Portal was what sold me on the concept of the orange box, honestly. The concept behind portal greatly intrigued me to begin with. When I finally downloaded it off of steam and played it, I was not disappointed.

The game starts out slowly, teaching you about portals, and the tutorial goes by quite smoothly. It was during this tutorial that I first learned about the awesome that is the AI "GLaDOS". GLaD's comments became increasingly more amusing as time went on, and nearing the end, she only became better. The ending, too, was truly satisfying. Few games end with a specially made song. Especially such a catchy one.

The combination of fun gameplay, fun story, and the best AI ever (Shodan can't even hold a candle to GLaDOS) propell this game to be.. well... among the best games I've ever played. My only problem is how short it is. Not worth 20, necessarily, but as part of the orange box, it is quite worth it, and I strongly encourage people to play it. Remember, the cake is a lie.… Expand

Very overrated. First of all, this game is unbelivably short. I kept waiting for all the training missions to end so i could play the game, but the training levels WERE the game. After that, there is just a long escape level which has barley any puzzles and is more about jumping and taking out turrets. The final boss was way too easy and the only thing motivating you to beat it was the timer. Their attempt to make the game funny and put in jokes just makes the game look worse. This game was meant to be an extra toy included in the orange box. Definatley not worth buying seperatley.… Expand

The game was innovative and interseting but way to short and too many simple levels toward the beginning of the game made it boring quickly.

Got Portal as part of the Ultimate bundle Valve is offering through Steam. It included pretty much everything related to the Half-Life series for $100 (23+/- games I think).
Beat the normal game in 2 sittings, about 6 hours maybe. Great game though, really makes you think in the later levels and I can't wait for players to make their own maps for it. I generaly hate puzzle games and go for shoot em ups but I really enjoyed this. Would have paid $30 for this game alone. I give it a 10.… Expand

This was a great game, the only thing I found to be strange was the little ventilation hole just after the first rocket turret, I used chairs to go up inside but I found it a clumsy way of doing it, it was very unlike the others puzzles if the game.
I love GLaDOS so much <3 the turrets <3

the best games of all time ! valve comes through again with a game i could not set down ! 2.5 hours of pure fun and addiction. a perfect world setting and use of there physics engine level layout and story, with a perfect twist. not to forget there computer voiced narrator that adds a few well placed lols.
i cant wait for the sequals.. im not going to ruin ..but those who have played and beat the HL2 series. specificly episode 2 ill know what im looking forward too.… Expand

Yes, it was short. But it was not meant to be a fully-realized game by itself, and that seems to be what most people are forgetting when negatively rating it. It was practically free with the Orange Box, implements some of the most innovative gameplay concepts in years, and is probably more of a 2-3 hour demo/preview (HL2:E2 anyone?) of things to come. Portal is a gift to us gamers, and should be appreciated as such.… Expand

"Portal", a smart organized game created by the infamous Valve, is entertaining. It's indisputably short (2 hours), which was a major letdown, but with clean graphics it manages to hold your attention for the moment. The questions aren't baffling; any human with a brain of a elementary kid would solve the game easily. The story is pretty awesome and makes you feel like watching a movie in some sort of way. Overall, get it or alse...THE CAKE IS A LIE (if you get what I mean).… Expand

Its realy a very adictive game. I couldnt let it go. I realy like it and their is a lot of potiential in it. Imagine this in HalfLife with physics pazles or fighting i can think of thousand of ideas how can be used. Realy amazing can wait for ep3 to see what valve can do more

I beat this game in the first 2 and a half hours that i played it. I just didn't want to stop playing. The game's progression, in my opinion, is perfect. A lot of the portal usage was really fun. Trampolining around a large room was especially fun. The polish of the game is also exceptional. The really great humor was just icing on an already delicious cake.

Although not very long, Portal offers a new experience for players that tests thier speed and puzzle solving skills under pressure. Two thumbs way up to Valve on this venture. Hope to see more installments to the game as time goes on with more puzzles and possible installation of other weapons combined with a multiplayer aspect.

