Review - PORTAL

Review
Author: WNxPPK

PORTAL

Platform: PC
Genre Category: FPS
Date of Release: October 18, 2007
ESRB: T
Publisher: Valve Corporation
Developer: Valve Corporation
Rating: A
Official Site URL: http://orange.half-life2.com/portal.html

I bought the Orange Box because of Half-Life 2 and its sequels, Episode One and Two. I found fifty euros to be a darn good deal for those three games, plus other two I had faintly heard of: Team Fortress 2 and Portal. The first one doesn't need an introduction. Everyone knows it is a behemoth in the world of online gaming and is an excellent piece of software. The second, Portal, was the last game I played from the five that came with the Orange Box. People usually say one must save the best for last, even if it's just to keep a good impression in your head after you're done and, unknowingly, I followed suit. Portal was a pleasant surprise.

It says above that this an FPS but you won't do any shooting in this game. In fact, you only get one "gun", the Portal Gun. As the name implies, it is used to create portals that allow you to travel between two places with no physical connection: you open a portal near you and one where you want to go and then you just cross the portal. Simple enough. The whole game revolves around this concept and you can only create two portals simultaneously. You'll use this mechanic to solve various environmental puzzles as you transverse the test chambers, 19 total.

You play as Chell, a woman being used as a lab rat to test the Portal Gun through a series of ever more complicated tests, some involving death threats, while being monitored by an artificial intelligence that goes by the name of GLaDOS. She provides some insight on the upcoming challenges and makes some sarcastic remarks about what you're about to experience. This sounds fine in the first few test chambers, until you get to the point you realise she isn't very mentally stable and has ulterior motives to make you go through those tests. Spoiling the story doesn't make sense since this is one of the game's strong points. You are better off experiencing it all yourself rather than reading it here.

These chambers bear that clean, white laboratory look, with white walls, white floors, semi-transparent glass, and other miscellaneous objects attached to the walls, all necessary to solve the puzzles, such as energy ball dispensers. The visual style is very minimalistic but it all makes sense given the location of the game. A research facility cannot have crowded test rooms. Source's potential isn't used to its fullest and the only outdoor scene you'll witness (where Source truly shines, if you ask me) is at the end of the game, for about a minute and you can't even move. Still, the environments are pleasant to look at and the final part of the game introduces you to the backstage of the laboratories, a factory-like complex with dirty walls, storage rooms, and many pipes in various shapes and sizes. It's a welcomed break from the almost claustrophobic test chambers.

All the puzzles are physics oriented and Portal uses the conservation of momentum as one of the main gameplay mechanics. You'll often be required to reach high places where you can't shoot a portal to only to have you use the gun to create some sort of slingshot to shoot you to the place you want to go. It also requires some fast reflexes in some situations: there are times when you have to access some rooms with time-controlled doors and you'll have to shoot a portal into them before the door closes. Most puzzles are relatively easy to figure out at first and with a bit of trial and error you'll find the solution. Most of this trial and error comes from miscalculated jumps and portal placement but it can't be too easy or else it would spoil the fun.

It's interesting to note that the puzzle-based gameplay doesn't wear its fun too soon. I have always been used to shooting a gun throughout most of the games I play, but the different challenges Portal presents to you keep the game fresh and interesting. The subtle music helps too; it's almost inaudible but helps set the mood. It always kicks in at the appropriate moment. Besides, the end-game music is simply the best I have ever heard. It's a catchy tune.

Despite all the puzzles, the compelling story tied to the Half-Life universe that leaves you waiting for more, the design philosophy, and the original gameplay can't disguise the fact that Portal is a short game. It took me about two hours and thirty minutes to go through the main campaign and I did my fair bit of sightseeing in the later levels. There are additional challenges in the game after you're done with the story mode. You have achievements to unlock (some are a bit stupid; you get them for progressing in the game), timed versions of some of the game's levels, challenges that require you to use the least amount of portals to go through a level, etc. You also have a higher difficulty version of some of the game's test chambers and I can say that some of them are much harder than the originals but nothing you can't go through without some thinking and good dexterity with the Portal Gun.

If you add all this, you might have four hours of gameplay. The current twelve euros price seems justifiable because, despite being short, Portal is a fun, engaging and entertaining game. The story is one of the best I have ever seen in a game and GLaDOS is one of the most original antagonists you'll ever face (there, I spoiled a bit of who GLaDOS is). I thoroughly recommend this game if you like strong narrative, good and original game-play, and if you have played Half-Life 2 and kept wondering what the hell Aperture Science was.

PPK

I would like to thank Raynor2B for kindly supplying the screenshots. Thanks man .

Great review PPK! Good stuff as always.

nice review, i loved portal! best puzzle game i have ever played.

I agree its rather innovative but Ive always thought that its way too easy. Here's hoping the sequel will actually be challenging. Oh and please dont use different fonts and especially not that one, it just makes everything harder to read and gives me a headache; good review though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WNxJanitor

Oh and please dont use different fonts and especially not that one, it just makes everything harder to read and gives me a headache; good review though.

Well, I understand it and read it just fine. You're not the first one to tell me that though. It might work differently on other screens... But I'll change it.

Great review man!

-T-

Nice review, Portal was a fun game to play.

A very solid review, nice work.

I'm just gad its free now.. i loved it. "The cake is a lie".. yup.. age.. ahh the lies.

o vell your spot on about how short it was... maybe in a sequel valve will hammer out a good 9 hour game with online perks.

ahh i just completed it... under 2 hours is a disappointment, but those times when you have to figure out what to do, and your so tired you dont have a clue.. ahh i loved them, the game would get very repetative if it was like that for 9 hours.. but they are implementing new things in Portal2, so i hope it can be alot better (:
and i played it how i just played Half life2, so i was worried about opening every door in the Room19 haha XD

I really can't wait for Portal 2. Portal was a great game. Changed my life, honestly >_> Made me start eating pie.

Great review.

Good job with this review.. Also played this game on my friends PS3 xD
Orange Box ftw !!!

Portal is a fantastic puzzle game and i agree with Janitor, i hope the sequel is a lot more challenging with the puzzles and combines a tiny bit of shooting/action. i mean it is a puzzle game after all.

BigX