The problem with first-time success is in trying to repeat that successful formula the second time around. Many is the writer, director or in this case game developer that has stumbled on the elusive magical elixir first time out, only to discover that repeating the trick is far more difficult the second time. The lack of expectation for the initial release is usually replaced by demand from an expectant audience. Should the developer simply deliver more of the same and fall into the trap of being labelled one-trick ponies? Or should they try to develop the sequel in all sorts of unexpected ways and end up biting off more than they can chew? Portal 2 developers Valve have opted to try and cover both bases and, while the result doesn’t suffer the ignominy of falling between two stools, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype.



Those familiar with the first game will find themselves right at home from the start. You are a lone survivor in the testing area of the mysterious Aperture installation. Awaking from a coma, you are greeted by a one-eyed robot called Wheatley who helps you escape from your room and into the Aperture test chambers. After the introductions are out of the way it’s on to the testing and initial appearances would suggest that little has changed from the first game.



Each level contains a sparsely populated testing chamber in which you will find all the tools necessary to gain access to the exit door. It’s a simple matter of utilising all the tools at your disposal to make your escape. However, things are rarely as easy as they first appear. There are no weapons, or pick-ups, or health packs to be found and your only tool is the eponymous portal gun. This has the ability to open two portals: one for you to enter and one for you to exit through. In its simplest form the portal gun can be used to traverse a barrier that is impossible to cross by foot. Simply open a portal on one side of it and another on the other side. Pass through the portal and you are at the exit door. Simple? Not quite.



The initial obstacles preventing your escape tend to be gaps in the floor or ledges that are out of reach. One of the basic fundamentals that you need to grasp early in Portal 2 is that inertia is paramount. Travel through one portal quickly enough and you will retain this speed as you exit the other side. This allows you to reach previously inaccessible areas by parallel thinking your way through each chamber. Like all great puzzle and exploration games, what initially seems impossible will quickly become feasible with enough thought. And then there’s just the small matter of actually doing it, which is frequently much harder than it looks.



There are no time limits and it’s rare for there to be any instant deaths. Instead the game leaves you to take your time while your brain frazzles at the prospect of how you will ever figure out how to get to the exit door. The only chambers offering a sustained threat are those that occasionally house killer robots to contend with, but even these need to shoot you a dozen times before you die, so there’s almost always a chance to retreat and work out how to circumnavigate them. Barriers can be created, buttons can be pushed, leavers can be pulled and boxes can be utilised, all to reach your ultimate goal. It’s a slick and captivating experience that always maintains that special ‘just one more go’ ethic.



Wheatley continues to make fleeting appearances throughout the levels and although competently voiced by Stephen Merchant, like all comedy side-kicks, he starts to grate after five minutes. His appearances throughout the game, though necessary to the plot, are frequently annoying. The maniacal Glados thankfully makes a welcome return from the original game and unlike Wheatley, her deadpan HAL 2000-esque threats carry far more humour. Surprisingly for a puzzle game, the story and the quality of the script are both top notch with frequent funny moments, although some of them may only resonate with aficionados of the first game.



After the initial testing areas are traversed, you escape into the barren wastelands of Aperture’s testing grounds. These large and extensive levels form the nucleus of the middle part of the game and are a quite different proposition from what you have been used to. Instead of the small and tightly focused testing chambers of before, we now have huge expanses of industrial wasteland that have to be traversed. Frequently this involves standing on a ledge overlooking an industrial wasteland below while searching for a panel you can portal across to that you know is hidden there somewhere. Although some may find these sections to be a welcome diversion and an interesting change of pace, others may find them unnecessarily dull and frustrating. Trying to find that elusive next step to get to the fun stuff ahead is occasionally infuriating. Though some may argue that it still maintains the puzzling element, the change of logistics is jarring.This is a shame because the middle sections do also contain some of the most fun puzzles in the entire game. The introduction of special liquids that can help you travel very fast or bounce high up into the air or even create your own walls for opening portals are all great fun and very well implemented. The longer ones can resemble a giant version of Mousetrap where having every step in sync is necessary for progression. Some of them will have you scratching your head for a good while and even after you can see how to escape, the fundamentals of actually performing each necessary movement in order can be very tricky. Thankfully there are usually mid-level save points to help protect your sanity. The quality of the script, voiceover and gallows humour are also at their best in these middle sections – it’s just a shame that they are encased in such a frustrating exterior. The final third of the game reverts to form and takes place back in the now-familiar testing chambers. These are essentially a trickier version of the initial levels and make for a welcome return to the game’s original spirit as you try to finally escape.

Developers should always be applauded for trying something new and the fact that Valve haven’t simply decided to release a glorified add-on with a few dozen more levels of the same is laudable. However, in extending what was originally a glorious ‘freebie’ to a full retail release, they have tried to stretch the formula too far and the end result is not as satisfying as it could have been with a little editing. However, those willing to persevere through the slog of the middle sections will find that there is something here for everyone. Veterans of the first game will delight in the natural extension of those ideas and there are many self-referential moments that are genuinely funny. Newcomers will be able to see what all the fuss is about and sample the game’s unique delights. If it wasn’t for the unfathomably dull middle section, this would have been something truly special. As it is, it’s ‘merely’ very, very good.

Format: PS3
Developer: Valve
Region: PAL
Players: 1 (2 in co-op)

Pros:

A unique puzzling experience
Just hard enough to engage but not overly frustrate
Genuinely funny at times

Cons:

Annoying 'comedy' sidekick
Dull exploration of middle levels