This game was superb in almost every way,the developer commentary only proves every little enjoyable aspect was not an accident.
The final few levels,the end sequence and the new game wallpaper you get after finishing the game are all excellent.
It's also ripe with humor,and a lovely Companion Box. XD
Finally,the end is simultaneously the best Credits,the best Outro,the best Song and the best end-game reward EVER.I will never see something so cool (and amusing as everything) as the "Still Alive" remake from the end,

"Maybe Black Mesa!!.....That was a JOKE!...Haha,fat chance!"… Expand

Ive been waiting for this game for a while. I love the idea of manipulating space/time with only the click of a mouse, and using physics to solve mazes is astonishingly satisfactory. And the subtle sinister clues left by former test subjects leaves a great eery theme. A great addition to the orange box. If only there was more.

This is by far one of the biggest leaps in gaming there have been in a while. Not only does Portal put into excellent use of the Valve physics engine, but they also do excellent rendering of collision, use of video memory, and many other aspects that Half Life missed. Portal is also very open ended and can be madded easily with any game. The possibilities are practically limitless with the portal gun and the games that are available and the franchise is going to be doing very well with future games. Good Job Valve… Expand

What I don't understand is why everyone giving a <7 rating complains about a lack of depth. DUH! Your character has no idea what's goint on! She woke up in a lab rat facility being told what to do by an AI unit. Even after the game's over, she's still passed out in the parking lot of Aperture. Also, it was included in the Orange Box because Aperture and Black Mesa are competitors (you can see it on some of the projectors if you peek through the windows after Testchamber 19).

Very nice game, excellent concept. I'm replaying the game to try and get all of the acievements. Definite replay value, you know, tweak timings, find better ways to do stuff, etc. And it's fun to just play around with portals (like make the Companion Cube exist in two places at once XD).… Expand

Innovative, sinister, intelligent, head scratching at times, (not for long) but frankly simple fun. The game was a little short for my liking, but given the positive reviews I hope there will be many people designing maps for it. Looking forward to portal 2, or at least finding our how this fits into the half life universe.

Simply wonderful idea and the fact that it includes a Level Editor makes it all the better. with the ability to experience anyone in the worlds crazy wacky idea of a logical puzzle, it adds unlimited amounts of play time on top of the flawlessly achieved single-player "Tests". I give this a perfect 10, because even if someone can say... hey... what the hell were they thinking not putting (enter whatever here) into the game... they have opened a new idea and play style to the gaming community. and is there anything else we can really ask for in a game other then to be inventive and inovative? thats what progression and learning are all about... a further knowledge into why and how we do things. and in that sense, and many others (including orientation and gravity!), i give this game a perfect 10… Expand

The psycological experience, the amazing atmosphere and the depth of story in Portal can be explained with two words: Still Alive.

It may be short, but isn't that better than a puzzle game that goes on so long that you give up? The singleplayer doesn't offer much replay value, as once you've solved the puzzles you pretty much create a portal to the end of the game, but there are still Challenge and Bonus Maps. Once the community gets going, countless others will follow. The fact that I went through the entire game again to just hear the ending song says it all. Portal is beautiful. Sorry PC Gamer, Team Fortress 2 and HL2: Episode 2 may be the greatest games of the year, but Portal by far has the most electric atmosphere and experience.… Expand

This game draws you in and keeps you wanting more. The story was unexpected and reminded me of the movie "Cube" in a slight way.
Gameplay is just amazing and so simple to master once you understand the basics.
I hope Valve continues with this portal concept and its top notch story telling.

This is one of the best games I have ever played. The idea that you can bend your perception on the universe is fantastic. I hope to see more use of the portal gun from valve either in new portal games or an addition to the HL2 arsenal

This game is completely underrated by the media. Yes, the main storyline is only about 3-4 hours long. But, the advanced modes provide *many* extra hours of fun. I keep going back to this game because it's so fun to experiment with - I wonder if someone will add the portal gun to Gary's Mod (maybe they have already!). Also, the story to this game is great.

