Basic Information

Basic Information • Developed and Published by Valve Corp. • Distributors • Electronic Arts • Valve (Steam) • Genre: Puzzle-Platform Game • Price: • $39.99 ($59.99 at launch) on 360/PS3 • $49.99 ($49.99 at launch) on PC

PC System Requirements • OS • Windows 7 / Vista / XP • Processor • 3.0 GHz P4, Dual Core 2.0 or AMD64x2 • Memory • 1GB (XP) • 2GB (Vista) • HDD Space • At least 7.6 GB of space • Video • 128MB of VRAM, DirectX 9-Compatible with support for Pixel Shader 2.0b • Audio • DirectX 9.0c compatible

Quick Overview • A series of puzzles that can only be solved by warping time and space with portals. • Portals can be placed on a variety of surfaces. • As the game progresses various gels are introduced: • Repulsion Gel – Causes the player to bounce back to the height they dropped from • Propulsion Gel – Speeds up the player • Conversion Gel – Turns any surface into a portal-able surface.

Story Line • You play as Chell, who is one of Aperture science’s test subjects • You are awoken from stasis by Wheatley, who is a personality core in charge of monitoring the human test subjects. • Chell and Wheatley make their way into GLaDOS’s chamber, who Chell had shut down in the previous game. • Chell and Wheatley accidently end up waking GLaDOS up while trying to escape the facility. • Chell must now attempt to find another way out of Aperture, while GLaDOS attempts to keep her trapped and testing forever.

Installation • Depending on what platform you purchased the game on, you may or may not need to install Portal 2: • Xbox 360 and PS3 • No Installation Necessary • PC/Mac • If you purchased Portal on steam, simply navigate to your Games page (Games -> View Games Library) • Wait for the game to finish downloading • Next select Portal 2 and click the install button • Select an install location and complete installation

User Interface • The UI is very simple, no health bar or ammo count • The only things displayed on screen are the portal gun crosshairs, and the gun itself • Within the portal gun crosshairs there is an indicator for which portals are currently deployed • There is also a light on the gun which shows the color of the last portal the player deployed.

Single Player Game Play • The player must use 2 portals to solve puzzles • Solving a puzzle will take the player to the next puzzle • There is no scoring system in the single player campaign • Standard FPS thumbstick controls on consoles • WASD and mouse controls on PC/Mac

Multiplayer Game Play • The multiplayer campaign puts the player in one of 2 testing robots (P-body or Atlas) • Players must take advantage of their 4 portals and work as a team to solve puzzles • There is no scoring system for multiplayer, but there are “Science Collaboration Points” which are awarded randomly, but still tracked and visible from the multiplayer hub

Artwork • The player is taken into several different environments as the game progresses. • First the player explores Aperture as a decaying and unmaintained environment. Full of plants and dirt. • As GLaDOS begins repairing the facility it begins to look more sterile and white, much more like a lab. • There are also antiquated sections of the lab, where science has not been done for a very long time, and has a style of the 1950’s plus 200 years of decay.

Exposed Test Chamber

Clean Test Chamber

Antiquated Test Chamber

Voice Actors • The cast chosen to play Wheatley, GLaDOS, and Cave Johnson is top of the line • Wheatley is voiced by Stephen Merchant, a British comedian and writer. He Brings Wheatley to life like no one else could. • GLaDOS is voiced by Ellen McLain, who voiced GLaDOS in the first game. McLain continues to keep GLaDOS’s cryptic and menacing nature, which is a staple of the portal franchise. • Cave Johnson is voiced by J.K. Simmons, an American film actor. Simmons portrays Cave Johnson as a some what dim witted yet comedic entrepreneur. Cave Johnson becomes a fan favorite right from the get go, and his quotes can be found all over the internet.

Music • The soundtrack of the game is largely techno music, and fits the atmosphere of the game very well • The National did a song for the game, titled “Exile Vilify”, players can find the song in game in one of the hidden “rat man” rooms • There is also a song sung by GLaDOS at the end of the game. Players that played Portal all the way through will remember “Still Alive” which played at the games credits. “Only Want You Gone” is played in the credits of Portal 2, and ties the game together quite well.

Positives • Comedic styling of game is timeless and very enjoyable • Game play scales very well with each addition of a new game mechanic • Each challenge brings its own sense of accomplishment when you reach that “Ah Ha” moment. • The game has taken a great leap graphically from the last one. • No bugs that would otherwise ruin a well polished game

Negatives • Some of the games achievements can be a little challenging, or require the player to play with players that have no progress in the game. • Can turn into a shorter game if the player is more experienced in puzzle solving

In Comparison • Portal 2 is a very unique game, and thus doesn’t have very much to compare it to. • If you look at puzzle games, Portal 2 is a gleaming beacon of what a puzzle game should entail. • If you line Portal 2 up with all the other games coming out this year, it has a leg up on the competition in both originality and innovation.

Target Audience • The ESRB has rated Portal 2 “E” for everybody, giving it a broad range of potential buyers • The challenges would most likely doable for anyone over 10 years old • The game is written for an older audience, but can be understood by younger players, without ruining the experience • This is a must have title for anyone whose already a master at puzzle games, or someone whose just getting into them.

Summary • In conclusion, Portal 2 is engaging, enjoyable, and challenging. Leaving players with a sense of accomplishment when the credits roll. • If you play video games, Portal 2 is a must own game. • The only way to improve Portal 2 is to make the game longer, and give players more of what they love.

Basic Information