Portal 2 is SPECTACULAR!!!!

[YogSosoth]

Just finished playing this game last night and I gotta say WOW! :eek::eek::eek: Holy crap, what an amazing game! This game has everything I wanted: great story, memorable characters, unique gameplay, hard but not too hard (had to look up 3 solutions), pacing, and false endings....it just blew me away!

I had read a little bit of the reviews before I started. Nothing with spoilers, but I heard some common complaints: not as good as the first one, too short, not as groudbreaking. Fuck that, those people must have accidently played a different game or something because I have no idea how anyone who likes video games and FPS type games and puzzlers could not be utterly amazed by it!

It's at least 2-3 times as long as the first one. I never felt length was a factor at all. The story's pace was perfect and things happened when they logically would have, given what was going on in the story. There was a few twists that added many hours to the game and gave you a background in the facility. Whereas in the first game, you are kind of in the dark about the whole facility and GLaDOS's role, in Portal 2 you find out everything you wanted to know and more. My favorite part of the game was going through the entire history of the compound and how it came to be

The gameplay is superb, and that's without having even gotten into the co-op mode. It's not just 2 portals and some tricky slingshotting anymore, but they were able to combine an ass-load of physics tricks into the game. And just when you think they've run out of tricks, you get some more.

Speaking of the tricks, while you were able to get a lot of game out of a couple of portals and gravity, you will be using them in new ways and areas that you could only have imagined in the first game. As I said, I LOVED the romp through the history of the facility. Valve really knows how to craft a believable, if fantastic world. At no time was I taken out of it by poor design. Maybe that's just me, but the enormity of the facility doesn't overwhelm but absorbs you into the game. Many times I found myself simply staring into the deep or looking above just to get a scope of how big the place is. Of course such a thing would be impractical and impossible in the real world, but that's why it's a game

The only thing I wished there was, and I've noticed this in many FPS games, is a lack of secrets. Maybe there are some on the 2nd playthrough, but I would have liked secret doors or something, side quests that tell you more about the background and history of the game world, stuff like that. Unlockables are simply not the same thing. But that's a small complaint of such a great game. The voice acting was spot on, the dialogue was snappy and smart, and the characters were believable and fleshed out (despite having no flesh). If you like puzzlers and FPS, you owe it to yourself to buy this game! And it's only $30 on the PC (think it's more on the consoles) so you have no excuses not to buy it! Do it! Now! Go now, stop reading and buy it!

BTW, however, and I've complained about this before with Starcraft 2, I HATE HATE HATE the forced online registration part. People with slow connections are destined to be the 2nd class citizens of the 21st century! Took me hours to update before I could even play it, then when my connection crashed I was forced to wait for it to connect again. God damn it, I don't want to play online, just run the damn thing off the hard drive!!! :mad:

[gazpacho]

I found it much shorter than the first one. I was also a little disappointed that none of the puzzles were very hard. But it was lots of fun while it lasted. I need to find someone to play 2 person with.

[Tanbarkie]

Yeah, I'm right there with you (Edit: intended as a reply to the OP). I loved it from start to finish. The complaints I've heard seem to be a head-scratching mix of "It wasn't like Portal 1 enough!" and "It was too much like Portal 1!" Personally, it hit that perfect sweet spot for me, exactly what I wanted out of a sequel to my personal 2007 Game of the Year: an expansion of the world, new puzzle mechanics that force you to once again bend your mind around possible uses of the Portal device, and wickedly funny writing and voice acting.

Plus: BEST. ENDING. EVER. Seriously. Oh my god.

YOU SHOOT THE FUCKING MOON.

I still can't quite believe they did that.

I found it much shorter than the first one.

Wait, what? The first game took 3 hours to complete. The single-player campaign of Portal 2, alone, is an 8-10 hour affair. Add the 5-hour co-op campaign and you're looking at about five times the content of Portal 1.

[Red Barchetta]

I found it much shorter than the first one.

Either you were terrible at the first one, or impossibly fast at the sequel. There is almost no way the first took longer to beat, let alone by a significant margin. Portal 2 is at least twice-three times the length of the first.

YogSosoth, I agree. Brilliant, brilliant game.

[Red Barchetta]

Plus: BEST. ENDING. EVER. Seriously. Oh my god.

YOU SHOOT THE FUCKING MOON.

Close, there's one better.