It may just be that the humor is an exact fit for mine, but this was one of the most hilarious games I've ever played. Just amazingly good from a plot/naration standpoint and the game itself, the puzzles, the portals, are tons of fun. I really wish it were longer. Maybe a sequel! The cake is a lie!!

Pure genius. The most innovative, funny, fun, FPP (First Person Puzzler) ever. The corperate rags are clueless about what a blast this game is for gamers. From the twisted, oddly endearing AI GLaDOS, to the truly unique puzzels that requirer fine motor skills, and out side the cubical thinking. Not to forget it's a bonus game. Here's to Valve, and a Grammy for Still Alive. Get it. Play it, and life will never be the same.… Expand

This game was crazy fun. It took me a few minutes, as well as a few tries, to figure out some of the puzzles, but I got them all eventually. Very fun to make a portal on the ceiling and the floor and fall continuously. The only way this game could have been more fun is if it was an online multi-player shooter. (wink wink nudge nudge)

Aaaahhh....I can't remember when I last loved a game more. Actually loved a game. Sure, it's short, but it's also brilliantly original, incredibly intuitive, hard without being enraging, and most importantly it's the funniest game since Ron Gilbert's Good and Evil was released in a just and fair parallel universe. I hereby nominate Ellen McClain for an Emmy, or something. Oh, and a Grammy. All games should give you this much actual delight. Play it. Play it twice. And when the credits have rolled, let the menu screen play out for about thirty seconds. Trust me.… Expand

Absolutely amazing!

It starts off a little slow, especially if you've already played Narbacular Drop or played with the portal gun in Garry's Mod. After the intro levels, the puzzle action really gets interesting, and you start getting sucked into the game quite a bit.

The story is pretty simple, but there is a ton of character, a few surprises, and a great ending. Plus, even after you finish the game, there are bonus levels and challenge modes to keep you coming back for more!… Expand

The Portal team certainly deserves a standing-O for their work on this game. This was a Triumph! I encountered no bugs. I could have finished it sooner, but I enjoyed taking time to search through each possible move. I hope Valve makes more maps for Portal, and releases a map editor. Hey how about 3 Portals at once... Thank You Portal Team, for this enrichment center activity. Now I'm going to have some Cake!… Expand

The game does deserve a 10. It´s short but if you look at it as an extra to the entire HL2 collection you get on the Orange Box - I´ll say its a fantastic surprise.
Plus, the game as a story, a really deep one.: there is obcessive passion from a machine with sentimental dislexia and you kill your best friend (I´m missing you crazy, Companion Cube...) THE CAKE IS NOT A LIE!

The "official" website reviews, I'd say, are drastic understatements. This game marries wonderfully joyful gameplay with an intruiging story that will leave you wanting to finish it the moment you begin the game. Along with that, the humour incorporated is simply golden and there are moments where we can really laugh out loud. Also, its 3 hour long lifespan, to me, is very appropriate. Too long and the game would have lost its novelty. With all that said, it was honestly the best 3 hours of my life. Do not miss this masterpiece.… Expand

Portal is truly an unassuming kind of game, what with it's seemingly simple story and the lack detail. However, the further you go, the more eerie things get, with a good twist and some ingenious ideas. I would have appreciated some more "long jumping" and chain jumping, but overall, Valve did a lovely job!

Portal is one of the best games of the year. Its game play is superb and a new invation to gaming.

Seriously the greatest FPS experience I've ever played. plot progression, characterisation, gameplay, technical achievement, feeling of success on completion of tasks and ending.. Superb.

