By Aaron N
When I first decided to purchase an Xbox360 I inquired about which game I should buy with it. I was told to buy the Orange box which consisted of Halflife 2, Halflife episodes 1 and 2, Team Fortress, and a little puzzle game called Portal. Naturally I first started playing Halflife 2 when I bought it. But then I started hearing more and more about Portal. It was a short puzzle game where you utilized a portal gun to create portals in the walls to move from one place to another. The goal was to get to the end of the test center. When I finally played the game I was astounded at how fantastic the game was even though it was based on such a simple concept. It's wit and complexity amazed me and had me play over and over again. Now we come to it's sequel Portal 2. Portal 2 promised to be longer and harder than the first one with more complex puzzles. Portal would be a competitor for game of the year. With all the hype and expectations surrounding this game, it would be hard not to disappoint.
Graphics:
The graphics are up-to-date for Portal 2. They are very realistic and the universe is very rich looking. The objects and concepts brought over from the first game are updated. The rooms look realistic and the portal gun effects are cooler looking than the first game. They add a few nuances to the effects. The concepts created for this game like the slimes were done very well. There isn't much more to say for the graphics as what makes the game are the other categories.
Story:
You play as Chell who is the testing woman at Aperature Laboratories. You wake up and are once again back in the testing facilities. You are led by a british robot named Wheatley who leads you around the testing facility trying to help you escape. He is not too bright though as he leads you right to the sleeping GLaDOS who is awakened and continues her quest to kill you. You stop her but in the process Wheatley takes control over her body and mind and becomes drunk with power. Since, as stated before he is not too bright, he can not handle so much power so it corrupts him. You are sent to the depths of the laboratory deep underground where you team up with GLaDOS who is now imbedded in a potato and must be carried around by you. As you make your way back up to Wheatley, you travel through a history lesson of Aperature Laboratories. You are taught about Cave Johnson by listening to PA announcements he made to the previous employees. Cave Johnson was the founder and orchestrator of Aperature Laboratories, he basically created everything. You must solve the puzzles on your way back up to the current laboratories where Wheatley is still in control and thinks he is running things better than ever before. The story is gripping and witty. It keeps you glued to the screen and engaged. I do not want to ruin the ending but it, just like the rest, is brilliant.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is virtually identical to the first game. The only differences are that they added some new elements to the puzzles and the puzzles are much more complex. Instead of playing through just test sites within the facility, you use buildings and old testing facilities. The puzzles are more disguised than in the previous game. It is remarkable how much smarter I felt as I advanced through the game. The puzzles increased in difficulty as you progressed and some of them naturally felt impossible to solve. But that is the brilliance of this game, you felt like you were solving the impossible. None of the puzzles feel tedious, they all are made with a point in mind. It is cliche to say but you actually do have to think outside of the box and think in ways you never thought possible. It was a very, very fun game.
Sound:
The music in this game was miniscule but what was important was the sounds. The sounds from the portal gun and the actions were crisp and unique. All of them sounded different and unlike anything. The most important aspect of the sound in this game was the voice acting. Wheatley was a funny and likeable robot at the beginning of the game, and while you start to have disdain for him when he turns bad, he can still find a way to make you laugh at his idiosy. GLaDOS continues to have a dry sense of humor and even as you are partnering with her she continues to want you dead. She never stops mentioning how you burned her in the first game. Finally Cave Johnson and his PA announcements are witty and intelligent. The humor in this game is intelligent and you can tell that they took time and effort into thinking of the universe and the history behind it. The sound in this game is the most memorable in a long time.
Overall:
Portal 2 is a perfect game. It combines intelligence, humor, and complexity like never before. It improved upon every aspect of gameplay of the first game and made it unique at the same time. It is my favorite game of 2011, and one of the best in a while.
Portal 2 gets a 10/10
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