Well... It's been about 10 years since I last played a Valve game. The first one I ever played was Half-Life Uplink (demo to original HL1). And it was terrific. I finished it maybe 50 times. Then I got full HL1 and finished it a couple of times too. And then I never played a Valve game again.
Until a week ago. I got Portal Bundle on Steam about a year ago for as cheap as 10$ or so. And I wish I'd play this earlier.. This game is perfect! Its somewhat short, but the storyline is very intriguing. At first you may find it strange or even boring but do not give up on it it is well worth your 3~4 hours of playtime.
Being a grown up semi no-life I can honestly say that this game firmly holds a high rank in my top 10 games of all time (an I've played a ton of games in my life).

This is the type of game that you would sacrifice your weekday night for just to finish this last puzzle!
Excelent choice worth any money!… Expand

No doubt one of the best games I have played and both this and it's sequel are quite the journey, a journey very hard to forget. Yes, the game is short but it is still worth your money. You feel accomplished at the end of doing some of these puzzle, and most of theme are in my opinion more challenging than the ones of its sequel and being able to crank up the difficulty is always a welcome challenge. You must own this game and its sequel, very great games.… Expand

Portal is certainly one of the best games I've ever played. Developed by Valve, is mainly based on solving puzzles. The player takes the role of Chell, the main protagonist facing a psychotic robot named Glados puzzles, and her apparent subtle attempt to kill the player during the game. The action is set in Half-Life universe, but in a different timeline, not related to the events from the other game, more exactly in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.

At the beginning the player doesn't really have ideas about what's going on and why she's there, but is shortly revealed that she's a sort of a test subject.

Glados is the main antagonist who first apparently(at least for me) somehow helps the player though the levels, and make some Black-humorous jokes from time to time, but near game's completion, it becomes more aggressive, after the player figures out that the plan was to kill you.

The rest I won't reveal, as will spoil your experience when you play it.

As a game, I say it's revolutionary, like Half-Life 2 was with the Gravity Gun, this time we're going to think with portals.

The thing with the portal gun isn't really revolutional, certainly people imagined this kind of possibility in a game, but wasn't applied into a video game until now.

The level design isn't bad, however the levels aren't well balanced in my opinion, sometimes you get from easy to really hard from sudden, and another annoying fact is that some puzzles look really difficult, but in fact are very easy, however I think this makes a game more interesting, and gives a bit of humor.

The story honestly could've been more interesting, ,,Make your way out of the facility,, anyone?

The game play was designed for Sp, and can also draw some criticism, as it lacks of multiplayer, and a coop, which could've made the game absolutely great, but it isn't such a great mistake.

The visuals aren't shocking, as we've got used to Episode Two's one, but aren't bad at all, I think EP2's graphics really good even for this time, with the great shaders, HD models, HDR lightning, and awesome physics.

So overall it's a great game, but it could've been even better. However I find it great and again, is a must-own, it's had nice graphics, interesting story, good level design, original, and even if it's linear, the game really has a good replay value, and deserves to be played many times.… Expand

I came upon this game totally on accident before it blew up and boy was I surprised. To this day, still the single greatest initial gaming experience I've had. The intrigue, the suspense, endless curiosity and then shock and surprise. What a twist!

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is short and sweet! There is a reason for every puzzle and no "filler levels". Great story, too! Especially when GlaDOS tries to kill you...… Expand

The central concept of Portal--linking a world to itself through a portal--is simply brilliant. The game offers many fun, physics-based puzzles. Some dark humor completes the experience.

Portal es uno de los mejores juegos de los últimos años, y ha tenido una penetración cultural como hace mucho no se veía. La historia de título es excelente, y esta muy bien narrada. La jugabilidad es perfecta... No se, realmente hay mucho mas para hablar pero es difícil describirlo en palabras. Hay que jugarlo.

After The Great Half Life 2 episodes and the God Like TF2 i was expecting a bleh of a game with portal. I was as wrong as thinking a minute was 100 seconds when i was a kid. The Portal concept was fun and puzzling. Using the companion cube and valve nice physic engine was a joy to play through. The story was immersing and had some of the best humor ive ever heard. And the the extra downloadable maps are the icing on the ca.. i mean french fancy. Portal was the best 2 hours ive spent in my life. This game is my number 6 game of all time. Then Portal 2 was a knock off piece of ****… Expand

A humorous first person puzzle game pitting you against an evil overlord computer system with your only "weapon" being a Portal Gun that lets you open 2 color-coded portals on certain walls & floors. A great twist on Valve's penchant for box & physics puzzles with an engaging story that will pull you through the (relatively short) campaign. If you crave more after the campaign you can download or create your own custom maps using the same tools as any other source game. An easy to pickup and play must-play for anyone.… Expand

In fact, the only drawback of the Portal is that it can easily move in four hours. Also, this is a perfect game, also went through a worthy successor. Brand Portal begins to gain in importance.

A puzzle game with about 2 to 3 hours of gameplay. I am not a puzzle gamer though I enjoyed it because the puzzle challenge was doable and short enough before I start going asdjf;alsdjf;las on my keyboard. So if you are looking for a game that is different to what you normally play, pick this up when it goes on sale.

