Game Info
Game Name: Portal 2
Developer(s): Valve Corporation
Publisher(s): Valve Corporation
Platform(s): PS3/Xbox 360/PC
Genre(s): Strategy/Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): April 19, 2011
ESRB Rating: E10+
Walk on the wild side!
You are Chell and you are awakened in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. With your return GLaDOS has also come back. GLaDOS is out for revenge and has a whole new series of tests for you. Grab you portal gun and get to work…to escape GLaDOS, you must bring GLaDOS down!
Portal 2 is a follow-up to the popular game Portal which for console users was found on the Half-Life collection game called The Orange Box. The game was released to glowing reviews and won many “Best Of” titles for the year from various groups for 2011.
These two guys will be here for team-up fun!
In Portal 2, you are once again at the mercy of GLaDOS and she has lots of new games for you to play. If you liked Portal, but felt it was too short, you need to check this out. The game does feel like an extension of the original Portal with more puzzles, more jokes, and a few more gadgets at your disposal. It also comes with an entirely different two player co-op game in which GLaDOS helper robots are “encouraged” to go through GLaDOS’ training procedures.
…and now things start to get really complex…
The joy of both Portal games is the unique style of play and the fun the makers seemed to have with the puzzles. Just when you start to get concerned that game is going to be too short, Valve makes sure that the story takes another twist. On the downside, the game does feel a bit like “more of the same” at points and creative set designs are kind of forsaken due to the fact it is supposed to be a rundown factory. The game play also gets progressively tougher and while you might fly through the early levels, the game gets extremely challenging.
The co-op aspect of Portal is fun but takes a bit to get going. Due to the story limitations (it is supposed to be a testing center), “working” with a friend can be difficult since many times you find yourself separated from your fellow robot. It can be played split-screen but that sometimes adds to the confusion (especially when you start flying through the multiple Portals). It is still worth checking out since it is a game in itself.
Choose your path wisely
As with the original Portal, GLaDOS’ snide comments and criticisms of Chell are part of the fun of the game. Wheatley (voiced by comedian Stephen Merchant) supportive nature and attempts to deal with his human ward also add to the fun. The original fun is magnified with new tricks which include “bouncing gels” which increase your speed and are necessary to travel through the rooms.
Overall, Portal 2 is a great addition. I can’t imagine much replay value in the game however. Once you’ve solved a puzzle, playing the room again seems like a bit of a waste. With this in mind, a long weekend is probably enough to finish Portal 2, but with such an original concept it is worth picking up The Orange Box for the original (which also is loaded with the great Half-Life 2) and then setting out on the adventure of Portal 2…the cake is still a lie!
