Portal
Game » consists of 8 releases. Released Oct 10, 2007
A first-person puzzle game developed by Valve and graduates of DigiPen, Portal forces a human test subject to run a gauntlet of grueling spatial experiments administered by a malfunctioning, psychotic artificial intelligence named GLaDOS.
Short summary describing this game.
-
5 (35) 4 (6) 3 (2) 2 (0) 1 (0) 4.8 starsAverage score of 43 user reviews
-
The Cake is a Lie. 0
Valve really do not do much to innovate any genre of games they make, at least in the gameplay aspect. Sure, they may have created the most innovative gaming service when they released Steam, and created a great way of story-telling in first person, but how the games they create play haven't really been something they've been too inventive with. Well, now, that Portal has been released, you can no longer say that. Portal is genius. Pure genius. If you jump into the game not knowing or have seen ...
12 out of 13 found this review helpful. -
Mind-bendingly clever, superb fun, and hilariously funny. 0
Tucked away within The Orange Box, Portal at first doesn't appear to be anything particularly special. Considering that Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Team Fortress Two got most of the press coverage beforehand, it is somewhat surprising that Portal has been the most well received and critically acclaimed game included in the package. However, it deserves every bit of credit it has got. The game may be short, but is incredibly sweet, in a humorously dark and twisted kind of way.Set somewhere withi...
6 out of 6 found this review helpful. -
Portal 0
Before beginning Portal, I had heard a lot of great things about the game. The introduction in the game was fluent going straight to learning the basic mechanics. Each level contained a specific task to do and once that task was completed, the player would be told to go into an elevator by a women over the loud speaker. Once in the elevator, a long loading screen would appear and once loaded the next level would start. Even though there were flaws with Portal, the overall game is great. The big...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
The review is a lie. 0
There comes a time in everyone's life when they buy something because of sheer curiosity. Portal is one of mine. I bought Orange Box for PC, however, I would have bought Portal if it were separate from the bundle just because it looked so interesting. I also like games that make others dizzy.Portal is purely a puzzle game at heart. It's very simple in how you play, so a very great game for casual gamers. You have one gun that shoots In and Out portals. You need to use the portals to get around ...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
So short, but so awesome. 0
A few years ago, if I had heard of a game that would somehow combine a puzzle and a shooter, I would have had plenty of doubts as to how that would work. The two just don't seem like they would get along together very well. Enter Portal, a game that isn't a true shooter, but integrates basic first-person shooting elements into a puzzler that is brilliant, superbly executed, challenging, and also extremely witty. Perhaps this concept of a shooter and puzzle game mixed together can be done…Portal...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Replaying Portal Makes You Better Appreciate Portal 2 0
At the time of Portal's release, it had everything possible going in its favour. There were no expectations set for it, there were no real assumptions it needed to concern itself with. It was part of a package with other complete games with much more notoriety, belonging to existing IPs and genres Valve was already known for. By their own acknowledgement, Portal was an experiment for Valve, and its relatively short length is indicative of this. To say it knocked it out of the park is an understa...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Liquid looks at Portal... 2
Liquid looks at Portal… Even though this is definitely not a new release it still remains in my collection of steam games that doesn’t get deleted to save hard drive space. When it came out, with the rest of the orange box, I was, before even playing it, a fan boy. The mind boggling idea of infinite loops and the new and refreshing game play behind an “in” hole and an “out” hole made me quite excited. (For the dirty minds out there, keep your pants on) Lets take a look and see why this...
