this game has a level of polish rarely seen, and some of the best voice acting in any video game to date. Valve took the original and without removing any of the charm created a much deeper and more fleshed out game-play experience. portal 2 is truly a fantastic game.

A good follow up. The dialog is even better than the original. I don't know if it's because we already experienced the "think with portals" game play before, but the test don't seem quite as difficult. Not that I have gotten stuck trying to figure them out a few times in 2.

The reason there are so many negative reviews is probably because of the price of the game. Many people feel that given the short length of the game it should have been cheaper. Personally i think it's worth the price, it's as simple as that. If you think its worth it buy it but if u dont think its worth it then dont buy it. Expensive or not this is still a quality game which i can rank higher than $60 dollar games. Also this is not a $60 dollar game i dont know where people got that figure from. Someone had the nerve to say "Poor level design, the levels are broken" This is just someone who lacks the mental capacity to solve these puzzles. The game is fun, not once was i bored during single player and coop is a real laugh. Also dont believe people who say they completed it in 3 hours. I'm pretty sure thats impossible without cheats of some kind. If you can solve each puzzle right away (which is extremely difficult) the game will still take u at least 5 hours. Personally i think the length of the single player is 5-7 hours and coop 3-5 hours. Also all the moan about DLC which is basically a few gimmicky items u can equip ur coop character with is ridiculous. They are releasing a level design kit down the road so expect custom maps too. In the UK its £30 on Steam. I'd personally recommend it.… Expand

This is an absolutely fantastic game. Sure, it's a tad short, but I still managed to easily get 8 hours out of the single player campaign. This game excels at many things, but two things really stood out for me: Level design and the characters' personalities. The gameplay is up-to-par with what we have come to expect from a Valve game. Overall, this game is a blast to play and you'll find yourself with a big smile on your face most of the time. Mustbuy!… Expand

This was one of the best experience i have ever had, the ideal mix between storytelling and actual gameplay. Valve does an excellent job at dragging you in its games, i.e. Half-Life 2 etc. I Notice a lot of people complaining about the 'old' engine Valve uses, i don't see any problems with it, the graphics are ace and perfect for a game like portal in my opinion.

*like like*

One of the best Games i ever played nice and hard levels . Nice ideas with the gel etc. and The best COOP game i ever played in my whole life. GOOD WORK VALVE .waiting for Portal 3^^

Loved the game.
I love all the small touches all around the game from the funny posters to the way the background music reacts to player actions and adds well to the atmosphere.
I found the voice acting, the characters and their scripts to be entertaining, we're going to be quoting Cave Johnson for a long time.
The puzzles designs were good and well thought out, hard enough to slow down the players as they work things out but not stop them, so a good pace can be set throughout the game.
Haven't finished the co op yet but we are having a great time with it so far.
Graphics are good and a good amount of time can be spent just looking around the levels appreciating the looks.
I really did enjoy the story and the speed with which it develops, overall I reckon they chose a good length for the game to prevent it from getting stale, just as fun to do in one big sitting or several small sittings without losing your place.

The adverts and teaser clips they put out for this game really built up the hype for me, so I'm glad I wasn't disappointed, not to mention that little competition they had going in order to get the game released earlier was a fantastic idea as far as I was concerned.

Good job valve, now wheres half life 3?… Expand

Amazing game, best 40 euros spend on video games in a long time. The single player is simply amazing. People might argue about how short the game actually is, but if you like to explore and get the full portal 2 experience, the singleplayer alone might take you upto 8 hours, and then there is still the co-op to explore which is also a full campaign. Graphics are top and the story also ties in with the half life world! (Borealis hl2) Ofcourse people might be dissapointed if they followed the whole Potato ARG by valve and hoped that the game would release over the weekend, but giving this game a negative score is just overreacting. It's certainly one of the contestants for game of the year, and it doesnt deserve the bad scores like /v/ did earlier to dragon age 2.… Expand

I absolutely loved this game. Everything from the graphics to the sarcastic humor of GlaDOS. No matter what the raging says, don't listen to them. This is a great game!

I think this game has too many haters for this type of game, It's original ( unless your counting portal one ) it has a great story line, and it's great for multi player. People say this games levels are very dull, but there original, and a challenge. Most people who play this game have had allot of fun playing it and I have to as I think it is very entertaining. And you could have a outstanding game like COD4 when it was out but yet that is not as fun as say Donkey Kong returns. Most games are known for graphics and what the online play is like. Well really games should be about how much fun you can get in them, how long you will be interested for, and how original they are. So that just proves this is a epic game that will and should be rated as one of the best there is.… Expand

This was everything I wanted in a Portal sequel. The puzzles, characters, level design, and especially the humor, were all a step above what the first portal had achieved. Valve has outdone themselves yet again.

9/10 Great game, and well worth the wait.
First off, everyone complaining that it isn't long enough needs to realize that people solve puzzles at different speeds. It seems like the average completion time for the single player is 5-7 hours and for co-op it is 2-3 hours. That makes the game about 7-10 hours long, which if you bought it for $40 for the 2 pack during pre-order, makes it well worth it. I can see why people who bought it for $50 might be kind of mad, but that is their problem for not splitting it with a friend. I'm also doing the dev commentary so that adds another chuck of play time.
Regardless, the game is hilarious and looks beautiful. Didn't have any glitches or level design flaws so I don't know what other people are complaining about. The only thing that really makes me mad about the game is the dlc for co-op. All of those things should have come are rewards for achievements- not cost actual money. Really valve? Paying for gestures? I understand paying for new maps and campaigns, that makes perfect sense. But day 1 dlc makes me feel like it should be part of the game and that I'm getting ripped off. Plus only one other person at a time will see them so whats it matter anyway? This is why I'm docking off a point from a 10.
Last thing is I miss the challenge maps, those add gameplay time and don't seem hard to make so I don't see why they weren't included. So I'm hoping this and REAL dlc gets added soon.… Expand

Portal 2 is incredible. Whatever you have read, you will not finish Portal 2 in under 6 Hours. I have finished Portal 1 in one and a half hours in my first play through and I needed 7 hours to finish Portal 2. Even if you are a genius there is still Co-Op which is at least as long as the single-player campaign.

Apart from that, Valve's Portal 2 is a great game which is not only extremely creative (which is rare in today's jungle of Battlefield and Call of Duty) but even for advanced Portal players, it is in later stages challenging. It is one of those games that comes along only few times in many years. It is funny, makes you think (which again, is very rare in today's games) and did I mention that I had the most fun in years playing Co-Op? It is just hilarious if someone messes up and you die.

Game of the Decade if you ask me.… Expand

This Game is perfect! Please don't let these haters steer you away from this gem of a game. Take you time is the various tests and rooms. There are plenty of clues and hidden areas to keep one busy for quite some time. So don't blow thru it like some people who are trying to look for hints for HL:EP3. If it comes great if not, so what. Portal 2 stands alone as a great game, and needs to be respected as such.… Expand

The game is beautiful. People need to quit whineing so much. I played through it and noticed none of the little things people are bashing this about. Glados is funnier, sharper and everything is a lot more complete feeling tham Portal 1. Truly brilliant

PORTAL 2 IS THE BEST GAME IN THE HISTORY OF GAMES!!!!

The graphics and storyline are totally ground breaking and humorous. This is the first game I have ever played that actually lived up to the hype. The potatoe sack game collection was pure genius even offering early release of portal2 for collecting potatoes in each of the potatoe sack collection, brilliant!!! The coop is more fun than Ive ever had in any other game and the puzzles are awesome... I gasp with worry and anticipation everytime I enter a new level.

The store... well I feel that offering swag such as tshirt is cool. However, nickle and dimeing for ingame content is a bit pan-hand-lish and should be removed. I mean your asking people that shelled out about $50 for the game to pay more for intangibles that should be included in the experience. Fix that and your perfect. 99.9 out of 100, get rid of the nickle and dimeing and you can have the 100.… Expand

Portal 2 is easily the best game I've played in 2011, and even with such titles as L.A. Noire, Mass Effect 3, Skyrim and The Last Guardian coming out later this year, I have no doubt that Portal 2 will be a strong contender for game of the year.

