Portal 2 (2011)

The second Portal entry is a brilliantly designed first-person puzzle-platformer from Valve that expands on the original Portal’s core mechanic, using a gun to create linked “portals” to navigate space and solve challenges. So no big news on this regard, the core mechanic is exactly the same as the first one, just expanding upon the levels of complexity when it comes to the puzzles, and also a totally different story and villain (no spoilers). It delivers a longer, more varied campaign with inventive puzzle design, new mechanics like gels and excursion funnels, and a sharp, witty narrative.

The humor is dark and clever, and the pacing balances brain-teasing puzzles with engaging story beats. On PC, the controls feel precise, and the Source Engine’s visual style, while not cutting-edge today, still holds up due to clean art direction. As much as I don't like to repeat myself, these is not much new to talk about this one when comparing to the first entry. It is just bigger, better and a more fun experience, though if you didn't liked the first game then I would stay away from this one, since it for sure won't win you over.

The co-op mode adds an entirely new set of puzzles built for two players, doubling the game’s value, though unfortunately I never experienced the co-op section of this title, so I cannot tell much about it. This is a masterclass in puzzle design and narrative integration, still one of the best puzzle games ever made, and similarly to the first entry, I highly recommend this one for puzzle game fans in general. This title was not as impactful as the first entry, though it is still highly praised as one of the best sequels to a videogame ever made.

This was my first playthrough of Portal 2 in nine years, and there's no question it deserves its spot in my list of all-time favorite games.

The puzzles are fun as ever, offering just enough challenge to make you feel smart (rather than frustrated). The story is just fleshed out enough to be compelling while still leaving plenty of mysteries to the imagination. The environment design and music establish a specific and engaging atmosphere. And the dialog (both in terms of writing and performance) is some of the best ever, with a ton of laugh-out-loud moments from multiple performers.

But I think what's most impressive to me is how naturally all these elements weave together. I don't know that there's any inherent reason a first-person physics puzzle platformer must go hand-in-hand with a darkly comedic dystopian sci-fi narrative, but it works so well here that the combination feels almost inevitable... especially as the line blurs between puzzle and story beat with growing frequency. It's greater than the sum of its parts, and even greater still for taking control away from the player so infrequently.

Aside from its loading screens and a few distractingly low-res shadows (two nitpicks I'm told there are mods to address), Portal 2 has aged phenomenally well. It's the first game I owned on Steam, and in some ways it remains unmatched in my library.

What works

• Massively expands on Portal without outstaying its welcome
• New mechanics aren’t overused and fit in well with the core
• This game is well and truly “more of a good thing”
• Unfathomably large underground structures are 100% my shit

What doesn’t

• I can’t really think of many legitimate criticisms for this game, but I wish the Caroline backstory was explored more

Verdict

I don’t have much to say on this other than it’s a fantastic game. Ellen McLain, Stephen Merchant, and JK Simmons all absolutely kill it throughout. It’s still dark and funny, it’s still an incredibly competent puzzle game, there’s just more of it.

And yet somehow, still not enough. The elephant in the back of my mind replaying this was just sadness that the Half-Life universe as I loved it is almost certainly dead. I’m yet to play Alyx, and I’m not sure I ever will. I have very little interest in VR, nor do I really want to play a compromised non-VR modded version, and from what I understand it doesn’t meaningfully advance the plot much anyway. It’s such a rich universe and it’s genuinely gutting that we’ll likely never get any real resolution to the Half-Life 2 arc. Perhaps I was a fool to think we’d ever get answers on what the G-Man is and who he works for, but that story at least deserves a Serenity.

Anyway Portal 2 is still great. Valve please make (normal) single player games again.

Yup, I think it's a perfect game. Try as I might, I can't find any fault with it. However, that's not the same as saying it's my favorite game. It probably wouldn't make the short list of my favorite games ever, but nevertheless, it's just perfection

Besides the wonderful and iconic portal gun from the first game, we are now introduced to lasers, light bridges and paint like gels that have different effects.

You don't just get one great character, but 3! The (again) iconic Glados, Cave Johnson and Wheatley. All fantastically voiced by McLain, Simmons and Merchant and wonderfully written

The gameplay is great and the learning curve is balanced in such a way that the player never feels overwhelmed.

I'm not the biggest fan of the puzzle game genre, but this was satisfying. My pea sized brain found it challenging and there was a tremendous feeling of accomplishment when I figured something out.

Charming and just super fun! Another triumph from VALVE

Portal 2 is pretty much the definition of the best sequel. It took everything great from the first entry and amped it up to 11 in every possible way.

