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[Forkball]

*insert tired Portal joke*

Cryptozoic, which is just days away from delivering its Kickstarted Ghostbusters board game, has another product in which you might be interested. The cake is forever a lie, but you can try to nab a piece anyway in this Portal tabletop game.

First revealed in early 2014, Cryptozoic’s take on Valve’s masterful puzzle game now bears an thematically appropriate subtitle. Portal: The Uncooperative Cake Acquisition Game features a variety of different test chambers, subject miniatures, cake slices, and (of course) a companion cube.

Oh, and GLADOS is here. She has a score to settle, too.

If you don’t have a copy of Portal 2 yet, Cryptozoic has bundled a code in with every copy. You can grab it for $50 from the company's website or other retailers, you monster.

You can buy it for $50 on Cryptozoic's official site.

Description:

With a grinding of gears and some uneasy rumbling, Aperture Laboratories has resumed testing! Your team of Test Subjects have entered the Lab and are ready to perform all sorts of important, dignified, and dangerous testing procedures… all in the pursuit of Cake! It’s a fun and funny fast-paced fight to the finish. And by finish, we mean your team probably died.

The Lab is an ever-changing conveyor belt of death and dismemberment. But SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS must be at the forefront of the mind of every good Test Subject. In this game of constantly shifting area control and cardplay, players move and Portal their Test Subjects to various Chambers in the Lab. At the end of each player’s turn, one of the Chambers on the end of the Lab gives way, plunging all Test Subjects on it into oblivion. But should your Test Subjects have numbered greater than all others in the falling Chamber, they earn you some wonderful parting gifts, which can include Cake.

Yet, these moist slices of industrial-grade Cake must be stored in the Lab, where they are at risk of falling into said oblivion. Not to mention that your jealous opponents can pick up your Cake and move it closer to that precipice. He who has acquired the most Cake when a team has lost its last Test Subject is the winner. Do you risk gathering Cake early for a quick win? Or do you bide your time and wait until you can protect it better? Win the game and prove the Cake was no lie.

Comes with:

Contents Summary:
• 1 Manual
• 1 Resource Board
• 18 Test Chamber Panels
• 20 Aperture Cards/Characters
• 4 Oversized Portal Gun Cards
• 32 Test Subject Miniatures
• 32 Cake Slice Miniatures
• 1 Turret Miniature
• 1 Companion Cube Miniature
• 2 Portal Tokens
• 1 GLADOS Token
• 1 Steam Activation Code (for a free copy of Portal 2)

NOW YOU CAN FINALLY OWN PORTAL 2.

 

[Interfectum]

Comes with:


NOW YOU CAN FINALLY OWN PORTAL 2.

Holy shit megaton.

 

[PartTimeWarrior]

does it come with cake mix xd xd

 

[Zia]

First revealed in early 2014, Cryptozoic’s take on Valve’s masterful puzzle game

Actually, from what I remember this game is Valve-designed and Cryptozoic-produced.

 

[dani_dc]

NOW YOU CAN FINALLY OWN PORTAL 2.

But what about Portal 1?!

 

[jryi]

Will there also be grief counseling?

 

[ricki42]

So what's the actual gameplay like? Is it cooperative, players against the game, or players against each other?

 

[ajb1888]

What is this???

 

[internetwolf]

THAT CAKE

 

[PFD]

Rock Paper Shotgun really enjoyed it

 

[ced]

They could have been making HL3...

 

[AgeEighty]

The box art is real, and it's spectacular.

 

[BassForever]

does it come with cake mix xd xd

No but you can be baked while playing

 

[Tenebrous]

"... cake acquisition enrichment activity."

I'm sold.

Spoiler

I would be if I could afford & justify it.

 

[BrianAltano]

They made a Portal board game ages ago. It's called Chutes and Ladders.

 

[PsionBolt]

I played it last week; it's kind of fun. I don't know that I'd recommend it for someone who just wants an interesting board game, but I probably would recommend it for someone who plays board games primarily for social interaction and who has a group of friends that like Portal.

Basically, if you take away the theming, the game itself isn't especially interesting; it's the Portal flavour that is the game's main draw. (Though honestly, the game flow is nothing at all like Portal -- it's just the visual elements, the text, and so on.)

So what's the actual gameplay like? Is it cooperative, players against the game, or players against each other?

It's a competitive game. You advance across an ever-shifting board, trying to acquire as many pieces of cake as possible before the game ends. When I played, the best strategy seemed to be getting a couple cake pieces and then killing off all your test subject pieces, forcing the game to end early while you were ahead.

 

[daveo42]

Not a huge fan of Cryptozoic, but they do have a few good games. I'd love to play this first before setting down cash to buy it though.

Eagerly awaiting the mental gymnastics by fans to say this is some meta way to announce the release of HL/Portal 3.

 

[sixteen-bit]

iJustine should do a Let's Play

 

[BrettHeazy]

the board's wonderful

 

[Qwark]

Kind of interested in this. $50 is a lot for a game that sounds so-so though.

They made a Portal board game ages ago. It's called Chutes and Ladders.

I don't get it.

 

[bomblord1]

I never understood the idea of turning a video game into a board game personally I feel like it's a step backwards.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

The packaging is great.

 

[xxracerxx]

They made a Portal board game ages ago. It's called Chutes and Ladders.

No truer words.

 

[inky]

I never understood the idea of turning a video game into a board game personally I feel like it's a step backwards.

How? It's just a different experience designed from the ground up to work as a board game, just with familiar elements.

The only way I'd accept that conclusion would be if you were trying to do something like a 1:1 physical Hearthstone conversion, or something like that. (I know it exists, but just for novelty value not for any real kind of play).

 

[Protome]

About time! this thing has been in development for almost as long as an actual Valve game.