Donkey Kong Country Returns. DONKEY KONG PUNCHES THE FUCKING MOON ONTO HIS ENEMY :D

[Tanbarkie]

The only thing I wished there was, and I've noticed this in many FPS games, is a lack of secrets. Maybe there are some on the 2nd playthrough, but I would have liked secret doors or something, side quests that tell you more about the background and history of the game world, stuff like that. Unlockables are simply not the same thing.

There are actually quite a few easter eggs hidden throughout Portal 2 - exactly the sort of thing you refer to (hidden doors, side hallways, and the like). If the following semi-spoilery phrases don't mean anything to you, then you missed a bunch of stuff :):

Borealis, singing turret practice, Portrait of a Lady, Exile Villify, Oracle Turret

[Kinthalis]

1. Yes, it's awesome!

2. Much longer than the first.

3. Puzzles at the start were SUPER easy, but about 1/2 way through become much more interesting and challenging.

4. There are some secret rooms and places to find.

5. Steam rocks. If the internet thing bothers you, simply go into "off-line" mode.

[Lasciel]

Singing turrets were super-creepy... and somehow sweet. Those things disturb me greatly.

Everyone here has seen this, right?

http://www.geekosystem.com/portal-plush-turret/

WANT.

[Unintentionally Blank]

Finished the single player over the weekend, the 8-year olds and I have been going through the two-player. There are some interesting easter-eggs, too:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=portal+2+easter+egg&aq=0&oq=portal+2+easter

[enalzi]

I think the reason why Portal 2 seemed shorter and easier than Portal 1 is that a lot of the puzzle solutions were obvious after playing Portal 1. When you see a panel sticking out of the wall at 45 degrees, you just know you have to put a Portal there and use it to launch yourself somewhere.

[gazpacho]

I think the reason why Portal 2 seemed shorter and easier than Portal 1 is that a lot of the puzzle solutions were obvious after playing Portal 1. When you see a panel sticking out of the wall at 45 degrees, you just know you have to put a Portal there and use it to launch yourself somewhere.There is probably something to that. I was stuck on a few levels in portal for a while. The one where you had to keep shooting a portal at the top of your flight I had a hard time with that one because I kept screwing it up an making the portal on the wrong level. Portal 2 never had any puzzles that were not straightforward or tricky to execute.

[YogSosoth]

I think the reason why Portal 2 seemed shorter and easier than Portal 1 is that a lot of the puzzle solutions were obvious after playing Portal 1. When you see a panel sticking out of the wall at 45 degrees, you just know you have to put a Portal there and use it to launch yourself somewhere.

That seems so to me too. Which is why I loved the romp through the historical zones. I wish those were longer

[marshmallow]

It was a solid game, good for casuals like the first. Good dialogue and characters in funny situations (I'm a POTATO). Low replay value, especially the coop. Solutions were super obvious because of the fact that 95% of surfaces aren't portalable. Looking forward to the DLC. There's plenty of secrets, I suggest checking your achievement list.

You can beat Portal 1 in like 25 minutes without even knowing speed run tricks. Portal 2 probably has 30 mins of just dialogue. The intro is like 5 minutes by itself.

[RandMcnally]

There's a new "controversy" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUQYrdgIJuI&feature=player_embedded) because people (one guy) are saying that the game is anti-orphan.

eta: youtube link.

[Tanbarkie]

There's a new "controversy" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUQYrdgIJuI&feature=player_embedded) because people (one guy) are saying that the game is anti-orphan.

eta: youtube link.

GLaDOS and Wheatley also spend a significant portion of the game mocking the player for (ostensibly) being, among other things, fat, stupid, mute, possibly mentally disabled, not-immortal, and human. I guess that makes Portal 2 the most controversial game of all time!

[gazpacho]

If you guys were really finishing portal 1 in 25 minutes. what is that less than 30 seconds a level? Then I do suck at portal 1.

[Silophant]

Keep in mind that when he says "no speedrun tricks", he means no glitches. You still have to know the puzzles absolutely cold to go that fast. I'd be shocked if anyone beat it in less than an hour and a half their first time through, and even two, two and a half hours I'd think was fast, for a first play.

[Tanbarkie]

If you guys were really finishing portal 1 in 25 minutes. what is that less than 30 seconds a level? Then I do suck at portal 1.

I think most people take about 3 hours to beat Portal 1 on their first play through. Plus or minus an hour depending on how often you get stuck on a puzzle. Portal 2 took me about 9 hours to get through, plus another 5 hours to beat the co-op mode.

