# Portal 2 is SPECTACULAR!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 17, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portal-2-is-spectacular/582218 "2011-05-17T17:02:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portal-2-is-spectacular/582218/61 "2012-03-11T19:49:46Z")
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: > **[Cave Johnson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_Johnson)** > > Cave Johnson (January 11, 1793 – November 23, 1866) was an American politician who served the state of Tennessee as a Democratic congressman in the United States House of Representatives. Johnson was the 12th United States Postmaster General in the administration of James K. Polk from 1845-1849. > Johnson was born near present-day Springfield, Tennessee to Robert and Mary Noel Johnson. He was named for Rev. Richard Cave, a Baptist minister in the Travelling Church with whom Mary's mother, also nam... And there was me thinking it was such a made up name! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portal-2-is-spectacular/582218/62 "2012-03-11T21:20:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portal-2-is-spectacular/582218/63 "2012-03-11T23:10:53Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > 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! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portal-2-is-spectacular/582218/64 "2012-03-11T23:48:27Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portal-2-is-spectacular/582218/65 "2012-03-12T00:51:54Z")
By the way, if anyone wants an experienced partner for multiplayer, I’ve been through it once now. My Steam ID is “sonorhC”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portal-2-is-spectacular/582218.md?page=3)