Portal is the perfect fusion of Valve's Source engine and the students at Nuclear Monkey's Narbacular Drop. Portal has a great storyline which was a lot better and deeper than I'd expected - the added "Achievements" and Bonus levels (6 advanced levels and 3 disciplines (least steps, least portals, least time) as challenges in the 6 levels) give enough extra playtime to justify for the short story mode. I really hope Portal will have a successor; luckily, you can hear a few lines in the developer commentary mode talking about the Black Mesa versus Aperture relationship that will be explained more in-depth than in the first release of Portal.
Portal has already provided me with lots of fun (and nightmares from the creepy GLaDOS) - I still have some challenges to fulfil and some moves to master, so it's a 10 from me.… Expand

This game ranks as one of the best to be released this year, with a lot of contenders to compete with. Granted, Episode 2, Bioshock and several others will still rank higher and hold more appeal and replay, Portal is still probably a greater game because of what it represented and what it does rather than itself alone. The gameplay mechanics were awesome, but it was short and left you really wanting to take this idea to the next level. At the moment, it feels like a super demo for the technology of the portal gun. The cool part about it is that it'll appeal to a larger crowd than the FPS players. Casual gamers will find it highly appealing, though perhaps not at the individual price it's being offered given that casual gamers will probably not be drawn to Team Fortress 2 or Half-Life 2 or its episodes.… Expand

Im not sure if many of these people have truly completed the game or not. Once past the initial 16 levels you really need to start thinking in order get through an obsticle. I think it really adds a mental component to a game instead of "simply shoot everything that walks"

A game that combines first person shooters, puzzles, wormhole physics, cute 'n happy robots that try to kill you, and cake (be it a lie or not) . . . Truly, there is no comparison. Valve continues to prove that true creativity and innovation still exist. Perhaps humanity -is- worth saving... for use in scientific experiments anywho.

An EXCELLENT game, a great combination of action and a Puzzle game. Casual players may have some problems getting by certain levels, especially challenge levels. Besides even if you don't love the game its worth playing just to hear GLaDOS talk. GLaDOS will have you cracking up every level, especially in certaiin levls near the end.

Gets pretttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttty decent after 5 hours... oh wait.... the game ends there....

Great game with fantastic ideas, and expert maps for those of us which finished the game after an hour ;).

This genius game shows once more that a first-person-shooter like game doesn't have to be bloody at all. The gameplay is a big step towards a futuristic idea and makes players change the way they approach those specific problems. Even though it is the same concept throughout the whole game, it does not get boring at all and the guiding, smart but evilish voice with that bit of irony that accompanies you all the way to the end is yet another great feature. Releasing the game within the Orange Box together with half life 2: episode two was a great idea. All thumbs straight up.… Collapse

I love this game. GLaDOS was hilarious the entire time, and the levels are a great way to think in new ways. Often I knew exactly how to get past something, but it would take seven or more tries to get the execution right, witch only made success more sweet. And to those of you who don't like Portal, go back to your regular, unintelligent shooters, and waste your time on another world war two game. And, Nicholas C., if you really finished the game, you wouldn't get a loading screen, but a video followed by the endsong should make it obvious when the game is truly over.… Expand

Holy crap, I've never been so addicted to a game in my LIFE, and I've played hundreds of 'em! I literally could not leave my computer until I had beaten it and figured out all the puzzles for myself.... AMAZING gameplay, and quite humorous as well, I might add! (listen to "Still Alive" during the credits....lol!).

One of the most amazing original and unique games I have ever played, sure i completed it in roughly 3 hours, but it was the greatest 3 hours I have spent playing a game, and it had hints of humour and witiness all the way through, Brilliance.

This is probably the most unique and refreshing games I have ever played and brings thought and puzzles as contrast to the intense and fast paced HL2:EP2 along with team fortress this presents a great alternative to the other two when you just need a little break. Totally awesome and completely fun even if it is a little short. (3 hours)

What a great game, stylish, funny, and although short none the worse because of it.