[marshmallow]

I did a "run" of Portal 1 just now without any tricks, doing it the way the developers intended and got 40 minutes (world record is like 13 mins, but it breaks the game badly). When I did the same for Portal 2 I got 2h:28m. So yeah, Portal 2 is much bigger. There's a lot of waiting around for dialogue or scripted events plus a lot more levels. Half or Portal 1 is just introducing very simple techniques like flings and how to use energy balls. Portal 2 SP must have like 3x as many chambers (glados section, old section, wheatley section).

[gazpacho]

I think most people take about 3 hours to beat Portal 1 on their first play through. Plus or minus an hour depending on how often you get stuck on a puzzle. Portal 2 took me about 9 hours to get through, plus another 5 hours to beat the co-op mode.I have 13 hours listed on steam. I went back a lot when I finished to replay cool things so maybe it did take me 9 hours. I finished Portal 2 on the weekend I came back from vacation after it came out. I seem to remember taken a week or so to finish the first one but that was a while ago. I should probably bow to the combined testimony of people and believe that portal 1 is shorter. But I was sad when I finished 2 because it was short, I did not have the feeling that 1 was as short.

[Tanbarkie]

I have 13 hours listed on steam. I went back a lot when I finished to replay cool things so maybe it did take me 9 hours. I finished Portal 2 on the weekend I came back from vacation after it came out. I seem to remember taken a week or so to finish the first one but that was a while ago. I should probably bow to the combined testimony of people and believe that portal 1 is shorter. But I was sad when I finished 2 because it was short, I did not have the feeling that 1 was as short.

You should replay it. I'm guessing that, with the level of portaling skill you've reached after beating Portal 2, you'll be able to blast your way through Portal 1 in under two hours, even if you don't remember any of the Portal 1 puzzle solutions.

[YogSosoth]

By the way, what's the deal with the Super 8 interactive trailer?

I clicked on it, it told me to zoom, I zoomed, some letters or words fell and I couldn't move so I turned it off. I have a feeling I'm missing something...

[Rigamarole]

Just finished it in 7 hours (and I think I went pretty slow and took my time checking out the artwork etc.). Really fun and absolutely hilarious game, but way way too short and easy. Haven't tried the multiplayer mode yet... is it any good?

[Unintentionally Blank]

You folks are too freaking jaded (probably from playing games like Fallout 3, which takes 14 years to complete)

My thoughts playing through was "wow, these maps are HUGE"

[Rigamarole]

You folks are too freaking jaded (probably from playing games like Fallout 3, which takes 14 years to complete)

My thoughts playing through was "wow, these maps are HUGE"

It bothers me because they spent so long building an awesome game engine, yet it would have been relatively trivial (compared to building the engine and creating the artwork) to add another 30 or 40 puzzles so that it would at least take longer than half a day to beat the game.

[Unintentionally Blank]

30 or 40 _quality_ maps? I think you under-estimate the effort.

I'm also hoping that releasing the development tools leads to more content in the future...and I hope it's released for the consoles as well as the PC version.

[Rigamarole]

30 or 40 _quality_ maps? I think you under-estimate the effort.

Nah, not with a whole team working on it. And it's not being jaded to expect a fair amount of gameplay out of a game. As I've said, what little gameplay there was was excellent. But it felt like more of a long-ish movie than a video game.

I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it (waited 'til I saw a copy for $25 on Half), but I still feel a little ripped off, especially since I can't resell it. Should have waited until it was about $10.

[Unintentionally Blank]

Well you can say yes, and I can say no all day long. Won't solve anything. It was one of the few release-day full price games I'll buy this year.

Perhaps it's because it's divided between me and my 8 year old boys, but I've paid similar money for CRAP games. This was not a crap game. And there are indications they're not done yet:
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/hey-details-on-portal-2s-free-downloadable-content/3108/

[Great Antibob]

Really fun and absolutely hilarious game, but way way too short and easy. Haven't tried the multiplayer mode yet... is it any good?

Yes, it's incredibly fun. The game really enforces cooperation between players, so you have to think about how to use each other's portals (and each other) to complete the maps. They've play-tested it so it is impossible to solve the puzzles on your own.

I've been enjoying it a little more than the single player game, though some of that may just be that I'm playing with friends instead of alone.

The co-op isn't very long, but it by itself is about as good as the first Portal and probably about as long.

One caveat: it's going to be much easier if both players can verbally communicate - either by playing the split screen on the console version or with headsets. The gesture and pointing features work ok, but you really need your partner to know what you are thinking/planning and vice-versa. I haven't played it without headsets, yet, but I can see how it could be incredibly frustrating.

