Game Review: Portal 2

Portal 2 has been much anticipated throughout the country over these last several weeks.  Last night I finally got the chance to sit down and play it myself.  Here are my initial (spoiler-free) thoughts:

Portal 2 is overall just better than the original.  It's funnier, more challenging, and longer.  Both the graphics and the physics are better than in the original, and the single player storyline is great.  The trusty Portal Gun is still your main mode of transportation in both single player and multiplayer, but new challenges have been added such has mirror cubes and tractor beams.  There are times in single-player where you're required to change your portal's location in mid-air and other fun challenges.  Sometimes the solutions are obvious and easy, but there are other times when you'll have to muddle through every single option until suddenly you realize the answer has been staring you in the face all along.

The single player story is great, giving you more insight into Aperature's history.  GLaDOS is even more insane and the character dialog is even more hilarious than in the original.  You're playing as Chell again, dragged back to Aperature and undergoing more testing by the not-dead-or-destroyed GLaDOS.  The facility is quite worse for the wear, however.  The attention to detail in the game is amazing, and the graphics are truly a delight for the eyes.

For me, though, the best part about Portal 2 is the multiplayer, where you and your partner work together through testing challenges.  Portal 2 introduced a gesture system of communication for those who prefer not to use voice chat.  While GLaDOS insists it's not a competition, in her own sadistic way she still tries to pit you and your partner against each other.  Players earn "collaboration" points for figuring things out, and GLaDOS constantly hints that one of you is doing "better" than the other.  She also takes great pleasure when one of you is accidentally destroyed by the other, handing out bonus points for extra cruelty.  With 2 portal entrances and exits in play the multiplayer mode can get especially tricky, but it is super fun to have your partner falling in an endless loop and then suddenly change the portal location to have them rocket off at an angle to land on a seemingly unreachable platform.

To wrap it up - Portal 2 is awesome, and in every way better than the already great original.  The single player story is more in depth and the multiplayer is sure to keep you coming back for more.

Score: 9.5/10

*Disclaimer: I have not been paid by Valve or any other entity for this review.