But trust us when we tell you that each character in the Portal universe is given a much richer personality and clearer moral complexity than most will expect. It's extremely difficult to discuss the various plot twists and revelations without giving at least minor spoilers, and each story beat is executed so well, that to give even a slight idea of what to expect would be doing any player a disservice. From that point on the story takes Chell, Wheatley and GLaDOS on a fast-paced journey through the past, present and future of Aperture Science. But no title would be complete without the vindictive and masochistic supercomputer, so circumstances soon bring her to life once again. Much has changed since the last time Chell struggled to escape from the deadly puzzles of the facility, implemented by the now-deactivated AI administrator GLaDOS.
Players won't be alone this time, accompanied by the incredibly neurotic and brilliantly-written personality sphere known as Wheatley, voiced by Stephen Merchant. This time around, protagonist Chell once again finds herself mysteriously awoken in the Aperture Science facility with little background information on what to expect. This isn't a small addition, since the focus on puzzles and physics over a deep narrative may have been a serious complaint against the first Portal. Those implied story points are still present, but with no more than three scripted characters appearing throughout the main storyline, the emphasis on a greater plot is clear. The first feature of the sequel that players will notice is just how much more story has been added, being told via voiced characters as opposed to the subtle wall paintings or Freudian slips of the first game. From that foundation, it's the story and flow of Portal 2 that takes center stage.
The actual gameplay of the series is straightforward enough: the player is challenged to make their way through various rooms, solving puzzles using portals and environmental features. With Portal 2, Valve has shown just how much potential they saw in that original game, and how clearly they understood what aspects of the narrative resonated with audiences. The team's take on physics as a means to solve puzzles was truly inspired, but yet to be fully realized. The general view of the original game was not that of a major release, but more of a tech demo or thought experiment. Not just in terms of polish or graphics - and believe us, the game looks much better - but in practically every area of game design.
To say that Portal 2 takes each aspect of the original title to the next step in evolution would be somewhat of an understatement. With a longer campaign, all new devices and mechanics, and an entirely separate co-operative campaign, Portal 2 is a much greater title on paper.īut with four years to get used to the inspired design and puzzles that Valve first pioneered, does the property still possess the same staying power? Simply put: absolutely. With such a high standard set by the first title, Valve has stacked the odds against themselves for Portal 2, but nobody can accuse them of not taking the issue seriously. When developer Valve first released Portal in 2007 bundled with the now-beloved Orange Box, gamers' expectations and thoughts for the future were blown clear out of the water.