[Tanbarkie]

Nah, not with a whole team working on it. And it's not being jaded to expect a fair amount of gameplay out of a game. As I've said, what little gameplay there was was excellent. But it felt like more of a long-ish movie than a video game.

I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it (waited 'til I saw a copy for $25 on Half), but I still feel a little ripped off, especially since I can't resell it. Should have waited until it was about $10.

The gameplay in the puzzles was excellent because Valve's team spends a bazillion hours tweaking, playtesting, and iterating them until they are perfect - not too easy, not too hard, not confusing for the sake of confusion, and focused around mental gymnastics rather than pin-point accuracy and speed. An additional 30-40 test chambers = another two years of development.

Personally, I feel that 12-15 hours of brilliant gameplay is more worth my $60 than 40 hours of "eh" gameplay. Or, in the case of the Fallout games, 15 hours of moderate fun surrounded by 40 hours of mind-numbingly dull open world wandering.

[Rigamarole]

The gameplay in the puzzles was excellent because Valve's team spends a bazillion hours tweaking, playtesting, and iterating them until they are perfect - not too easy, not too hard, not confusing for the sake of confusion, and focused around mental gymnastics rather than pin-point accuracy and speed. An additional 30-40 test chambers = another two years of development.

I dunno about that. It was pretty freakin' easy. I'm surprised to hear how long people are saying it took them since I don't think of myself as being that fast at solving problems and it only took me 7 hours taking it at a leisurely pace. There were several puzzles that took me a little while to see the solution but like someone else said, because there are so few misdirects (i.e. when you see a portal-able area you pretty much know you are going to have to use it somehow) it makes the solutions a little too obvious.

Anyway I don't want to be the person taking an anti-Portal 2 stance here because I really did enjoy the game, we just disagree on how much a few hours of fun gameplay is worth to us. So yeah I guess I'm spoiled in that regard because I'm used to getting cheap games that I can play for at least 40 or 50 hours before finishing them or getting bored.

[Unpronounceable]

By the way, what's the deal with the Super 8 interactive trailer?

I clicked on it, it told me to zoom, I zoomed, some letters or words fell and I couldn't move so I turned it off. I have a feeling I'm missing something...

You wander around in the train car for a while, then the train derails.
After the crash, you wander through the wreckage for a while, until something (cue dramatic music) busts out of a vault-locked car. /the end.

Just a tie-in to an upcoming movie.

[Yllaria]

In my household, I'm not the one playing the games, usually. Portal and Portal 2 are both a hoot to watch and listen to while someone else plays the game. They're a gift to the whole family.

[Tanbarkie]

If you've completed the game, check this (http://rain.nxe7.com/) out. Warning: may bring throat-lumpiness and smiles.

[Kinthalis]

That was awesome!

[Quimby]

I literally just finished this and I loved the game! The level design was great and the production design was even better.

My favorites where the moment where you think you are in just another level and then the power goes out and the game changes and then of course the ending. When the vortex of air started and I realized exactly what was happening I just laughed and laughed. The best part of that is they actually set it up earlier by revealing the white gel was based on Moon rocks.

As far as length, this game was clearly longer than the first one. Steam bares that out. I played the first for 7 hours (and while it has been a while, I am sure I went back in some so the actual game was shorter) and this I played for 12.

I also like the fact that while with most games I need a walk through at some point, I eventually can solve these puzzles. Looking forward to Portal 3!

[marshmallow]

It bothers me because they spent so long building an awesome game engine...

The Source engine is really old. HL2 came out in 2004. I know they've made lots of upgrades, but it's not much compared to the original groundwork that took like 6 years.

[DeptfordX]

Literally finished this 2 hours ago. Best game i've played for several years.

[Raguleader]

Just finished it too. Loved the very last puzzle, because the solution was so outrageous, and yet, given what we had seen before in the game, it just made sense.

I PORTALED TO THE FREAKING MOON!:D Definitely one of the most satisfying "HOLY CRAP THAT JUST HAPPENED!" moments in video gaming for me.

[Unintentionally Blank]

I was playing it again last night (while listening to the developer commentary) and as usual, your sense of urgency is artificial, a lot of games you have plenty of time to futz about and sightsee the second time around. Turns out at that climax of the last puzzle:

There isn't much else you CAN do but portal to the moon. Your movement is restricted to 10 degrees or so to either side of the moon.