I was never much a fan of the original Portal. I thought it was well-made, but due to ridiculous amounts of hype (and, more likely than not, the fact that I'd seen the ending before I played the game) it never stood out to me. Its sequel has changed that. Portal 2 is nothing short of brilliant. It is absolutely perfect from start to finish, and my only complaint is that, at some point, it had to end.

That being said, Portal 2 has, the best ending of any game I've ever played. If you thought that the first game ended fantastically, or even if you didn't, Portal 2's ending will leave you in a confused state of amusement, shock, awe, and even a little bit of sadness at the knowledge that you will never be able to recreate such an amazing experience.

It's important to note, as well, that the negative reviews on Metacritic are largely from people who are upset about the in-game DLC store and do not reflect at all on the overall quality of the game.

I can not stress this enough: play Portal 2. Because it's far more than a game - it's a paragon of what every developer should strive for.… Expand

This is an amazing game. When I heard all these other reviewers complaining, I got scared that my pre-order went to waste. And boy, it didn't. This game is one of the best I've played in a while. The level design keeps you stumped at specific points due to puzzles that are actually difficult, not like lots of puzzle games where the difficulty in the puzzle is due to bad communication between the programmer and player. The dialogue, characters, and story is hilarious. There were points where I had to pause the game in order to control my laughter. I'd give this a ten, but there are large amounts of loading times which get annoying quickly. Overall, this game is outstanding. It's met ALL of my expectations for it.… Expand

Valve did an amazing job with this game as they always do. I honestly can't understand the many low rated "reviews" here. It was the first game I ever pre-ordered and it was 100% worth it. The Source engine was once more improved and the game looks really good in my opinion. The storyline develops great and there are lots of twists that make the story exciting. The characters are awesome and the synchronisation is great in English and German. Especially the robot Wheatley is absolutely adorable. In the end, the story finished way better than Portal 1 did, although the Credits song (again by Jonathan Coulton) wasn't as good as the first one.… Expand

First off, if you're going to complain about how you don't have enough money to spend on video games yet you still spend on video games, grow up and learn to be responsible with your spendings. It's not our fault you live in your parents' basement. Secondly, this game is beautiful. Skins are great, images are sharper and cleaner. Game play is smooth and the puzzles are interesting. I was worried about co-op but it's fantastic. Game play isn't as short as many people claim, you can get a good few hours out of it and that and more out of co-op. Also, there's the option to play again and try and find alternate ways to solve the levels. For the fanboys complaining about price, look at the price of all video games these days. Your $50 isn't going to pay for all the **** the developers had to do and the man hours put in to creating this game, learn to economy. As much as you claim you're never going to buy another Valve game, you are. The game is best enjoyed if you take your time to appreciate it. You're ruining it for yourself if you try and race through. Love the dialogue and the character development. The expansion of things you can do with the portals is great and promises for more hours of game time. I strongly recommend this game and encourage you to ignore the butthurt players nitpicking over the littlest things

Also: Sidenote, claiming the game is great and awesome, you just don't want to pay that much for it so you're going to buy it used and deny Valve from gaining anything ISN'T GOING TO HELP YOU. If everyone decided to do that, you would be forced to return to crap games because they wouldn't have the money to make nice pretty new ones. You had months to save up those pennies to buy a copy.… Expand

The whole experience of Portal 2 was unbelievable, and was gripping from the very start. There was also a huge difference in scale when put aside Portal: The rooms and areas are gigantic, there's a much more engaging story and generally, the game is much larger. Apart from this, the graphics are beautiful; unlike the white, sterile feel of the first, this features lush vegetation growing in the labs, other natural elements, and creates a very interesting environment. Even better, it has mod support, so I'm keen to see what is created from it. Of course, the game is short, and there isn't much to go back for. However, it is unbelievably difficult to write something that keeps the audience as engaged and mind-blown as I was throughout the whole thing, especially given that there's only one path to take, and it has to feel natural for the gamer. I also think the length of the game is small for a reason, I'll put it this way: No one wants to watch a 20 hour long film... Also, I wouldn't listen to most of these negative comments, especially the ones which complain about the unlockable items from the store. These really shouldn't bother you, it's your choice whether to purchase them or not, since they have no effect on the gameplay whatsoever.… Expand

There are idiots out that that rate the game low scores. Why? Because of some OPTIONAL DLC? And the potato sack thing? OPTIONAL! O-P-T-I-O-N-A-L-! Besides, does the OPTIONAL DLC ruin the game if you don't buy it? Does it make the game crash if you don't buy it? The campaign is short? 6 to 8 hours, plus 2 -4 hours co-op is too short? Accept it. This game is very good, and is playable. The controls work fine, the graphics are good, the humor is nice, what more could you want? I made this account to vent my frustration at the idiots out there.… Expand

Another absolute triumph in almost every aspect by Valve, with a truly engrossing story and atmosphere that carves an extraordinary cinematic experience for the player, still fitting neatly into the cosmology of Half Life. The game introduces a multitude of new game play elements and mechanics to harness alongside most concepts of the first game. players will see the return of the benevolent and comical GLaDOS amongst an array of new and wonderfully voiced characters. Content is also provided in a healthy sum as once the single player campaign is completed, players can move on to the equally as lengthy and outstanding cooperative campaign. Portal 2 Vehemently pulls itself ahead of the crowd and will please newcomers to the franchise along with fans of the Brilliant and innovative first game a like, it is an exceptional game to say the least and will provide endless hours of fun.… Expand

It's really rare that a video game actually ever made me laugh. The humor you usually find in video games is either really lame or horrible slap-stick stuff. Portal 2 however has a very own style of comedy that works just perfectly with the game. The voice acting by Stephen Merchant and all the hidden little gems that you can find throughout the game are just flat out brilliant.
The art style is just as unique and beautiful. You can definitely see that the HL-2 engine is starting to get really old though. The constant loading screens and really low-poly level design break the immersion a little but don't take away from your enjoyment at all.
I had a blast playing through this both solo and coop. And can recommend it to everyone.… Expand

I absolutely love this game. Portal was a great little game that was polished to a shine making it the dark horse of the orange box, so of course expectations were high for this one. Personally I think they were met with flying colors. The game play is fun and, at least for me, sufficiently difficult. The story was exciting and the voice acting was absolutely stellar. But let me address some of the complaints that have been dished out:
1) Short Game play: Nay-sayers had the same issue with Portal on this one. They are relatively short games, at least if you are speed running them. However they are the perfect length for what they are. They don't overstay their welcome and have a ton of filler to pad it up to a 20 hour game, unlike many that are out on the market. Personally I would prefer a 5 hour game (albeit the first go at single player took me 10 hours) that is high in quality than 50 hours of game play that is generally filler and overall unmemorable.
2) ARG complaints: Really guys, really? I thought that this was brilliant marketing on valves part, sure it would have been nice to release Portal 2 more than a few hours earlier, but now I have a bunch of cool games that I would probably have passed by before, and they were a steal. Plus, it's not as if Valve forced you to spend your hard earned money on the potato sack. If you did then it is on you. But no matter what the quarrels may be they shouldn't be the sole reason for marking down Portal 2, it s a great game and if your one issue is the ARG, and you gave the game a bad review, grow up.
3) Low end graphics: Why do we need better graphics in this game? I can't think of a single instance where I thought, "You know what, if the texture on that wall was slightly more realistic, this game would be amazing". I thought it was beautifully designed game and there is no need for a graphical upgrade for the sole purpose of slowing down my computer even more.
4) Paying for cosmetic DLC: I am sorry, did someone tie you down and force you to buy a little top hat for one of the co-op robots? If the answer is no, then you have no right to complain. It is not important to game play, Valve has done this with TF2 and no one is forcing this stuff on you, you only have to buy it if you want. For TLDR's: Portal 2 is a great game, if you want a polished, fun and memorable experience, you will love this game. Ignore the nay-sayers, and enjoy yourself!… Expand

Stunningly brilliant game, absolutely obliterates the original. Not sure why people say it's short.. the length is perfect and it took a good 7 hours or so to beat. Those that are speed running the game must be bots because I don't know how you can enjoy this game and finish it that quickly.. so I call BS.