One of the most innovative and funniest games, ever. When I first played it, I thought it'll be some kind of beta and no real story behind it. That's the idea you got from all the trailers and pics. But it's not true: The game is very entertaining and the idea amazingly cool. I always wanted to shoot my own portals. Prey was a good (third party) start and Portal made it legendary. The few bad things about the game itself, at least the "campaign", is that it's very very short. Personally, it took me 3 to 4 hours - and I call myself a good player. After that, you might want to replay it with commentary on - very informative stuff! Challenges, as in beating the levels in an advanced style or time/portal/step-challenges rescues the game. And eventual level-editor and community-support will round it up to a very good 10. Go get it if you didn't, yet!… Expand

This is the most innovative game I have ever played and I highly enjoy it. The graphics are good, the game play is amazing, and I personally find the narrator to be hilarious.

Funniest game I've ever played.

Very fun and yet very unique game. It was only a 3 hour game but had I fun the whole time. After beating the game I wanted more puzzles. The bonus levels helped a bit but I wanted more unique levels. I hope they make a portal 2 and find a way to do some co-op and multiplayer. The ending was the best .

Portal is an extremely brilliant game. While I think the learning curve was too gentle, the puzzles began often tricky. I haven't enjoyed a game this much for quite a long time. My only regret is that I already beat it, or at least the main story. There are still 2 additional sets of bonus maps, plus a feature to import maps, which a fantastic mod community will grow around, and the number of puzzles will be enormous!… Expand

Incredible idea, beautifully crafted, and impeccably executed. I would give it a 9.5 if I could only because of the length of the campaign, however, the pure ability and setup to be expanded by developers and users alike keep this game in the highest ranks in my book.

The sick and twisted humor in this game was incredible, and although some of the end puzzles were lacking, I never stopped loving how creative you had to get with the portal gun and how the AI never ceased to make me laugh in a sort of twisted way. The rooms where the previous test subjects had gone also gave it a very eerie feeling, but kept me going all the time.

Set in the Half-Life universe, this game is innovative, and highly entertaining, and packed with brain bending puzzles. I only wish it was longer, I beat it in 4 hours. Awesome job!

Amazing game, it's full of suprises and it never stops.. and best ever is, if you beat the game.. you can still play with the extra bonus maps included. It has challanges in it, like the least footsteps, least portals, or least time.

This game was so great! One of the best I played in a long time. And the credits were just perfect. More games should have such endings. A ground breaking game concept, nice levels, perfect learning curve, hot ending! Just PERFECT.

An amazing game that requires you to think in a new and unique way. Add in the ability to reply the maps with even harder difficulty and challenges adds to the replayablilty. Looking forward to the maps the online community is bound to make!

I waited eagerly, OK -- *impatiently*, for this game to be released ever since it appeared on my radar after the trailer was released. From the trailer I could tell that this was going to be exactly my kind of fun. This game *exceeded* my expectations in every regard. Although brief, I expect that there will be plenty of puzzles created and exchanged by fans over time as add-ons. I'd give away some of my favorite comments to make about this game, but they'd be spoilers. But I still have a few good things to add: The voice-acting, and yes apparently this is the voice acting of one certain Ellen McLain and not computer synth, was superbly done. Truly, at the risk of a pun, the icing on the cake. The storyline, although short, makes a wonderful dark little comedy within a science-fiction setting. The end titles, and what was done with it, had me howling with laughter. The gameplay is wonderfully original. As much as I enjoy my FPS-style games, this is a nice change of pace. Yes, there are bullets and rockets fired in the game, but you never get more than the portal gun yourself. You're forced to defend yourself purely with your wits and your agility. Major kudos, gratitude, and wishes for future success to Valve and the team of students-turned-pro who put this game together. It was worth the wait.… Expand

This game, although slightly short, is amazingly excellent. The use of the Portal Gun to achieve your goals, as well as all the physics and graphics are perfectly tied together with the story behind the Aperture Science Laboratories.

