Portal 2 Review

[Nautical Honors Society]

Portal 2. Could it live up to besting the original? Here's a question: Can anybody name a movie series in which the second installment was better than the first?

Terminator, Godfather, Back to the Future, Spider-Man, the rebooted Batman series, X-Men, Superman, Toy Story, Disneys Amigos, Shrek, Friday the 13th, Star Trek, Star Wars, the Alien series, James Bond.......

You were correct until you said Toy Story and Shrek.

Toy Story One is too much of a classic to be overshadowed by anything and Shrek 2 was really bad.

OT: Portal 2 can't be the phenomenon portal 1 was but it can still be a good game on its own merit.

 

[z3rostr1fe]

I still felt that it was really sorta short... I dunno why... Maybe i'm just expecting a 60-hour playing time or something... :/

FYI: It took me about 10 hours to complete it.

 

[Halo Fanboy]

The levels just plain aren't as challenging, but the new toys and characters manage to distract enough from the cracks in the paint to keep the whole ride breezing along. It astounds in some ways and disappoints in others, which, while not perfect, is good enough for science.

Considering how easy the first Portal was, this is pretty sad news.

 

[restoshammyman]

Someone tell me why they reviewed the Xbox version when it's the PS3 version that gets the steam and cross-platform features.

your not even half way through

 

[GameMaNiAC]

Can't wait to play it! SCIENCE!

 

[restoshammyman]

the dude thats at the mantis men area. not even half way through

 

[Buleet]

I really dont agree with the review.
The puzzels were a LOT more challenging for me then the first portal and the number thing that annoyed me is that valve DOES explain why you are in a new room.The comic.You even find ratmans "mural" very early on.so it isn't "retconned".

Still its your opinion.

 

[Wuggy]

The levels just plain aren't as challenging, but the new toys and characters manage to distract enough from the cracks in the paint to keep the whole ride breezing along. It astounds in some ways and disappoints in others, which, while not perfect, is good enough for science.

Considering how easy the first Portal was, this is pretty sad news.

And it's also not true. They are somewhat equal on the difficulty scale, but they're more complex. The learning curve to simple to complex is longer though since game is longer. So you might get a feeling that there's way more easy puzzles, which in it's own part is true but there's also way more of the harder puzzles.

 

[DustyDrB]

whats with the "SCIENCE!" thing?

Dr. Insano, most likely. He helped turn SCIENCE! into a meme.

Let's not forget about Thomas Dolby.

You win the thread.

 

[standokan]

Honestly, the SCIENCE thing didn't get old

 

[drakythe]

Personally I'm waiting for the speed-runner backlash, since this one will not be as easy to speed run through. Took me about 8 hours the first time (on the PS3) and I could see cutting that down, but because some of the puzzles require some slow timing mechanics, I don't see P2 as having a speed run culture that bloomed around the original. Maybe thats just me though.

And while I did enjoy the game, it felt thin after 8 hours. I was ready for it to be over, I really just wanted the story resolution.

 

[General Vengeance]

First game that popped into my head after seeing this was Minecraft.

 

[Falseprophet]

When Portal was released, it wasn't made specifically by the Valve guys, but just some college students (or something like that, if I recall). Valve merely dressed it up and shipped it out. I think that's why I've often heard it regarded as an "pseudo-Indie" sequel.

It's more like, Valve liked the indie game Narbacular Drop and basically hired those guys to make it better, bringing in great writers as well. It's like how Robert Rodriguez made El Mariachi on his own for peanuts, then Columbia gave him a few million to make Desperado, which is technically a sequel, but more like how Rodriguez would have made Mariachi in the first place if he had the money.

And frankly, just like Extra Credits said the game industry needs more of this: the big studios should find more talented indie guys, throw some money at them (but not enough to make the shareholders nervous) and let them work on riskier ideas than the usual safe AAA formulas. Original Portal is proof of concept.

whats with the "SCIENCE!" thing?

Dr. Insano, most likely. He helped turn SCIENCE! into a meme.

Let's not forget about Thomas Dolby.

Russ deafened me, with SCIENCE!

 

[BOBdotEXE]

this review is wayyyy beter than ign's;
not in rating, but detail.

 

[D_987]

I can't say I agree with the difficulty comment that a few people seem worried by, the puzzles in this game are much more complex and difficult than in the first game.

 

[Lord Doom]

The reviewer in the video voice sounded like he really hated the game.

 

[CommanderKirov]

The tunnel was introduced with act three.

 

[wolfchylde]

Okay I'm still somewhere in Act1 and I have to say that the puzzles are NOT easier by any stretch, SOME puzzles will be a breeze for players of the original, but some require you to actually THINK before you start flying through the rooms.

I like games that make me think.

 

[Aprilgold]

Guys, the puzzles are sightlier easier, but there are a few toughies that almost match up to the original games difficulty later throughout the chapter.
Also, the final boss is WAY more fun then it was the first time around, total, get this game if you loved portal or want to be introduced to something new.

 

[Sartan0]

I am picking this up on steam. I kinda knew I would be anyway. At least I am sure to be done with it before the Witcher 2 comes out and it should be a good time. Sadly my wife hates steam for losing her Plants vs. Zombie save games so many times so I will have to find someone else to play co-op with.

For those complaining about how long it is: If the whole time you are playing it you are 300% more entertained then a game that can be played out in three times the length I think you are even on that one. If not a bit ahead due to awesome moments. But hey, how much fun you get per hour is very subjective. I hope to be entertained more over the shorter time of the game. If Valve got that right I will sing their praises.