The concept is simple: you have a gun that can shoot portals on certain surfaces. One portal is blue, one is orange, and if you go in one portal you'll come out the other. And yet, such a simple concept has staggering applications. If you make one portal on the floor and another in the ceiling directly above it, you could fall infinitely. If you place a portal on the ground and one high up on a wall, you could fall through, and your momentum would propel you across the room.
With these basic mechanics, the game Portal offers a small wealth of cleverly-designed puzzles, in which you're a lab specimen trying to reach an exit. You got to exercise some serious brain cells to figure out how to reach certain areas and manipulate the environment in order to get to the next level. Some levels can even prove fatal if you're not careful. The game gets tricky at times (especially since movements are a bit slow and sluggish), but completing each lab test offers an addicting and satisfying rush.
The really fun part about Portal is that it's actually a pretty funny game. As you progress through the levels, you're consistently guided (and later taunted) by the passive-aggressive robot GLaDOS. Some of the stuff she talks about (such a free cake, weighted companion cubes, and weak cover-ups for trying to murder you) are amusing. There are various other nuances too; I love how, in the final boss fight, each of GLaDOS' components ramble on about random stuff. The plot for this game is pretty short and simple, offering very little in character development; it's mostly the experience of playing that counts.
This game is going on six years old; graphics still hold up okay, but aren't quite as impressive as modern-generation games (such as Portal 2, which is far sharper and more detailed). Gameplay is good, but as mentioned above, it feels a bit sluggish, especially compared to the game's sequel. Level designs are ingenious and clever, as are the designs for each of the game's settings and objects. Sound design is good, and the music is great (especially the end-credits song).
Recommended!
4/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Pretty Good | Game: Good)
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