3 out of 5 found this review helpful. -
Fun gameplay, black humour and portals! 1
A new take on the puzzle game genre where the player uses portals to try and navigate their way through various levels full of hazards and problem solving moments. Players assume the role of Chell, a test subject in the Aperture Science facility and the game picks up slowly introducing the player to how the game works in a very tutorial like manner and gradually becomes more difficult as they progress. Which ties in well to the very "mouse in a maze" style of gameplay.Throughout the entire game ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Perfectly-timed, perfectly-wonderful and just plain perfect. 0
I am never in a hurry. It's that characteristic that produces my ease of lifestyle, calm demeanor and ungodly laziness. I watch television almost exclusively through DVR recordings, I shower at the end of the day instead of the start and I don't take out the trash until it mutates into a foul beast that I have named Gargath, whose only delight is the tears of children.As such, it should be no surprise that I do not play video games shortly after they are released, and due to this, I don't typi...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
A solid & innovative gaming experience... 0
Portal is a game that has been greatly overshadowed by the second Half Life 2 add-on, but is well capable of standing on its own. Originally included in the 'Orange Box' bundle, which also included Team Fortress 2 and the anticipated Half Life 2 Expansion, 'Episode 2', it is easy to see why the game might not have gotten the full recognition which it deserved. This puzzling (literally) technical marvel implements for the mostpart, a unique physics-based concept in which the player can shoot two...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
The Puzzle Game of Wit and Genius 1
In 2005 the minds at the DigiPen Institute of Technology created a unique and innovative indie game called Narbacular Drop. Upon seeing their success the folks at the Valve Corporation snapped up the Narbacular Drop team and so work began on Portal. Originally released as part of Valve’s The Orange Box in late 2007 and later released as a standalone game in 2008, Portal is a genius first-person puzzle game that’s everything it’s cracked up to be. Portal actually takes place in the Half-Life uni...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
A sublime delight from start to finish 0
Well, given that Portal 2 is a week away, I figured it'd be a fine time to go back and revisit the charming predecessor. The first Portal was a delightful pack-in for The Orange Box, Valve's compilation of Half-Life, the two subsequent Episodes, and Team Fortress 2. While all those games were highly regarded and well worth the money, Portal was singled out in particular for its innovative puzzle design which truly explored what the First Person Shooter genre was capable of when coupled with ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
This game is fun. You sould play it. 0
Portal is part of a new compilation put out by Valve Software called The Orange Box, which contains a few other games but none are as inventive as Portal. Portal is a first-person puzzle game in which the player embodies a test subject for a mysterious corporation called 'Aperture Labs'. Through a series of industrial gray and blue rooms, the player must navigate from Point A to Point B using only the tool provided.But, oh, what a tool it is. Portal introduces the world to the Portal Gun, a simp...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
As perfect as a game can get 0
Portal, though short at 5 hours, represents the best that gaming can achieve. I do not make this claim lightly, as I believe Portal holds the spot with no more than a half-dozen other games as representative of the medium's best offerings.I'm sure others can write summaries on the plot and mechanics of the game itself, but what makes Portal successful beyond measure is the integration of storytelling mechanics into the gameplay mechanics. Few games are successful in this manner, and even those...
2 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
Gaming Perfection? 0
Portal, to me, is the pinnacle of game development. It has everything that a great game needs, excellent gameplay, tight controls, great level design, a reason to want to keep playing, and great sound design and music.But what sets this apart from all other games are the characters. The three main characters are all incredibly memorable, even though two of the characters never utter a single word. Portal manages to take gaming storytelling to the next level but taking it to an old school leve...
1 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Portal 0
One third of the new content in the Orange Box, Portal is too short to be worth the price by itself, but it's one of the most inventive and enjoyable games in a long time for the few hours it lasts. It has a simple setup; you're a test subject being evaluated as you solve puzzles using an experimental weapon that can create a portal between two different places. At first you can only create one end of the link, but before long you can set both locations as you use them to redirect energy balls, ...
1 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Short but very sweet. 0
Portal isn't a very long game. In fact, after you know what you're doing you can probably beat it in 2 hours. I know this because i have played the game to completion more then a few times. This is a testament to how sweet those 2 hours are.Portal is a first person puzzle game in which you play a test subject for Aperture Science. The game starts you out as you'd expect slowly going over simple puzzles but mid way through takes a very interesting turn and breathes story telling life into what co...
1 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Not bad, not great, just kind of average 2
Lets start with the bad things. The game is short, really short. I already knew that it was gonna be short and its to be expected to be smaller then a full game, but I didn't expected it to be this short. In just around three hours I was through the main game and it really ended up feeling more like an elaborate tutorial then a proper full game.The graphics are also not all that great and while my not-so-great graphics card is certainly getting some of the blame for that, I have seen bet...