This game was simply fantastic in most every way: it is humorous, dark, intriguing, fun, challenging, and innovative. While it is pretty short and the graphics are not particularly good, I don't hold this against it considering how cheap it was (basically free in the Orange Box) and because it was a small-team effort with impressive results. I was glad to see this game get a big-budget sequel that could be longer with higher production values, but the original Portal remains a gem in the video game industry.… Expand

Incredible game! The concept is great with a huge potential and it's really fun to play!
Even after finishing it, I still enjoy to play it again.
A must-have.

Sou um cara que gosta de jogos. Infelizmente, não tenho tempo pra ficar horas e horas jogando. Inclusive, por causa disso, ou não, raramente terminei um jogo.
Ei que renasci das cinzas e comprei o Portal 2 para o Steam. Comecei a jogá-lo e, apesar de já ter escutado muito sobre o jogo e tudo o mais, nunca parei pra pensar a respeito. Então o que aconteceu? Não entendi nada... Pensei comigo mesmo: "Mas é um tapado mesmo. Vai começar pelo segundo jogo, dá nisso...".
Dei um tapa na minha testa, tomei um gole de água e comprei o Porta. O um. E viciei.
Sabe aquele tipo de jogo, que é atrativo, simples, direto, e totalmente desafiador? Pois bem. Esse é o jogo.
Comecei a jogá-lo, me viciar, e quando vi acabou. Sim. Rápido.
Isso, não é algo ruim. Aqui mesmo, e em tudo quanto é lugar, as pessoas reclamam que o jogo é rápido, curto e blábláblá. Sim, é rápido e curto, mas é bom.
Os desenvolvedores plantaram uma sementinha. Fizeram com que nos viciássemos num estilo de jogo pioneiro, numa dinâmica sagaz, intuitiva e inovadora. Em uma ambientação e uma história consistente. E na criação de uma personagem, GLaDOS, totalmente carismática. Mesmo com seu humor sarcástico, e suas mentiras mal mentidas, ela nos encanta e cativa.
Tenho sorte de ainda não ter jogado Portal 2. Assim posso degustá-lo, calmamente, ampliando assim minha experiência com os jogos.… Expand

In first play i think was a game is too lazy, but two years later i play in Portal and can't take words about amazing feelings from this game. Play in Portal bring me back into my childhood.

Very nice game! It´s interesting and innovative. It is just too short. The first levels are very easy , but it gets harder and harder with the time. Some gags , the cake and a innovative idea , that is all what makes Portal so interesting!

The perfect game. Among the top 3 to play before you die. The immense gratification you'll experience once you're successfully "thinking with portals" is beyond words. My review therefore stops here. Play it!

Extremely fun and charming. This game is a classic that must be played. Yeah, it may be short, but for a $3 game that any computer can run, you should not miss out on this

This game is funny, this game has a great storyline, the game looks good, overall this game is awesome. i like how this game has its own style. i love this game. i finished it like 3 times, and i still can't get enough of it! It's definitly worth the low price.

This game should be in the top of the 5 best games of history. It has no amazing graphics, the control *in theory* is simple and the argument isn´t very exciting.. But it´s so enjoyable to pass the different zones, using your brain all you can. I haven´t finish this game yet, but 2 hours of playing say all about it.

If you're reading this review, that means you're considering getting the game. Just go get it. It's short but it's fun. It's a fantastic puzzle game that requires creativity and provides a rewarding experience (the atmosphere is great- listening to glados is hilarious). Just go get it.

Took me 4 hours or so. Contains an interactive "developers' commentary" and additional challenges. I don't have anything new to add to the discussion about this game, I think, but you can think of it as a 3d problem solving simulator. It's almost on-rails as you progress linearly through the campaign, each stop a reflection on the problem presented. The 3d approach introduces an aspect of exploration as you try to get a grip of the elements of each puzzle. There's some sort of a story progression subtly woven into the game as you play. No cutscenes and few 'distractions' from the core gameplay.… Expand

Portal is a puzzle game using portal physics. It's very basic, but very polished. The puzzles can get pretty challenging but satisfying, and you are rewarded further with an interesting storyline packed with witty humor. It's hard to believe that Valve just threw it together. My only discrepancy with the game is that it ends, and for that reason I give it a solid 10.

its a very short game but fun as hell, very original and funny. it takes a no more than 30 minutes to get into the game, but than its very easy, exept the puzzles thats on a personal level for each, for me they were mostly easy. the game felt very empty, with only 1 living characters and only gladis and here heads talking, it felt just, empty. exept the short gameplay and lack of voices and characters its a must play game, one best 100 of the past 10 years for sure. and being made by valve its easy to understand how it got such succses… Expand

Great game! Good fun for a few hours, many people I know love this game and have played it through. This includes people normally adverse to computer gaming. The game is very short but for the price its worth it!

Well, I'm late on this review. But this is one of the best games of all time. I love Valve, and 99% of all of their games.
Valve puts time into their games and aren't lazy developers. 10/10!