The co-op is just as much fun. I finished it with my buddy last night and we're both at around 14 hours played now. Game of the year no doubt!… Expand

This game is definitely worth the money. The story feels fresh and fun. This isn't portal 1.5 this is a true sequel to one of the greatest games ever made. Between the co-op and the single player you're going to get somewhere between 10 to 16 hours of some of the best crafted levels in gaming history. A lot of people complain about the cash shop. At first glance I thought it was perhaps a bit of a crock, but since then I've learned that most of the items can be unlocked (already earned 2 myself). It's all just cosmetic stuff anyway. Looking forward to the years of support and free levels this game will receive from Valve.… Expand

A stunning experience. Ingeniously planned and beautifully crafted, Portal 2 captivated me from the first minute. Even though the difficulty is only slightly above average in general, I sometimes scratched my head in puzzlement because I overlooked the easier and more obvious solutions for some levels. The voice acting is superb, the hidden easter eggs worth looking for and he storyline stringent and refreshing.

This is a 10/10 game in my book. BUT since Valve decided to become a complete money-whore with A) the ridiculous potato-sack ARG , B) the price tag of 50 **** Euros and most of all C) the shameless introduction of the absolutely retarded In-Game-Shop (I should pay for skins and animations? Are you **** kidding me Valve?), I will have to deduct at least 1 point, because only one of those points actually relates to the game itself, the other two just make me angry *wrrrrrrrr*

Nine points then.… Expand

Great characters, creative narrative, and excellent gameplay. What more could you want? I've been waiting for this game ever since I saw the first 15 minutes of gameplay, and was NOT disappointed.

Valve did it again. They have showed the world how incredible great they can produce Story, game play, Graphics and feeling. But we all knew this already. Valve always makes great games. But i cant believe that im impressed this fu**** hard AGAIN. Everything thing fits together here. Story, characters, humor, feeling, atmosphere. This Game was awesome and I can just recommend it to everyone out there, Portal 2 is a game you shouldn't miss.… Expand

I was very impressed with Portal 2, pretty much all of the quips I had with the original game were fixed. The only thing I didn't like about Portal 2 is that the portals have their outlines visible through walls and I had to set a command line parameter to turn that off.

Without a doubt in my mind does this game live up to the sequel. It's out right hilarious, the puzzles are genuinely fun to work on, the story is great, the graphics are fantastic, the sound is perfectly placed, and I was literally smiling the entire way through the game (except a few puzzles that had me stumped for a bit ;) ). Anyone reading the user reviews should see that most of the negative ones are for silly, stupid reasons that aren't based on the actual game. THE GAME is fantastic, and that is what a review should be on. Enjoy ^_^… Expand

Portal 2 built his foundation on the original game and it's perfectly right to be doing so. It remain loyal to the original while aiming in new directions. The story took a big leap, the atmosphere took a big leap, etc. The main problem that I have with the game is that it also built itself too likely to the original on one aspect. Portal was a proof of concept. It was short and just showed the capacities of the concept. Before I go on, let me point out I've only played single player. Portal 2 on the other hand, keeps those foundations and this valid concept and expands it adding new features like the gel, the plates and such. The downside is that these features feel like they weren't fully explored. It still feels like a lot of these could have offered more from the start. This also brings the fact that the game feels short. I won't blame them too much for this since making it longer would have caused some down times on the story affecting it's perfect pacing.

On and on, it just feels that at launch, Portal 2 offers use but a tease of what all these new features together could bring to the franchise. Knowing Valve, they'll probably release free expansions after a few months. Still, very good game and it's impressive the amount of content packed in those 5-6 hours it might get you to complete. Definitely a must buy… Expand

This very well could be a contender for the best Valve game ever made and that's quite the compliment considering Valve's excellent track record. Portal 2 surpasses it's fantastic predecessor in every way possible, better story and characters, better level design, better puzzles, and better visuals. Valve did a great job with the dialogue and humor in this game also, I can't remember the last time I laughed so much at a video game. The PC version is basically flawless, it plays silky smooth at maxed out settings on my PC and it looks great. I'm also glad to see that there's plenty of video and control options to mess around with in the PC version. With so many games nowadays shipping with bare bones PC support, Valve continues to demonstrate the correct way to handle PC support.

This honestly would have been the perfect game if it was just a bit longer, I beat the single player campaign in around 8 hours. Sure, 8 hours is the average length for a FPS nowadays but this game is so much fun that you can't help but want to spend more time with it.

One last complaint would be the expensive DLC. There's a store where you can purchase little aesthetic add-ons for your co-op bots but there's really no reason a single hat should cost $3. That being said, I have no doubts that Valve will eventually give us ways to get the DLC for free. They've been very generous in the past with free DLC for games like TF2 and L4D, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt with Portal 2 for now.

But I still think this game deserves a 10/10 even considering it's very few flaws because Valve does so much right it would be an injustice not to give them the highest praise possible. More developers should put this amount of love into their products, the video game industry would be much better off!… Expand

I was afraid. The original Portal was incredible not only because of its innovative gameplay and GLaDOS's wit but because of the way it completely blindsided me with a truck full of awesome that I never saw coming. We knew there were portals, but what we didn't expect was the personality. Even the CREDITS were amazing.

But with the opportunity to surprise replaced with the burden of expectation, how on earth could a sequel even hope to match this experience?

Leave it to Valve Software. What was lost in freshness was made up for tenfold with superb characters, hilarious writing, and the most incredible dynamic environments ever seen in a video game. The environments... My God... If the Source engine still looks this good and can be this flexible six years after its introduction, everyone in charge of developing it should get a Nobel Prize.

I don't think there is another development house in existence that could have pulled it off. All hail Valve, Portal 2 is awesome, go get it.… Expand

Portal 2 definitely is the best game of the year. I don't agree on it being the best game ever made nor being better than Half-Life series, but it surely is a must have.
The graphics powered by Source Engine 2, although they aren't as great as some of the nowadays games, have an extraordinary physics capability: The fluids seems to be real.
It's not a childish, not a quick game: Took me 7 hours to complete it, and it remembered me sometimes Half-Life.
The console port can not be as the PC, but for the PC version, the game is a perfect ten: Sound, Graphics Physics and Engine, Gameplay, Controls, Controller Support, Compatibility, everything is great.… Expand

The people complaining about this game were probably too dumb to figure out the first Wheatly puzzle. Portal 2 is a superb game, utterly charming and hilarious. It beautifully expands on the story in the first game and gives you the history of Aperture Science and the origins of GlaDOS while taking you on a fantastic journey. Portal games are unique in all of gamedom and are wonderful unless you are a bitter troll who can't think with portals.… Expand

Portal 2 is incredible. If you played the original Portal - and enjoyed every minute of it, wanted more and was excited when the sequal was announced. This game is for you. Without spoiling the experience for you, all I can say is Portal 2 will not leave you hanging - the story ties up nicely. Plus the world, and the levels are incredibly detailed. This is the game you have been waiting for.

