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Portal 2 |OT| Sleep. Spuds. Science.
- Thread starter The Librarian
- Start date
This game so far is absolutely terrific grade A. Glad I didn't wait for $10 as $39 is just fine with me. I've really cut down on retail releases compared to last year and do not feel bad at all for picking this one up. Of course I loved the first as well. The achievements this time however are much better.
cornontheCoD
Neo Member
epmode said:
That's kinda odd, though. The only major character in the game has her name revealed in a small optional area? Valve are strange sometimes.
Atrus said:
Yeah, but still, think about that as someone who hasn't ever heard of Wheatley's name. To those people, it is just a random name on the cube. Sure, they might put 2 and 2 together, but it seems odd to me that Valve wouldn't really introduce a major character's name other than through weird second-hand sources.
VGChampion
Member
cornontheCoD said:
We didn't know Wheatley's name for awhile did we? I remember hearing it towards the end. I may have missed it if he said it in the beginning though as I was just blown away by everything that was happening then.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Wheatly did say his name.
But I would agree he should have introduced himself at the start.
When he connected to GLaDOS body
But I would agree he should have introduced himself at the start.
QuantumBro said:
Not directly but it is visible in the final scene and on her body.
http://i.imgur.com/uo7Gj.jpg
Nabs
Member
mr. puppy said:
Fixed install failing on FAT32 drives.
Fixed problems when Steam is installed at the root of a drive.
Fixed console font being unreadable on Mac.
Fixed VPK caching.
Fixed some Russian audio playing as static
Fixed Turkish fonts
and earlier:
Fixed rare crash when painting hard light bridges while moving them
Localization fixes for Chinese, Czech, Dutch, Finnish, French, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, and Turkish
Improved VPK loading speed
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
How do we not have a GIF of the robots assembling and packaging the turret sentries yet? That was one of the highlights of the game for me. Fantastic animations.
Or maybe we have it and I haven't seen it yet, in which case I would really appreciate it if someone could post it. Thanks.
Or maybe we have it and I haven't seen it yet, in which case I would really appreciate it if someone could post it. Thanks.
corrosivefrost
Member
Ok, stupid question:
I got the PS3 version *after* PSN went down, so obviously, I can't link my accounts at this time.
If I play portal 2 offline and then sync my account when PSN comes back up (having earned whatever trophies) will my PS3 trophies sync to my steam account?
I got the PS3 version *after* PSN went down, so obviously, I can't link my accounts at this time.
If I play portal 2 offline and then sync my account when PSN comes back up (having earned whatever trophies) will my PS3 trophies sync to my steam account?
UltimaPooh
Member
Jasoco said:
They sent them to recycling so they can be re-assembled.
Jasoco said:
Also to show the incredible inefficiency with which everything is designed. I love the explanation of the vacuum tubes for that reason too. It's the most ludicrously expensive, impractical, ridiculous system you could think up, and they make it real.
The Broken Ska Record
Member
It's a play on the name "Gladys."Kimosabae said:
SneakyStephan
Banned
Only played and finished the game 2 days ago and the urge to replay it (mainly to hear the commentary) is almost uncontrollable already.
SneakyStephan said:
The developer commentary is actually great. Apparently it doesn't live up to the standards of other Valve games, but I am finding it fascinating.
Also great is realizing how few of the puzzles you immediately remember how to do.
EDIT:
I just finally figured out how to put into words something that I've been thinking about for a while.
It sort of occurred to me as a criticism of the Zero Punctuation review.
When you first played Portal, unless you were lucky enough to have played Narbacular Drop, it was the first time you had ever encountered the portal mechanic. The premise is so simple. You shoot an orange portal and a blue portal. When you go into the orange portal, you come out the blue portal. And vice versa.
