Released on October 10th, 2007, Portal was just a small added-on game to what is one of the greatest deals to be found in gaming, known as the Orange Box, the likes of which included Half-Life 2, it's episodic expansions, Team Fortress 2, and as mentioned above, Portal. Little did anyone know that this small, experimental first-person puzzle adventure would blow everyone's expectations out of the water in being one of the most innovative and compelling masterpieces to grace the medium of gaming. Built around the simple concept of a gun that creates two colored portals at any one time to travel between, Portal challenges players to expand their way of thinking and creatively use the laws of physics to solve puzzles and navigate these peculiar testing facilities.
From the very start of this game, you can tell every design choice is a carefully considered decision. Players start in a confined chamber with two ticking countdown timers to draw their interest, which at their conclusion open two portals positioned in such a way that players can see themselves exit the chamber, perfectly demonstrating the impossible realities made capable by portals. The game then slowly introduces its mechanics in measured, controlled manners, restraining the player to use of creating one portal so as to learn the basics of switches, spacial reasoning, and momentum and such. Thus once the player is presented with the ability to control both portals at will, the puzzles can give room for more intricate challenges and greater player creativity. For those who decide to go back and take on the added challenges of speed runs or fewest portals, it is astonishing to discover alternate solutions to what had been thought as considerably more intricate puzzles solved in as few as sometimes just two quick portals thanks to a fresh perspective and clever new means of thinking.
 |
| Infinitely chasing yourself never stops to inspire wonder and delight. |
While the gameplay is utterly awe-inspiring, it's the unison of rich storytelling through comical dialog and nuanced world-building that make this game rise up to cult phenomenon. An overseeing robot by the name of GLaDOS provides witty and cynical commentary while players progress through the many test chambers of this mysterious facility. As players press forward on the promises of cake and praise, questions raise as players find signs of previous participants, breaking the very fabrics of test chambers in search of escape and writing words of warning along the walls. Without spoiling too much for those few who have yet to experience this outstanding paradigm of a game, the narrative expertly subverts expectations to deliver an engaging sort of two-act performance that is sure to leave a lasting and memorable impression. And one of the best ending credit songs ever created.
Four years later, players were treated with more portal hopping fun with the sequel of Portal 2. This follow-up offered a considerably longer adventure with more clever mechanics and a more direct approach on narrative dialog / storytelling. While the writing is quite humorous and enjoyable, I tend to prefer the more subtle approach and refined pacing of the original. Although JK Simmons as Cave Johnson is one of the most entertaining characters ever to listen to. One unique aspect of the sequel though that really stands out is the addition of a cooperative mode. Making use of four portals between two players, the puzzles are quite expertly designed that really require the precise collaboration between both players. Be it whatever number of players or portals being deployed, Portal stands as a crowning achievement what a game can accomplish when a novel idea is fully explored and crafted into a polished package. The cake is not a lie here.
 |
| The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube cannot speak. In the event that the Weighted Companion Cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice. |
No comments:
Post a Comment