This was a great game, and if you took the buy 2 deal steam had going on, it only cost you 40 bucks split between friends. Now it only took me 12 hours total to complete the coop and single player campaign, but i enjoyed every second of it. The humor was supered, the coop made for excellent game play between me and my friend. I do fault valve for the pointless store, and the exorbitant amount of money little trinkets on your robots cost.They should've follow the tf2 model, and had there be random drops for completing levels or something akin to that, along with the store. The coop campaign is far too short for that crap to really matter anyways. Hopefully they add more levels to it, because as it is now, i probably wont play the game again for a long while.… Expand

BEST game I've ever played!
And the thing that adds a lot more to the fun, is the fact that its not over!
Why not? Because the Portal 2 SDK will release soon, means a lot of people will make maps!
For Single player or Co op! THE END NEVER ENDS :)

All that was great about Portal with new puzzlements to mix it up, and an awesome co-op mode. Delves deeper into the background of Aperture Science while exploring a much larger portion of the facility. I meant to only play half an hour before going to bed on the night it was released, but instead ended up playing a few hours into the middle of the night. Single player took about 6 hours to complete, and I am now replaying with developer commentary.… Expand

I've been playing video games for a long time. They used to have this amazing spark for me, something that went off inside. First game that ever did this for me: The Legend of Zelda. But, nowadays, not only do I know how games work, being an Indie Game Developer and all, but people so often cannot capture that same feeling I used to get from the Zelda franchise (which also might explain why I love Puzzle games so much). But, I just played Portal 2, and I felt that same spark I did so many years ago. It was almost nostalgic for me, but at the same time so new as well. It was absolutely like no game I have ever played, save for the original Portal, of course. But it was also so much better than the original as well. Actually, as soon as I had beaten Portal, I knew that if they ever released a sequel, that I would buy it, without a doubt. I would do the same if they ever released a Portal 3 as well. To start off, I'll tell you about the Multiplayer. It's mostly a really good experience, but only if you play it with a friend, and not a stranger. You play as two robots, Atlas, a shorter bot who's body looks like that of one of GLaDOS' cores, and P-body who's favors one of the turrets. Each player has their own set of Portals. Red and Orange, Blue (or purple, to me) and Light-blue. I only have a couple of gripes about it. One is that sometimes, I really don't want to do a gesture (gestures can be performed at anytime throughout co-op and some involve both players), and it can get vaguely annoying when my team-mate continuously performs them and I get forced into high-fives and such. But, that usually isn't too much of a problem. Throughout Co-operative play GLaDOS guides you once more, constantly noting on how horrible (and fat) humans are, among other well written and flavorful bits of dialogue. The puzzles themselves are quite nice, and get progressively more difficult, but never too difficult. Something that is even better in Co-op than in Single Player is the "AH-ha!" moment. (This is the moment of sudden realization when you've been working on a puzzle for a while) The reason this moment is heightened in multiplayer is that you get to experience it with a friend, and that's when the gestures are really the most fun to perform, in the excitement of having solved a puzzle. Also, my only other thing I didn't like about Co-op is that it was so terribly short. Only about 2-4 hours of game-play. I understand Valve's reasoning behind this, just testing the waters to see how Co-op would go over with the fans. I, personally say that, if Valve makes a Portal 3, Co-op campaign should definitely be just as long as Single Player. I'd like to point out at this time, if it wasn't apparent already, that Multiplayer Campaign and Single Player Campaign are totally separate in their story. Now, I'll carry on with the review of the Single Player.

Ah, Single Player. Truly the most amazing thing I've ever seen developed by Valve (And they've put out some pretty amazing games) and possibly one of the most amazing games I've ever seen. One the most amazing puzzle games I've ever played. First, you start off in your "suspension" room and are awakened for your "exercise" which consists of you looking up and down. Then, in an unspecified amount of time in the future, what seems to be many, many years later, you're awakened by the bot created to attend the humans in suspension, Wheatley. You're in a decrepit old Aperture that's obviously been out of commission for a long time. You make your way through the first few old test chambers from the original Portal. Your friendly - yet slightly moronic - companion leads you on up to GLaDOS' lair, in which a very terrible mishap transpires. As you traverse through the game, all of the characters are well written and unique, the puzzles intriguing, innovative, and fresh. The characters all have their own quirks that keep the game comedic to the perfect amount. The game doesn't drag things out or leave them too shortly. It builds upon ideas it puts in your head earlier on in the game to build on the puzzle solving aspects, and the story always keeps you wanting more. There are several jaw-dropping plot twists as well. All in all, one of the best games I have EVER played, and I suggest it to anybody who enjoys video games and good, well written comedy.

As a final note, I'd like to say that, even though the game was longer than the original, and I'm thankful for that, I still wish it had been just a little bit longer. And, that I think there should be a Portal 3, without a doubt. The only reason I put a 9 and not a 10 is because of the length of the game.… Expand

Best Game ever. No question. Anyone who is giving a negative review is more or less the stereotypical gamer always complaining about everything. Well Done Valve. You've outdone yourself.

A fantastic game. While neither are particularly long, the co-op campaign is about 5 hours long and the single-player campaign is longer than that. The puzzles are nicely varied and suitably difficult, and the story is surprisingly rich and twisting.

exellent game, worth its price at 37,99 euro, its alot longer than portal 1, it has more story , including a funny multiplayer coop mode! that extens the single player story, with the past game updates by valve, portal 2 might well get more levels, and more fun later down the road!

with SteamPlay you also get the PC & MAC Version, if you buy it for PS3 you also get SteamPlay

valve also allows you to backup the game, something not every developer allows for :)… Expand

Between its impeccable polish, incredible voice acting and ability to entertain throughout there is very little to like. I mean honestly, if outstanding production values, clever puzzles, and innovative puzzles are all a game can offer, why bother. Seriously, everything about this game screams failure to launch. Yeah, you guessed it, I hate quality products, in fact the only thing I hate more is when a company lives up to the hype that they create around a video game that is second to none. So in conclusion I hate this game, and if the aforementioned things are things that you actually like, then go a head by all means buy it, otherwise avoid it like the plague.

As an aside, i bought the potato pack, played the ARG and loved every friggin second of it. Don't believe anyone who says all the die hard guys are mad, cause I couldn't be more pleased with valve and their ode to gamers.… Expand

I would use one word to describe this game: professional. It is hard to come by a complete "package" these days when you look at the games out there. Valve has made a game that is not only fun, it is fun in the sense that the whole game actually feels finished and complete. By that I mean there were no bugs I noticed, the graphics settings I did not need to adjust (even though I looked at the options since I have been trained to do this by other games), the whole game just felt finished and polished and it was really a complete game. On top of that there is the great story, great characters, the amazing graphics and entertaining puzzles. The industry really needs to take a look at Valve's example and put out games that are actually complete and as well thought out as Portal 2.

I don't even feel like the DLC hats detract from the game. Since I don't think that those types of micro-transactions are going to go away, Valve does a good job with them by making them unimportant cosmetic additions instead of taking actual chunks of gameplay out like some other companies. When I reflect on Portal 2, I can't help but think that the industry would be so much better off if it followed Valve's philosophy in game development. I suggest you go out and play it, see for yourself what all the buzz is really about.… Expand

Loved the single player. Great dialogue and witty humor is a huge plus. The game kept up a great pace because of it's great story and interesting mechanics. The co-op is also great. It gives the opportunity to keep playing amazing portal based puzzles that made you fall in love with the first Portal. That and GladOS's superb dialogue.

This is the best game out there. So far the story is amazing and I don't want to spoil you with anything. Just enjoy your ride through the Aperture facilities and try to find your way out of this mess. Only 3 games could be better in the future: Episode Three, Mass Effect 3 and Half-Life 3 :D

People need to get over themselves. This is an amazing game. Well worth the money. Not everybody is as smart as you and can beat the game in 4-5 hours. Some people actually like to listen to the dialogue and look around for secret rooms and other things like that. There are secret rooms, you know? All I'm saying is the people complaining about the price or complaining that it's too short, GET OVER YOURSELVES! If you truly believe you can make a better game, then do it!… Expand

I can't believe people are rating this game down because of the dlc. It adds no content to the game except for person aesthetics in multiplayer. Portal 2 was a phenomenal game. It made the first one, which was also phenomenal, average by comparison. If you are unhappy with the dlc, don't buy it. Your game won't change one bit.

What can i say? I loved every second of it. From a big fan of the original i had very high expectations and they were surpassed. the characters were genius and the puzzles were extremely difficult at parts. it took me about an hour just to figure out one. But even inexperienced players will soon get the hang of it as the tutorial is quite slow if your learning but can be rushed through if you know what you are doing. I loved the humour in the game, it is one of the only games to use humour and had me laughing every time dialog came up in the game. All the new features are greatly thought up to add more puzzling situations for more advanced players. I wont go into a lot of detail as i don't want to spoil anything for the readers. I greatly enjoyed the gameplay and trying to get some of the achievements. I would not recommend watching walkthroughs as they ruin the fun of being stuck and finally getting through certain parts. Valve did a great job and i'm massively hoping for a trilogy.

