This is an excellent Portal fan game. Truly, one of the greats. If you love the Portal series, I'd recommend picking this one up. It does some really interesting things while looking to fill the gaps between Portal 1 and 2. At times, this feels exactly like a Portal game. The comedy, the weird characters, the puzzles. It all fits so well! At other times, it falls just short of what it needs to be.
First, what did I love? I love that it feels like a Portal game. I love that it presents difficult, but not impossible puzzles. I love that it comes up with new mechanics for how to use the pieces that exist in Portal 2. I love the three new characters you get to spend time with, their backgrounds, and evolution as characters.
What didn't I like? Some of the writing falls flat, specifically motivation of one character feels...unearned? It's too bad because I felt the story was very close, a few more moments of dialogue to build out the character and hint at their backstory would have made a big difference. There was also one puzzle that was, honestly, impossible. You have to stand in a specific spot to get the portal to work, going against every other puzzle in the whole game. I really frustrated me and I eventually had to look up the solution (but only to that one puzzle). It also drags a bit at times. Without the story driving it, its just a series of puzzles - sometimes for a reason and sometimes not. Valve was really, really good at walking that line and these creators come close, but don't quite hit it.
In the end, I really enjoyed this playthrough. I enjoyed the new atmosphere, puzzles, characters...all of it really. And if you love the Portal games, I think you'll really like this one. But you won't love it, and that's where my rating falls off a bit.
First, what did I love? I love that it feels like a Portal game. I love that it presents difficult, but not impossible puzzles. I love that it comes up with new mechanics for how to use the pieces that exist in Portal 2. I love the three new characters you get to spend time with, their backgrounds, and evolution as characters.
What didn't I like? Some of the writing falls flat, specifically motivation of one character feels...unearned? It's too bad because I felt the story was very close, a few more moments of dialogue to build out the character and hint at their backstory would have made a big difference. There was also one puzzle that was, honestly, impossible. You have to stand in a specific spot to get the portal to work, going against every other puzzle in the whole game. I really frustrated me and I eventually had to look up the solution (but only to that one puzzle). It also drags a bit at times. Without the story driving it, its just a series of puzzles - sometimes for a reason and sometimes not. Valve was really, really good at walking that line and these creators come close, but don't quite hit it.
In the end, I really enjoyed this playthrough. I enjoyed the new atmosphere, puzzles, characters...all of it really. And if you love the Portal games, I think you'll really like this one. But you won't love it, and that's where my rating falls off a bit.