When I found out that there is such a game called Portal i decided to try a demo version. After completing 2 levels all my doubts about buying it or no went all the way outta window. Next day i went to the store and bought it. Now I have the game 100 % completed, 50 hours spent playing it on Steam and one thing I can say - it is the work of genius. In fact, a crew of geniuses - Valve. What they managed to deliver here are unique atmosphere and puzzles that can challenge both newbies and hardcore sons'O'biches. Some people say - the game is f'n short. My answer is - try time, step and portal challenges and you'll see that you were wrong. The voice acting is brilliant, as it combines humor with sci-fi touched scary monologues. The story is great too - it has this you-didn't-expect-this hilarious moment. Some can say that it's not so cool when you play Portal for the 2nd, 3rd time - you already know what will happen. I think it would be great to have a memory eraser to play it like the first time. And, by the way, Portal gave birth to characters that are among the most popular in game industry now. You know who I'm talking about, monsters._)… Expand

it is a awesome game! sure it's not a long game that will take days to complete, but you never gets tired on it (at least not me) and It's great when you finished the story, you can play like minigames, complete the maps with times, footsteps and portals, so as I said, I never get tired on this game

This game won the 2007 Game of the Year Award. And I think this game really did deserve the award. With It's complex physics-based puzzles, this masterpiece of gaming will keep your mind thinking and thinking for a solution to each carefully crafted "test." Aside from all this, the game was relatively short. Which is the reason why it does not get a 10 from me. In the end, the game deserves a well earned 9 from me.… Expand

We all must keep in mind that this game was hidden behind TF2 and HL2 in the orange box, and yet, it still managed to make a name for itself and generate an enormous fanbase. Valve, once again, delivered an excellent and original idea when coming up with the revolutionary 'portal gun.' This game wasn't necessarily meant to be stand-alone, so those people who are saying that it's too short, keep that in mind. Also remember that it's only $10 dollars at the most, and that's $10 dollars well spent! I bought it on sale and wish I would have payed more. It's a puzzle that makes you think and provides a little clever humor. So, of course, I give this a 10, because I feel that it was one of the most original ideas and revolutionary designs of it's time, and it set up for an interesting and intriguing sequel. And while most games are $50 upwards nowadays and some hang around $20 for up to 5-7 years after their release, Portal is $10 dollars and is affordable fun for those of us who have low-end PCs and don't want to spend too much money. That's just another positive towards this amazing game.… Expand

Valve have always treated PC games to the best in gaming entertainment. Now arrives a new IP from the studio's responsible for Half-Life. Portal is a 90 minute first person puzzle game set in the remains of Aperture Science, Black Mesa's only rival in the realms of science. You play Chell, the only remaining test subject for the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, or in layman's terms the Portal gun. As you are set to complete test chambers created by GLaDOS, the corrupt computer program running Aperture. Chell must escape Aperture and destroy GLaDOS to make sure these experiments never continue. It plays like any Valve FPS and looks like Half-Life 2 but a lot more sterile (white). Portal is one of those rare gems that come around every now and again (usually from Valve) that change the way games work, they change the way games are seen and they change the way games are played. Portal is one in a million.… Expand

Easily one of my favorite games of all time. Simple yet addicting game mechanics form unique and memorable puzzles and make a solid foundation for the subtly unfolding story line.

I enjoyed playing portal, it was new and different to most games out there, a puzzle game that I could actually enjoy and not just sit there with a blank look on my face. The game runs very smoothly and I did not find any glitches at all. Not the best game in the world, but it did keep me entertained.

Awesome game. Introduces an amazing concept, story, and all around style to the world of gaming. The only con I can think of is the fan base. All of the **** running around saying, "LOL the cake is a lie guys amiright!!!" But you cant blame the developers for that. And to the ass hats complaining it was so short? This game was made by a small team within valve. It was just padding for The Orange Box, and kind of an apology present for half life 2: episode 2 being delayed. It was never expected to explode like it did. Even thought it was only a couple hours, those hours were some of the best of my gaming life.… Expand

Innovation at it's finest. Portal provides much humor and action, something that is very elusive from writers, designers, developers, and creators alike. It is very challenging too. Anyone who doesn't like it can't use their damn brain. It's a damn humorous puzzle action story so **** YOU!

If the score of a game is an indication of how much of an impression it made on you, I think most would agree Portal ranks at the top. Writing comedy is hard, and finding such memorable and hilarious comedy in a video game is incredibly rare. The fact that Portal manages to contain just that, while being highly original and thought-provoking, demonstrates just what a work of genius it is. If any game can be held up as an example of art, this is it. Valve are the masters at creating compelling and immersive environments- and the setting of Aperture can easily feel real. GLaDOS is the perfect example of how fantastic writing and acting can create a beloved character. Portal is gaming at its finest- truly a genre-defining title, and one that will leave the player both wanting and satisfied at its conclusion.… Expand

Even though it has indeed been quite a few years now since I first ever played this game at a friend's house, followed IMMEDIATELY by me purchasing it for myself to play on MY computer, my love for the original "Portal" game has not diminished even a single bit!!! I can still so EASILY remember how unbelievably quick I was to become completely engrossed in this "first-of-its-kind" game-play. I even went so far as to try by best at brainwashing my own father into playing it. (And much to my surprise, he gave it a try after watching me play a bit on my PC, and of course, quickly came to love it every bit as much as I.) Add to that list my own younger brother, who was and is still a hardcore "console" player. Sure enough though, as soon as he found it available for purchase on the X-Box 360, he was up all night long playing it as well. In conclusion, I would very much like to also add-in the factor of this beautiful game's UNBELIEVABLE "RE-PLAY" value. I've not ever kept any official count or anything, but it I had to guess, I am quite comfortable in guessing that I've played back though the same game again, over and over, trying new and different techniques each and every time, no less that a few hundred times within the past few years. :) To some, that fact will no doubt just appear stupid, and easily a target for such words as "has no life", "still living at home with Mom", etc... It's OK though, because, to all the rest out there who ALSO fell in love with Portal years ago, YOU no-doubt "understand". :)… Expand

this is a great game is very great igra.Prosto super.Prosto mega.Super yumor.Super golovolki and five times as much cool vasche klasss.valve rulit.mogete.