We don't even think about it anymore. Things that would be completely impossible in any other game become absolutely mundane with a Portal gun. In Portal 1 you had no choice but to be blown away by it. You probably spent a lot of time just messing around, creating infinite tunnels or looping objects. Taking turrets out using only portals and whatever cubes or other turrets I could get my hands on was the most fun I had found in singleplayer gaming in years.
Think about it, how much time did you spend playing around with portals in Portal 2? I don't think I made a vertical tunnel for fun the whole game this time around. I already knew what the gun did and it wasn't new to me and there was no way to recapture that feeling.
So when reviewing a sequel, I sort of tried to factor that out. I don't know if Portal 2 is a better game than Portal. In many ways, to me Portal seems like a tech demo with a great, well-written storyline when compared to Portal 2 as a game. But the sequel definitely didn't have the impact on me that thinking with portals did the first time.
Portal 2 is much larger in scope, has a much richer and more interesting storyline with more voice actors and some of the best voice acting in gaming history. I really enjoyed the gels, too. I think with DLC and some real challenges the new stuff will last a long time. I'm trying out two player-made maps right now, which is pretty awesome if you're on PC.
Anyway. I guess I'd say that both Portal and Portal 2 are 10/10 in my book of gaming scores and records. For different reasons. Neither is perfect, but no other 10 on my list or any other game I can think of is actually perfect. For me just using portals in this kind of great environment beats out so many other games and gimmicks and whatever else the kids are messing around with these days with their codblops and their whatsuch.
Bravo to every individual that worked on this game.
I've only played a handful of Valve titles and I think they're the best game developers in the industry (Orange Box and Portal 1/2). I'm sure this has become a cliche, but I see them as the Pixar of the games industry and it's quite clear they look to that company for inspiration (at least to me).
With that said, I haven't finished the game yet, I think I identify with the criticisms made by people such as Giolon and Yahtzee.
I think Portal 2 is more maze puzzle than logic puzzle. Someone smarter than me might be inclined to disagree, but logic puzzles, in my understanding, provide a challenge in the sense that; the solver's capacity to deduce a standard or general solution is threatened by numerous possible (wrong) solutions. The essence and enigma of a logic puzzle resides in that challenge.
Portal 2 doesn't seem to have that challenge. All elements within a room are deducible to only one logical order, making Portal 2 more of a Jigsaw or Maze, than a Rubix Cube. The former largely tests memorization, perseverance and focus, which are more LCD traits in humans. Once the player recognizes this, there's a lack of satisfaction, involved (at least, I think).
I scarcely remember anything about Portal 1, so I won't comment in relation to that game.
With that said, I haven't finished the game yet, I think I identify with the criticisms made by people such as Giolon and Yahtzee.
I think Portal 2 is more maze puzzle than logic puzzle. Someone smarter than me might be inclined to disagree, but logic puzzles, in my understanding, provide a challenge in the sense that; the solver's capacity to deduce a standard or general solution is threatened by numerous possible (wrong) solutions. The essence and enigma of a logic puzzle resides in that challenge.
Portal 2 doesn't seem to have that challenge. All elements within a room are deducible to only one logical order, making Portal 2 more of a Jigsaw or Maze, than a Rubix Cube. The former largely tests memorization, perseverance and focus, which are more LCD traits in humans. Once the player recognizes this, there's a lack of satisfaction, involved (at least, I think).
I scarcely remember anything about Portal 1, so I won't comment in relation to that game.
Wow someone recreated Portal in Minecraft with working portals and everything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg0pXtlVY0Q skip to 3:15 to see the portal gun working
Installation instructions are in the comments. This might make me buy Minecraft.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg0pXtlVY0Q skip to 3:15 to see the portal gun working
Installation instructions are in the comments. This might make me buy Minecraft.
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
Co-op chamber 5-2 is making my girlfriend and I feel like retards.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
Just finished co-op. Some of those levels were pretty insane.
People who say this game is easy are either extremely smart or liars if they've played co-op.
People who say this game is easy are either extremely smart or liars if they've played co-op.
