Portal

From TheAlmightyGuru
Revision as of 10:18, 9 July 2019 by TheAlmightyGuru (talk | contribs) (Good)
Jump to: navigation, search
Windows box.

Portal is a first-person shooter puzzle 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 was 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 mind if you're killed in the testing process! Various clues from the game show that it takes place in the Half-Life universe.

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!

Status

I own Portal on Steam and have beaten it as well as the expert levels and got 9/15 achievements.

Review

  • Overall: 9/10
  • 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 great song by Jonathan Coulton.

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 box 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

Graphics

Fan Art

Videos

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  Link-TCRF.png