So far ive completed Single player mode taking me about 10 hours overall. tomorrow i'm starting the co-op which i am such will be fun as me and my friend are going to splitscreen it. Hope this helps any readers who are considering to buy. I greatly recommend it.… Expand

This is the perfect game. With good story and (for me) best than every byte of Half-Life. And those who gives low notes, stop. The only thing that make me so happy is Super Smash Bros. Brawl. A perfect 10.0.

10.0

I think Valve hit the nail again. This is a sheer unique and innovate title that does it all. It's funny, smart and the voices by Merchant (Wheatley), and Mcclain (Glados) compounds to the brilliance of Portal 2. Also, the storyline is well written and definitely hooks you to the game. As for the length, I'd say you are probably looking at about 8-10 hours of campaign, and then 5-6 hours of Co-op. Don't look at the negative reviews, this is a must buy title. One of the best games this generation without a doubt.… Expand

Just normal work I would expect from Valve, A great storyline with great length of 9-10 hours If you don't speed-run the game, or beat it in one day (It took me 2 days to beat it, Roughly 5 hours each of those days) and actually don't know what to do the first time around, after beating this game, I feel like I need to play through it again to find everything I missed, and have a bit more fun with the 3 gels you can use in the game, I think It was well worth its $50 and can't wait until a other Valve game comes out, because I will most likely play Valve's next game, after seeing some real work instead of a action game for once, Well, I hope you enjoyed my review on Portal 2, I actually Liked this, and suggest that you buy more of Valve's work, go on Steam and spend some money on their great games, I sure made a great choice by Pre-Ordering Portal 2 instead of some other game. P.S. If you don't want the game spoiled, Buy it before some dumb-ass can!… Expand

Fantastic game, The level structure is great, the writing is masterful, voice acting incredible and the art design amazing. This takes everything that Portal did right and added onto it.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The first portal was an amazing experience and the second game does not disappoint. From the first levels ripped right out of the first game to show you how the enrichment center has changed to firing a portal to the freaking moon this game kept me entertained and interested the whole way through. The learning curve is also much improved, introducing concepts more organically and at a perfect pace.… Expand

Visually stunning game. Challenging puzzles for previous players as well as new players. Humorous and fun. I enjoyed every level of this game (and the satisfying conclusion). I can't think of a way that Valve could have made it better.

The story - "Valve-styled". It made me play all evening and, after that , all night long...
Graphics - one of the strongest sides of this game. I'm still affected by these maps with VERY HUGE spaces. I'VE NEVER SEEN anything like this before!!!! It is still mis-understandable how can these maps load in ~10 seconds?! I'm also puzzled how can these maps fit into my notebook video card's memory which is only 256-mb, high-detailed?!
Defects: 1. Game often shuted down. But I suppose that is a bug of my non-legal copy.
2. The first 10-15 testchambers are really boring! But I understand that they are created of some unique idiots who will buy the second Portal without playing the first one! But as for me, it is really annoying!
This game EXCEEDED ALL IMAGINABLE EXPECTATIONS!!!!
Well, there are many small defects in this game, so I'd better rate "9", but this game really affected me... Then the only mark I can give is "10"!
P.S.:Yes, I'm definitely buying official copy...… Expand

After seeing all the negative reviews from whiny PC gamers, I felt obligated to give my perfect 10 to such a deserving game. Beautiful environments, clever level design, hilarious writing, and amazing gameplay mechanics make Portal 2 an obvious nominee for game of the year. I couldn't have enjoyed this game more and I'm upset to hear others rag on it for such terrible reasons. No one forced you to buy the Potato Sack, there's easily over 10 hours of gameplay, and the "evidence" that this game was ported from consoles is rubbish. Buy this game and you'll never regret it.… Expand

Great game; loved the single player story and am just starting multiplayer. As usual, another great game from Valve. I would have given it a 10 if the single player were a bit longer, but I'm not really sure how long the game could go on for without getting repetitive, or introducing too many elements. Perhaps it could be a little cheaper (like $30 maybe) to compensate for this. But this is a review of how good of a game this is, not if it's pricing is appropriate. Overall, another great game from Valve. P.S. I don't see what the big deal is about there being hats available on the first day to purchase - I could see what people were complaining about if it was extra levels or something (though I still wouldn't agree), but it's purely cosmetic - you can still play the entire game without even noticing a difference without a hat. As another aside, it doesn't feel at all like a console port - no idea what people are talking about in reference to that.… Expand

I was originally mad at all these 0 reviews, before I got deeply into Portal 2. Now I'm just furious. Because the more the game progresses the better it is in my eyes. It's a masterpiece. Anyone who says it's not better than the first is wrong, anyone who says it's a bad game is wrong. Anyone who says it's too short, clearly needs to take it easy and actually listen to dialogue.

The negative user reviews this game is getting are insane. This game is one the most humorous, challenging and overall enjoyable games I have ever played. The campaign leaves nothing lacking, and the graphics and art style are unique, while not being overly similar to the original. Although I cannot quite see the logic behind the item store, it is by no means a hindrance on the game, seeing as the only purchases available are cosmetic. The characters are brilliantly voiced and this is by far the best game I have played in recent years.… Expand

Most immersive best experience you will ever have playing a game.Im speaking for all crowds. Great Co-op, single player mode is hilarious, intuitive and solid. Recommended for everyone! Everyone likes cake right??

P.S. Trollers be trollin. DO NOT listen to the negative reviews of this game. If there is any exception of dismissing bad reviews for a game, now is the best time. If you dont want the DLC dont **** buy it. Does it really matter if this is mixed with the console port? Its still the same great game. 0 doesnt count as a legit review just because you decided you wanted to buy the potato sack (which was optional). Quit whining and enjoy what could be the best game of the year.… Expand

This is possibly the best game I've ever played in my entire life. It looks, feels, and has the framerate of a movie. Admittedly, it is easier than Portal, but the environments, humor, and story make the entire experience simply incredible.

Refreshingly fun, after all of the sub par games released this year, I was so entertained by this game I'll probably buy it for a few friends. On a side note, the characters were vibrant, entertaining, funny, and the ending was the best of any game I've ever played.

If you didn't like Portal then this game isn't for you, but if you did then this you should definitely get this game. The gameplay is a lot like the first, but the difficulty of the later puzzles, is far greater that any in the first. While the first game was great, it felt short, and left you wanting more, and this game doesn't. The story is actually there, and offers many things up to debate, although hopefully those questions will be answered when episode 3 comes out (cause it is totally going to come out right Gabe....). This game stayed true to the original while offering a lot of new content. This game also gives us more insight on GlaDOS, and well I don't want to spoil anything, but I can say that I feel a lot better about her now. I cannot stress enough though that this game is a true sequel to the first, it knows what it is, and it doesn't try and change that, and for fans that is great, but again if you did not like the first, you probably won't like this one, and if you do you probably don't want to risk spending 50 dollars on it. I thought it was worth it, but I loved the first.… Expand

Absolutely sublime. I went into it looking to find flaws. I do with every game I play. I could not find one thing that wasn't just amazingly fun. Every puzzle in every room is crafted to be just the right difficulty, and it has some genuine moments of pure adrenaline rushing. Not to mention the perfect writing. This could very well be one of the greatest games I have ever played, and I have played a lot.… Expand

Long story short: Portal 1 was great - Portal 2 is different, but also great. Great sense of humour, nice environment and the story is also good, if you watch and listen. I bought the game with my brother and we got 20% off - that's fair. Thumbs up for the steam platform - that's the future, get used to it! Also the DLC was a good idea and PLEASE guys, if you like playing computer games, don't whine about it - the business is hard and there are way too many dev companies dying...… Expand

I think the users more critical than the critics. This game simple awesome. Funy, enjoyable, require some logic (if you play the firs time) but for me that's the best for in this game (not just "go over there and kill 10 marine"). This game get a lot of voite in here (over 1000 ...how many games have that many like this so fast after the release date?) and this is that game what win aganinst the CS:S and HL2 (The most waited and most played FPS game ever in Steam).… Expand

All I can say is WOW! Brilliant GFX, best voice overs ever in a game, highly immersive, fantastically paced. Again VALVE did a great job with a game that hardly has any faults. I love it and give it 10/10.