This game was great, though I watched walkthroughs on Youtube because I'm pretty bad at solving puzzles, but the puzzles themselves are well thought out and really intelligent. The story is good, even though there are only two characters, but it feels like one because the main character Chell doesn't talk. She grunts, but doesn't talk. Valve made epic games, and this is one of them.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Quick and conceptual, Portal is one of the best physics puzzle games I've played yet. It must've been developed well because the voice-acting, amount of puzzles and the puzzles themselves is just one big clump of AWESOMENESS. The only flaw is the program it runs; hl2.exe, which I'm guessing is Half-Life 2. They forgot to make the game "itself" if that makes any sense, but it even holds a connection with Half-Life 2... sorta...… Expand

Despite the Metacritic ratings; many of opinions I heard of Portal were mixed. Some said it was short, others complain of the linear level design and unspectacular graphics. Yes, Portal is only 2 hours long. Yes, the progression is linear. Yes, the Source engine graphics are not exactly Crysis. But ultimately, these factors actually contribute to why Portal is such a great game: it's tightly designed, well-executed and unique. Anyone who likes puzzle games or even video games in general should seek this out to see what all the fuss is about.… Expand

though the game is incredibly short; it is still impressive. The puzzle's will keep you busy and the cruel humored GlaDoS will keep you entertained. the graphics are your typical valve graphics powered by source.

Portal is a puzzle game like no other, set in a world that seems to defy the odds. You will work your way through twenty something puzzles and discover the world you think you know, is nothing compared to what it really is. It's ingenious and really makes you think in order to progress. If you can think outside of the box you can pass through this game easily while learning about the world around you.… Expand

Oh man do I love this game. It's funny, it's cute, it's challenging (sometimes frustratingly so), and just an overall good game. It takes a little while sometimes to get used to the "thinking with portals" thing, but once you do the game is amazing. My biggest complaint (and probably my only one) is the fact that it's a jumping puzzle game but I can't see my character's feet. So I have no idea where I'm jumping to. Granted, the first-person view added to the game, I just get super frustrated when I go to jump somewhere and... Oh, I jumped completely past it when I thought i was on it. Lovely. Valve has a tendency to do this, unfortunately. But other than that, this game was beautiful and unbelievably fun.… Expand

An amazing and Innovative game, yeah its short but hell it has more fun then a lot of big games (CoD).
GLaDOS is awesome and very funny, the puzzles aren't to easy but they are also not frustratingly hard.
This is a must buy for anyone who hasn't played it yet and a could game to go back and play again.

Portal is an amazing game with astoundingly innovative gameplay. It may be short, but it makes up for that with progressive difficulty and good humour.

Awesome idea! Enjoyed it. Taking into account that you have only one weapon (in essence) - making a such addictive gameplay is truly worth of praising, Valve! Thank you! :)

Portal really surprise me by showing me the new way and new concept of gaming. Yes, the game is really short, but it is never repeats itself. I know people would say other games are longer, and stuffs, but ask yourself, you do the same thing over and over again (Lvling, farming, fighting the same kind enemies over and over, you get it.) and that is why they are longer. Great humour in the game too. I always enjoy the sarcasm in the game. Good job to the team. You guys made a game that deserves 10/10.… Expand

This game is why limited budgets and resources can create games of the highest quality. It's clear that we had a motivated and passionate team who poured their very hearts and souls into this game. They didn't waste resources on useless garbage. The Tutorial IS the gameplay. The story isn't played through boring cutscenes, you interact while the story is conveyed to you by the antagonist, a hilarious AI.
The gameplay is amazing and the physics are just stunning. I could not find a way to describe it..

This is revolutionary and simple. Hardcore gamers and Casual gamers will love this game. After this experience you will be buying all Valve games.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of my favourite games. The portal mechanics were unique and well-coded. The story was amazing. The cake became a meme for a reason. The extra levels were also really challenging and kept me playing it for a lot more time.

What I never got into me is the companion cube. I burned the sucka the moment I was instructed to and never got in any way attached to it. Was I even supposed to get attached to it? Who cares anyway.… Expand

Portal is funny, clever and interesting, with an extremely short single player. It simply doesn't beat Portal 2, but still It is amazing. When I was playing this game, It remembers the Half Life 2 atmosphere (quiet and alone). The plot is amazing, but people, why the Users Review for Portal 2 is 8.4, I still can't understand. Anyway, I give 9 points for Portal.

Eight hours of pure fun. Short and sweet. It's cheap and you'll love it. Grab it. How to describe it? It is a puzzle game. It doesn't take itself too seriously and it has an excellent sense of humour. GET IT.

I enjoy playing this game on both the pc and my PS3. It seems to run better on the pc than portal 2. Even so, I enjoy playing them both equally. What's neat about both games is finding secrets.

I've never been a puzzle games fun but i can say i regretted not buying it sooner, anyway you must think with portals to be able to complete it, this game is not very long but you still a nice challenge, and that mean you have to get this game and the sequel for be able to understand what's really going on down there, anyway both awesome.

