When it comes to older games, the developers usually put more of their hearts and soul into them because they wanted to make a great experience for the player. It seems that games now are made to try to make as much money as they possibly can, but that is what the downfall of newer games is prone to.
The case with the Portal games is that it is an amazing game that Valve put a lot of time and effort into and it definitely paid off in the end. Now, the question is if the game is worth buying and playing through. Here is everything that makes Portal 2 totally worth your time and money:
Related: If you are interested in purchasing the game, here is a link to it on Amazon.
The very unique gameplay
If you have ever played the first Portal game, you will know exactly what I am talking about when it comes to the unique gameplay. Whether you are being flung over a giant pool of sludge or trying to get a cube to fit through a hole that leads to a giant button, there is always something new you are learning. I don’t even know how many times I have beaten the game, but every time I played through it, I would always discover something new or an easier way to solve a specific puzzle.
It is not only fun to play, but it helps with your problem-solving skills. Because of this game, you will strengthen your mind like no other game before. If you have ever played the Witness, a game all about puzzles and solving riddles, you will know that it takes a while to complete some puzzles, but once you understand how it works, there is no better feeling. The gameplay is very unique from any other game and is definitely worth it if you like puzzle games.
The characters
There are not many main characters in the story of the game, but it lets you know the characters well that is already in the game. The characters include you, Wheatley, Glados, P-body, Atlas, and the turrets. Honestly, the game is really simple but at the same time, very in-depth. There is soo much more to all the characters that the game lets you in on and it is interesting reading about all the lore on all the characters.
From the beginning of the game, you are greeted by Wheatley and you build a relationship with him throughout the entire game. It does not seem to be that good of a game, but once you play it, you will most likely think of it as one of your favorites. I am not going to spoil the game just in case you want to play it, but As you progress, soo much happens that it changes the way you think about games now.
The story
The story of the game is actually very good. From the moment you start the game, you think that you are just in a small room in an apartment building, but you will soon find out that you are actually in a giant testing facility, with robots that all want you to test for the rest of your life. The story is pretty simple, but it is definitely unique in the way it was written. Valve does a great job with their storytelling and does a great job of implementing gameplay with the story. If you want a game that you can play through on the weekend that has a great story, then this is definitely worth looking into.
The portal gun
The portal gun is the best part of this game because it is the tool that helps you through the entire game. You don’t have it when you start the game, but you will eventually pick it up and then use it for the rest of the game. It is a simple tool, left click and right click put a portal down in which are linked and you can walk through one and come out the other.
What makes this game so difficult is the way you need to use it. Sometimes you must use the portal to send a laser to a different area or use it to fling yourself onto a higher platform. It all depends on how you first look at each test because it takes some thinking to know exactly how to use it. It definitely is a great part of the game.
The amazing feeling of completing a puzzle
Have you ever started a puzzle or played a puzzle game in which there is always a part that you are stuck on? You then spend hours and hours trying to figure it out, and then it just clicks in your mind. That is the best feeling you can get. Portal 2 is full of those special moments where you finally find a way to complete a part. If you do end up playing the game, then I would recommend going into the game with a clean slate and try to figure the entire game out yourself.
It is cheating when you use a walkthrough because you did not figure it all out yourself. Trust me, if you finally make it to the end credits without looking anything up, you will thank yourself for sticking with it. I played the game soo much, but even going back I was still stuck on some parts so don’t beat yourself up over it.
The environment
The environment in the game is like no other. You go from a nice testing facility to a rundown old facility under the new one. There is soo much to explore to even though it is not an open-world game. It seems like there is always a new area to go into and complete a puzzle in and it never gets old. If you like games that have great environments and changes during gameplay, then look into this game, you will not regret it.
The puzzle rooms are incredibly well designed in that there’s no hard and fast rule with the game’s difficulty curve. Once the tutorials are out of the way, it’s down to every individual player’s desire to break the code on each environment, which allows them to move from the entrance to the exit. Even if one player finds the solution to one particular room obvious, this doesn’t mean that everyone else will, and some puzzles may take up to an hour to solve. It’s an amazing world to explore.
The best games are the older games
When it comes to older games, I feel like developers were not thinking about how much money they were gonna make on the game, they were more content with having a community that loved their game and will keep playing for years to come. I would say that without those old games, games now would not be as good as they are.
I just recently played through Bioshock 2 and even after everything said about the game, I still really enjoyed it. It is the same with Portal 2 because there were those people who didn’t like it, but a majority of the player base loved it to death. I just hope that the next games coming out son will be as good as the older ones.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend you pick up Portal 2 and play it on whatever system you have. You can get the game for super cheap. There have been sales on Steam that bundle Portal 1 and 2 for only $.99. If you can get a deal like that, it will definitely be worth it. Also, the gameplay is amazing to so if you have time, make sure you play through the game. Even if there is not a sale it is worth buying so it is just up to the person what you want to do. Just play it, you will not regret it.
All pictures are taken from Portal 2 Fandom Wiki