For all you guys who don't like the DLC: DON'T BUY IT! It's that easy.

The higher critic rating than user rating shows that critics on the whole aren't given to immature knee-jerk reactions and childish rants. Portal 2 is probably the best video game so far for a number of reasons: Concept. First you have to think of the idea. Portal is based on a brilliant concept. Execution. There are probably a thousand brilliant ideas for every one that gets rendered in a form that does it justice. Portal 2 takes the concept of the original and treats like a first draft, expanding, developing and exploring the concept into an immersive, funny, trippy and fun game, which is essentially non-violent (not a moral necessity, but a refreshing point of difference).

Production values. Tie it all together with vertigo inducing art and first class voice acting and you have a game that is the early 21st century's '2001: a space odyssey'. A mind expanding experience that somewhere transcends the medium to comment on the invasiveness of technology and 24/7 monitoring of society through close circuit cameras. Sure that may not have been the intention, but all good art reflects something of its time and Portal 2 gets it bang on.

Conclusion. Got a non-gamer friend with whom you would like to share the joys of gaming? Portal 2 will rip their socks off. And that's why it really is the best game so far.… Expand

Firstly, i like would like to point out, no one has to buy the dlc if they do not wish to. Secondly, in many ways, charging players for dlc that does not effect the way you play a game at all, is better than charging for a new map pack or say some new weapons. The people who choose not to purchase cosmetic items do not actually lose out on any aspect of the game play, it is merely an option for those who wish to do so.

Onto the review...

I gave this a 10/10 not because i believe it to be a flawless title, in all honesty if i were being completely accurate i would give it an 8 or a 9, though probably the latter. The reason I am giving it a 10/10 is because i believe the grounds on which some people (all 200 and something) are giving it ridiculously low scores are unfair and biased against the game, and not taking it for what it is, and i would like to try and raise the overall score to something more accurate, something that new players will look at and go, wow, i should play this game.

This is because I believe EVERYONE, should play this game, it takes what was essentially a fantastic experiment, and turns it into what is one of the best gaming titles ever released, it is a humorous, empowering, visual spectacle that is most importantly fun.

As has been stated by many people, critics and fans alike, Valve have succeeded in making more believable and lovable (as well as hate-able) characters than most other modern games on the market, and they succeeded in doing this with robots. Wheatley is downright hilarious (as are the turrets) and GlaDos is as chilling as ever, though things step up a notch when everything turns on its head and this game provided me some of the more memorable moments i have had related to gaming (a certain bird related incident) The other new characters are similarly engaging.

Visually this game is a tremendous success, i find it staggering that the source engine was able to achieve in this game, the visual fidelity and dynamic-ness is unbelievable, especially on such an old engine. I cannot think of a single game in which the environment feels more alive (and you have to remember that the majority of the game takes place in underground sterile test chambers) this game cannot be compared to something like crysis but it is still beautiful.

The map design is top-notch, the portal gun is as fun and empowering as ever, the new gameplay elements are excellent, and each test once solved still leaves you with a tremendous sense of success.

Good work Valve, just waiting on Half Life 2 Episode 3 now!… Expand

Another piece of brilliance from valve, the interactions between the player, Glados and Wheatley are fantastically written (and let us not forget Cave Johnson) and the puzzles are always challenging without being punishing. Don't listen to the naysayers regarding the length, it's perfectly paced without any unnecessary filler and by the end you'll wish it never ended.

Portal 2 is brilliant. The length is perfect. Any longer and it would start to get boring. The story drives the game and has some good plot twists. The voice acting is top notch and the characters pull off some very funny lines. Portal 2 improves every aspect from portal 1 and is a must buy.

Amazing soundtrack & Ambience tracks. Amazing and really personal gameplay. Amazing co-op mode with it's own campaign. Did i already say this game is amazing? Definetely Valves best game at the moment! Oh and a few words about the store. The items are all only cosmetic and, and in no way affect the gameplay. They're also 100% Optional. I'd understand all the whining about them if they were maps, or weapons..

And about the lenght of the game.. Singleplayer took me about 7 ½ hours with no breaks, multiplayer about 5. Steam said it only took me 6 to do both, so it's obviously not working. Oh, back on topic. This game is AMAZING and i feel like every penny that i paid for this was worth it!

A M A Z I N G.… Expand

Portal 2 is a terrific game and a great example of how to do a sequel right.

Just finished the game last night, clocked in at roughly 10 hours of gameplay. That's shorter than I'd like, but it seems to be about average for a game these days. And I haven't even touched the co-op yet... So I'm thinking I got my money's worth.

Of course the gameplay is based on puzzles, and the amount of time it takes you to finish will vary quite a bit depending on how quickly you solve those puzzles. I found the puzzles to be rather easy for the first half of the game... Didn't really get stumped until I wound up in the old laboratories playing with the various gels. So it's entirely possible you'll get more (or less) gameplay out of it.

The puzzle difficulty was pretty much spot-on for me. Far less of the twitchy puzzles that required lighting reflexes and good aim to drop a portal right where you needed it while sailing through the air. Less puzzles that required quick thinking under tight time constraints. More puzzles that allowed you to examine a situation and figure out the best solution on your own timetable. The puzzles were generally challenging. Generally required some thought. But weren't so frustrating that I wanted to rip my hair out. And, once they'd been solved, the solutions always made perfect sense.

The graphics are a terrific improvement over the first game. Not just in pure graphic quality, but in the way they're used. The upper reaches of Aperture Laboratories take on a personality of their own... The shifting panels become an extension of GLaDOS, and convey her emotions as you work your way through the test chambers. The contrast between the decaying test chambers in the beginning, then the well-maintained test chambers, then the abandoned chambers below, and finally the malfunctioning chambers at the end... It conveys a real sense of character. As if the facility itself is another character in the game. You can feel how Aperture Science has changed and grown over the years.

Of course you've got your ASHPD, and the portals it creates. And they still work the way you'd expect them to. But Portal 2 adds a few new twists to the old formula...

You've got "aerial faith plates" which act as catapults and launch you across the room... A new kind of block that allows you to re-direct the thermal discouragement beams... Repulsion gel, that works kind of like flubber and causes you to bounce high into the air... Propulsion gel speeds you up as you run across it... Conversion gel turns any surface into a portal-able surface... Excursion funnels, which act as a tunnel or conveyor belt... Light bridges, that do exactly what it says on the tin...

And all of these new toys are combined with your portals, to create some truly mind-bending puzzles and solutions.

Along the way you'll learn more about GLaDOS, and Aperture Science... You'll meet Wheatley, and hear from Cave Johnson himself. You get a peek behind the curtain, and get a good look at just what makes all these test chambers work the way they do. And, of course, you get insulted at just about every step of the way. The same dark humor that made the original Portal so much fun is back again.

There was an ARG that led up to the release of Portal 2... Some folks are counting that against Portal 2 in their reviews... I think that's a little silly. Give it a few months or years and nobody is even going to remember there was an ARG at all. What'll linger - what we paid good money for - is the Portal 2 game itself.

There is a cash DLC store in Portal 2, and it was there on launch day. In other games this might have annoyed me... If I pay $60 for a new game, I expect pretty much everything to be there on the disc. I don't want to go home and find out there's another mission or quest available if I spend another $5 here or $10 there. However, the DLC is all purely cosmetic stuff - hats and skins and gestures for the co-op. None of it actually adds to or changes the gameplay. So I'm not too worried about the DLC this time around.

