Portal 2 Video Review

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00:00:09.920the original portal introduced GLaDOS

00:00:12.540the murderous robotic operator of

00:00:14.700Aperture Science one of the most

00:00:16.440memorable and funniest video game

00:00:18.180villains around it introduced the portal

00:00:20.550gun a weapon that could shoot out two

00:00:22.380linked holes that let you and objects

00:00:24.689who carried pass through walls to solve

00:00:26.820spatial reasoning challenges it was a

00:00:29.070puzzle game that felt a little like a

00:00:30.810first-person shooter it was brief but

00:00:33.000unforgettable portal 2 makes the

00:00:35.489original look like the prototype it was

00:00:37.230the cast of characters is expanded the

00:00:40.320story more substantial the challenge is

00:00:42.629bigger and the payoff more rewarding

00:00:44.399it's a brilliantly designed game with

00:00:46.620outstanding hilarious writing brought to

00:00:49.379life with some of the best voice acting

00:00:51.120you'll hear in videogames Stephen

00:00:53.160Merchant steals the show is Wheatley a

00:00:55.110bumbling robot Ellen McLain is

00:00:57.300charmingly evil as GLaDOS and JK Simmons

00:00:59.879turns in a solid performances aperture

00:01:02.100boss Cave Johnson there are plenty of

00:01:07.500story twists and surprising character

00:01:09.450developments in Portal 2 to keep you

00:01:11.070entertained even when the tension sags

00:01:13.320during portal 2 second act it still

00:01:15.630miles better than what's found in most

00:01:17.280linear first-person games the visuals in

00:01:28.080Portal 2 aren't gonna blow you away but

00:01:30.210there's such an unmistakable style

00:01:31.710crafted into every facet of the Aperture

00:01:33.930Science facility and it's twisted

00:01:35.549residence that it's difficult not to

00:01:37.290appreciate everything you see this is

00:01:39.960valve Source engine which has been in

00:01:41.880operation since the days of half-life 2

00:01:43.590and it still looks surprisingly good in

00:01:46.140Portal 2 considering its age especially

00:01:48.240the way valve utilizes effects to give

00:01:50.369the world a better sense of character

00:01:52.040Aperture Science is in a state of

00:01:54.000disrepair at the start it's rusted and

00:01:56.430falling apart and overgrown with

00:01:58.049vegetation

00:01:58.710when GLaDOS wakes up you see her

00:02:00.869struggle to put the place back together

00:02:02.509panels and walls scramble back into

00:02:04.770place when you open test chamber doors

00:02:06.299like you walked in on them with their

00:02:07.860pants down and later on once things

00:02:10.200start to go nuts Val finds plenty of

00:02:12.390creative ways to keep the

00:02:13.450content new and surprising from the

00:02:15.370evolution of the turrets to the styles

00:02:17.290of the test chambers

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00:02:26.569valve out does all the puzzle designs in

00:02:29.239the original with a greatly expanded set

00:02:31.280of mechanics you've still got your gun

00:02:33.260and speed is still maintained as you

00:02:35.480jump from one portal to another that

00:02:37.340means if you're hurtling towards the

00:02:38.689floor and pop a portal just before you

00:02:40.609hit it you come out the other side like

00:02:42.560a bullet many puzzles still require you

00:02:44.599find cubes and transport them to buttons

00:02:46.489to open doors but when valve mixes in

00:02:48.829light bridges gels tractor beams jump

00:02:51.739pads and lens blocks it's not hard to

00:02:54.260imagine how hard the challenges can get

00:02:56.090the most impressive part is despite how

00:02:58.459much opportunity there is for valve to

00:03:00.230make it game so complicated nobody can

00:03:02.209play it the puzzles in Portal 2 never

00:03:04.519feel unfair valve manages to strike a

00:03:07.219near-impossible balance of difficulty

00:03:09.500that feels challenging without feeling

00:03:11.389frustrating reaching a solution whether

00:03:13.969you're realigning light bridges coating

00:03:16.069walls with bouncy gel or repositioning

00:03:18.379portals quickly while in midair is

00:03:20.239always satisfied basically portal 2 lets

00:03:23.150you have fun while making you feel smart

00:03:25.310after the single-player modes done

00:03:27.349there's the cooperative play which is

00:03:29.030even better continuing the story from

00:03:31.280the end of the single-player mode it

00:03:32.810forces two players to think and work

00:03:34.819together playing as two robots each

00:03:37.040armed with portal guns

00:03:38.269that means there's four portals to play

00:03:40.340around with something Valve takes full

00:03:42.409advantage of to create mind-bending but

00:03:44.479never frustrating challenges it's such a

00:03:46.970successful co-op mode because of the

00:03:48.799high level of dependence on your partner

00:03:50.689to solve challenges if you're acting

00:03:52.849like an a social jerk and standing in

00:03:54.590the corner not contributing

00:03:55.879there's no way to advance you have to

00:03:58.040talk and contribute to win valve does a

00:04:00.319great job of providing a suite of

00:04:02.000helpful tools to let you get the job

00:04:03.560done like visual cues for placing

00:04:05.840portals as well as goofy ways to

00:04:07.699celebrate

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00:04:10.810to regret but I think we can put our

00:04:13.810differences behind us with unmatched wit

00:04:17.590and brilliantly designed puzzles Valve's

00:04:19.900Portal 2 is a game everyone should play

00:04:21.760the writing is consistently funny the

00:04:24.250character developments unexpected and

00:04:26.020the gameplay immensely satisfying

00:04:27.580without becoming frustrated whether

00:04:30.070playing alone or with a friend and co-op

00:04:31.930there's hardly ever a dull moment Portal

00:04:35.9502 challenges the creative part of your

00:04:37.540brain without failing to entertain which

00:04:39.669is the most admirable quality there is

00:04:41.290for more on portal to head over to IGN

00:04:44.050calm

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