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*Spoiler Free* Thoughts On Portal 2, And Some Of The Poorer Criticisms Of The Game.
I’ve just finished Portal 2 and looking around the interwebs, there seem to be a considerable amount of bullshit flying around about it. I’d like to take this chance to talk briefly about my feelings on the game, and to clear up some of the bollocks people are saying about it.
First off, it’s a good game, lacks the impact of the first (to be expected, as we will discuss below), but it’s still fun. I'd happily give it 8 out of 10, marks lost only for being very short. That said, what was present was of high quality, and I’d rather a short excellent game than a long bad one. This brings us neatly to the first allegation, that Portal 2 is only 4 hours long. This is, quite simply- wrong. It took me 6 hours on my first run through, and from what I've heard that's fairly fast. I’d imagine you might be able to trim it down to 5 if you really powered your way through and didn’t need to think, but no less than that. And that isn’t including the co op levels. I’d be lying if I said I was happy with the length, but it certainly isn’t criminal.
People are complaining about the day one DLC. Why they’re doing this eludes me. It's a purely cosmetic difference; there are no new levels, no extra content or anything like that, just some stupid gubbins for your co op character. That is not worth complaining about- if you want an example of day one DLC that is taking the piss, look at DA2. If Valve expected you to pay for new levels and so on, I’d be right there with you fanning the flames, but when it’s just a hat for your robot (that anyone with a half a brain wouldn’t shell out for anyway), is this really that big of an issue?
Allegations of porting. Even if Portal 2 is a port, the control is excellent, the graphics are strong and if it wasn't for that one message when you save, I doubt anyone would ever have known. There is nothing wrong with ports. There has never been anything wrong with ports. When something is BADLY ported, then you have something to complain about as a bad port can fuck a game up entirely. Portal 2 on PC plays fine. It’s a good port.
'Living up to expectations'- Portal 1 was a groundbreaking proof of concept game that was unlike anything that had come before (well almost. If I don’t mention Narbacular Drop, Styg will kill me). Portal 2 was never going to have that same impact as it's not entirely new. There are certainly new elements to the game, but if you're expecting to be as amazed as you were before, then you're an idiot. Go and find a new game to play, and you can be amazed all over again. There are plenty of indie titles pushing the boundaries and offering new ideas.
The ARG- Valve announced the release date of Portal 2 as April 19th. Yes, they could have released the game earlier, but instead they went with the ARG, and I for one had a blast with it. Being part of a large group working towards a common goal was a great experience, watching people piece together different pieces of the puzzle was interesting, and overall I think the entire idea was very well executed. It also accompanied a sale of games. And for those of you who didn't want to be in the ARG, as I said, you DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING. It was announced for April 19th and it released on April 19th. The ARG was certainly a way to make money first and foremost, but it offered a potential bonus for playing, as opposed to taking something off you for not playing.
And really, if we’re talking about Portal 2 itself, should the ARG really enter into it? I suppose there’s an argument for it on both sides, but personally I feel it’s not fair to condemn a game just because you disagreed with the advertising surrounding it.
So there we go, initial thoughts on Portal 2 and the foul air that has begun to surround it. A video review will be on the way.
Peace.
Evis T.
First off, it’s a good game, lacks the impact of the first (to be expected, as we will discuss below), but it’s still fun. I'd happily give it 8 out of 10, marks lost only for being very short. That said, what was present was of high quality, and I’d rather a short excellent game than a long bad one. This brings us neatly to the first allegation, that Portal 2 is only 4 hours long. This is, quite simply- wrong. It took me 6 hours on my first run through, and from what I've heard that's fairly fast. I’d imagine you might be able to trim it down to 5 if you really powered your way through and didn’t need to think, but no less than that. And that isn’t including the co op levels. I’d be lying if I said I was happy with the length, but it certainly isn’t criminal.
People are complaining about the day one DLC. Why they’re doing this eludes me. It's a purely cosmetic difference; there are no new levels, no extra content or anything like that, just some stupid gubbins for your co op character. That is not worth complaining about- if you want an example of day one DLC that is taking the piss, look at DA2. If Valve expected you to pay for new levels and so on, I’d be right there with you fanning the flames, but when it’s just a hat for your robot (that anyone with a half a brain wouldn’t shell out for anyway), is this really that big of an issue?
Allegations of porting. Even if Portal 2 is a port, the control is excellent, the graphics are strong and if it wasn't for that one message when you save, I doubt anyone would ever have known. There is nothing wrong with ports. There has never been anything wrong with ports. When something is BADLY ported, then you have something to complain about as a bad port can fuck a game up entirely. Portal 2 on PC plays fine. It’s a good port.
'Living up to expectations'- Portal 1 was a groundbreaking proof of concept game that was unlike anything that had come before (well almost. If I don’t mention Narbacular Drop, Styg will kill me). Portal 2 was never going to have that same impact as it's not entirely new. There are certainly new elements to the game, but if you're expecting to be as amazed as you were before, then you're an idiot. Go and find a new game to play, and you can be amazed all over again. There are plenty of indie titles pushing the boundaries and offering new ideas.
The ARG- Valve announced the release date of Portal 2 as April 19th. Yes, they could have released the game earlier, but instead they went with the ARG, and I for one had a blast with it. Being part of a large group working towards a common goal was a great experience, watching people piece together different pieces of the puzzle was interesting, and overall I think the entire idea was very well executed. It also accompanied a sale of games. And for those of you who didn't want to be in the ARG, as I said, you DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING. It was announced for April 19th and it released on April 19th. The ARG was certainly a way to make money first and foremost, but it offered a potential bonus for playing, as opposed to taking something off you for not playing.
And really, if we’re talking about Portal 2 itself, should the ARG really enter into it? I suppose there’s an argument for it on both sides, but personally I feel it’s not fair to condemn a game just because you disagreed with the advertising surrounding it.
So there we go, initial thoughts on Portal 2 and the foul air that has begun to surround it. A video review will be on the way.
Peace.
Evis T.
Thanks for the shoutout :p
8/10 is what I'd give the original. In my mind, that's a very good score. There's more numbers on the 1-10 scale than just 1 and 10, but sadly, that seems to be forgotten in the mad rush of internet rage. I expect to enjoy Portal 2, and I expect for it not to change my life. If I'm caught between the fanboys and the haters, so be it.