works extremely well. Not to say this is a bait and switch they had just more to mold with the simplistic plot of Portal.
The game begins with you playing Chell (the silent protagonist from the first game) waking up from a sleeping chamber. Glados (the Robotic Antagonist from the first game) is still offline but not long. On your way through the story you have a new character Wheatley voiced by Stephen Merchant of the Ricky Gervais Show fame. He is a bumbling personality core and wants to help you through Aperture Science Laboratories.
While the original had a simpler building story the sequel grows it right from the beginning. You also see the giant underground world and framework of Aperture Science Laboratories. Moving on through the story you’ll come across the voice recordings of the founder of Aperture Science, Cave Johnson voiced by J.K. Simmons famous for being J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man film trilogy and Dr. Emil Skoda on Law & Order. The voice recordings are an absolute delight and really drive home a point that this game is hilarious. It might not have that initial surprise of humor that the previous installment had but it is some of the best comedy in games while still retaining great gameplay and plot.
Some of these puzzles are…Hard
Speaking of gameplay the Portal gun from the original is back and just as great as ever. The puzzles using the portal gun start simple enough and build slowly but surely. They never overdo the amount of thinking but never make it impossible as well. As, I said before they are not sticking to their laurels with the portal gun this time around there are a ton of new variables in the mix. For Example, there are launch pads that launch you in the air and refracting cubes that help with lasers. That is just the early stuff as later on there are multiple types of gels that when placed give you jumping and speed abilities.
Two here is more fun than one
The game is incredibly well paced and never overstays its welcome for a solid 6 to 8 hour campaign. Oh and did I mention this is just half of it? There is a separate co-operative campaign best played with a friend where you control robots going through even more puzzles. These build on what the single player campaign laid down and take it to a whole new level as it really requires two people’s full thinking and co-operation. For this reason I would recommend playing the single player campaign first. The story might be simpler here but that’s because you make the less tangible story of remembering puzzle with your friend while playing.
I Love Portal 2 this much
Overall Portal 2 is a fantastic game with only some longer than expected loading screens slowing down the action. I recommend getting this and it’s original if you haven’t played it already and enjoying some of the most clever writing and gameplay that can be found.