If finished the game at least 5 times, it is short but very fun to play. Getting the achievments is also very funny. The game itself may be short, but there are many mods available like e.g. portal prelude, which steps the difficulty up, many custom maps etc etc so you get unlimited play time! The portal concept was very innovative and it's so much fun to play!

This was a brilliant break to the Multiplayer's and Singleplayer's that currently flood this market. If your addicted to half life, call of duty, gears of war, halo, or any other of these great games and you find yourself wanting a little more then I suggest portal. I found myself enjoying every puzzle, all challenges and the great and amusing story line. This game can amuse you whether your on console or PC, but if you are on PC you'll get the chance to experience the community made maps adding several extra hours of fun. But there is a downfall to this fun including the puzzle as if you find it hard to complete puzzles then this is not the game for you, it's puzzle after puzzle after puzzle. So do I recommend this game yes but if your not a puzzle person then I suggest trying out the console version first as you'll have a chance to return it if it does not live up to your expectations.… Expand

In my humble opinion Portal represents the pinnacle of game design. With it's utterly unique and creative game mechanics, and intelligent level designs, Portal proves that a puzzle game can be much more enjoyable than the horde of First Person Shooters that dominate the gaming industry.

For me, this game is better than Portal 2, because even as a small game, he has a great story, but the game is kind of easy. Only the Advanced Chambers, in the Bonus Maps, are more difficult.

I mega â

Yes, it's short. No, it's not very challenging. This is in my top 3 favourite games of all time. The soundtrack, the mood, the story, the humour. I love it all, and the cake was delicious.

The story is a kinda creepy, and I have to confessing you that I never wish play portal till a friend insisted in made me play, so I just playit, and I said :" now what" but the more you progress through the game more difficult, interesting and involving turns this. I suggest you, give it two chances, the first to start to play and the second for advancements

This simply is a great game the story is simple and funny but still quite strong it doesn't go on for to long and the mechanics themselves feel refreshing unlike the stale mass produced FPS games that are released on a monthly bases. This game never bored me and it actually is one of few none strategy/fight/race/etc. games that actually made me feel like replaying it (far) more than just once. Even tough the levels are quite small it gave a huge feeling of freedom because the rooms just seemed infinitely bigger when you were allowed to portal trough them. For those who are done playing the original levels there still are a lot of player made levels that grant an even bigger (or lesser) challenge.… Expand

Purely superior in experience to the 2nd portal in every way. Great story, great player engagement, great pace of introducing new ideas. After playing this one, the 2nd one felt redundant and the story felt incredibly forced. They changed their mind on where they were taking this game when they patched the end cutscene to change from you being free to being dragged back inside .. then sealed off the portal world from ever influencing the half-life world, which was very disappointing to say the least. That aside, a very fun game overall which I actually put probably about 20 or 30 hours into doing various advanced puzzles and repeating the game once or twice just because it was fun.… Expand

This review was meant for Dear Esther: Portal 2 was a hight 10 for me I LOVE Portal 2. Dear Esther was a low 1 for me. Did not enjoy Dear Esther. Waste of my time sorry. I felt the potential for this game to be almost what Myst was when it first started that genre of story driven games. However, I very quickly found myself bored and I love English accent narrations especially but it wasn't enough to hold me to the end. I found myself aimlessly wandering around. I couldn't pick up anything nor save the game. Not for me this game had potential it was beautiful the scenery.â… Expand

Games like Portal are not trying to have hundreds of hours that will mostly be uninteresting and mindless but hey, most of what's on TV is even worse. No, games like Portal instead make a very interesting experience, one that will make a real impact on your mind, rather than try to eat up lots of your time. And that's not even mentioning the downloadable maps and stuff which I'm sure by now is numerous.

I downloaded it from Steam and gave it a shot. I was instantly intrigued by the game mechanics, for a variety of reasons. I highly recommend it. The puzzles aren't too difficult, I beat it in 6 hours and that's including the time I spent screwing around in infinite corridors for me to chase myself through, trying to save the companion cube and getting stuck for a few minutes here and there. Don't play it expecting something to kill time like it's an MMO or TV, just soak in the game mechanics because they are fascinating. In addition, the game does have some story, atmosphere and humor for you. Give it a shot.… Expand

Excellent puzzle game, the only game in first person as elaborate puzzle. It has a really interesting story and characters very striking (albeit few). The mechanics is playable spectacular and innovative portal system is very well done, thought with physical puzzles and portals at once. Graphically the game is not spectacular or anything, but meets a striking and interesting art section, although it is appreciated that the game is very well optimized for use over several sites at once. The cast of voices (even though limited only to the machines) is very well chosen, with humor and a story behind them very compelling. The sounds are very well made and is one of the games with the best soundtracks out there. This game is highly recommended, even if you have a short duration, is still a great game and giving for more (see Portal 2).… Expand

The best game made since Tetris. Surreal, complex, with all the goodies of an indie but the backing of (who else?) Valve, all but devoid of violence, with elements of sarcastic dark humor and relaxing cuteness mixed with fearful suspense and tongue-in-cheek moments of LoLs for a story you really have to dig at to comprehend. Short, yes, but there's only so much you can do without either becoming repetitive, becoming repetitive, or throwing the average and below players at a brick wall and saying "climb." Voice acting is all done by one person if you can believe that, and the song at the end is the very definition of a cult classic. And as Yahtzee said in his review of the sequel, the only real complain that exists is the annoying fanbase who can't keep their grubby little paws off of something in order to keep it sacred. Hobbes was right.… Expand

Very fun to play game and i also liked how it got implemented in the half life universe instead of beeing released as completely new IP. Just get it, its not expensive and very worth to be played.

