Portal is one of my favorite games of all time, and I never thought it was to short. It was perfect for the puzzle game it was. So I ask the Escapists, what do you think? And what do you think of the upcoming Portal 2?
Poll: Portal
- Thread starter Admrl Awsum
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I would just like to hang a quick disclaimer here and mention that Portal is my #1 game of all time and it pains me to say a lot of these things.
I'm really skeptical about the new portal. I mean, how would the early chirstains have reacted when Jesus 2 showed up around 36 A.D.? Valve have done the impossible and created a game for which there can be no improvements. If you thought the game was too short you are provably wrong. There is not a single thing they could have done with the physics engine and portal mechanic that was not already in the game.
You know what? For the rest of thispost rant we are going to pretend Portal is like Tetris. Two conceptually perfect games executed without flaw.
Now, immagine you are the makers of Tetris and you've decided to make Tetris 2. What do you do? Ok we'll upgrade the graphics a bit, add some new colors. BUT WAIT! This is still just Tetris but with new looks, so we'll add some new block patterns. BUT WAIT! You used every block pattern possible in the orriginal, so we'll add a plot and story. BUT WAIT! You slipped and hit your head in the shower and forgot that puzzle games are about the puzzles and nobody gives a damn about a bunch of blocks falling down in a line.
Now apply all this logic to Portal. Ok instead of an android we have robots, still thats entirely cosmetic. The portal puzzles are back, but there isn't anything else we could possibly do with the game mechanics so we'll just have the same ordinary puzzles but in a different order. Of course since the game is going to be significantly longer its going to be the same puzzles in 4-6 different orders. Then there is the plot we're adding, except its weird and out of place because this is a PUZZLE game and nobody is here for a good story. You know what the plot of Portal was? Here is A, here is B, here is a portal gun, go nuts.
Of course all of this is completely arbitrary because the reason Portal is my #1 game of all time and Tetris isn't even ranked is because of its humor. Rather than go into a big detailed argument about why Portal 2 can not possibly live up to this legacy, let me just show you this:
Did you laugh? Did you giggle? Did you even smile a little bit? Yeah, thats what I thought. One of the downsides of humor is that once you've heard a joke it just isn't as funny the second time. Portal is the guy at the party telling every person in the room the same joke. Everyone thinks its funny so they tell it to other people at the party, except it isn't funny this time because Portal already came around and told it to everybody. Even when they go home and tell it to their other friends it won't be as good as the first time around because Portal delivered it so much better.
If I had to put all this in a nutshell, I would say that Portal 2 is going to be shit. Not because it will be a bad game, but because the bar is set so incredibly high that the only way it could not be shit would be for Valve to program the second coming of Christ.
I'm really skeptical about the new portal. I mean, how would the early chirstains have reacted when Jesus 2 showed up around 36 A.D.? Valve have done the impossible and created a game for which there can be no improvements. If you thought the game was too short you are provably wrong. There is not a single thing they could have done with the physics engine and portal mechanic that was not already in the game.
You know what? For the rest of this
Now, immagine you are the makers of Tetris and you've decided to make Tetris 2. What do you do? Ok we'll upgrade the graphics a bit, add some new colors. BUT WAIT! This is still just Tetris but with new looks, so we'll add some new block patterns. BUT WAIT! You used every block pattern possible in the orriginal, so we'll add a plot and story. BUT WAIT! You slipped and hit your head in the shower and forgot that puzzle games are about the puzzles and nobody gives a damn about a bunch of blocks falling down in a line.
Now apply all this logic to Portal. Ok instead of an android we have robots, still thats entirely cosmetic. The portal puzzles are back, but there isn't anything else we could possibly do with the game mechanics so we'll just have the same ordinary puzzles but in a different order. Of course since the game is going to be significantly longer its going to be the same puzzles in 4-6 different orders. Then there is the plot we're adding, except its weird and out of place because this is a PUZZLE game and nobody is here for a good story. You know what the plot of Portal was? Here is A, here is B, here is a portal gun, go nuts.
Of course all of this is completely arbitrary because the reason Portal is my #1 game of all time and Tetris isn't even ranked is because of its humor. Rather than go into a big detailed argument about why Portal 2 can not possibly live up to this legacy, let me just show you this:
The cake is a lie.
If I had to put all this in a nutshell, I would say that Portal 2 is going to be shit. Not because it will be a bad game, but because the bar is set so incredibly high that the only way it could not be shit would be for Valve to program the second coming of Christ.
Since it was part of the orange box the length didn't bother me, but if it was a stand alone game it's length would be unforgivable, hence I'm a bit apprehensive to the next one.
You know what this makes me think, as good as their games are I'm starting to take it that they're getting lazy.
-Portal was too short.
-Their episodic HL games are almost taking longer than it took for HL2 to be made and they're using the same engine and textures.
-L4D was too short, so was the second installment.
-They gave up trying to code for the PS3.
-And HL:E3 is no where to be seen.
-Portal was too short.
-Their episodic HL games are almost taking longer than it took for HL2 to be made and they're using the same engine and textures.
-L4D was too short, so was the second installment.
-They gave up trying to code for the PS3.
-And HL:E3 is no where to be seen.
For what it was I think Portal was the right length, it was entertaining all the way through and the ending neatly wrapped it all up. I won't complain if Portal 2 is the same length but if they're going to make it longer (as it sounds like they are) then I just hope that they get the pacing right and don't make the story too convoluted.
This might be kinnda embarissing, but it took me for a month to actually complete portal. While I haven't played it every day, some of the puzzles took me ridicously long time to figure them out. When I went through it again a few years later I finished it in 2 hours.
With that said, it has perfect length.
With that said, it has perfect length.
Perfect for its length, as it was a game that was an extra from the orange box, not a feature game itself.
Now I wonder if portal 2 can maintain freshness throughout the entire game?
Now I wonder if portal 2 can maintain freshness throughout the entire game?
I completed Portal in one evening (not including the advanced challenges obviously). The thing that separates it from other short games such as Tomb Raider Legends (which I did play, though didn't buy) is that it concludes well.
What's important in games, in my opinion, is not length but pacing. Some short games do this well, some do not. Some long games do this, some do not. Portal did pacing well.
As for Portal 2, I'm apprehensive. I want it to be good, but hoping and being disappointed is worse than not hoping and being exceedingly pleasantly surprised.
What's important in games, in my opinion, is not length but pacing. Some short games do this well, some do not. Some long games do this, some do not. Portal did pacing well.
As for Portal 2, I'm apprehensive. I want it to be good, but hoping and being disappointed is worse than not hoping and being exceedingly pleasantly surprised.
It's length suited it perfectly, and with the visual design it had, i'm not sure how much longer it could have been without boring the player out, although, if GLaDOS could talk forever, i could listen forever.
A felt the last level went on just a fraction too long, so I have to say, too long. (But that's not in the poll.)
I really don't feel that interested in Portal 2 but implementing the portal gun into the next Half Life episode would be good.
I really don't feel that interested in Portal 2 but implementing the portal gun into the next Half Life episode would be good.
It doesn't need a sequel.
It was fine at 2-3 hours.
Although Portal fanboys deserve a special place in hell. If I hear "The Cake is a Lie" one more time...
It was fine at 2-3 hours.
Although Portal fanboys deserve a special place in hell. If I hear "The Cake is a Lie" one more time...