We got a longer story and got a look into the past of Aperture Laboratories and Glados as we venture through the test chambers of different eras plus a new addition to the cast, Wheatley, who is also a great, layered character. We got brand new fluid mechanics, excursion funnels, light-bridges and so much more to play with, but also the already familiar companion cubes. Some puzzles are in small, separated locations, while others can be in spectacularly big domes, but after some thinking, the solution will always come to you. That's what the game does perfectly in my opinion, it makes you feel smart. You have to think about what to do, based on your previous experiences, but the solution is always hidden in plain sight. The game is a bit longer, than the previous entry and also has a variety of co-op maps(which is said to be great too, but I wasn't able to test it yet). Steam Workshop is also supported, so you can download maps created by others. I can only recommend this gem, even if you are not into regular puzzle games, because this one is truly remarkable.

Recently I watched the Nintendo Switch Partner Direct. During the direct I saw Portal Companion Collection announced launching that same day. I immediately paused the direct, grabbed my switch, and dropped $20. Over the weekend of July 4th I completed Portal 1 and now I have replayed Portal 2. I was curious to see if it would hold up as I only played Portal 2 back on Xbox 360 and remember it being quite enjoyable. Needless to say, it is still top of its class.

Portal 1 felt like an experiment, or a proof of concept game. Portal 2 however, feels like the that concept realized to amazing results. This game is the culmination of great puzzle design and fantastic writing that builds a world out of only a few characters and a silent protagonist, and turned that world into something I wish I knew more about.

The story is simple. You wake up after the first game, go through rundown test chambers, awaken GlaDOS, do more tests, defeat her and get sent to the origins of Aperture, only to eventually re-emerge and fight the end villain. What gives this story depth is the writing and the environmental storytelling. Chell is a silent protagonist, but the characters around her are hilarious, and written so well that I really loved all of them. They bring the world to life when the world itself doesn't usually offer much visual variety. That is until you get to the old laboratories and learn about Aperture's origins. The writing of characters such as Cave Johnson is fantastic and performed phenomenally. But also the world they built, showing the offices and testing lobbies, does just as much to build up the story of this simple game more than it has any right to, and connect it to a greater world outside of the labs.

Then there's the gameplay, which takes the concept of opening two portals to connect those points in reality, and introduces so many new concepts. You learn to use turrets and cubes from the first game, but also light bridges, gravity lifts, and different types of movement gels. The puzzles build upon each other so that as the game starts off simple enough, by the end you're wrapping your head around confusing and complex courses that feel immensely satisfying and challenging. I don't recall getting to the end of any puzzle and thinking the answer was so obtuse or confusing that I couldn't have figured it out on my own. It reinforces the need to really understand all of the tools and the puzzle environment you are in to complete the tasks.

Just a small note on graphics and music. The game still looks good since it's focus on art style as opposed to characters and grit. The only human you see is Chell and you can only see her if you look at yourself in another portal, but the art for the rest of the world holds up wonderfully. Also, I don't usually think of Portal for its music outside of the meme songs, but when they kicked the sci fi music in for certain puzzles or story moments it felt impactful and really just added the final touch to the atmosphere.

Also, it needs to be mentioned that multiplayer is amazing. It expands on the puzzles naturally, and without a doubt requires teamwork and communication between the two players. It's a whole new element learning the puzzles while waiting on someone else to do their part too, and it demands patience. While it could be frustrating, the rewarding feeling of winning together outweighs any of that. It also retains the humor and world building, carrying the narrative in a significant way. It's worth the play just as much the single player.

This game is what a perfect puzzle game should look like. A great concept that starts small and is built upon throughout the game, adding new factors and variables. None of the puzzles felt nonsensical or like I needed a guide to eventually figure them out. On top of great design, the story of this world is simple to follow, full of depth for me to seek out, and genuinely funny and well written. I have no issues with this game besides the fact that I am still waiting for a third one.

A 10/10, Top of its genre!

Wow I don't know how to start, but i think the best way to describe this game is Astonishing.

Portal 2 was and will be for a long time some of the best games i've experienced in my life without a doubt.

I'm not a puzzle fan but all of the puzzle was great and satisfactory to beat, the dialog holy fu@$%, some of them was hilarious , some of them was deep, but in fact theres not too much of it, all of them was smart and well tought. The story was great and captivating until the end, the soundtrack and scenery is so immersive and intriguing.

And in the end the game ends with a freaking Cara Mia Addio

10/10 Masterpiece

I rarely rate games, but this one is so devoid of flaws that I can't help but give it five stars.

I only needed help once (last test chamber in chapter 8), I thought everything else was somehow manageable with enough patience (and knowing when to simply stop playing for the day).

Also, I didn't know Stephen Merchant would have a major voice acting role in this game. That alone makes this a 5/5 experience.