All things considered, Portal 2 is at least as good as the original - if not better. Definitely an entertaining way to waste a few hours. Certainly worth the money I paid for it.… Expand

Portal was one of the best games I ever played. Portal 2 isn't soo innovative but it's longer than the first and have some new things and a fun coop mode. It's expensive but his price will be going down with the time and steam will make offer (games with the same price when it get into the market actually price is 10-15â

Great game! Single player mode is so amazing; very interesting plot, it's fun and... just so excellent! Co-op mode is also very fun and great. This is one of the best games ever.

Its sad to know that probably that the game of the year already came out. Portal 2 is simply so far ahead in terms of originality, game design, story writing, characterization and level design than almost every other videogame out there that I am starting to think that it might be not worth my times to play games that are not made by Valve.

I have rarely enjoyed in a game this much. Game is not short at all, played a fair couple of hours and I never used more than 10 minutes at a chamber, but simply enjoying the environment game offers and looking for secrets has extended my experience to a fair amount. Even first few chapters when I was already sure that game will end after 4th or 5th chapter, I got simply blown off by the awesomeness of story and when I thought game could not get any better, I got to the chambers with the gel. One of the best games ever.… Expand

Personally I loved the game. The story was amusing and it twisted in enough ways to keep me interested, the campaign mode took me roughly 7 hours to beat. That time was because I like to explore everything and listen to all the dialogue which was amusing to say the least. The puzzles were all very fun and a few were even pretty hard (I played a lot of the first portal and as a result I am used to "thinking with portals"). During all such fun the game was packed with as much if not more humor than the first game offered, humor which I got a big kick out of and is very family friendly still. Last thing I must say is that I really don't like hearing people complain about the dlc. The dlc in no way alters game play, if you feel cheated because you can't put on your favorite hat without paying for it, then you may be better suited to play a game like The Sims. No I don't think it is necessary for valve to do any sort of dlc, they make enough money. But it doesn't change my game, and my time in portal 2 was outstanding so thank you valve for an another amazing title.… Expand

The hype surrounding Portal 2 has been large with the Augmented reality game that Valve launched receiving mixed reviews. However Portal 2 does not disappoint.

I am hailing Portal 2 as an almost perfect game. Lets cover the one tiny bad part about this game in my view...lack of replayability and even that is grasping at straws to find what is wrong with this great game.
There has also been controversy surrounding the "Robot Enrichment" mode in which you can buy skins for your multiplayer co op robots to distinguish yourself even further away from others. Yes it costs to get these items but you unlock some items during play and if you wish to make yourself very different from most people online you should have to expect to pay a premium.

The story of Portal 2 is very solid very reminiscent of the first while expanding upon the narrative and not getting stale. Throughout the game you do visit different parts of Aperture Science that were constructed during different eras from the 1950's onwards until the modern test chambers that GLaDOS herself put you through. This offers a very pleasing aesthetic with the game mixing things up and keeping things fresh.

The voice acting is solid with many new characters introduced to superb effect which further enriches the comedy that the game delivers with great timing and with great effect.

You will be surprised in which directions the story goes. Without giving too much away you shouldn't be disappointed in the least. Naturally I have to give it a fair score and thus I have giving it a 9 because although it is very close to being perfect, itâ… Expand

Best game i've ever played. Play till the end. It's sad that i'll never ever play a game as good. Other than that i have not much to say. It's beautiful :')

Portal 2: Valve has spent a long time preparing us for this amazing sequel. The game scope and size has increased approximately ten-fold. After completing the single-player, and multi-player game modes, this has to be one of my favorite games. With a more powerful computer this game runs flawlessly, and has amazing resolution.

The voice acting by Stephen Merchant, J.K. Simmons, and Ellen McLain is amazing. Some comments said actually made me stop and laugh pretty hard. The basic intro level is one of the craziest things that I have seen in a video game, all I can say is I hope to see more from the portal franchise.

After completing it, I only had two spots on the single player, where I had difficulty in figuring out the puzzle, and I required assistance as I could not figure it out. Checked out a quick solution in the in-game Steam browser and it was quick work.

Overall I loved this game, and recommended it to my friends. Hope they will add more multi-player modes in the future as it was and is a good team experience.… Expand

Portal 2 is Valve's latest triumph in gaming. I have always associated Valve with quality games, and they didn't disappoint with this title. While maintaining the same basic functionality and style of its predecessor, it expands upon the mechanics of the game in many interesting ways that keep it exciting. The single player story is engaging, the co-op mode takes you back to the testing days of yore with many fun twists, and the characters are just as easy to fall in love with as before.

GAMEPLAY:
Portal 2, like Portal 1, features impeccable gameplay. You will find nary a glitch or bug to hinder your experience. In single player, we are all familiar with the way we use the portal gun, and that hasn't changed. After a new character, a personality sphere named Wheatley wakes you from a sort of cryo sleep at the start of the game, and you find the portal gun by going through derelict versions of some of the first Portal 1 chambers. I found this nostalgically satisfying, but worrisome that Valve might just make a repeat game. However, you will see that this beginning is nothing to fret. It worked so well to introduce the mechanics in Portal 1, why not do it again, but with a twist? It effectively satisfies both old and new players alike. 

Without revealing any spoilers, many new types of objects gan be used to solve some of these ingenious puzzles. Hard Light Bridges, Discouragement Beams (lasers), Excursion Funnels (energy tubes that carry objects and characters), and the Gels; Propulsion (an orange substance that makes you run fast) and Repulsion (blue substance that causes you to bounce high in the air) are all able to be manipulated by portals. Some of these tests can be as mind boggling as you might expect, and give the game a flavor all its own.

The Co-op story focuses more on the test chamber feel of Portal 1 than the single player story. The use of two sets of portals allows for wider range of possibilities in puzzle solving, and the brilliance of these tests impressed me with each progressive chamber. While not as story driven as Chell's encounters, gameplay truly dominates the Co-op as it did for much of the first title. And as a little bonus, you can interact with your Partner in Science by the way of hugs, high fives, dancing, or even a good old rock paper scissors match! It's easy to grow attatched to these characters, much easier than I had assumed.  Both modes are immensely fun to play through and don't disappoint those who love the good old Portal playstyle.

STORY:
Without spoiling anything, I will simply say the the single player story is excellent. At times, the pace is slowed because of focus on the story, but by the end of the game you will be in awe. The characters are deep and multilayered, the story develops in ways the first game could not have, and our good enemy GLaDOS is back with a vengeance. Wth many more characters, a bittersweet, heartwarming and epic ending, and another addictingly catchy song during credits, this story meets the par set by its predecessor.

GRAPHICS:
Portal 2, like most of Valve's titles for the last decade, runs off of the Source engine. With each game it releases Valve manages to up the engine capabilities. This game is no exception. While it doesn't have huge scenarios like L4D or HL2, it does have a level of polish no less than that of their last release, Left 4 Dead 2. The items and people are smooth and streamlined while the textures are rich, varied, and detailed. This game is easy on the eyes and sells its unique atmosphere..

SOUND:
GLaDOS, the Portal Gun, the turrets, and any other returning objects sound about the same, if not better. The music is catchy and mood setting, but never dominates the game in an unnecessary way. Not a sound is out of place with his game, from the boxes bouncing, to the Excursion Funnel carrying, to a defective turret flying through the air. All the voices in the game are fitting, and extremely well performed. And if this isn't enough, Jonathan Coutlon has another GLaDOS voiced song to fill the credits.

DOWNSIDES:
Portal 2 is brilliantly crafted, no doubt, but not perfect. For one, it lacks the "wow" factor of the first game. This is unavoidable. Portal 1 introduced a grand, groundbreaking concept to both the puzzle and shooter genres of gaming. This doesn't do that, but rather expands upon it. So don't expect the same awestruck feeling as when you popped in Still Alive. Also, the pacing sacrifice for the story can be annoying when you're just walking around random passageways for 20 minutes. Finally, seeing as the game is no more than 8 hours solid, the $60 price is a bit high.


