Zero Punctuation: Portal 2

[mew4ever23]

This was exactly the review I was expecting, Yahtzee.

The 2 issues I have with portal 2 as a whole are that the Co-op mode has 0 replay value once you complete it, and that more than a few of the "backstage puzzles" are all about finding that small area that you can place a portal on.

Fortunately there is true DLC on the way for the game. I just hope that Valve doesn't go hat crazy like they did with TF2.

 

[kodra]

I feel like this entire review lacks perspective. I actually went back and replayed Portal to compare it to Portal 2.

Every non-tutorial puzzle provided me with significantly more difficulty than any of the non-challenge portals in the original.

The physics of the game were also much crisper in Portal 2 with the tech behind it receiving major improvements. Playing Portal now seems slightly choppy after playing through Portal 2.

The only complaint I had with the game were the loading screens which broke flow in a big way.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I knew Yahtzee wouldn't like it much.But he's right about most of the Portal 1 fans ,they're really annoying with their "the cake is a lie" phrases.I personally enjoyed portal 2 more because it's a little bit harder and the story evolves.

Maybe watch it again. He loved it, he just didn't love it as much as Portal 1. He even said in the video that were Portal 2 a standalone game he'd be gushing over it like crazy; the only reason he isn't is because of its superior (to him) predecessor.

 

[1nfinite_Cros5]

Wait! I think I have a complaint about Portal!

Regenerating health.

 

[Existential Banana]

I think Yahtzee was wrong when he said Portal 2 has no memetic appeal. What about the combustible lemons? You know, THE ONES THAT WILL BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN!

 

[Dr_Steve_Brule]

"This is an action game for non action people". Screw that, it needs more platforming elements and some serious skill to get through them to be enjoyable.

Oh, i'm sorry but not everyone likes to grind as much as you do.
"Oh, I missed that platform, lets try it again"
"Oh, I missed it again, lets try it one more time"
"Missed it AGAIN, this is getting on my nerves"
And after about 10 times this shit happens, most people would just leave the game or cheat through the level.
Think about this for a second- if it's going to be hard as balls for you, most of the people who play this game are going to find it impossible.
And what is this bull about portal 2 being easy? The last bits of every part took me some time to figure out, and the co-op was seriously hard at some points.

 

[FalloutJack]

Right, so... I got this game yesterday, started playing, and finished up...today.

Now, I'm not certain whether or not there's really THAT much difference. "Right...sorry, we have a budget now, so you can have an actual plot.", says the game. You see, there are those who say that regular Portal is good because it's short. Others say that it wasn't long enough, a common complaint about some games.

Portal 2 made me feel right at home (until Wheatly uprooted it), and then it seemed to be going through nostalgia and then...HUWWAH?! You mean the science center can DO THAT?! Nah nah, I liked it, alot. I mean, we get lasers, springboards, anti-gravity, more turrets, a rather disturbing story, and definitely a few twists.

I dunno. I'm not entirely disagreeing. It's good and it's different, and yet also with the same sort of world updated to holy shit levels. At the end of the day, I have to pull a trope out of my hat and say "Your Mileage May Vary". Still, a recommendation, to be sure. This one will definitely cause memetic mutation.

Mark my words, "Space" is the new cake. You will hate this revelation in time.

 

[Marik Bentusi]

Was really eager about this video, haha.

Gotta agree with you (except for the Co-Ops since I didn't touch it), I started playing Portal 2 a second time soon after the first run and the intro already got tiring. The first experience was great, but like you said, the story is getting into the way of the gameplay at times, which is sorta surprising given what Valve is known for. For some reason I was almost shocked when the very ending was

Spoiler

one big pre-rendered cutscene, which isn't inherently bad or anything, it just seemed very much unlike Valve. Might be because of the consoles, but I'm not gonna touch that topic.

Also interesting to see how you reacted to the cosmetics in both this game and TF2, since a lot of people that whine about the whiners whining about the gimmicks think that they're superficial since it doesn't touch the core gameplay - and you're quite focused on gameplay, in a good way I should add, but to me there's more to a good game than that and apparently you share my view here.

