"We're going to have fun.... With science."
In the minds of people who have never experienced Portal 2 before, Portal 2 is essentially a physics puzzle game with a touch of FPS to it. It's a fresh, relaxing new sort of game that has only been done once before, in the game's prequel: Portal.
To players who have had the pleasure of experiencing the first game in the series, Portal 2 may just seem like a slightly improved, lengthier version of it's predecessor. But if you're one of those people who feel that Portal 2 is just an expansion of Portal, your computer/console clearly can't handle how cool the menu is and crashes upon start-up. Portal 2's menu is nothing spectacular, in reality, but I actually got chills when I first started up the game. It's sort of like a small preview of what's to come, as it flashes 3rd-person images from in-game.
After playing Portal 2, you'll realize that this is not even close to being the same game as Portal. It has tons of new features, such as the all new online & offline Co-Op modes, as well as having tons more levels than Portal, plus the game is also one of the most hilarious games you'll ever play, even though the only dialogue comes from artificially intelligent beings such as everyone's favorite, "GLaDOS". It's easier to laugh at the jokes if you're a math/science/computer nerd, but most of the jokes are so spontaneous and clever that they will make even the least humorous of gamers laugh.
Graphics
Portal 2 is not only a fantastic game in general, but it's also fantastic-looking. The textures are spot-on, and overall the game has a great frame-work despite the high frame-rate of the game. There aren't very many cut-scenes, but the few that are there really make you feel awesome. I know that's somewhat of a simple term, "awesome", but when I say awesome, I don't mean "cool", I mean that they literally are filled with awe. Half of the time in the game you don't even realize how cool it is that you're teleporting through portals and fail to notice your surroundings, but the cut-scenes really beautify and bring out the game in the few seconds that they appear.
Sound
The music in Portal 2 is spectacular, and really bring justice to those famous Portal 2 commercials with the catchy themes. It's very relaxing music that only comes on when you're at certain parts of the game, because the game is meant to give the player a feeling of loneliness and every level is so varied and different from the previous, so you won't have very much familiarity, and it feels like you're trapped. GLaDOS will occasionally put on some random music, such as jazz, for a few seconds, mainly as a joke, but also because she wants to "set the mood".
The sound effects are great, and also really bring you back to the reality of the fact that you're trapped. I wouldn't go so far as to call the game "spooky", but when you're walking down one of the dark corridors and you hear a shadow and hear something (which, let's be honest, is likely a cube or something) fall down a dark shaft, it can be somewhat creepy.
Story
Portal 2 is, like Portal, somewhat of a story-oriented game. The story is not only told by GLaDOS and other clues and notes that you'll find hidden behind secret walls, on posters, on desks, or just written on walls, but also told from the perspective of a few new characters, like new robots whom you meet really close to the beginning of the game, and in Co-Op mode.
Your whole goal in Portal 2 is to escape the Aperture building and get back to freedom, somewhat like Portal, except this time you actually try to succeed, but of course GLaDOS isn't going to make it easy, and she puts you through a number of tests before she will allow you to leave - that is if she even lets you leave?
Multiplayer
The Co-Op is a great experience in Portal 2, and easily adds another 5+ hours to the game's overall longevity. Not only are there new levels and new puzzles, but a whole new story told from the perspective of two Aperture robots named ATLAS and P-Body. You'll have to use team-work and clever strategies to make your way through four levels, each level containing anywhere from 6 to >20 levels.
Longevity
The single-player campaign by itself is easily four-five times as long as Portal (probably 10-14 hours) on your first play-through, and you'll probably want to play it again to see how much faster you can beat it now that you've got a general idea on how the puzzles work and how the levels function. The Co-Op adds about another 5-10 hours, depending who you play with, and you'll definitely want to playthrough levels, if not the whole Co-Op campaign again, with different friends or even with the same friends, just to experience it again. It's a game that you can easily play through in one sitting with a friend, playing online or offline.
If you're going for the Platinum trophy, it's going to take about a total of 50+ hours, as it's a pretty tough one to get, because some of the levels are pretty tough.
The Verdict
Pros:
• Spectacular puzzles and environment
• Great graphics and frame-rate
• Well-told story
• Co-Op is very fun
• Lots of replay value
• Challenging
• Catchy music
Cons:
• Short
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 9.0
Story: 9.0
Multiplayer: 9.5
Longevity: 9.2
Portal 2 is a game that anyone can enjoy, even if you're not good with at physics. If you're open-minded and think outside the box, you'll be able to get through most of the puzzles without too much trouble and have a great time as well.
9.5/10