 

[Aesnath]

If it is a legit-solid board game, I would consider buying it. I'm always up for an interesting board game experience. Plus--several of my family members are familiar with the video game, not a bad deal.

 

[bomblord1]

How? It's just a different experience designed from the ground up to work as a board game, just with familiar elements.

The only way I'd accept that conclusion would be if you were trying to do something like a 1:1 physical Hearthstone conversion, or something like that. (I know it exists, but just for novelty value not for any real kind of play).

IDK it just feels like a worse experience. Anything that could be done in a board game like this could be done in a video game bigger and flashier.

 

[Karkador]

IDK it just feels like a worse experience. Anything that could be done in a board game like this could be done in a video game bigger and flashier.

There are lots of things board games do that videogames don't or can't do

 

[soxinthebox]

IDK it just feels like a worse experience. Anything that could be done in a board game like this could be done in a video game bigger and flashier.

Try thinking of it as a different genre. Board games have their own unique strengths and this one sounds like a decent concept.

 

[bomblord1]

There are lots of things board games do that videogames don't or can't do

I italicized it maybe I should have bolded it as well?

 

[Karkador]

I italicized it maybe I should have bolded it as well?

How about elaborating on what you mean by "like this"?

 

[bomblord1]

How about elaborating on what you mean by "like this"?

Exactly like the one in the OP?

 

[Karkador]

Exactly like the one in the OP?

Okay, tell me what makes that particular board game better as a videogame? Use more than the words "it's based on a videogame"

 

[bomblord1]

Okay, tell me what makes that particular board game better as a videogame? Use more than the words "it's based on a videogame"

There is nothing being done here that couldn't be done in a video game. If put into a video game there it would also have the benefit of being able to be animated, having special effects, and a computer keeping track of score and preventing cheating.

 

[MrCunningham]

Try thinking of it as a different genre. Board games have their own unique strengths and this one sounds like a decent concept.

Sometimes it is more enjoyable to sit at a table with a group to play a game than it is for everyone to stare at a flatscreen TV. Boardgames still have their charms.

This one looks pretty great though. All it needs is CastAR support and we have come full circle.

 

[Karkador]

There is nothing being done here that couldn't be done in a video game. If put into a video game there it would also have the benefit of being able to be animated, having special effects, and a computer keeping track of score and preventing cheating.

At the expense of losing face-to-face multiplayer (which is a huge thing), handling the (rather well-made) playing pieces and interesting optical illusion board, and having a better sense of the game state on your table at all times (you have several of your own player pieces on the board).

Animations and the computer keeping track are empty features. I would rather touch the pieces than have the computer animate them, and I can keep track of a score just fine on my own.

 

[Protome]

There is nothing being done here that couldn't be done in a video game. If put into a video game there it would also have the benefit of being able to be animated, having special effects, and a computer keeping track of score and preventing cheating.

Just because it "could be done as a videogame" doesn't mean it'd be as good or as fun as a video game.

You honestly are just sounding like you've never played a board game before.
Board games are inherently more social, having physical pieces also goes to their advantage quite a bit too. As for the keeping score, well designed board games have systems in place to make score easy. For cheating, don't play with assholes.

 

[BattleMonkey]

Game will be available for like $35 online at board game retailers in November, just wait a bit and get it cheaper

 

[dave is ok]

See! Valve still makes games

 

[XiaNaphryz]

There is nothing being done here that couldn't be done in a video game. If put into a video game there it would also have the benefit of being able to be animated, having special effects, and a computer keeping track of score and preventing cheating.

You can say that about every boardgame, P&P RPG, miniature game, card game, etc. That doesn't mean everything should necessarily be in video game form. Hell, GAF has OTs for all those various types (though I don't think there's a general CCG/LCG thread, just specific ones for particular games like Magic or Netrunner).

 

[Tansut]

 

[Karkador]

Anyway, shitposting aside, here's an interview with Jeep Barnett (one of the key Portal designers, all the way from Narbacular Drop), talking about designing board games and how this board game came about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_HmKlSbmXk

 

[bomblord1]

At the expense of losing face-to-face multiplayer (which is a huge thing), handling the (rather well-made) playing pieces and interesting optical illusion board, and having a better sense of the game state on your table at all times (you have several of your own player pieces on the board).

Animations and the computer keeping track are empty features. I would rather touch the pieces than have the computer animate them, and I can keep track of a score just fine on my own.

Why can't you sit on the couch with other people? I can't really agree with "having a better sense of game state" in fact I think it would be easier on a screen with a score counter. You may see them as empty features but I see them as inherently adding to the experience.

Just because it "could be done as a videogame" doesn't mean it'd be as good or as fun as a video game.

You honestly are just sounding like you've never played a board game before.
Board games are inherently more social, having physical pieces also goes to their advantage quite a bit too. As for the keeping score, well designed board games have systems in place to make score easy. For cheating, don't play with assholes.

I have indeed played many board games. Even though those are valid methods of working around my perceived issues I still see those as enhancements. As for social experience you can have people all playing together on a couch in a face to face environment.

Anyway, shitposting aside

You asked my opinion I gave it.

 

[FrozenCell]

Tom Vasel https://boardgamegeek.com/video/790...ke-acquisition-game/dice-tower-reviews-portal

 

[Fewr]

<3 Tom Vasel

 

[Karkador]

Why can't you sit on the couch with other people? I can't really agree with "having a better sense of game state" in fact I think it would be easier on a screen with a score counter. You may see them as empty features but I see them as inherently adding to the experience.

It's not the same thing. You sit at a table and you face people. You talk to them directly, and react to each other, rather than being focused on a TV. You have your own entirely unique perspective on the game, rather than sharing a split screen (try having your own private hand of cards on a split screen). It's completely different.