This game is just wonderful, the concept of solving puzzles using the portal gun is just great, I just wish this game was longer, just like the sequel. The main single-player is great but after playing Portal 2 I feel the puzzles were way to easy. Apart from that there are challenge modes and a developer commentary to keep you busy and although there is not much replay value you will come back for more. The humor is extremely good, its hilarious sometimes to hear what GLADOS has to say adding to the overall experience. This game is just great and for the low price of 9.99 dollars on Steam this is totally worth it.… Expand

I got this game for free after winning a Steam competition (Bonus!) and have already played through and finished Portal 2 so playing this game was really quite hard for me at first because of the high expectations I gave it but it quickly grew on me... Almost as fast as I finished it. After two hours I finished it and that does sound very short but I felt like it stayed just enough as not to outstay it's welcome, like when you let a hobo in your house on a rainy day and he leaves after a coffee and when the rain stops, unlike some games where the hobo would stay after the rain has stopped and refuses to leave until you're forced to enjoy his company before he actually decides to high-tail it! Overall, very fun game with lots of challenges along the way that I thoroughly enjoyed so I give it an amazing ten out of ten!… Expand

finally, something new and creative comes to the gaming arena. Its been a long time since I have seen anything this creative and fun to play. The game is short, so get it while its on sale somewhere.

Portal is a first person puzzle shooter with a nice array of challenges to complete. The main feature is the portal gun, which lets you make a blue and orange portal on the floor/wall. Walk through one portal and end up at the next. This feature take a second to get use to, but is a blast to mess around with. The major flaw though is that the levels do take a while to pick up, and re-playability is low for this game. You will get a fraction through the game before the levels become reasonably difficult. In the end though, all the levels are a blast to play. The story is a simple one with several jokes tied in that make the game a little more fun. The length of completing the game is something to comment on. It is kind of a let down when you realize you get to the end and its only been about 2 to 3 hours. There are advanced versions of some levels that extend the length of the game in a very unforced fashion. Furthermore there are challenges, such as beating the levels very fast or using a limited number of portals. This adds another few hours or so. Lastly, there are achievements actually worth doing that do change the way to approach the levels. Adding all these features together ran me about 12 hours of gameplay so far. I have a few more challenges and achievements to complete, so give or take 15 hours to do everything in the game. Right now you can get Portal for $10 which is a fine price for the game. You will get your moneys worth for that low of a price. The biggest problem is those few beginning levels difficulty. It's fine to have a 2 to 3 hour game, but when a good 15 minutes feel like tutorial, its a little annoying. Also the difficulty was fine, but harder levels would be nice, ones that really challenge the player.… Expand

When people saw the trailers for Portal, they knew it would be a fun mechanic, but nobody expected the amazingly engrossing character of GlaDOS. These two factors combine to make one of the most original PC games of all time.

Portal is revolutionary! Once you clear through the story mode and advanced maps, you still have nearly impossible challenges to play through. Work towards challenge perfection for hours of Portal fun!

I bought this only recently on Steam... and man, this game is pretty damn good.
Graphics: early HL2 engine, hairy muff. - pretty good for the age (now a few years old)
Concept: 3D puzzle ... ... (but not a shooter)... you just get a portal gun which makes. Portals!
Everyone is getting off from the concept, but I really loved the "story", which seems to be taken somehow from 2001; space odyssey (HAL).

It is fairly short, finished the story in only two days. But, that said, the length felt just... "right". Just at around the time that the portal puzzles were getting old- it managed to keep pace and move the story to the last segment of the game.
There are bonus levels and puzzles so you can be entertained a bit longer...

... and.... one of the best end sequences Ive seen in an age!! WOOOOT!… Expand

Truly one of the best puzzle games ever with a good mix of humor sprinkled with a sense of urgency this game is mesmerizing. It draws you in and never lets go.

I bought this game from Orange Box and i was very impressed with this game, very challeging and entertaining, helps who understanding the meaning of the word Portal and the puzzles are simply fantastic. One of things i really like are the turrels which makes those very cute sounds and the ending music. I found this game better than Portal 2, this one doesnt bored me at all, it makes want to explore everything.… Expand

A narrative, as well as a puzzler, Portal works on every level it's almost scary. It doesn't overstay its welcome, but it doesn't seemed rushed. A near perfect game.

This game is very entertaining. What sets it apart from all the other games is the simply beautiful graphics, the smooth gameplay, addictive story, and flawless concept!

Well, given that Portal 2 is a week away, I figured it'd be a fine time to go back and revisit the charming predecessor. The first Portal was a delightful pack-in for The Orange Box, Valve's compilation of Half-Life, the two subsequent Episodes, and Team Fortress 2. While all those games were highly regarded and well worth the money, Portal was singled out in particular for its innovative puzzle design which truly explored what the First Person Shooter genre was capable of when coupled with a spark of creativity and the freedom to go beyond mere convention.

