Emil Danielsen: Review: Portal 2

There are more game mechanics this time.

The first Portal was one of the very first games I played on the playstation 3. It came bundled up with Half life 2, Episode 1, Episode 2 (the new new game that everyone was expecting) and Team Fortress. I followed the game scene pretty well already back then, but apart from some quiet positive pre- chat, I hadn't heard much of the game. I took us all by storm. The clever writing, the totally new game mechanics, the brain- twisting and yet satisfying puzzles- everything was nailed down and polished up! But alas, this was not a full full game. At a mere six ours, it felt almost as a prequel to something more - and that "something more", is Portal 2.

Portal 2 picks up just where Portal left off.*1 But immediately tells you that this game is a bit bigger in scope. While the looks of the first Portal were charming for their simplicitly, the presentation of the story in Portal 2 would not have been possible without modern graphics. As you progress through the game, the scenery and story and music will change accordingly, all to tell the same story from different angles.

At the core, Portal 2 is a puzzle game. As a person playing the first Portal game, I must say I found the puzzles a bit on the easy side - only a handful of times did I really have to stop and give a puzzle some thought. But perhaps this is after all the ideal momentum for this game. Portal 2 made me feel clever, and at the same time kept a good pacing from start to finish. The game lets you think in silence, but rewards you at the start and finish with a bit of dialogue, I loved it. I felt like I was being trained like a good little puppy dog, but hey... woof I guess.

The guts of the facility show through sometimes.

The storyline can be described as neat, but not straight forward. While one at first glance can find the hints to the sub- plots a bit sparce, one quickly realises that this is not a novel, and that the way the story twists and turns in many small ways paint a very big picture indeed.

Without giving anything particular away, I'll say that major themes in the game include the nature of humanity, the internal struggle between enterprise and compassion, and the corrupting influence of power. What you'll notice firstly though, is how each character is given their unique personality, which you will love to explore. Chel is a silent protagonist, but not merely a placeholder name, where yours should be. The characters of the game eccoes the deeds and personality of Chel, which blend together well. And since the deeds are actually carried out by the player, each action undertaken, makes you feel more connected to the character. The game events, become your events - which in turn leads to the holy grail of any entertainment medium - emotional investment.

As clever as the puzzles are, I wouldn't be coming back to it as quickly every night, if it hadn't been for the pull of the story. In the end though, what it really comes down to is how it all comes together. And it does, it really does.

Closing remarks for the unnatrually interested:

The music is trademark valvy, that is to say, of good quality, somewhat unmemorable (except this one track) but with a good drive and not too pushy.

Atlas and P- body.

Also; there is multiplayer coop. For the sake of general interest, this is not reviewed in a professional way, but what I have tried is good. The story stuff is toned down, but the matchmaking is solid, and the puzzles and coop player interaction of top quality.

Also: In a world where every game seems to lead to a sequel, It's wonderful to feel certain that Valve has put this down as the final piece in the story arch of Chel and GLaDOS

The music is from Portal 2, and all images are from the Portal 2 web- page by Valve.

*1: Actually, Valve changed the ending of Portal last year in the marketing campain up towards the reveal of Portal 2