Portal is an entirely new type of brain-teaser. Not much attention has been given to this little bonus game in The Orange Box, perhaps mainly because most of the attention was centered on the Half-Life series and Team Fortress. At first glance, I assumed this would be your average puzzle game that Valve decided to put their own spin on, but I am glad to be proven wrong.
In fact, Portal is anything but your average, run-of-the-mill puzzle game. Using a unique gun, similar to Half-Life 2’s gravity gun, your weapon of choice has the ability to create up to two different portals. Imagine that! The concept is relatively simple as you wander level to level, but it does take a bit of getting used to. You use the portals to help you solve the various puzzles, many of which are more challenging then they seem, and advance to the next level. The first few levels are a breeze, but don’t worry, they do progress to more challenging puzzles, forcing you to actually think. I’m sure that may be a challenge within itself for many, but Portal does a fine job of creating a fun way to solve problems.
The challenge is refreshing, in the sense that they require some serious thought, but never too much that it seems impossible to figure out. Once you advance to the more difficult puzzles, you may even feel a bit ridiculous when you discover the answer is so simple, yet you’ve spent time using the most complicated methods of solving them.
"Portal is an entirely new type of brain-teaser."
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There isn’t a great deal of storyline involved here, which is nice in the sense that it keeps the game simple and focused around moving forward without expecting too much. You start off as some sort of test subject for Aperture Science Laboratories, and like the little lab rat you are, each level you must solve represents your ’testing’ for their research. Of course, not having much of a storyline can be a downside as well, in the sense it can leave us aching for more about what’s really going on. Could that be intentional? Maybe.
Aside from that, this game is truly hilarious. Throughout your progress a voice stirs over the intercom to give you friendly warnings, help you out, add clever and humorous comments, and above all promising that cake will be served immediately after you complete your testing. Never in my life have I wanted to complete a game so desperately, just to chow down on some virtual dessert. In fact, if it weren’t for the funny aspects to Portal, I’d probably have wasted enough money on broken controllers when the levels began to outwit me.
Graphically, Portal is very clean and well designed overall. The graphics could probably be just a little bit better when it comes to some of the textures, but really, I’m not complaining too much about it. The level design is unique, crisp, and simple. It has a bit of a futuristic feel to it, which is a fitting look to the style of the game. As for the sound, really, it is fantastic. The voices of the various characters are incredible as they spit out more of those clever little comments, many of which you will find stuck in your head for days to come.
"Graphically, Portal is very clean and well designed overall."
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Overall, Portal is a unique and innovative twist in the highlight of the latest puzzle games, given its overall style and your ability to manipulate the game’s environment. I cannot describe how refreshing it is to have something new in the market, especially when many producers struggle to reinvent that wheel. It’s nice to kick back and enjoy something simple once and a while that doesn’t really ask much of you. In my book, this game is wonderful, and it’s great fun for just about anyone who can pick up a controller and give it a shot. Even if it wasn’t included in The Orange Box, Portal is definitely a game I would buy solo. Having it included just makes it all the more worthwhile. Let’s see some more games like this Valve!
Oh, and for the record, the cake is a lie.