[stpauler]

I was playing it again last night (while listening to the developer commentary)

Is that worth listening to by the way?

[Unintentionally Blank]

Yeah, it's worth it if only because you paid for it and it lets you revisit parts of the game.

Oh, and this is the awesomest thing I've yet encountered this year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OySaq-zg-ZQ&feature=player_embedded

Pity that the song doesn't play a bigger part in the game (It's not the song you think. ;) )

[YogSosoth]

Is that worth listening to by the way?

I replayed Portal 1 with the commentary and it added a lot to my experience. It's fun to know how they created certain puzzles or the trials they went through to assure that it came out well. I'm sure I'll find Portal 2's commentary equally great

[clarkstar]

i dont get it. i played the demo of portAL and hated it

[Red Barchetta]

i dont get it. i played the demo of portAL and hated it

I don't get that.

[sohvan]

Yeah, it's worth it if only because you paid for it and it lets you revisit parts of the game.

Oh, and this is the awesomest thing I've yet encountered this year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OySaq-zg-ZQ&feature=player_embedded

Pity that the song doesn't play a bigger part in the game (It's not the song you think. ;) )

I stumbled across the song here (http://rain.nxe7.com/). It's the song coupled with the sound of rain and thunder.

[brewha]

I'm probably half way through Portal 2 and absolutely love it. When you get transported back to the original little cube at the beginning, I was grinning ear to ear.

I really want to click on those spoilers, but don't want to get spoiled. Do any of them pertain to things that happened before the "old factory" section? I'm currently bouncing around in the repulsion goo.

[Jophiel]

I'm both enjoying the game and starting to get really annoyed by it. I'm at a part in the old factory, I know what to do, I've even watched walkthroughs on Youtube so I KNOW I have the right set up, but I keep failing to make a jump. Once I even missed it by so little that I triggered the "Congratulations" message even as I fell to my death. I don't mind the puzzles but I feel like I'm being punished for some video-gamey skill that I wasn't looking to exercise in Portal. Wasted an hour on that jump last night before quitting in disgust.

In case anyone cares but can't figure it out:
Part of the Reunion puzzles where you have an orange and blue goo jets and need to run fast on the orange, jump on the blue, and then pass through two portals set up to get you through a pillar and land on the broken walkway/exit on the far side.

Also, Cave Johnson ain't no GLaDOS but every bit that does have the ol' girl still makes me smile.

[brewha]

I was just going to say how much I love that J.K. Simmons does the voice for Cave Johnson. The warnings and stuff just crack me up.

"it's made from Asbestos, but it has a latency factor of 47.5 years, so if you're over 30... you're laughing"

[Jophiel]

No, he does have some great lines. I just personally prefer the quiet psychosis of GLaDOS.

Do you know the biggest lesson I learned from what you did? I discovered I have a sort of “black box” quick-save feature. In the event of a catastrophic failure, the last two minutes of my life are preserved for analysis. I was able, well forced really, to relive you killing me, again and again... forever.

[brewha]

"Most people tend to lose weight while in stasis - I see you've managed to pack on a few pounds. Now, waddle your way to the next puzzle."

Good good stuff.

Yeah, I found myself giggling and talking to GLaDOS throughout the first part of the game.

[Raguleader]

If Cave seems too grounded for you, just wait a bit. :eek:

[Jophiel]

It won't matter if I never make that damned jump :mad:

[asterion]

I saw that the Valve online store now has a poster of some of the signs. That's still not quite what I want, as what I really want are individual signs. There were a couple I'd love (I don't remember the exact ones now) in my cubicle or at my hood. For example, the "Accidents Hurt..." poster, the "Alert Your Supervisor" poster, and the "Know Your Hazardous Materials" and "Know Your Chemical Hazards" posters.

[Mekhazzio]

If you're missing a jump, you're just plain doing the puzzle wrong. Portal 2 had a lot of its mechanics changed around to make all the maneuvers essentially perform themselves once you'd put portals in the right spot, including locking the portals TO the right spots. Come at it from a different direction.

[Raguleader]

I saw that the Valve online store now has a poster of some of the signs. That's still not quite what I want, as what I really want are individual signs. There were a couple I'd love (I don't remember the exact ones now) in my cubicle or at my hood. For example, the "Accidents Hurt..." poster, the "Alert Your Supervisor" poster, and the "Know Your Hazardous Materials" and "Know Your Chemical Hazards" posters.