Portal takes the puzzle mentality of games as old as Tetris and other 2D sidescrollers and transports it into the modern 3D space of first person shooters, though perhaps this is a bit of a misnomer as there isn't actually shooting in the traditional bloodthirsty connotation. Instead, you're given a marvelous Portal gun which greatly resembles the Gravity gun from Half-Life 2. Just as that "gun" was more of an experimental piece of equipment than an actual deadly firearm, here too the Portal gun functions in a unique manner to aid in your adventures. Rather than terminating foes, you create portals in solid matter to bypass obstacles in the environment and traverse in odd, sometimes paradoxical pathways. These dimensional holes cut into the walls and floors of the laboratory also afford Portal the unique distinction of being one of the only FPSs ever to allow you to witness your own body in front of you, without the aid of mirrors. The mind-bending nature of these portals is what gives the game such a playfully devious character and even jaded hardcore gamers who've long exhausted their stockpiles of FPS games will find it hard not to giggle at the intensely creative and ingenious environmental puzzles that Valve has conjured up in its technological cauldron.

While an imaginative and refreshing new twist on the FPS genre, Portal is let down by its short length. This is not a particularly grievous complaint as the game was meant to be a sort of free extra treat in The Orange Box, already a steal with its plethora of games, but one cannot help feeling somewhat disappointed when they've arrived at the end of this rather loopy and wholly captivating diversion of time. Truly, "short and sweet" is how the game can best be characterized, yet if only that sweetness could have been prolonged somehow!

Portal's humor has been singled out for a great deal of praise and been the source of countless memes since the dawn of its release, yet I'm not entirely convinced the game deserves such effusive love. Perhaps it's because of my own sense of humor that gets in the way, but I found the game's comic sensibilities rather tame and merely worthy of a chuckle here and there. GlaDOS, the malevolent AI in the story, delivers vaguely threatening monologues coached in corporate doublespeak but I never found these evoking an actual laugh out loud. And does "the cake is a lie" merit such a widespread meme? Is that statement really so powerfully mindblowing and clever that it deserves to be plastered all over the internet? I can't really justify it, unfortunately. The game's somewhat clever at times, but there's nothing about it that makes me suspect it's reaching the heights of comedy.

The problem with most puzzle games, and which Portal inevitably succumbs to, is the fact that they're only good for the first time. Replaying this game two years after I first completed it, there was a sensation of repetition and familiarity. Some of the harder and more intricate puzzles took me a mindful pause to remember what the solution was, but the overall playthrough was greatly reduced from my first time, as the answers were all still within my memories. There was no great epiphany, no moment of "Eureka!" that you had over and over again from the first playthrough. This is a problem that you find in all puzzle games, they just don't warrant repeat plays as the puzzle's already been solved. After that initial breakthough, you're just left with a sense of treading water. That ebullient feeling of discovery and the satisfaction of cracking the proverbial nut is lost forever, and that's a shame. It's just the nature of puzzles, and a few other genres as well. Trivia games are another example where you have this issue. The first time, you're stumped, but subsequent games are no brainers as you've learned the trivia and there's no challenge left.

But Portal's first time through is a truly marvelous and rather pure gaming experience which has few equals in the modern gaming landscape. It's one to treasure.… Expand

Portal is one of the few games to exist in the industry that contains some genuine science fiction. Its an obvious opportunity of interactive games to create original science fiction but sadly is missing by most popular titles in the industry. Portals focus on good design and puzzle solving rather than the immaturity of violence and 'bad-ass'ness makes it stand out as intelligent from the dumb gaming crowd. Portal is funny, intelligent, flawlessly designed and does not over stay its welcome - the short length is by design and is a good thing. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!… Expand

This is probably one of the most creative games that will ever be put on the market.

The game was not meant to be long, it was meant to be fun, and enjoyable throughout the whole game. Although many people complain about how short the game is, if you really think about it, there are more than 18 chambers in the game with some complex puzzle solving. The simplicity of the game is what makes it the best game there is out there, and now it's free, and if you don't own the orange box already, or you are thinking of buying portal alone, its definitely worth the money. But, if you are not willing to buy a game that is fairly short, you might wanna look into renting it. Well worth the money.… Expand

Ellen McLain's performance in Portal 2 made her an instant hit with Valve fans. McLain shows an amazing talent with voice acting, and singing.

Portal, itself showed gamers a new way of thinking. It was rare to see a game that was so much fun without shooting everything in sight, which made Portal different from a general game. The storyline is brilliant and clever. Portal wasn't too short at all. It wasn't a game - It was a test. A test that did so well it got itself an amazing sequel that sold millions of copies. Those who gave Portal 10 would agree - Portal is a game you will never forget. Even when your old and senile.… Expand

A magnificent game that is only stained by its length. While the game lasts around 5 to 7 hours the first time you play, you'll easily finish it in less than 3 hours once you know how to complete the puzzles. However, Portal brings you in a very unique universe and that what it's all about. You'll enter a world that is unbelievably cute but dangerous at the same time: this is why Portal is so particular. Your brain will be your best friend. You have no weapon, besides a gun that fires two linked portals. The designers made the levels in a clever way with several ways to solve them. But what is even better is that you don't even *see* the other ways until you reach the "hard" mode of the game: indeed, you even have more challenges waiting for you in the very same rooms that you passed in the normal adventure after completing the game. And you'll see that... you'll eventually start thinking with Portal.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't like bad things so let's clear them up now:
It's too short: I kept waiting for training to end, but training is the game
The last battle is too easy: the timer's for 6 minutes!

