Sunday, June 8, 2014

Video Review: Portal 2

Posted by: Joseph Garrett April 28, 2011 in Valve 10 Comments

I believe that in life, things are better late than never. So while silly British postmen’s inability to get me Portal 2 when it was released, means this video is very late, hopefully it may still be of some use. This is Joshua’s written review bought to life with voiceover and HD gameplay footage.

Due to the fact that me and my fellow Britshy’s get our games several days after the US, it is easier for Joshua to write the review first, so it’s posted sooner. I can then develop his review into a video review, so they will be available in both formats.

One last brief warning, this video contains potential spoilers. No big reveals are shown, but if you want to experience everything in-game, then I recommend reading the written review instead here

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About Joseph Garrett

  • Sole Survivor

    This review just made my day. I’m tired of the PSN news overkill. Thanks, Joseph!

  • nick

    i love the opening of this game, just the tutorial and trip across the facility is so funny!
    the first half of the game is way better then the 2nd half.
    once you get half way through from there on its no where near as fun.
    i think i did not enjoy this as much as the original for the same reason that i did not enjoy LBP2 as much as the original.
    in the original it was you, your skills getting you to the finishline.
    but now its not, your not jumping, using gravity for momentum, your using tools, be it the gell, the tractor beam, the spring boards.
    LBP2 was the same, your not getting yourself from a to b, your hopping on a elephant, or grabbing a jetpack and thats getting you from a to b.
    dont get me wrong, its still a fantastic game!
    but the added tools, cost the game its soul, its purpose, and that really spoilled the gameplay for me.
    i think the openess did too, i found myself enjoying the first half of the game allot more then the 2nd half.
    the puzzles are far too repetetive too, there basically broken up into each part.
    first they introduce you to a new tool.
    then they advance it, and a little more, and a little more.
    rinse and repeat till you have used everything, then its a mash up of everything you have used.
    its far too repetetive, they needed to mix it up a little instead of in these 5 puzzles you use a laser, in these 5 you use a tractor beam, and in these 5 you use the gel.
    i miss the platforming of the game, the original had almost every puzzel solved by using gravity at one part.
    almost every level required you to jump, then fire a portal to propell you across the room.
    that was the best part about the original!
    so they went and almost removed it from the sequel!
    what the?
    portal 2s still a freaking awesome game, but it feels like they have taken out half of the awesome stuff out and filled it with less awesome and beyond the point stuff.
    its like taking a bottle of purified water then tipping half of it out and re filling it with tap water.
    still a great game, but no where near as good as the original!
    if they kept portal 2 exactly the same as the original, no new tools, just you and the portal gun, with portal 2s story, id be a much better game!
    as my old school teacher would say, close but no cigar.

  • Joseph Garrett

    @ Nick I agree if some of points, it did get a bit repetitive and formulaic in the second half, but I think they did need to add the tools. I think that 7 hours of just using momentum would get boring, there is only so much you can do with it. And we already had 3 hours of that in the first game.

    I am also a big fan of the original, it was so fresh and really took you by surprise. It must have been a hard act to follow, but I think Valve would have been heavily criticised if they just gave us more of the same. They have fleshed out the story and characters to create a full game world (all be it inside the halflife game world) to make everything more than the novelty it was in the original.

  • http://www.gamesthirst.com Ernice Gilbert

    You guys will be surprised when I say I haven’t purchased the game. I’ve had no time! *cries*

  • Joseph Garrett

    @ Ernice Shame on you! It is something special.

  • http://www.gamesthirst.com Ernice Gilbert

    I know! LOL! Shame on me indeed. I’ll get it though. I promise I will haha!

  • nick

    absolutely valve would of been mauled if they left it the way the original was, but as the saying goes if it aint broke don’t fix it!
    we have so few platformers left today, and now i have to see 2 of the best (LBP and portal) turn into gadgets instead of platformers?
    thats what made the original feel so special, thats why i hated LBP2.
    valve most certainly made the right decision, but i wish they didn’t, i wish they kept 2 like the original.

  • Dean Kent

    Another great piece joseph!!

    i too havn’t purchased portal 2, mainly due to the fact that i have at least 8 games i havn’t finished yet.

    but i did manage to finish the campaign on Homefront and Killzone 3 ……….so the downed PSN isn,t all bad.

  • http://www.gamesthirst.com Ernice Gilbert

    Haha. It still isn’t that bad indeed. It also allows for much needed catching up with “other” curricular activities…lol

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