Portal

Portal

Windows - USA - 1st edition.

Developer Valve Publisher Valve Published 2007-10-10 Platforms Android, Linux, Macintosh, Windows Genres Active puzzle, Comedy puzzle, First-person shooter, Physics, Puzzle, Shooter Themes Artificial intelligence, Comedy, Science fiction, Suspense Series Half-Life, Portal Distribution Commercial

Portal is a first-person shooter puzzle video game developed and published by Valve for Windows on 2007-10-10 in the Orange Box. It was distributed solo and then ported to Macintosh, Linux, and Android. The game is the first in the Portal series, followed up four years later with a sequel, Portal 2.

In the game, you control Chell, a test subject at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center who is being monitored as she performs various logic puzzles involving a new technology using portal teleportation. As you progress, the puzzles become more difficult, but it also becomes clear that the people testing you don't seem to mind if you get killed in the testing process! Various clues from the game show that it takes place in the Half-Life universe.

Personal

Own?	Yes. On Steam.
Won?	Yes. Main game and expert levels. 9/15 achievements.
Finished	2011-03-14.

I had heard about Portal shortly after it became popular, but I wasn't that interested in the game because I assumed it was one of those puzzle games that starts interesting, but quickly becomes tedious because the puzzles exist in a vacuum. Even after a couple friends suggested it, I didn't bother. I don't remember when I got it, or if it was a gift or I bought it, but I played it and very quickly fell in love with it!

Review

10	9	7	6	8

Best Version: Windows

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

• The game's art style is really great.
• It's very challenging without ever becoming obnoxious. Though a lot of the puzzles seem impossible at first glance, when you methodically pull them apart, they become solvable.
• GLaDOS is a wonderful character; hilarious and oh so intimidating.
• The game's voice acting is great.
• The twist is quite shocking and really makes the story interesting.
• The turrets are very creepy.
• I like the addition of the expert levels.
• The designer's commentary is a wonderful addition.
• The hidden caches of Rattman really add to the ambiance of the game.
• The ending is pretty sweet, with a fantastic song, Still Alive.

Bad

• The test chambers are very dull. Only a few textures are used and then repeated for most of the game.

Ugly

• Nothing.

Media

Box Art

All regions use this art. Although I like how the artist modified typical signage to be about portals, it doesn't really convey what the game is about. Still, it's striking enough to cause people to want to pick it up and see what it's about.

• 

Documentation

• 

  Prima Orange Box Guide.

Graphics

• textures-resource.com/pc_computer/portal - Textures.

Screenshots

• 

  GLaDOS.

Fan Art

• 

  Turret poster.

• 

  Fan art by Joey Spiotto.

• 

  Quote.

Representation

Strong female character?	Pass	Chell and GLaDOS are both strong characters.
Bechdel test?	Fail	No females ever speak to each other.
Strong person of color character?	Pass	Although her race isn't described, Chell's facial model has a Brazilian-American father and a Japanese mother.
Queer character?	Fail	There are no queer characters.

Videos

Postmortem.

Leadhead - Cracks in the system.

Interesting facts about the Portal series.

Physics of moving portals.

Physics of long-fall boots.

Boundery Break.

Speedrun progression.

Longplay.

Links