Poll: Did Portal 2 surpass it's predecessor?

[GrizzlerBorno]

Can also be loosely interpreted as "Is Portal 2 better than Portal 1?", but that's not exactly what I mean.

A LOT of the (pro) reviews I've read/seen, have implied that their respective authors thought that Portal 2 didn't surpass Portal. One of those reviews was Russ Pitts' review here on the Escapist. But I wanna know what you guys think? Was Portal 2 just "more of the same" or was it actually better than Portal (and in what ways)?

You're free to put spoilers (since you'd already have had to finish the game to be posting here) but please tag them anyway? Thanks.

 

[legion431]

Yes, by far. Richer character development. Brilliant Co-op mode. Some of the best quotes in video game history.

 

[Casual Shinji]

It didn't really surpass its predecessor, it simply continued the enrichment.

 

[DJDarque]

Absolutely. I thought of Portal as the appetizer and Portal 2 as the main course.

 

[Legion]

Other and this:

It didn't really surpass its predecessor, it simply continued the enrichment.

It was longer, funnier and more diverse, but Portal was original and started it off, so while Portal 2 certainly improved on many things, I do not think of it as 'Portal 2 > Portal'. I think they are both fantastic.

 

[mrmostlymittens]

Laughed my ass off

 

[ZiggyE]

Portal was a generic puzzle game once you got past the fact that it allowed for Portals. It was short, easy, the new technology involving the portals got less impressive as time went on and the only reason it was worth playing was for the humour.

Portal 2 is absolutely stunning, with richer character development, a longer solo campaign, a brilliant co-op mode. It surprised me just how good it was. It exceeds it's predecessor in every single conceivable way.

In my opinion.

 

[Catchy Slogan]

I've yet to try the co-op, but yes. In nearly every way. Story was brillinat characters and environments were fantastic, but in my opinion, some of the puzzles could do with being a little more challenging. There wasn't any puzzle that I was stuck on for too long, which I guess you could take as good development but meh. I love the game. It's my new Favourite.

Also this song is now stuck in my haed since I heard it. It is also my new Favourite Song.

 

[TheComedown]

Portal was a generic puzzle game once you got past the fact that it allowed for Portals. It was short, easy, the new technology involving the portals got less impressive as time went on and the only reason it was worth playing was for the humour.

Really generic? How so?

 

[Sun Flash]

It's a better game for sure. I can kind of understand what the reviewers say that though, in that Portal came from left field and was entirely unexpected whereas with P2 we expected the excellent writing, offbeat humour and were well versed in thinking with portals.

But yeah, 2 is waaaaaaay better imo, especially the ending song. I haven't stopped listening to it all week.

 

[Wicky_42]

It didn't really surpass its predecessor, it simply continued the enrichment.

I see what you did there

All I want are some more difficult challenges, some need for precision and quick aiming or something. Otherwise it was a solid sequel that, whilst not exactly innovating anywhere, expanded not just on the gameplay of the first but also on the plot, at least doubling the cast and layering on character depth.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

To be honest I wasn't too impressed by the first Portal. I put less than five hours into it, and I've owned it for some time now.

Portal 2, completely different. I've owned it for around a week now and already I put over 20 hours into it with co-op and singleplayer.

 

[tharglet]

In most ways, Portal 2 is better than Portal 1, but I sort of miss some of the difficulty of Portal 1. I enjoyed both games, and would say Portal 2 is mostly better than the first, but I don't define it as clear-cut for me.

(btw, anyone want to help me get the Professor Portal achievement (needs someone who hasn't done co-op yet)? ¬¬)

 

[rabidmidget]

The answer will become a lot more obvious once they release the level editor.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Personally, I felt that the one aspect of Portal 2 that left the first game coughing in sequel's dust cloud, was the environment design. 75% of Portal 1 was teeny tiny sterilized rooms that contained great puzzles....but weren't really fun to explore. The last act set you free behind the scenes of Aperture, sure, But Portal 2 just blew that out of the water.

I mean, in the level "The Fall", where you reach the bottom-most point of the Salt mine and look up..... I think my brain melted a little bit from that view....

Also, in the last act, even the test chambers are massive and awesome looking, with entire, missing walls exposing the ugly, but incredible, underbelly of Aperture for all to see.

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

Portal 2 is great so far for me, but I'm getting tired of people talking before and after tests, but staying deathly silent in between.

 

[Imbechile]

Yes, in every way. There is no denying it

 

[the Dept of Science]

The only respect in which I find it worse is the song at the end.

On the other hand it makes up for it with the song by the National and the turrets song.