... you monster.

Before I write this, let me clearly identify that I'm going into it with a pretty strong bias.  I'm a huge fan of Valve - their games are top notch, I love the way they approach story, and I envy the evolving, always changing, nature of how their company was created.  That's not to say I've personally liked everything they've ever made, but at the end of the day, its hard for me to deny that anything they made was shoddy.

Portal 2 had some pretty big shoes to fill overall, and for the most part, I think they filled them, just not in the way that some gamers might expect. Those of you that haven't played the first Portal... leave.  I can't talk to you. This breakdown also won't make much sense - its next to impossible to talk about Portal 2 without comparing it to the first.

Side note:

For those of you that don't know Portal 1, like many of Valve's titles, originated as a mod of another Valve title.  This is kinda Valve's MO... make a game, allow other gamers to use it do do something else, and if it gets good, flush it out a little bit further.  Its almost like saying, "we think this is good, but we might be a little bit off... What do you think?"  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  Portal, definitely worked.  Long story short, a couple of geeks used HL2 to make a computer science project and portal came out of it.  Valve, who was working on Episode 2 around the same time, loved it and adapted it into a full game and structured it loosely into the Half Life universe.  They even referenced it in Episode 2, so I would expect to see more of Aperture Science in HL3/Episode 3 (Whenever that comes out...)

- Story - 

Being a full release that didn't immediately originate as a mod, Portal 2 has a complete story.  It introduces characters in a dramatic format, and those characters grow and develop as the game continues.  It's really well done... I just don't know if I prefer it that way.  Portal 1 threw you into a crazy isolated place with no other guidance than an "encouraging", ominous, computer woman.  Glados was barely a character in the first one... she had a one track mind, a simple approach, and nothing but creepy things to say.  Portal 2 lets her off the rails a little bit, and it definitely takes some time to get used to.  Overall, I like Glados in 2... she may feel more approachable, but amidst Portal 2's overall storyline, I would consider her a success.

A bigger "issue" I had was having the presence of other characters.  Valve is pretty much the pioneer for the silent protagonist, and Portal 1 followed suit, but it made sense - I was alone, why would my character talk? Portal 2 has a couple of different characters, some that ask direct questions.  Albeit, those moments can be pretty funny ("say apple..."), but those moments really remind they player that they're playing a game.  The characters they introduced were well done, but it was hard to feel like I wanted them there.  The first game was so immersive and isolated that any inclusion of new characters felt forced.

I thought the ending was pretty epic too.  For the sake of spoilers, I won't address it here specifically, but I thought it was a very clever choice, but well planned choice.

- Puzzles - 

My favorite thing about Portal's puzzles is the overall simplicity of the premise.  I can't count how many times I've been stuck, or slowed down, and looked around... "How am I going to - oh yeah, I have a portal gun."

Portal 2 introduces some new elements in the mix as it structures it's puzzles.  Different gels that can be spread over surfaces change the way the player interacts with their environment.  Funnels allow the player to suspend and move things mid air.  Springboards launch the player across the map at high velocities without needing to create momentum.  All of these things freshen up the puzzles because they require the player to think differently than they did before.

It does make them feel easier though.  Often times, I instantly knew the solution to a puzzle, and the only thing I had to do was figure out how I need to put those tools into place.  There definitely is a real steady learning curve to them all, easing you into the next one and introducing the new elements with deliberation.  New elements aside, I'm gonna have to give the credit to Portal 1 in this category.   "Breaking out" of Aperture was a much better way to introduce more gameplay without forcing it down the player's throat. It allowed the player do more unique things with the portal gun, but made the player learn how to do it.  A much greater "challenge" overall.

Something I really liked about Portal 2's design was the simplicity of placing portals.  This probably contributed to the "ease" as well, but it's so much smoother.  I forget where I read/watched it, but someone from Valve talked about what made Portal a challenge in the first place.  Most folks didn't struggle with finding the solution, but actually getting the mechanics too cooperate.  You can see it in the portal placement...  the game sort of "predicts" what you'll want to be doing after you place your portals, and automatically determines which way is "up" if you were to jump through.  They tightened up the "flip" that happens if you happen to come out of a portal upside down.  They wanted Portals difficulty in finding the solutions, not struggling to reach them.

 - Extras - 

Coop is the bomb.  I haven't quite finished it yet, but the puzzles are pretty great.  The coop puzzles are definitely more challenging than the single player, but that's mostly because you need someone else to succeed.  I definitely don't like the story in the coop though... it's very heavy handed, and Glados treats the robots differently than she does the humans. Maybe it'll make more sense in the end, but right now it just feels kinda forced.

I love the song at the end of the game.  Not quite as good as "still alive", but a great follow-up, and a pretty good conclusion to the experience.

- Verdict - 

I definitely got my money out of Portal 2.  I will definitely be playing through it again (here's hoping for challenge rooms like in the first, or maybe other dlc updates).  I think one of the reasons I love Portal so much is much of why I like Myst.  I'm so jealous of the world that exists... I want to be a part of it.  How awesome would it be to have a portal gun?  It's all very childish, but I'm so attracted to the concepts that they've created, I like playing it because it allows me to be a part of it.  I think that's something I really like about gaming, and Portal scratches my itch.

It would be silly for me to recommend this game to everyone though.  Portal 1 players should give it a play through at least, but even then, consider the buy.  It's shorter than most other single player experiences, and there are little to no gameplay based reasons to play through again - achievements and enjoyment are all that's there.  The story can be hit or miss too... it caters to those who love the half life universe, and those who just enjoyed the first for it's "creepy" vibe, but the characters do come off as very forced.  Just approach with caution.

Understood by it's own merit and gameplay, Portal 2 is a huge success, but it's impossible to play and analyze without the context of the first game.  Compared to that, Portal 2 is a little bit disappointing.  It's hardly a bad experience, but it just can't compare to the joy and hilarity that the first one created.