This is my #1 FAVORITE GAME OF ALL TIME! It is really that incredible. Go out and buy it right now. The ONLY thing that could possibly make this game any better is if it were a bit longer. Still, it is totally made of epic win!

Short, but sweet. Great graphics, and nice utilization of th Source engine.
The game is only 3-4 hours long on your first run-through. Once you get used to it, you can easily finish it in less than an hour, depending on how portal happy you are.
Valve did a great job of hiring those college students when they found this out.

Nicholas c You are very wrong, and the game doesn't deserve a 0 because you ended playing the game halfway through. The game doesn't end there. I understand you came to that "broken" chamber after escaping from the chamber 19 as intended, and fell through the elevator and hit the loading screen in air and then the game just ended? That is a weird glitch, never had that one. I reckon starting the game again from chamber 19, it shouldn't take too much to get there again. Even if I had came across this bug, I'd still rate it a 10. It's a 20 buck game, having one glitch there doesn't make the game worse IMO. I'm still playing the game for fun and don't think it was short at all.… Expand

The Cake is a lie, but the hype for this game is NOT. The beautiful Source engine is put to major use here as you navigate through a convoluted (and darkly hilarious) maze, the only reward being Delicious Cake and Grief Counseling. GLaDOS is one of my favorite villains, using only psychological manipulation to harm you. This is one of those games that you are going to need your sound on for. The puzzles do seem simple at first glance, but many are much harder then one might imagine, and have many unthought of solutions. By using certain techniques you can prop open doors and even avoid killing companion cube (sadly, I couldn't find a way to take him with me...). Great gameplay, great story, great game.… Expand

This game is fantastic. The puzzles give you an amazing sense of achievement and the characterisation is the best I have seen in any game recently.

This game, though short, was done exceptionally well. It's a great play and an even better laugh. The story, the vocals, and the soundtrack are all magnificently done. 10/10 by me.

I Love this game! While in retrospect it does feel kinda short but I did think it was going to end sooner then it actually did so I'm glad for that. I really love the 3D puzzles and situations. The humor too is great. This might be my favorite game.

I have never before played a puzzle game as fun as this. And when you think the game is about over, it's only about halfway through. It has an amazing plot twist that turns the game completely around. Even the ending is one of best endings I've ever seen for any game. I will never forget my experience playing Portal.

Portal is now one of my favorite games. It starts out slow, but holy crap. This game is EPIC.

Most original and FUN game I have played in a log time. It was short, but I loved every element of it. It was creepy yet hilarious at the same time - and the credits - fantastic credits. I know it is only about 2.5 hours to beat the campaign, but I enjoyed it so much I'd vote it as GOTY. Bottomline: Great! (especially combined in the Orange Box - great value)

This was a great game, fairly easy to solve the main game but then you get to the challenges and the advance stages and it makes everything you have done up to that point as childsplay.

This game is a great new concept, the thinking mans/womans First Person Shooter. The way the portals work makes it feel real and is quite fun to fling your self across rooms and go places and do the game your way. The Ending is great too

Best game I have played all year! Great puzzles and awesome plotline. Would love to see some multiplayer mods and more difficult custom maps. This was by far the most brilliant thing to come from anyone in the gaming industry this year. Way to go Valve!

Brilliant game. The mood and narration for the last half of the game is just genius. A first person shooter, with firing a single gun or shooting at a single enemy, yet it's still completely awesome. That should tell you something about the quality of this game.

Portal will blow your mind. In a good way. A REALLY good way.

I really enjoy this game. I find it fun yet not too easy. The solution is obvious once you see it, but the challenge is thinking differently in order to see the solution. I'd definitely recommend this game.

This is a great game. I have enjoyed all of the puzzles in the game. The main feature I liked was how the portal showed the opposite room of where the other portal was. I heard that in the Developments comontary, they used a method of placing a Camera view facing outside the portal and applying that camera's view on the portal its self. Thats very clever.

