Thinking with portals... again! Game review

It is late April, and many have already tried the new game from Valve. In general, one word could have sufficed to review it, but I think it’s worth expanding on my thoughts.

Well here we are again...

First of all, it’s customary to talk about the plot. To my surprise, it turned out to be utterly insane. I think no one expected such plot twists. At the very beginning, we get the opportunity to explore the chambers we went through in the first part. They are overgrown with vegetation, there are debris everywhere, and at the end of each chamber, old recordings are played, apparently pre-recorded in case something happened to Aperture. By the way, it's a very interesting move: to immerse the player in the atmosphere of thinking with portals, to teach them to use them, and at the same time to place the same chambers as in Portal 1 for fans to feel a bit nostalgic. That’s nice. Later, Wheatley – our very first acquaintance – tries to pull us out from the labs. But due to his foolishness, we wake up GLaDOS. After a whole century, the best Artificial Intelligence awakens, and the puzzles begin. GLaDOS, although not intending to kill us, does not become benevolent. She still has the same sarcasm (even better) and wicked jokes that border on insults.

If we conditionally divide the game into three parts, then from chapter 6 begins part 2 - Behind the Scenes. This is the longest, most challenging, and at the same time, the most informative part. We enter one of the first labs of Aperture. The story, the first chambers, the founder of the complex: we learn, hear, and see everything. The earliest date I noticed was 1952. Apparently, this is the year Aperture was founded. At the helm was Cave Johnson - a rather strange man, full of ambition. But... Can geniuses ever be ordinary?

The underground world, specifically chapters 6-7, reminded me of Bioshock. Little-known places, separated from the ordinary world, with their own laws and actions. In any case, showcasing Aperture’s history was a successful move for the game. It's like going back to the past: taking tests that were taken a hundred or one and a half years before you. The only thing missing is ghosts like in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Just kidding, just kidding.

A few words about the puzzles and their design

The puzzles are mostly not that complicated. There aren’t moments where you need to think for half an hour… almost. :D But the new possibilities for completing levels just boggle the mind. The new gels - interesting, engaging, but their use in one or another level gives more of a cognitive load. Besides the gels, there are bridges, new cubes, panels, but in my opinion, the air tunnels are the most unique part of the new possibilities. Traveling from one part of the map to another is pure enjoyment. Everything is beautifully designed. No complaints. Contrast, color, soul – win.

Music

The musical component of the game also deserves special attention. The compositions are mesmerizing, fitting perfectly into the atmosphere of the puzzles. There are plenty of nice little details in the game. For example, jumping from the faith plate activates fast music, raises its volume, and the effect of flying becomes truly unusual. Here’s another example: when entering an air tunnel, external noise is simply drowned out by the sound inside the sphere. You feel like you're in another world.

Of course, we can’t overlook the two songs. They are the most important in the game - 'Want You Gone' and The Nationals - Exile Vilify. The first is the final song performed by GLaDOS. The tradition of the first part is upheld, which is delightful. Oh, how magnificent this song is. The debates, I think, will continue forever about which of the final songs is cooler.

The second song appears in the game as a not very obvious secret; it can only be heard if you find a receiver. But personally, I really liked it, and while writing this post, I’m just listening to it.

Regarding the voice acting, it’s perfect here. Although there aren’t many voices, it's immediately clear that Valve took it very seriously and did everything to bring it to perfection. Intonation, sarcasm, anger, disappointment - all can be understood through the voices. Moreover, the localization didn’t let down either; there’s no feeling of nausea, on the contrary, it feels good. Great job, Bucha.

Team work

The second half of the game is Cooperative. An online game with two robot heroes. In cooperative mode, there are 5 campaigns with 6-9 chambers in each. The puzzles are a bit more difficult, as thinking with four portals is required.

The first four campaigns have no plot. Just GLaDOS’s comments with complaints that we are starting to exhibit human traits and frequent attempts to sow discord between the two good robots.

The fifth campaign does have a storyline. Players need to open a sanctuary to meet the people. The ending is again impressive.

It’s best to play while talking over Skype, because without conversation, you won't argue or laugh, and fighting and having fun in Cooperative leaves a good aftertaste in memories. This is Portal 2 after all.

There are also gestures, like hugging your partner, giving a "high five," or dancing a robot dance.

For the robots, there is a shop, which has caused a bit of a stir. Personally, I don’t think the shop is that bad, and the flag from Bucha is very cute. Let Valve earn money; for them, it’s not a sin, and we get free DLC from them in the future.

Conclusion

Hardly anyone is left dissatisfied. Otherwise, I simply don’t understand them and will not agree with their opinion no matter what. You can’t help but love this game. It turned out to be much higher than expectations. There are no similar games now that truly make you think, dig into the gameplay so deeply, and be amazed almost every second at the brilliance of the game. Portal was the only one of its kind; the second part continued its originality. We confirmed that Valve didn’t lie and delivered their best game to their fans. For which they deserve a huge thank you.