Haha, and here thought I was the only one that noticed the difference in style of humor, Valve seems to be going for the "silly" kind of fun both in Portal 2 and with TF2 updates. I don't know what kind of game to expect of Episode 3 anymore, but I can't help but wonder.

P.S.
Agreed with above user, "Spacelemon is the new cake".

 

[bdcjacko]

am I the only person to not beat portal and then not care about portal 2?

 

[Shjade]

I would think yoinking away a happy ending in a patch, just so there can be a sequel, would be on his top-ten list of biggest dick moves a developer can pull.

I'd agree about that...if it was what happened. In reality, they "yoinked away" an ambiguous ending and gave it a more concrete direction. With the original ending for all you know Chell died in the explosion. That's not exactly happy.

Unless you hated Chell, I guess. Did you hate Chell? It's okay. No hard feelings.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Nice to see another positive opinion. I'm still waiting for the game to drop in price enough to make it worth picking up (regardless of quality, I find puzzle games generally lacking in value since you can really only play them once).

Also nice is hearing a jab directed towards the Valve zealots.

 

[mcnally86]

I find it annoying that you, self-proclaimed lover of quality in game stories, didn't even bring up the game's thematic depth. A game that actually discusses abusive motherhood is worthy of praise, methinks.

Seems a bit backward but he doesn't like forced breaks from puzzle games. Take from that what you will he flip flops on things.

As for P1 vs P2 I loved both but I did enjoy the fact that P1 puzzles felt like you could come up with multiple solutions but P2 seems more like there is only one way. And this is especially weird when puzzles are supposed to be "accidental". If its supposed to be random how come there is only one solution? Or any solution at all not just a number of possibilities. It made things a bit easier to solve because there were no "red herrings" or at least very few. If they put it in the test chamber it MUST have a use.

But yes turret opera FTW

 

[Dr_Steve_Brule]

No I thought Y man might pick up that the "biggest moron ever created" is inexplicably the only person in the Half Life UNIVERSE with a British accent.

Only one with a British accent?
Colonel Odessa Cubbage [http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Odessa_Cubbage] would like to have a word with you

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

So Yahtzee, embrace the fans and get a great game or embrace the public and get a flabby game?

YOU MUST DECIDE!

 

[Dustpan]

Portal 2

This week, the Zero Punctuation you've been waiting for. Is Portal 2 better than Portal?

Watch Video

I am so happy that you did not diss the loading times. That is because you actually played the PC version.

Although I remember seeing your animation holding game controllers in front of a TV

 

[tehweave]

...Figures. Portal 2 is fun, but for those who haven't bought it yet, wait a bit. The extra DLC they're coming out with might justify the 50 buck price. Or if they lower it.

 

[N3vans]

Completely agree with Yahtzee about the hats, I've thought for ages that their inclusion ruined the visual aesthetic of TF2.

 

[mcnally86]

No "cake is a lie eh"? I work at a highschool and already kids are shouting at me they are going to "BURN MY HOUSE DOWN WITH THE LEMONS" or just "SPAAaaaAAAACCCccccEEEEee!"

 

[Casual Shinji]

No memes?

Well my response to that is Lemons and Spaaaaaaaaaaaace!

Portal 1 had memes because it was so wonderfully memorable.

Portal 2 had memes because Portal 1 had memes, thus fans avidly made even the slightest jokes into memes even if they weren't really that memorable.

Good call on comparing Monty Python and the Holy Grail to Portal. If I never hear the phrase, "It's only a model" ever again, it'll be too soon.

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

Am I the only one who thinks that Yahtzee might be over idolizing Portal 1 a bit. Don't get me wrong, I loved the game but I think the important thing to keep in mind is that the reason it was so short is because it was a protoype, something to test the waters of a new and innovative concept. The length issue meant that nobody would have bought this thing on its own, it was just a nice little extra thrown into The Orange Box, I'd damn well expect a single player campaing to deliver at least 5-6 hours if its going to have the balls to call itself a full game. Still, will reserve my opinion of the sequel for when I actually get it but I just don't hold up its predecessor as the zenith of gaming potential.