This game was an absolute blast to play. By far the most original and creative puzzle game I've ever played. It was also hilarious!

Portal harkens back to 80's design in many ways - From it's length (around 3 hours), it's wry humor, to it's ACSII text credits scroll. Most telling, is that there's no magic fairy in your ear, no Big Boss to call into for help. It's you, and you alone, that take the credit for solving your dilemmas. While critics will probably give negative marks for it';s length, Portal is unashamed by what is... An exquisite slice of chocolate cake that leaves you slavering for more.… Expand

Intense, immensely enjoyable, clever, and witty with it. Geat fun!

One of the best games to come out in recent times, this game blends humor and cruelty to the highest level as you solve puzzles, while not entirely too difficult, are certainly new, having introduced entirely new gameplay aspects to the 'first person shooter', despite this not being a 'shooter' in the classical sense.

I considered this game just a box-filler game for the orange box, boy was I wrong... This is perhaps the best surprise game ive played this year! The term first person puzzler suits this game well, no run of the mill shoot the bad guys, its just you - your portal gun and some great puzzle levels with a twist in the end. Only negative comment ive got for this game now is its length... took me some 3 hrs to run it through and at that point was hyped up for some (much) more puzzles to solve! Anyhows, enought ramble. I a boring x-mas is looming ahead, get the orange box to keep you company. With Portal, this release is perhaps the best entertainment for money this year! We want more!… Expand

The rating of 88 is far too low. Portal isn't just a puzzle game. The story, despite having no plot is really enjoyable. There are extremely poingent, typically Valve moments. (You took the box away ;) ). This game would be worth buying in it's own right.

Pure Genius! Different from anything out there in a while. You definitely start 'thinking with Portal'.

This game is exceptional and the only reason why critics are upset about it is because its too short, but with level editors on the way this game will provide more content than ANY of the other parts of the orange box which is saying something, because TF2 is sure to keep giving. All hail valve for knocking it out of the park with this delicious little tidbit.

A very unique game with clever dialog and attention to detail that so many games miss. Portal is just fun to play and a riot to experience.

One of the most fun games I've played. Lots of replay value and endless possibilities with mods. Also the best dialogue (or monologue) in any game.

A truly refreshing and revitalizing game that takes familiar concepts and creates a fresh new outlook. A puzzler that has numerous solutions, not necessarily 'open' but it leaves much to the imagination. The game rewards those who thinks deep.

I got into the game a little later than everyone else, but it seriously is an impressive, fun game. I've never played 1st person shooter types before (unless you count the first Doom game...) so this was an entirely new game to me. I absolutely recommend the game for everyone. Steam.exe on the other hand is getting a 0 out of 10 for performance and interrupt issues...

I am really fascinated by this awesome game and to be honest i never had so much fun with similar puzzle games. The only weakness from this game is the short playtime and the difficulty which is in my reason a little bit too easy.But thats nothing against the fun i had with this game so i think portal is the really treasure of the orange box and should be tried by everyone. And never forget: the cake is a lie.… Expand

Great game, great mechanics and amazing gameplay. and for the people saying the loading in an elevator thing, its because your computer cannot load the level, its too old or has too little ram. no its not over. the end is when you kill GLADoS . also, please don't give it a 0 due to your frustration. or lack of intelligence to finish it. it shows immaturity. as for valve, they did a great job here, i look forward to more games like it.… Expand

nicholas c u give it a 0 cuz ur a retarded fag the game is faboulos and it rules i completed it 10 times and i still want more i download the mappack and i completed the ending like 30000 times and it still rules im still completing it its sooo awsome if u want a game a great game at low price like ONLY 14.99 download portal i recomend it oh and nicholas c rated it 1 cuz he had a bad day bottom point
PORTAL IS THE BEST GAME (PORTAL 2 IS COMING ) ok i completed the game and i heard a developerer comentary saying that they WILL make portal 2
PORTAL FUCK YEA!… Expand

