Portal Review

Portal?
Well During Sixth form I had a very good friend who is an avid PC gamer. As you would expect we often talked about games but one that always came up was Portal. As bad as it sounds I had never heard of it before meeting her. All the times she told me about cake jokes and GLaDOS's evil humor I was completely stumped. I tried to research into it but I didn't truly understand the depths of it until now. So now with a computer powerful enough to run it and a shiny new steam account I bought the portal bundle and the fun began.

Portal Puzzle Play
Nice clean room, little radio playing music and a timer lingering over the door.
"Welcome to the aperture science, computer aided enrichment center" the feminine electronic voice began, and continued explaining details of the facility, and then an ominous warning and the voice glitches out. And so the tests began, moving to the first room, a simple cube fell from its hanger, I picked it up and placed it on the button. The door opened and I enter the elevator and the test proceeded.

The next room has the same decor of light grey tiles walls and floors and glass paneling. Now the challenges stepped up. I have to reach the cube to place on a button by going through portal holes one of which switches locations in a timely fashion to allow you to reach different locations in the room. With a little patience and timing the task is quickly completed. The voice returns making a humorous remark, and you enter the elevator again for your next test. The seemingly simple game mechanic begins, with each elevator journey bringing a more difficult puzzle to complete.

But I got rewarded well I received my portal gun and given a little more freedom, eventually to the point that you can create both the orange and blue portals at your choosing instead of having the orange one in a fixed location. The challenges continue from here on in. Its odd even with the portal gun at times I forget that I have it and that it makes life so much easier, but when I can't use it and I have to do the old fashioned way of jumping it almost feels abnormal. It was so easy to get into the habit of just doing things one way that when things changed it was like a revelation all over again.

 Death is now common place. The game doesn't have a health bar but instant death is very easy to achieve. Falling into toxic water, or being hit by lazer orbs occurs more often than I'd like. I didn't give up though. With each death I'm one step closer to understanding how to complete the level. But its the same as all games right? Why is it so much more fun. The voice becomes more and more pessimistic as time goes on and I take pride in proving her wrong and reaching the next stage. It becomes me and the test and not much else matters. My only companionship is the lovely sarcastic and snide voice, and a certain object at one point in the game. The lack of any other humans interactions is odd but makes you love the intercom lady so so much.

I begin to get immersed in the tests, but at the back of my mind the thought of "why are they testing me?" and  "Wheres this cake you keep promising as my reward?" I began to explore and in little corners darker areas, completely contrasting the grey testing areas would show up. Writing over the walls, dismembered cameras, dirt and rust all hinting of those that were tested before you and to a darker undertone. Things begin to get more and more suspicious. And like with all stories things are revealed in due time, but I won't spoil.

All I will say is that the endings a good one. Though the story isn't too complex and not everything is revealed and sometimes you have to search for hints to it it makes it more personal. If you want the story its there to be discovered or imagined by yourself whilst the game will keep you entertained without. Its a perfect mix, its a completely unique and fun way of doing puzzles.