I don't think I can talk about Portal 2 without talking about Portal. Portal almost feels like a prologue, so I'm lumping the two together as one complete package.
Portal 1 is an incredible tech demo of sorts. It showed off brilliantly that Valve still had it, they could still innovate and exercise the genius that they still had in 2007. It's an engaging game with a fun setting and a fun singular character. GLaDOS is an incredibly fun villain and is iconic for a reason. I loved playing Portal as a kid and to this day it remains one of my favourites. However, I don't think I'd think of it so highly without the existence of Portal 2, and vice versa.
Portal 2 expands on EVERYTHING Portal 1 offered. Aperture labs is almost Seussian now, it is so whimsical in how everything moves and glides past one another, mechanical arms and panels moving around effortlessly. It feels like an organic creature that lives and breathes, literally putting life into an otherwise cold, desolate environment. GLaDOS is still as amazing as ever, just as funny and witty. However, she's also accompanied by Wheatley, another incredible antagonist. The twist that he was the game's true villain sent chills down my spine, and the slow, creeping realization that people have whenever they realize that he is going to betray you- I'm literally having goosebumps thinking about it.
Portal 2 also introduces so many new mechanics, all of which are fun. The gels, the laser bridges, excursion funnels, all of it is so fun to toy around with and it gets the brain going.
Overall, the Portal games are some of my favourite and in my opinion, some of the best video games ever made.
Portal 1 is an incredible tech demo of sorts. It showed off brilliantly that Valve still had it, they could still innovate and exercise the genius that they still had in 2007. It's an engaging game with a fun setting and a fun singular character. GLaDOS is an incredibly fun villain and is iconic for a reason. I loved playing Portal as a kid and to this day it remains one of my favourites. However, I don't think I'd think of it so highly without the existence of Portal 2, and vice versa.
Portal 2 expands on EVERYTHING Portal 1 offered. Aperture labs is almost Seussian now, it is so whimsical in how everything moves and glides past one another, mechanical arms and panels moving around effortlessly. It feels like an organic creature that lives and breathes, literally putting life into an otherwise cold, desolate environment. GLaDOS is still as amazing as ever, just as funny and witty. However, she's also accompanied by Wheatley, another incredible antagonist. The twist that he was the game's true villain sent chills down my spine, and the slow, creeping realization that people have whenever they realize that he is going to betray you- I'm literally having goosebumps thinking about it.
Portal 2 also introduces so many new mechanics, all of which are fun. The gels, the laser bridges, excursion funnels, all of it is so fun to toy around with and it gets the brain going.
Overall, the Portal games are some of my favourite and in my opinion, some of the best video games ever made.