This game is by far, the most exciting, inventive, and thrilling games I've played in years. The graphics and puzzles and 'hidden areas' make me wonder... 'What exsactly happened to the world?'
The Ending was amazing. I played through the last level TWICE, just to hear it again. But the very last sence made me so confident that there will be a Portal 2. WHICH I WILL BUY FOR SURE!. She had hundreds of back up memory shperes. SO COOL. And... it also made me sad... she didn't lie, she really did make me a cake.
I loved the game... and I rate games very strictly. The only improvement I could possibley ask for would be... MAKE IT LONGER!
Althought the advanced maps and extra goals filled the void in my heart for a while, a longer game is all I really ask for. THANK YOU VALVE FOR MAKING IT. I really hope you make another.... God bless you Valve... God bless you. =)… Expand

This game witty, creative, and more intellectually-stimulating than most video games. Honestly, I think I enjoyed this game more than any game I've played in 10 years.

Short, but absolutely consuming.

Despite It's short length It is still a fantastic game, in fact what am I doing here i should be doing the challenges. In a game like this graphics have never been a consideration for me over gameplay, but it does look quite stunning. As for gameplay? Well It really is addictive and the shortness of it will be more noticeable due to the fact you wont be able to stop until you are done. I definitely recomend this for anyone old or young, no matter your gaming preference, if nothing else the dialog will bring a smile to your face, especially the closing song.… Expand

When I saw the ad for this game in Counter-Strike, I just thought, "Oh great, another bad source-based game." However, my friend got me the Orange Box and after installing I played Portal and was instantly captivated. It's a great game for any Physics minded person, and although it goes by pretty quick, the time is extremely enjoyable. Great addition to the Orange Box Valve!

I was skeptical that Portal would be as fun and as cool as the trailer (which I watched Lord-knows-how-many times); I tried Narbacular Drop, the technological prequel to Portal, and was wowed by the concept but left with a bad taste in my mouth with the execution. Last night, I completed Portal. I'm happy to say, that had to be the best 6 hours of gaming that I've ever had the pleasure to experience. The puzzles were innovative, thanks to the Portal Gun; the direction of the computer was both disturbing and amusing (if not downright hilarious); and the tie-in to the Half-Life universe is both cool and left me wanting more. I *will* be playing Portal again. Soon. Can't wait for the additional content!… Expand

Portal is an entertaining adventure with only a few flaws that prevent it from "near-perfection". The game doesn't have a very complex detailed plot, but the one and only speaking character in it (GLADOS) makes it one of the best video game stories of all time. Her dark humor is one of the best parts in the game. The puzzles in the game increasingly get difficult as the game progresses (don't worry, the first few puzzles are very easy) to the point where they are so maddening that you want to throw your keyboard at your computer screen, but the moment you have your "aha-moment" and then complete the puzzle and hear an insult from GLADOS, all of the anger you previously had disappears and you feel very accomplished. The graphics are suitable but a tad bit plain for me. Portal can get very buggy and takes a very long time to load, which is probably its biggest flaw. The sound is perfect, as lines from GLADOS are more than enough to keep you satisfied. Gameplay-wise, Portal is very unique, letting your take control of a gun which lets you shoot portals you can traverse through. This leads to very interesting puzzles. Portal is an excellent game, and although you might just want to get Portal 2, for the full "Portal" experience I recommend you get Portal also.… Expand

This game is tied for my least favorite valve game. The game is puny, puzzles are just finding the right place to aim a blue portal then making a orange one and hopping through it. The levels that aren't like that are just making portals to send random balls of energy through and the last mission witch is just running from glados. The "humor" is forced, stupid, a chuckle at best, Portal 2 is worth it, this is not. Its $10.00. And its 1 hour of gameplay with the slightest replay value. The graphics are mediocre, but only because the game is puny. The levels are small, too, with about 2 colors.… Expand