Has there ever been a hyper specific moment in a game that for some reason stuck in your mind more than anything else you witnessed while playing?

There's a scene early on where Wheatley attempts to disengage from his management rail. He's terrified about the consequences if this happens, but he chooses to play with fate anyway. He tells the player to catch him after he counts down from three, but in the time it takes him to count, he begins to second guess his choices. So, instead he counts down from one and plummets immediately.

I''m unsure why, but this particular moment left an impact on me. So much so that I began to use Wheatley's technique. Now, of course, I'm not a british sphere dismounting from the ceiling. But whenever there's something I want to commit to but have second thoughts about, I try the exact same mechanism. I count to three before counting to one and proceeding impulsively.

It's a silly technique that's genuinely helped me; especially regarding reaching out to others. I struggle with social anxiety to the point that I often become fearful simply trying to say hello to a friend. This whole "count to three, count to one" technique has helped me detach from my worries and hop right in. And I'd argue it's been nothing but helpful. Hell, the first time I tried texting my partner, I used this technique so I would finally say hello to them.

I'm not sure what's more interesting; Portal 2 being indirectly responsible for my relationship, or a superficial gag resonating with me to the point I began using as a coping mechanism. The fact that a microscopic portion of Portal 2 was able to help me immensely with my anxiety proves how much of a masterpiece it truly is.

...Well, sure. It's also an amazing experience with delectable physics based puzzles and platforming along with a sublime atmosphere. But that cutscene of Wheatley falling from the ceiling? No, that's the actual reason why I have to give it a perfect score.

Reviewed on Nov 21, 2023


1 Comment


5 months ago

That's such a nice little story, and a showing of how game can have such a great impact on us, and even the smallest of moments inspire us to do certain things. Fantastic review :D