Portal 2 Review PS3

The first Portal hit us all like a bolt from the blue. Hidden away in Valve’s Orange Box along with classics like Half Life 2 and Team Fortress 2, many considered it to be something of an afterthought; a gimmicky puzzle game thrown in amongst heavyweight game franchises. However, the game surprised us all and it’s challenging puzzles, witty humour and cake related lies had us all wanting more.

Fast forward 4 long years and Valve has finally rewarded us with a sequel. Portal 2 has all the qualities that made its predecessor so loved and then some. Fans of the original will not be disappointed.

Story:

The storyline of Portal 2 picks up from where the original left off, putting you back in the shoes of its silent female protagonist Chell. Although it is not necessary to have played the original in order to enjoy this game, it certainly does help. Along with Glados, you will encounter Wheately (voiced by Stephen Merchant), a dim witted robot who acts as a tutorial at the start of the game and makes for hilarious company. While the first Portal could get lonely at times with only the murderous Glados around for company, having Wheately around helps negate that feeling of isolation.

Stephen Merchant aka Wheately aka Mr. Awesome

The storyline is fantastic and one of Portal 2’s main strengths. You find yourself motivated to finish each level just so you can see what happens next. Full credit to Valve’s writing team for coming up with an infectious, witty script. Humour is a very important element in Portal and this game is funny, very funny. This isn’t cheesy, sit-com style humour either; it is witty, devilishly funny banter which any screenwriter would be proud of.

Gameplay:

The basic gameplay mechanics of Portal 2 remain the same. For those of you who have not played the original (I feel pity and disdain towards you), Portal is an unusual first person shooter that involves you using your portal gun to solve puzzles and navigate your way through the huge Aperture Science Facility. That’s it. There are no other weapons, no blood and gore and no shooting people. Your brain is your only weapon here. While this may sound boring to some ("where's the people to shoot bro?"), there’s enough variety and new elements introduced in each area to keep things interesting throughout the game. While the first Portal took place almost entirely in test chambers, this time around the game offers you more freedom with the chance to properly explore the facility outside of the monotony of the test chambers.

In one end, out the other.

Your portal gun can fire blue and orange portals on clear surfaces. You enter through one, and exit through the other. Sounds simple enough right? Wrong. Portal 2 is not an easy game. Valve take this simple premise and throw in things like turrets, light bridges and energy beams to create some mind bending challenges. Each level is constructed flawlessly with just the right balance between challenging and fun. Often enough, after hours of mulling around, you will find the solution is staring you in the face. Solving a particularly difficult puzzle brings about a unique sense of achievement and satisfaction not many games can replicate. 

O.M.G. Light bridges!

The physics engine used here is the same as the one used in Half Life 2 and is crucial to the game being enjoyable. Just experimenting with the results of throwing various objects/yourself through creatively placed portals with varying degrees of momentum is fun in itself.

Physics rules in Portal 2

The only real negative with the single player campaign is its length. Despite being longer than its notoriously short predecessor, Portal 2 still only offers 8-10 hours of game time with no replay value. Therefore if the co-op mode is of no interest to you, you have every right to feel short changed.

This makes the addition of co-op mode all the more important and, luckily, it is a great new addition to Portal 2. Only available once you pass the single player campaign, the mode seamlessly continues on from where the story left off, offering online and offline play. Playing with two people means 4 portals, which opens up several new, fantastic game play mechanics. It is a pleasant surprise how fresh and unique the mode feels, providing a completely different experience than that of the single player campaign. Portal 2’s co-op mode is BETTER than the single player campaign. Just hope you have a like minded friend to play it with as playing with potentially dim witted strangers online isn’t very enjoyable (and you will need voice chat).

Co-op robots. BFFs

Another negative worth discussing is the frequent loading times. After solving every puzzle area, you are subjected to a loading screen. Seeing the loading screen every 20 minutes shatters any feeling of immersion you have in the game and is inexcusable in today’s day and age of high powered consoles.

Graphics and Sound:

Visually, Portal 2 is average. Compared with other titles on the PS3 this will end up looking old and dated. But who cares? This is the sort of game where graphics don't matter. The level design, physics engine, frame rate and draw distance, all much more important to the game, are excellent. If you are more concerned about high definition eye candy, Portal 2 is not the game for you. 

Chell vs Glados. Round 2. FIGHT!

The sound in the game is top notch. The voice acting steals the show and helps set the tone for the game. The rest of the sound effects are minimalistic and work well. The fast paced musical score is used sparingly and works well to pump things up and inject a sense of urgency when needed.

Final Comments:

Portal 2 is a worthy addition to any gamers’ collection. This is a sequel just as unique, clever and challenging as the original. The single player campaign’s shorter than average length and irritating load times are a bit of a letdown, but the positives easily overshadow those negatives. The challenging gameplay, excellent storyline, top notch voice acting and innovative co-op mode all come together to provide a hilarious, unforgettable gaming experience. In an age dominated by action filled first person shooters it is refreshing to see Valve have faith in the intelligence of its audience with something so unique, challenging and rewarding. Play NOW!

Score: 9/10