If Portal had lasted longer, it might have been one of the greatest puzzle games ever made.
The premise of Portal is simple. You are an unwilling test subject with an experimental portal gun working for Aperture, Inc, a former competitor of Black Mesa in the Half-Life universe. You can place portals on walls, floors, or ceilings and freely walk in or out of them. You can also pick up and carry a few objects and put them through portals as well. Using these simple tools, you must solve puzzles, avoid obstacles, and reach the exit for each level. The game mechanics are totally different from anything else ever created, and almost every challenge feels like a brand new experience.
Portal is full of wicked dark humor that makes it one of the funniest games in years. The game has only two characters – you and Glados, a strange AI narrator that guides you through the test stages. This character is like a female version of HAL from 2001, but with emotional security problems and a sadistic streak. She is full of one-liners that childishly insult you or remind you of what a hopeless situation you are in. At the same time, she tries to convince you not to try and escape, like she is going to be lonely if you ever leave. Glados is a cleverly written character and one of the most unique villains in gaming.
Gameplay and story aside, Portal’s presentation is ordinary, but adequate. The graphics are about on par with Half-Life 2, a game that look superb three years ago and still looks good today. Most of the environments are brightly colored and very simple and low on detail. This style works, however, because it is consistent with the game’s premise that it takes place in a gigantic laboratory. The voice acting for Glados is excellent, and most of the audio other than that is reused from Half-life 2. The sound effects get the job done but they are generally unremarkable.
Portal comes as part of the Orange Box, and unbeknownst to most people, can also be purchased separately for $20 off of Steam. Therein, lies the game’s major problem. For $20, you get an experience that you can finish between lunch and dinner, and still have time left over for a two-hour nap. The game is tightly linear and doesn’t have much replayability, so the optimal price for it would be closer to $10, and not $20. Buying Portal is like buying a $30 hamburger at a nice restaurant -- even if that hamburger is one of the best that you have ever eaten – was it still worth paying $30?
Only you can decide that for yourself, but I, for one, wanted it to be longer for the money. If Portal had lasted longer, it might have been one of the greatest puzzle games ever made. As it stands, it is an incredibly fun experience that, unfortunately, will probably end up on your shelf after a couple of hours to be played never again, or maybe once more. If you are okay paying $20 for this experience, then by all means, buy it.