Post by solidbatman on May 29, 2011 21:10:37 GMT -5
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-Visuals- 8.5/10
While it's nothing mind blowing, Portal 2 features graphics that get the job done. The Portals are done well as are the couple of characters. Things start to look a bit stale after a long sitting but their is still some variety with the visuals. Towards the end of the game, the visuals get exciting as the game shows more and more of what it can do. The puzzle designs are clever and rendered nicely. Again, it really is nothing flashy.
-Sound- 9.7/10
For a game with only three characters who speak, Portal 2 has some of the best voice acting that I've ever heard in a game. GLaDOS has the perfect female robotic voice and Wheatly has everything you could want in voice acting. The soundtrack is great and adds to the game making it feel more real. There really isn't much I can complain about.
-Gameplay- 8/10
This is a puzzle game, not a first person shooter. I know you have a portal gun and the game is first person, but it is not a shooter. You use your portal gun to shoot out portals, but only two portals can be open at once. When you enter one portal, you come out of the second portal. Essentially, the game is simply a get from point A to point B. How you do that is the challenge. Some levels require you to redirect lasers by opening a portal on the wall and opening the second portal on the other side of the room. Others require certain gels with special properties to be transported across the level so you can complete the level.
Luckily, Portal 2 does not use twitch mechanics so you can move slowly and thoughtfully for the most part. Only on a few puzzles did I feel that dying a few times was the only way to beat it. You will find yourself getting frustrated at some puzzles, only to figure out how simple the puzzle really was. My main gripe with the game is the slowdowns certain levels contain; instead of actually getting something productive done, you spend 20 minutes just looking for where you are supposed to go. Every once in a while there is a puzzle that breaks from the pattern or the rules that the game sets up. For example, one puzzle requires you to go back to a previous puzzle to solve it, though before that puzzle, you weren't allowed to even attempt to do that.
-Story- 7.5/10
You are trying to escape from Aperture Laboratories after waking up from a very long nap. The game does give some story to GLaDOS and Aperture Labs, but it still takes a back seat to the funny dialogue and gameplay.
-Overall- 8.3/10
As much as I was let down by this game, it is a fun game. I was often mad at the game, but it was due to my stupidity at figuring out some of the puzzles more often than not. The middle of the game does get bogged down as the backstory of Aperture is being explored more than the actual story being advanced. As I said before, I was disappointed with the game though. I was expecting a mind blowing adventure but what I got instead was a fun game that was entertaining but not amazing. One final note, there is very little replay value unless you really enjoy knowing the solutions to every puzzle.