All in all, Valve has crafted yet another great game, and any Portal lover should get their hands on this title ASAP. Start thinking with portals, again.… Expand

This review is mostly to counteract the hundreds of idiotic negative reviews of this game, but in addition to that, unlike most of those negative reviews, I have actually played through and finished the game. It seems as if most people whine and complain about money. They must have gotten spoiled from the price of Portal or something. Here's the thing: Portal 2 is still a fantastic game for the price. It amazes me just how many people will pay $50 for a garbage RPG that takes 40 hours to play through, but then will balk at paying $50 for an exceptional puzzle game that takes 12 hours to play through.

And then there's the whole "DLC" argument. Completely ridiculous. The "DLC" doesn't feature any new content in the game. Period. It's hats and gestures. That's it. Are you really going to throw a temper tantrum because Valve didn't give you a hat for your co-op robot for free? Grow up.

The level design is breathtaking, and the puzzles are brilliant. The dialogue is the best I've heard in a video game, ever. The graphics are fantastic, and do not, in any way, appear like a console port (which this is most definitely not). Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons both deliver fantastic and memorable performances.

If I had to take a few tenths of a point off, I would dock the game for 2 things:

1) Frequency of loading times. I realize they were around in the original Portal, but they weren't as noticable. Unfortunately, they are back for this game, which is disappointing. Not the end of the world though.

2) Emphasis on co-op mode. I realize that co-op mode is great for those who have people to play with, or who don't mind getting randomly paired up online, but that's not the case for everybody. It's slightly frustrating to know that half of the game is dedicated to this mode. Not a big deal, though.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best game...for me but only 1 problem... d3d device failed( amm ATI Radeon HD 5450) card and game is not run....bug or whatever but i finished the SP mod and the story is very very good 11/10 i wait the Portal 3 ^^… Expand

Don't know what all the hate is about. Just completed both single player and co-op and it's the best bit of gaming I have had this year. I think people are so used to games like COD or WOW (games that give you almost never ending game time) that they slate anything that doesn't give them unlimited game time. This game was amazingly well written, had a great atmosphere and kept me interested through out. Bring on portal 3! (half life episode 3 first though ;) )… Expand

There is a huge dearth between Valve the marketer and Valve the Game Developer, with one of the worst promotional schemes ever devised (ARG releasing one day early fiasco/scam) for easily the best single player experience that has ever graced the face of the earth (The game starts off good/average and rises until one of the best endings ever).

If you can ignore one the worst/most ill-conceived marketing campaigns that has ever existed, this series will be written in the history books of game designers as the video game equivalent to the Godfather or Citizen Kane.… Expand

This is the best game for 2011. Quite delicious storyline, twists and turns, scrumptious easter eggs. And to finish it all off, a highly climatic ending with a brilliant finish.

A disproportional number of the user reviews have been negative for this game, and to be honest I don't see why. By far it is the best sequel I have ever played, you look at games like Halo and all they have done is copy the original plot and game mechanics to the letter. Where as with Portal 2 they have added new features, a new plot, better graphics and a bit of a new look. Unfortunately I couldn't find any references to "the cake" except one on the, "GLaDOS Emergency Shutdown and Cake Dispensary".

The plot it's self makes a nice parody of repetitive sequels by making it seem like it is going to end the same way as portal and then throwing another 2/3 of the game right at you. That said it still kinda dose copy portal 1's end, but not without some honest portal goodness and a truly epic boss fight ending. Some people have said that the game is too short, and they are slightly right about that - despite the fact I was praying for it to end soon, as midnight approached and I was due an early morning wake up (Why on earth would valve release such an major game on a week day?). I finished the game in one 7 hour session, with ample time to be stuck on some of the more confusing ones. And as I played it did kind of feel like there was so much more they wanted to do but were either too packed for time or money to do it. However the game is so packed with secret areas that I never bothered to explore and wonderful imagery that I never marvelled at because of the fore-mentioned time restrictions. So I think if you took the time to enjoy the game to its fullest it would take a good bit longer to finish and be far more entertaining.

Portal 2 did go for a bit of an unfortunate revamp with it's styles, changing the cubes so they now have lights on them, the portal gun so it now has a gravity gun effect when you pick up things, GLaDOS now looks more evil and the whole outside of the test chambers is no longer stationary. I say its unfortunate only because the cubes were a vary iconic symbol of portal and, despite the fact that the change is small, is still noticeable and hard to get used to. On top of this they add in lasers (thermal discouragement beams), light bridges, 3 types of gel and a weird moving beam that I can't remember the name of. each making the game more varied and far more interesting.

On to the matter of the missing cake. I'm not sure if it was because Valve thought the meme had moved on or if they were making a critique on tasteless repetition , either way they have certainly toned down the cake-y-ness for the sequel. Instead they have put in a far less yummy snack into POrTAl TwO, and were honestly trying to hard to iconise it.

Onto the co-op. Honestly the best multi player experience I have ever played, valve obviously knows what they are doing here, they have added in several useful mechanics to help the players communicate what they plan to do. If you have ever played army of two and noticed how all the mechanics were good ideas but didn't really work because you didn't want your partner to know what to do because then you could run ahead and get all the cash for a nice gold plating on your stinger. Well it's like that except there is no reward for finishing first, or dieing least, or placing less portals. the only thing close is "science collaboration points" which have no real relation to skill, on one level my friend killed me by accident, so GLaDOS awarded him 25 of them for teaching me the value of trust, this inspired him to try it again when he had 4 removed as I am not a human so do not need reminding. So they are more like Easter eggs than goals. It has to be said that the end to the multi player is a huge anti-climax, where it looks to be something sinister, and is in fact, but then ends far too early for any major development.

On the whole I would say this is probably the best game I have played in my life, I'm not sure if it follows enough on portal's original spirit, but with all of it's well balanced features and awesome, but short, co-op mode I can over look that. I would probably give this game a 9 because I believe that 10 is reserved for games that have no flaws at all, but I also feel that some of you have been reviewing it very unfairly so 10 it is.… Expand

First of all this game is true to its predecessor. it took all the elements of portal and made them better, it even incorperated som new very clever features. all this with a compelling story, epic scenery great graphics, and all the good stuff that you would expect from a AAA title like portal, and not only that but when its from valve, so you know it will be great.

the new multiplayer features that are included will make for hours of playing fun with friends, high class puzzle solving is just the thing to make the time go by, they deserve a full score for the work they put into this title. truly a game worth buying if you enjoyed the first one, and maybye even if you did not..… Expand

Portal 2 is possibly the best game I have ever played. The writing and voice acting is top notch and I laughed out loud at some points and was genuinely scared at others.
The single player gameplay is brilliant and although the game isn't the longest I had to scratch my head for up to 20 minutes with some puzzles.
The co-op gameplay is very original and the puzzles can get very hard but the ping tool makes it much easier to communicate where "here" and "there" is although it's certainly best to play with a friend as you need good communication regardless.
Looking forward to the DLCs, Valve!… Expand

A much grander game than the first, Portal 2 is filled with new content, characters, and twists. All well withholding Valve's high standards of quality.
I am Spider-man, and I approve of this game.

Compare to the original Portal, Portal 2 is everything a fan could ask for. More of the witty charm that made the first so enjoyable, much more content, and multiplayer co-op mode! Single player campaign averages between 6 and 8 hours to complete. Co-op averages about 5 hours. This game was very enjoyable and I highly recommend it.

I loved Portal 1, and Portal 2 was quite a good game and a worthy sequel. The puzzles were great - as good as the ones in Portal 1, and possibly better. The environments The humor was good, with GLaDOS and Wheatley and Cave Johnson. That said, I personally didn't end up loving the game like I loved Portal 1; it may be impossible to recapture the "new mechanic, new game" magic with a sequel, and the plot especially felt very sequel-ish. I'd still recommend this game to everyone though.… Expand

Great game. Alot of interesting new things, both to the story, as well af the gameplay. Everything was better. Very good and satisfying ending. Co-op is awesome, too. Longer as the first one aswell. Loved it.