Portal and Portal 2 make me happy.

[burrfoot]

I hadn't played much of anything for about ten years; although I do have to admit to a brief but intense flirtation with Guitar Hero for a few months a couple of years ago.

Then, out of the blue, I run across this little game called Portal. Instant addiction. Fascinating puzzles and the most quirky, entertaining story I've come across in ages.

And in an amazing coincidence, I came across it just a couple of days before Portal 2 came out, so I kind of got to have my cake (!) and eat it too. As it were.

Anyhow. These two little games made my frickin' day, and I just wanted to show them a little love.

Anyone else out there fall head over heels for them as well?


:toast:

[JonLP24]

1. On Gamefly

Portal 2 is the highest rated game by users. Don't know anything about it except there are puzzles. I wonder how a puzzle game is so popular, is it more than that?

I don't know anything about a lot of these games so I stay away from them, missing out on fun game play. It took me 9-10 months on Gamefly to give Fallout 3 a shot and I wasn't disappointed at all. I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on New Vegas and buying it used for $11. I do want to rent it first but if it is anything like 3, it is a great deal.

Anyways, glad you like the game. :)

[burrfoot]

2. It is more than a puzzle game, definitely...

something like a puzzle/shooter hybrid. But the real genius of it all is GLaDOS, one of the best characters ever. If you even think you might be interested, give Portal a shot. It's cheap and it's a pretty short game.

Good times!

[Occulus]

3. "I know we've both said a lot of things you're going to regret."

Portal and Portal 2 are instant classics.

I've been gaming since the days when the Atari 2600 was new and novel. Portal is, perhaps, the closest thing I've ever seen to a "perfect" video game- and I've played a lot of video games. Portal 2 is just as good, but of course some of the 'magic' is lost just because I already knew what portals were all about.

The first time you pick up Portal, though, it's just an amazing experience. The original is fairly short- it's possible to play through it all in one sitting if you've played it before- but that first time through is simply spectacular.

Portal 2 is no less fun, and the co-op mode makes for an interesting challenge for a second player to join in on. Many of the lines are just plain funny, which most games try hard and fail to pull off. But the humor in Portal and Portal 2 is actually funny. I would make certain to play through the single-player portion first, though, as there are spoilers for that in the co-op mode.

Another thing to mention is that, if you get the PC version (or the PS3 version, which I believe includes a copy of the PC game), you gain access to the developer toolset, which allows you to make your own Portal (or Portal 2) maps. Although this is difficult (and I'm understating the case, here; mapping for Portal and Portal 2 is a job), there's just something special about planning out a test chamber, setting everything up just so, and then presenting your own map to your friends for them to solve.

They're both awesome, and very much worth the money.

[lfairban]

7. Until now . . .

. . . I have never had my wife come into my study asking, "What are you laughing at?"

Experienced many :rofl: moments.

[Evoman]

4. Best games ever.

I can't even put into words how amazed I was at the first game. I actually played it at a PC Gaming Cafe for the first time. Basically, a group of us went to the cafe where they had about 50 comps set up...we were all playing multiplayer games. Eventually, I decided to take a break from Counter-strike, and saw this little game called Portal. Started it, and then played it for hours, ignoring pleas to play other games. Once I bought a PS3, I bought the orange box and played it like 3 times. Got portal 2 for my birthday about a month ago and have already played it twice.

I wish I could get my memory erased so it could be fresh once again.

[Occulus]

5. If you have it for the PC

you should try Portal: the Flash Version, reconstructed for.... um.... Portal.

All new puzzles, based on the ones from the Flash web game.

[Ready4Change]

6. I think if it like this:

Portal is like a First Person Shooter game, with the shooting replaced by puzzles. It's all based around a single, simple, game mechanic, and turns out to be far more fun than it has any right to be.

The first Portal game has a very uncluttered feel to it. Just you and the antagonist in the game space. Total game play is a bit short, but more satisfying than many games 2 or 3 times as long. It has a cool, yet intimate feel, and the most oddly charming ending credits I've ever encountered.

About the only thing I can think that some might not like about the original Portal is it's lack of overt gore and sensory overloading effects. (You can die, but it's not the visual gore fest such events are in many other games.) If you have to have that sort of thing in a game to find enjoyment, Portal may not be for you.

Portal 2 is a bit more cluttered than the original. The graphics are updated (not that the original felt low-res at all.) And the world has... changed. Character interaction is more complex, and game play is roughly twice as long. (Although some feel it's still a bit short.) In many ways it's better than the original, in others not as good. In total I think it's puzzles are easier, although they are more complex. (More different types of parts, etc...) It's good, but not as ground breakingly good as the original.

I think both are worth the money and time spent. Even better, the original can probably be had super cheap, and I think it can be had bundled on Steam with Portal 2 for an extra $5 ($55 vs $50?)