Portal 2
Portal 2 takes place sometime after the events of the original Portal, with a much stronger story. Where the first portal was essentially a series of test chambers with narrations by Glados, Portal 2 is broken into three distinct acts and goes well beyond the confines of the test chamber. Those fans who wanted to know more about the back story of Glados and Aperture Science should be satisfied with the overwhelming amount of story elements compared to its predecessor.
In addition to Glados, several new characters share the screen and are equally hilarious but in very different ways. Each character is given some funny dialogue which is performed quite well by the voice actors. The humour in the Portal series is very smart and it is a rare element not found in many games today. The humour is almost as important of an element as the puzzle solving nature of Portal 2 itself.
There are several differences between the problem solving areas of Portal 2 and the original. Portal 2 begins just as its predecessor did with puzzles in a contained room. By the second act of the story the puzzles change from a confined space to large open areas. The basic goal of the areas are still the same, how to reach the exit to get to the next area. The main difference is that these large open areas don’t contain the same formulaic elements that are present in the test chambers.
The portion of the story that takes place in these large open areas is the same place where new puzzle elements debut. Several other aperture experiments will be required to solve new puzzles in addition to the portal gun. Repulsion Gel is a substance that can cover almost any surface and will cause the player to bounce upon it, whether it is on the ground, wall, or ceiling. Acceleration Gel will also stick to almost any surface and will cause the player to speed up dramatically when running over top of it. Both of these additions seem almost as novel as when we were first introduced to the portal gun in the original portal. Mastering these new gels and learning how they work with one another and with portals is a very interesting experience.
Moon Gel is another new addition to the Portal 2 formula. It allows portals to be opened upon any surface covered by the gel. Excursion tunnels are the last experiment introduced to the Portal 2 gameplay. Excursion tunnels propel the player forward through the length of the tunnel, over bottomless pits or up to previously unreachable areas.
All of the new elements are introduced very well and the difficulty quickly becomes more complicated shortly thereafter. Each new element adds quite a bit to Portal 2. Once you master one element a new one is introduced causing quite a bit of experimentation. The length of the story would have seemed like overkill had valve not introduced new mechanics to keep the gameplay fresh.
While Portal 2 is running on an older game engine it still looks incredibly good. While the areas may be more static than other games and have less dynamic action, it holds up quite well visually to other first person shooters released recently such as Homefront.
The graphics are quite pleasing to the eye but the sound featured in Portal 2 is strong and a crucial part of the overall package. The factory sounds that are present at different parts of the story create the sense of an automated “living” facility. The voice acting stands out among my favourite features in addition to everything else that makes this a great game. The performance of Wheatley, a new V.I is equally charming as he is inept. Glados is still the best use of auto tuning in any media to date.
Depending on one’s level of problem solving, Portal 2 should be completed in the seven to nine hour range. The puzzles range from simple to becoming increasing complex and mind bending. The single player can also be replayed with a director’s commentary which is a unique feature not found in other video games. I highly recommend checking this out, particularly if you have any interest in creating video games. Once you’ve had your fill with the single player campaign another four to five hours of cooperative problem solving is sure to give you some mental stimulation.
The puzzles featured in cooperative use many of the same elements found in the single player but are distinctly cooperative experiences. The puzzles are very well designed and present varying levels of difficulty. Every single puzzle will require the partners to work together and communicate.
If a microphone is not present, Valve has built in a nonverbal communication system for players to utilize. Players can communicate via on screen cues to one another. A player can tell their partner where to place a portal, a point of interest as well as a countdown timer for some time sensitive puzzles. The use of verbal communication over a microphone trumps this system but it is an appreciated failsafe. I actually found myself using this system in conjunction with verbal communications when explaining to a partner how to solve a particular puzzle.
Portal 2’s cooperative mode isn’t just a series of test chambers, there is actually a story loosely tied into the experience. It takes place sometime after the events of the single player and features two humanoid robots going through test chambers and venturing outside of Glados controlled areas to do her bidding. It isn’t as strong of a narrative as the single player but the payoff at the end is very satisfying.
My only disappointment with Portal 2 was that it had to end. I want more test chambers and puzzles to solve in order to exercise my mind. Portal 2 is a great game, especially for those who like to problem solve. Those gamers who need constant visual stimulation may not enjoy the game but for the rest of us who enjoying thinking over a problem and find satisfaction in coming to a solution, Portal 2 is a great change of pace from other games released this year.
