Making an incredible game without thinking it would be successful is a tough act to follow. Now that the first Portal had the unexpected popularity, it was time to put some effort in a fully-fledged sequel. But in effort comes change, and Portal 2 was Valve’s attempt in making a bigger, better and innovative portal-based puzzle game, without losing the magic of its predecessor. Then has it been made superior? Can it be treated with the same respect as the last game?

Well, yes. Completely, and absolutely. It took a few years, yes, about five to be exact, but I’d gladly wait another five, because this game is jaw-dropping. Okay, not EVERYTHING about it is better. The atmosphere and plot twist in Portal 1 was just unmatchable, and now with all the surprises out of the way the story has become somewhat straightforward and more predictable, and a few transition puzzles are annoying. I can safely say my criticisms end here.

Chell, the protagonist from Portal 1, is awoken from some kind of cryogenic sleep, and greeted by a friendly robot, Wheatley, voiced by Stephen Merchant, and an exceptional script to match that of GLaDOS. Oh, right, and then we meet GLaDOS, who is bitter as ever from being ‘killed’ in the last game, and so with her malicious intentions, against all odds you make a break for it. As before, you are armed with your trusty ‘portal gun’, a device which can fire two wormholes through time and space, in order to solve puzzles. There are plenty of plot twists and intriguing character building, but it seems to fall flat when compared to the shock of seeing Portal 1’s ‘cake’ (metaphor for enormous incinerator of death). However, I have to admit, being taken through the history of Aperture sciences, from a booming scientific testing landmark to a struggling research facility is breathtaking, so the creators really did the best they could have done.

Aperture science has become run down due to almost complete neglect and abandonment, and in this environment you will encounter your puzzles. Without a doubt, the puzzles themselves outdo the last Portal game by a mile. Not only have Valve formulated such innovative designs with the re-introduction of concepts from the last game, but the new gameplay elements are what take the cake (pun intended). The game introduces switch triggering lasers (similar function to the energy ball, only less frustrating to manipulate) hard light bridges, which are streams of light useful for walking on or blocking enemies/other objects, and my favourite, the exertion funnels, big streams of energy which carry things in a certain direction. These are but a few of the unique materials used to build an outstanding portal puzzle. And that is without even mentioning the fascinating ‘propulsion gel’.

Gel can be applied to surfaces and to change their properties, usually dispensed from fixed tubes in the walls or ceilings. Blue gel makes surfaces bouncy, orange gel gives you a burst of speed, and white gel makes un-portalable surfaces portalable! The way gel is administered can be changed through portal placement, and as a result, the puzzles go as deep as they possibly can. And sure, there are a fair amount of challenges in the game - some of the testchambers far surpass Portal 1 in difficulty - but it is most satisfying to solve them and you’ll never feel displeased with your efforts.

Of course, the dialogue has to be mentioned. Wheatley’s dim nature is made more sincere by Merchant’s down-to-earth Bristol accent and dialect, which amuses throughout. GLaDOS is as entertaining and cut-throat as ever, but I think the real star is the long-running (and long dead) CEO of Aperture Sciences, Cave Johnson, who communicates through pre-recorded messages and is most unconcerned of the dangers facing test subjects and is hilariously irrational and stubborn in his position as the boss. The fact that he speaks from the grave just makes his character all the more fascinating. Two more characters to make their debut in Portal 2 are the loveable robotic test subjects.

Atlas and P-Body, who are also woven into the story, are best shown through the game’s breathtaking co-op mode. In this feature, you and your partner represent an experimental attempt to test science on something other than humans, and the puzzles are as deep and elaborate as ever. If you’ve ever wanted to share the brain-bending delight of Portal with a friend, this is the chance to exhibit your skills. Throughout the five courses, you’re equipped with two portal guns, hence, double the portals to play with! If both of you are enthusiastic, then this is mode is A LOT of fun, but by no means easy. Once again, the developers succeed in balancing the challenge and enjoyment, with all of the elements which made the Portal 2 single player great (and if you happen to own it on PS3, you can play with people over Steam, too!).

Another thing worth mentioning in the co-op is GLaDOS’ presence. Here, you see a whole different side of her. She is more open to the robot pair, shunning any of their human-like interaction and constantly voicing her apathy for the humans. Through this we see her true colours, what she really thinks of humankind, especially Chell, when talking to other robot-kind and it’s a treat to see her character development go even further. She can also be as uncaring and threatening as she wants to Atlas and P-Body considering they never die or rebel, and her wisecracks and philosophies on ‘teamwork’ never fail to make me chuckle.  

Summary
Of course, Portal 2 for all its greatness is not perfect. In the story mode, there are often ‘transitions’ between groups of testchambers, where the task is to laboriously and continuously search for a smidge of portalable wall on a vast plane of unportalable scenery, which is frustrating to say the least. Another drawback this game has is…well…it is really hard to think of any! I said in my last review that Portal 1 was not only puzzle-platforming at its finest, but gaming at its finest. So, well done Valve, you’ve broken your own record! You have actually made a proper, incredible game out of what would have been merely a cult classic. The only criticism I can pull out of the bag is: where the hell do you go from here?! FOUR player co-op?! *drools*

Wrap-up
In all seriousness, buy this game. I don’t care how much blood you have shed in your lifetime of gaming. It’s time to give that a rest for a good few days, and play Portal 2. Never has a truly remarkable pure-puzzle game captured the feel of a contemporary FPS while immersing us in such fabulous story and cast. And now, you can share the immersion with a friend. What could make a better afternoon/week/month? As a fanatic of games from even the most hardcore genres, I urge you to put down Call of Duty and save science!