1 out of 6 found this review helpful. -
Portal Review: Enrichment 0
Portal is a game released by Valve and it has an interesting concept at its core: solve puzzles by using portals. Portal certainly achieves this, with 19 puzzle chambers in its main game and 6 advanced maps to play after completing the game. What I didn't expect from Portal was a smart and well written story, and it definately has one. Portal begins with the protagonist waking from a sleep in the Aperture Science Enrichment centre. An automated voice tells you that you will undergo a series of t...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
So much more than I expected 0
Portal is easily the best action puzzle game I’ve ever played . . . until Portal 2 came out. I was just as excited about getting this with The Orange Box as I was about getting Half-Life 2 Episode 2, even though that’s why I bought The Orange Box. I knew Portal was going to involve puzzles that had you move yourself and other objects around by placing the two endpoints of a portal, but I wasn’t expecting to be hilariously insulted by a robot overseer and notice tie-ins wit...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
They say the cake is a lie; I argue otherwise 0
I'm gonna go ahead and make a harebrained statement: The cake referenced in the popular Internet meme, and line from Portal, "the cake is a lie," isn't actually a lie; rather, that cake is Portal itself. My basis? Like cake, Portal is a treat -- a very special treat. One that doesn't last long on account of our tendencies to quickly devour it (or in Portal's case, quickly play through it). While it lasts, though, it's exquisite. Portal's like that, but better (in some ways).Portal is a game abou...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
This Game Is A Phenomonal Puzzle on "good graphics" steroids! 0
Let's first just mention that this game is very short. I beat it in about 4 hours of intense mindbending playing.Basically, this game is a puzzle-like sex child straight from the laboratories of Valve.You play as a labrat named Chell, who is given an Aperture Science portal gun very early on, and must advance through many test chambers that will challenge you everytime. Each one becomes more difficult than the last. All the while, you are walked through the test chambers by a mysterious AI, name...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Unique puzzles, with quirky and fun story 0
Portal deals out a great adventure of puzzles to go along with a fun story that is told by a quirky computer. The game looks and feels like Half-Life naturally, but that is about the only similarity between the two. The idea of using portals to navigate through puzzle rooms is genius. It is refreshing and amazingly fun to play. The game isn't very long, but like most puzzle games, it can't be too long without being overly repetitive. The length is just right. It's a great game that will ...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Very Creative 0
To me, Valve create some really good games. Portal is very unique in PC gaming. It offers a challenge to the player as it forces you to think outside your usual school work to complete each test chamber. Like most games, as well as unique challenges to try, it has a storyline to it involving an A.I called GLaDOS. I would give this game a 5 stars however, i feel that the game is not actually that long. which came to a disappointment to me as i became a portal pro in around 4 - 6 hours. I felt the...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Thinking outside the box...and with portals 0
Portal 2 surpassed my fondest expectations. I was surprisingly amused with the 1st installment and utterly enthralled with the sequel.This an absolute gem of a game. Lost of surprises and challenges along the way. Who would have thought that the evil AI would go through such a dramatic transformation?The co-op is great, though here in Brazil it is hard to find a regular partner to play through the game.I am really grateful to have played such a marvelous game and wholeheartedly recommended this ...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
It was a Triumph 0
Yes, I know I'm late to the Portal party. Although I played through the story shortly after the game came out on my brother's Steam account, I left my Portal experience at that and didn't think much about it somehow, besides occasionally humming the insanely catchy "Still Alive" credit songs every now and then. Now however, Steam has released Portal for free to celebrate Steam being released on the Mac and I took their generous gift, installed it and headed back into the bowels of Aperture scie...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
A Mind-Bending Masterpiece of Puzzle Gaming 0
Portal, developed by Valve Corporation, is an innovative and mind-bending puzzle game that captivates players with its unique gameplay mechanics and cleverly crafted challenges. From its engaging storyline to its exceptional level design, Portal is a true gem in the world of video games. Let's dive into the intricacies of this extraordinary experience. One of the standout features of Portal is its simple yet brilliant concept. As the silent protagonist, players assume the role of Chell, a test ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Short and sweet 0
Thanks to the Valve throwing this out for free (thanks to the Mac on steam thing!) I've finally gotten a chance to play Portal. Wow, am I pleased. The games way of making the portals work is really something special. I'm surprised how inventive all the portals got throughout the game. Some of them really stumped me at points, but I got them all eventually. Of course there are extra challenge maps for players looking for more of a challenge. GLaDOS is definitely the best thing about thi...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
2001 A Space Odys..I mean...Portal 0
I was very skeptical when my friend recommended this game to me. "Greg, this game is like, one of the best games I've ever played", he said. Now I'm not the type of person who just straight up likes games. I'm very picky. Also, in general I've found that puzzle games have not been for me-so when my friend told me that Portal was essentially a puzzle game I was kinda turned off it. I went out and bought the Orange Box simply because it was the (is?) the best deal in gaming. But then I...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
An innovative concept and, while brief, is an amazing experience. 0
Innovation in gaming is something we all appraise. Sometimes just tiny little details of brand new content make up for a purchase, and in the case of Portal the innovation meter can be taken to a whole other level. It's safe to say Portal is like nothing you've ever seen, we hear and read that a lot, but now it might be the right thing to say indeed. It's a first-person shooter, so what else could make up to make this game so different, and so good? Well, some things, actually.Yes, it's a first-...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Portal Revolutionizes First-Person games, and it is a must have! 0
When Valve announced that they were going to release Portal, everyone was excited. The gameplay altered anything that you would see from any Puzzle game. Portal is very Unique and will have you thinking more than any Puzzle game avalable.Pros and Cons:+ Unique Gameplay.+ Makes you think.+ Achievements.+ A great amount of replayability.+ Your not using a gun with Bullets in it.+ Each map is detailed. + Perfect Physics.- Only 19 missions.You start out in the game in a glass box. You hear a voice f...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Waiting for my second cake.. 0
...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
The mindblowing puzzler. 0
...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Portal review 0
Ok, so last Christmas I got the Orange Box, mainly for Portal and HL2.When I played Portal, I was confronted with some pretty good puzzles and a pretty funny game.Then I completed it."Ok" I said, "that was alright".I played it a couple of times after that, but once you've gone through it once, it isn't really challenging anymore, and the jokes don't have that much of an effect.Sure it's a pretty and well made game, but there's nothing really to do other than complete it and then uninstall it.Sur...