That is all:

This game is the best PC game ever!!!!
Through the 2 hours that you play, GLaDOS will guide you through the test chambers, while trying to kill you, and you must solve puzzles, and in the end, escape Aperture laboratories.
You can't deny the brilliance of this game...
unless you like COD...
from start to finish, so pick it up NOW.

+ Addictive as heck
+Humour is great
+ COD lovers will go away
-Its too short
- Last battle disapoints

96%… Expand

Pros: Everything
Cons: Gets a bit hard from time to time (Turrets are Pains in the ass)
Summary: A bit hard but if you have quick fingers it can be considered 10/10

best game I have ever played. creative game play, nice puzzle design. plot is also good. but this game is a little short. Orange Box is really cheap though, I think everyone should play it.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of my favorite games of all time! Although it sounds like a stupid game if you explain it to someone that's never heard of Valve before, people really give it a chance. It' s a post-apocalyptic first-person puzzle game, about an old science research company, and you are one of the last humans after a hostel take-over of the evil robot/computer, GLaDOS, and are forced to complete a series of pointless puzzles, being promised a cake at the end, but finding out the hard way that it is a lie!I t's a great game! I really recommend it!… Expand

Portal in my opinion is a very original game. It offered something entirely new. It's a puzzle game but it's not just any puzzle game. It has a soul and a charm. The gameplay mainly consists of using a specialised handheld device to create 2 portals, one orange and one blue. Entering one of those instantly causes the player to exit out the other one, and this simple element alone is utilised in a variety of ways to solve a wide range of different puzzles, involving buttons and cubes, turrets, electricity balls and death traps. Additionally to the puzzle solving, the game has a somewhat of an interesting humourous feel to it, ending up with a wide variety of inside jokes that many people still use on the net repeatedly. So far the main drawback for me is that the game is very short, even though it's short and sweet. There are additional challenges that get unlocked once you complete the game, but if you've enjoyed this and want a full-length game, then I'd highly suggest you try Portal 2.… Expand

Yes, I realize Portal was very short. But I would rather have a quality game that lasts about six hours than a piece of trash that lasts 20. And Portal is one of the most innovative, funniest, and mind-numbing games you will ever play. The puzzles are challenging enough to be satisfying, but not so tough that they're impossible to solve. Add to that the dark humor of GLaDOS and the best video game song ever, and you've got an amazing game.… Expand

This game is really short, but seriously, what a pleasure to play it.
It's fun and inventive, incredibly, you need to think the first time you play it, I mean, you really need to think about how to resolve tests, not all of couse, but it is different of all this ultra-over-shooting games which are really boring.

Portal is a great Puzzle Game. The Puzzles are Great, The Graphics are better then the Sequel, the Humour is good. And it may be short but once you beat it you unlock Advanced Maps, these are alot more Challenging and add even more fun. Portal continues to provide you with fun even after you've beaten it. It's a great Game, but my only Complaint would be the fact it's very short

Portal introduced a brand new and exciting way to play games, and even though it was short, it has so much potential. The puzzles, dialogue, and of course, the song at the end can not make this a bad game. Valve still put a lot of effort into a game they were unsure about as they do with all of their games. The puzzles are somewhat hard at first but never frustrating, which makes the game so much fun to play again and again and again. It can be finished in 1-3 hours if you're smart, and maybe even half an hour, but there are challenges and acheivements you can complete, and of course, dozens of fan-made maps and mods. Valve just gave us a taste of this addictive cake, and we are still hungry for more, even after Portal 2, which accelerated the portal mechanic and gave it more power.… Expand

Valve you did it again, you created a whole new idea to add you your arsenal are games this game along with portal 2 are just a must have must experience game worth the 50$ but i'm patience and waited for the summer sale 30$ =p

Pretty much the single best puzzle game I've played. Even its short length isn't enough for me to give this game anything less than a 10. Anyone who owns a PC needs to get this game. Every once and a while a game comes out that reminds you that real innovation can still happen. This is one of those games.

Unique uses of portals, plus dark humor, plus plot, gives this game....not quite all ten. Why? I wish they would have came up with this idea sooner, because the game is REALLY short (2-3 hours average). And getting the 2nd game, I felt like there could have been no need for a sequel (yet) if Portal would have been a hit already.

Portal by Valve, was at first, nothing more than a test for the new physics system, now it has it's own sequel. Awesome graphics, outstanding gameplay, a great storyline, and a well thought out series of tests and challenges combine to make this ONE OF THE BEST GAMES EVER!!! I highly recommend it. It's money well spent.

The simplicity to this game in one aspect makes the story a little bit more disturbing and mysterious than its sequel. GLaDoS seems to be a glitching robotic system that has an unintentional desire to kill through her little glitches, which slowly evolves into an obvious artificial-intelligent insanity. The game is very well-made and is one of the best first-person puzzle games out there, and it's one of the best Valve games out there. The game is very short, but very fun. I can probably beat it in about half an hour and still have a great time doing it. The story is simple enough, but yes it has some very disturbing aspects about the implied history of the machine intelligence GLaDOS, and the portal system itself is very inventive and entertaining. This is a game you have to play at least once, just like it's sequel.… Expand