The Abbott and Costello of robots. New puzzles, new traps, new characters, new friends. It's time to put our brains together. For science!
1. Gameplay _
_The basic mechanics of this game would easily make it enjoyable for anyone looking to play an excellent puzzle game, but the presentation of the characters is unparalleled. The game has a tiny cast of characters, and the main character never says a single line. However, there are a number of occasions when the player will be left rolling on the floor in laughter (almost literally) simply because of the presentation and timing of the humor. It’s hard to imagine that death threats could ever be hilarious, but somehow Portal 2 manages to deliver lines that are very dark but very funny. _As this was a sequel, the developers decided to step things up a bit and include a full cooperative campaign that must be completed with a second player. Cooperative puzzle games are nearly impossible to successfully create, but Portal 2’s cooperative campaign is brilliantly designed and equally hilarious. Even if the players don’t know each other, a mutual partnership is always formed so that the ultimate goal of completing the level can be accomplished. _Some of the levels were difficult, but after a few attempts (and sometimes quitting the game and thinking about the scenario overnight) the answer always appeared. Sometimes the solutions were deceptively simple. _There are few cooperative gameplay experiences that can parallel what Portal 2 has created. _
_However, even after finishing the game there is still more content to explore. After the single-player campaign is finished, courses are reopened in a “challenge mode”. The player is tasked with competing against her friends in order to complete the tasks as quickly as possible and with using as few portals as possible. This may seem like a simple extra, but it can result in a lot of fun. _After that, there is also the cooperative campaign. The player partners up (either with a friend or with a random online player) in order to complete an entirely new set of puzzles. This isn’t a replay of the single-player, this is an entire new set of rooms and adventures with hours of extra gameplay. Cooperative maps also have a challenge mode that players can access after completing the cooperative campaign. _On top of these, there are numerous mods that allow for multiple new single player and cooperative puzzles. In short, there is certainly no shortage of content in this game. _
_I should mention that motion sickness is a possibility with this game. Falling through portals can have a very disorienting affect, especially if the player comes through upside down or at an angle. Portal 2 also includes objects called “faith plates”, which are basically superpowered springs that propel the player at high velocities in a particular direction. The speed of the motion generated by these plates can have a very disorienting affect and, unless the player has a clear sense of direction, things can get very confusing very quickly. 2. Parental Notices _
_Later in the game, the artificial intelligence controlling the laboratory attempts to kill the player. In a few instances, the AI tries to kill the player using plates covered in large spikes. If the player is hit by one of these plates, the player will instantly die. However, as before, no blood is shown. _The player can die from falling into water (the main character seems to be unable to swim) or from a few other methods. However, none of these other methods involve violence. _
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3. Other Factors _
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_That doesn’t mean that one player will not be more experienced than another. Usually the more experienced player will take the role of leader and tell the other player what to do. Even with my friends I found that one player would usually take charge and tackle the level while the other player helped. _There may be occasions where arrogant players will get frustrated with less experienced players, but my experience found these to be rare. _
_There is one instance where a player falls down a seemingly endless pit, hits the bottom, and emerges unscathed. This may be due to the leg braces that are attached to the main character’s legs, but in any realistic scenario a sudden stop from complete freefall would result in certain death. _However, it must be mentioned that the scenarios and events that occur in this game are physically impossible to the point of being comical. The lack of having a portal gun would prevent even the most gullible of people from attempting to recreate the actions that the player must take in this game. Oh and in one instance, you'll be sent to the moon. Without a suit. And survive. _
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Adoption Controversy Portal 2 somehow managed to generate some controversy over some of the lines spoken by Wheatley and GLaDOS. Portal 2 has some extremely dark humor and both Glados and Wheatley have no problem sarcastically berating the player for any number of factors. GLaDOS has definitely called the player ugly, fat, and claimed the player has no friends or family. The problem arose when Wheatley says that the player is an "adopted fatty". GLaDOS replies "consolingly" that the player is, in fact, adopted and that it's horrible. While most people would shrug this off as two naturally evil characters continuing to try and get under the skin of the player, one man playing with his adopted daughter got upset and tried to create a media storm.
2 Comments
Ryan Le
3/8/2015 03:28:43 am
What about the dark things like doug ratman ?
Reply
Carmine
3/8/2015 05:41:45 am
I didn't see anything in his artwork that would increase the mature content. It was dark, but not "mature".
Reply
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