0 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
Bending Space Has Never Been This Fun 0
For those of you who haven't been paying attention, Portal is one of the five games included in Valve's Orange Box. At first glance, it looks like a bare-bones puzzler in the vein of IQ (PS), with splashes of color being the exception rather than the norm. At the game's onset, you wake up in a lifeless, sterile room, encased in a glass box with little idea of what to do or where to go. However, you are quickly brought up to speed by an omniscient computer-like voice with a wry sense of humor. T...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Yep, I'm Totally Thinking With Portals. 0
Portal is a brilliant puzzle type FPS that uses some sweet gameplay mechanics to keep you thinking. Also, GLaDOS, the computer voice that talks you through your tests, kept me laughing most of the game. It has a surprisingly awesome story shoved into a game that really didn't need one, and I think the story is what makes the game excellent instead of good. The Weighted Companion Cube is another "character" that I have to mention as well. While I am not completely attached to it, I find it very a...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
portal review 0
Potal is a very challenging game full of secrets scary rooms intimidating puzzles and enemys.It's a great way to loss your mind lol the game at time is like wtf i was here and were is the ledge that i can portal to,It drove me bonkers because i ethier kept dying or i was stuck but the achvments are fun and the apature science incorperated has the funniest live system ever (the machin that talks to you) she may be funning and helpfull but closer to the ending of the game she goes bad.But it's fu...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Just one of the many reasons to own the orange box. 0
Need a reason to buy the orange box this is one of five(just so you know there are five games in the orange box). Awsome music,puzzles,characters pretty much every aspect of Portal is perfect the controls are smooth and give a nice feel to the game.The game in general looks nice (the pc version however in my opinion looks the best) there are just so many reasons to adore this gaming masterpiece only one issue with portal I WANT MORE!!...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Who says puzzle and first-person shooters don't mix? 0
Portal was a game announced at E3 06 and had everyone talking. The concept is very simple. You have a gun that shoots two, different-colored portals (orange and blue), and when you walk through one, you come out the other. You'll find yourself solving puzzles that range from elementary-grade simple, to bain dramageing. Your ultimate goal for completing each "test chamber" is getting to the exit. But don't expect it to be a walk in the park. You might need to activate a swich, carry a "weighted c...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
The hell...what did I just buy? 0
Portal is an experience, and then blah, blah, blah, please insert here another canned phrase for an awesome game. Really. Now. Those crazy Valve guys take time in what they do, and so should every reviewer of this game.Portal is a "just-long-enough" take on the FPS formulae, only it's not apparently formulaic at all. Scenario after scenario, Portal is a puzzle you solve with the greatest invention ever since popcorn and that thing they use for car tires nobody cares about: the portal gun. Instea...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Very short but fun and innovative puzzle game. 0
THE GOOD: Accurate FPS controls; A groundbreaking and exciting new gameplay mechanic, the portal-gun; Innovative puzzles that use very well the portal-gun and the game's impressive physics engine; Effective sound effects and art design; Great new character, named GLaDOS, with some genuinely funny speech lines and a terrific voice acting; One of the best "End Credits" song ever made for a game. THE BAD: Half the content you should get for 20$; Most puzzles are very easy; The bonus levels...
0 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
The caek is a lie!! Choose pie... 0
Portal is an amazing revolutionary game. It's a puzzle game which requires you to make portals to advance. You have to use the law of physics to guide you as you get through a set of 3-D levels. It's addictive, fun and well compelling. The game is with out doubt one of the funniest games ever. The robot in the game is hilarious and it combines intense puzzles with some hilariously brilliant dialougue. The gameplay for the game is really good and pushes the Havok engine to its' limits. However th...
0 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Worth installing BootCamp for 0
This was a triumph. I'm making a note here, huge success. It's hard to overstate my satisfaction. I'm a Mac user but I installed BootCamp and Windows XP (and Steam) just to try this out, based on word of mouth. It was completely worth it - the most fun I've had playing a game in ages. The story section (which has a number of beautiful twists in it) can be completed in an afternoon, so even if you don't normally have time to dedicate to games it's short enough that you can appreciate it without l...
0 out of 2 found this review helpful.
Log in to comment