I wonder how much trouble I'd get in if I hung up a few of those posters around the office, considering that I'm the section safety rep? :D

[asterion]

I wonder how much trouble I'd get in if I hung up a few of those posters around the office, considering that I'm the section safety rep? :DThey're humorous, they're different, and they still make a valid point. Well, maybe not the "Alert Your Supervisor" one, but I'd get a good laugh out of them and it's be a nice change from all the "official" safety stuff.

[brewha]

I'm both enjoying the game and starting to get really annoyed by it. I'm at a part in the old factory, I know what to do, I've even watched walkthroughs on Youtube so I KNOW I have the right set up, but I keep failing to make a jump. Once I even missed it by so little that I triggered the "Congratulations" message even as I fell to my death. I don't mind the puzzles but I feel like I'm being punished for some video-gamey skill that I wasn't looking to exercise in Portal. Wasted an hour on that jump last night before quitting in disgust.

In case anyone cares but can't figure it out:
Part of the Reunion puzzles where you have an orange and blue goo jets and need to run fast on the orange, jump on the blue, and then pass through two portals set up to get you through a pillar and land on the broken walkway/exit on the far side.

Also, Cave Johnson ain't no GLaDOS but every bit that does have the ol' girl still makes me smile.


I'm guessing you made it to the broken walkway since you figured out that you need to go through the pillar. The trick is (if you haven't already tried this)


You need to put the exit port at the top of the far side of the pillar. There's a wall for a portal above the walkway that is above the walkway you land on. Hope that helps.

I only got to play for another hour or so last night, but getting insight on the origins of GLaDOS is pretty cool. I also just realized the that big 4 digit numbers stenciled on various walls indicates the year that the tests originally took place. I got that I started in the 60's, but then Cave made a CD reference - then I saw the 1986 on the wall. Ah ha!

[Jophiel]

I finally got past that after another half hour last night. The annoying issue is that I had the portals and gel set up properly (like I said, I even confirmed it via YouTube walkthroughs since I was so frustrated) and it was purely a speed/timing issue in being fast enough and hitting the blue gel at just the last second. I disliked it so much because up until then it (both Portal & Portal 2) had really just been a puzzle game and I had the puzzle solved but some lame Tomb Raider mechanics were keeping me from progressing. Another couple feet on the far end of the broken walkway would have been the exact same puzzle but a lot less frustrating.

[Sleel]

Jophiel, if you have the gel set up right, the bounce happens by itself. You might have been screwing up by trying to time the jump.

[Disposable Hero]

I didn't think this merited a thread by itself.

While recently perusing a little light reading, namely "The Armies of Ignorance", a history of the US Intelligence services by William R. Corson I came across a reference to one 19th Century US Senator, Cave Johnson by name:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_Johnson

And there was me thinking it was such a made up name! :D

[Miller]

Wow, he invented the postage stamp!

Anyway, much as I loved the latter day Cave Johnson, I thought the setting lost something by including him. In Portal, I could believe that I was trapped in what had once been a legitimate scientific facility that was now under the control of a rogue AI. The science fiction elements aside, that was a realistic scenario, and it gave an element of horror to the game. I could imagine my character reacting to the situation as a real person would.

Cave Johnson, as funny as he was, breaks that level of realism. A rogue AI (in a possibly post-apocalyptic setting) that's murdered everyone in its facility in a series of bizarre and pointless "tests" is terrifying. A deranged millionaire (in 1950's America) doing the same, with a full staff of research scientists, lawyers, secretaries, etc. going along with it, puts the game in cartoon land. It's no longer a scenario that (science fiction elements aside) could plausibly happen in the real world.

Still a great, great game, and Cave Johnson is a hilarious character, but there's a slight loss of tension in the sequel for me.

[Unintentionally Blank]

It's no longer a scenario that (science fiction elements aside) could plausibly happen in the real world.


Well, maybe not in YOUR world.


/To the Batcave!

[Jophiel]

A deranged millionaire (in 1950's America) doing the same, with a full staff of research scientists, lawyers, secretaries, etc. going along with it, puts the game in cartoon land. It's no longer a scenario that (science fiction elements aside) could plausibly happen in the real world.
I dunno. I have the feeling that if someone said we could fight off the Red Menace with an army of Mantis-Men, Congress would have covered that proposal with so many rubber stamps you wouldn't be able to read the print.

[Chronos]

By the way, if anyone wants an experienced partner for multiplayer, I've been through it once now. My Steam ID is "sonorhC".