Prophet Steve
Member
Grrrrwarpaint said:
Wellington
BAAAALLLINNN'
Finally beat the game last night. There wasn't anything that had me stumped for a while, I felt overall it was much easier than the first game. (If you throw just overall length of the game out the window). I was extremely happy with the puzzles overall, once the gels were introduced the ol' noggin got a pretty good workout.
Overall it's definitely a special type of game and I will play again. Did not think the game was all that funny. I need to go ahead and beat the coop levels now.
Overall it's definitely a special type of game and I will play again. Did not think the game was all that funny. I need to go ahead and beat the coop levels now.
Jay Shadow
Member
That one took me and my friend the longest to figure out.Foliorum Viridum said:
paperspace
Member
MrOogieBoogie said:
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
I disagree. A lot of hard challenges in there.loblaw said:
The dynamic of four portals really made things a lot more complex.
DarkSoul520
Member
&Divius said:
Had the exact same experience a few days ago. My friend got fed up with me making *sigh* noises every time he tried to execute a solution that was obviously wrong.
SneakyStephan
Banned
:lol.DarkSoul520 said:
I still have to try the coop (need to find time with a friend who has time to really sit down and play through it all in one go), but the sp was a bit too easy.
It's mostly out of experience from the first game though, by the end of the first game you figure out that the best way to solve the puzzles is to solve it like you would when cheating on a maze, you solve it in reverse.
Look what needs to happen to open the door, look what you need to do to do that, then to do THAT, it's so linear that when you work it out backwards you solve pretty much all of them within 1-2 minutes.
A few more complex modules of the tests (instead of just a series of simple modules) would have been more of a challenge.
More having to mess with momentum , replacing portals in mid air or combinations of moves would have been harder to figure out.
ILOVEASIANS
Member
Well I just finished my first play through and I really enjoyed it. The highlight for me was
I only really got stuck once and that was
I felt so dirty using a guide. At least my original thinking was on the right track.
Now I just have to wait for my friend to finish SP before we start co op. He has been using a guide quite a bit so it should be interesting. Thank God I'll be able to see what he sees at least.
the entire exchange with GLaDOS after she is turned into a potato and you're both falling down the elevator shaft. So many great lines in that sequence.
I only really got stuck once and that was
the last chamber before "The Part Where He Kills You" started.
Now I just have to wait for my friend to finish SP before we start co op. He has been using a guide quite a bit so it should be interesting. Thank God I'll be able to see what he sees at least.
Lionheart1337
Member
The Broken Ska Record said:
I stands for something. Forgot what
The Henery
Member
cackhyena said:
Great article, thanks for posting.
I wonder what the "F-stop" was?
The Big Rig
Member
I think Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating SystemLionheart1337 said:
Some thoughts:
Do you guys notice this fact: For Portal 2, from the trailer before the release, to the game itself, the VALVE made a lot of cutscenes. And seems like all this cutscenes are CG, not in-engine. As we know, VALVE didn't like to make cutscenes, except two opening of L4D, they didn't make other CGs.
So I highly doubt that the cutscenes of Portal 2 are not CG, but prerendered by VALVE's new engine. I believe nowadays the game engine has the power to do that kind of graphics, just a little more antialiasing and high-res mesh.
Maybe we can see the new engine on E3, along with HL2EP3 or even HL3!!
Do you guys notice this fact: For Portal 2, from the trailer before the release, to the game itself, the VALVE made a lot of cutscenes. And seems like all this cutscenes are CG, not in-engine. As we know, VALVE didn't like to make cutscenes, except two opening of L4D, they didn't make other CGs.
So I highly doubt that the cutscenes of Portal 2 are not CG, but prerendered by VALVE's new engine. I believe nowadays the game engine has the power to do that kind of graphics, just a little more antialiasing and high-res mesh.
Maybe we can see the new engine on E3, along with HL2EP3 or even HL3!!
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
Yeah, no.dtiberium said:
Wikipedia said: