Why you should be excited for Portal 2
We all thought she was gone. Exploded. Smashed to bits. But like most great antagonists, GLaDOS is much harder to kill than originally thought.
Okay, so maybe not, especially considering Valve’s retooling of Portal’s end sequence after promising us (hinting at, whatever) a sequel. GLaDOS was just resting. Biding her time. Much like Valve. Which means that about this time next year, if we’re lucky, we’ll be running through Aperture Science’s Enrichment Center once again. I for one could not be more excited for Portal 2, and you if you’re not, then you have no soul.
The New and Improved Writing Team
For Portal, the writing team of Eric Wolpaw and Chet Faliszek managed to strike gold. Fortunately for us, Wolpaw and Faliszek both returned to work on the sequel, this time joined by Jay Pinkerton. Pinkerton’s worked for both National Lampoon and Cracked, which I can only see as being a plus when it comes to Portal 2. I can see some people questioning the wisdom behind bringing in another writer when they did such a good job the first time around, but for the original they only had to do the writing for one character. This time around, however, there are more characters with speaking roles, including a little British personality module named Wheatley. He’s not the only one, either—there are apparently an undisclosed number of other self-aware modules like him in different parts of the Enrichment Center. So it makes sense that with adding a number of other characters, Wolpaw and Faliszek might have needed some assistance. I wouldn’t want them having a meltdown anyway. Don’t expect them to reference the memes from the first games much, either, if at all. I hear Mr. Wolpaw was sick of them long before we ever were.
The Creative Team
Why do I love GladDOS so much? Because even though she’s a computer, she’s a bitch; it’s just professional courtesy on my part. Ellen McLain thankfully returns as the voice of GLaDOS. Part of me always worries that voice actors won’t return for sequels (I’m looking at you, Sly Cooper), so hearing her voice in the trailer videos was both a joy and a relief. McLain managed to bring the perfect blend of psychosis and passive aggressive snark to the character, and replacing her would have taken me out of the game slightly. Or cry, whichever. This bodes well for the new game, as the most important part of Portal (other than the gameplay of course) is still intact. I haven’t heard if they’re having Mike Patton doing anymore voice work for the sequel, though. Part of me also wishes they’ll be marketing actual-size talking personality cores, as the idea of having my own Wheatley to carry around makes me giggle (and I’m a sucker for British accents).
In addition to the writing team returning intact, Valve brought Jonathan Coulton back to work on the music. I’m sure everyone remembers the song, so we won’t get into that here. Point is, damn near everyone who worked on the first game is back, and they brought help. They knew what they were doing the first time, let’s hope they can do it again.
The Updated Visuals
Valve’s upped the ante this time around. I keep hearing talk of lasers and mirrored cubes used to redirect them, different shaped storage containers for who-knows-what, pneumatic tubes borrowed from the Jetsons, and even launchpads. There is also the addition of paint applied to surfaces for various reasons, like running faster or jumping farther. I can’t even imagine the kind of work needed to make different colored goop work in a game like this. The graphics still look amazing, and I have little doubt they will continue to look good after release. Chell has even received a redesign, including a new outfit resembling a test pilot’s, and a number. Number 6. Things looked good before, but from what I saw in the trailers that I first assumed were just cinema scenes (I know, I should have known better, back off), Valve’s ready to blow us away. I’d try and get more technical but that would just not end well. The game just looks beautiful.
Co-op
To top this all off they’ve added a co-op mode, with each player toting around their own Aperture Science Hand-held Portal Device. Different players will generate different colored portals. The characters players will be controlling on of a pair of modified Aperture Science robots. One is a modified personality core, the other a modified defense turret. Together they will attempt to clear even more complicated obstacles than are presented in a single player run, flinging portals all over the place. With all the possible robotic deaths such a situation could hold, and I’m excited. And I don’t even play co-op.
More Environments
With GLaDOS rebuilding the Enrichment Center, I anticipate the first few chambers to be quite similar to the first game, familiarizing players with the environment and portal gun. With all these new features and environments, though, I also forsee familiaity going right out the window after a few rooms. But this is a sequel, that’s what should be happening. Those other personality modules I mentioned? Apparently they inhabit different parts of the Enrichment Center, using its systems to construct their own little worlds apart from the rest of the facility. This is a dramatic change from stark test chambers and industrial scaffolding with a sprinkling of offices.
Valve’s Dangerous Position
Producing a sequel to what is arguably their most popular game puts Valve in a very precarious position. Either they knock it out of the park again, or they disappoint hordes of fans wearing Companion Cube shirts that don’t fit right. Dangerous. On top of this, Gabe Newell has claimed that the PS3 version will be the best one, following his tendency to use rather harsh words when describing the system in the past, and claimed that the PS3 version of Portal 2 will be the only one to incorporate certain features of Steamworks. Sounds like a hell of a gamble to me, but I suspect Valve is banking on Portal 2 being as good as it looks.
Usually when I hear about a sequel being “bigger, better, more,” I’m skeptical. Not so with Portal 2. They’ve managed to keep a majority of the people responsible for making the first game so great, while bringing in some equally talented people to help out. The visuals look amazing, and the mechanics appear to be virtually unchanged. Granted, I could wind up being wrong, and the entire thing could be a tremendous shitfest by the time Portal 2 releases next year. But with the information I’ve been given so far, I have faith. In science.
***For the most fabulous gaming column on the net, come back every Sunday for Diva Down.***
About the Author
Paul Cross
Paul graduated high school playing video games, got bored with college playing video games, and then was hopelessly sucked into retail, where he’s been trapped ever since, still playing video games. Now he writes about them, and it would best if you got out of his way.
Check out what's new |
 |
 |
 |
Comments |
-
viggytoo
-
http://popurls.com/pop === popurls.com === popular today
-
jengerer
-
Paul Cross
-
http://rewfarasfvmsdr.com rewfarasfvmsdr
-
http://zuzel.wtarnowie.com/viewtopic.php?p=22941#22941 Eddie Rattler
-
http://www.googleredirectfix.com/ Google Redirect Fix
-
http://www.top10-onlinecasinos.co.uk/real-online-casino/ online casino uk
-
http://www.top10-onlinecasinos.co.uk/best-uk-online-casinos/ best uk online casino
-
http://www.photostand.co image hosting
-
http://no1casinobonus.com online casino bonus
-
http://www.freegooglewebsitetraffic.com traffic for website
-
http://www.durgapur.biz property in durgapur
-
http://www.drallanwang.com Dead Sea Products
-
https://homedecorbytpt.com/index.php/christmas-decoration-ornaments.html christmas decoration ornaments
-
http://online-shopping-store4u.org/blackberry-8520-save-54-discount-unlocked-phone-with-2-mp-camera-bluetooth-wi-fi/ clothes shopping online
-
http://www.car-hifi-radio-adapter.eu/ Autoradio Shop
-
http://www.mycoolcaravans8.com/ cool caravans
-
http://www.custadesigns.com seo development
-
http://www.luxurycar4you.ch lamborghini verlei
-
http://www.magenballon.biz/magenbypass/ Magenbypass
-
http://www.MasterManifestors.com guided meditation
-
http://www.JaniceMoss.com relationship counseling
-
http://www.maestrosdelavida.com como meditar
-
http://my.opera.com/sherman151/blog/2011/12/14/my-roof-caved-in?firstpost=Y Atlanta Roofing
-
http://youngwomensclothing.net womens clothing
-
http://www.herbalincenseblend.com/legal-incense.html Smoking Incense
-
http://www.dancersplus.com/ swing dance shoes ladies
-
http://diggme.net/Web/cheap-outdoor-bar-stools/ tallOutdoorBarStools
-
http://www.designcompetition.com Design Award
-
http://mission-teneleven.tumblr.com/ mission fitness
-
http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/62139 Siesta Key 2 Bedroom Condo Rentals
-
http://mocajuba.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=284833 best supplement for muscle gain
-
http://www.americanantigravity.com/video/richard-obousy-on-warp-drives.html Warp Drives
-
http://www.evelyne-escort.com Escort girl Paris
-
http://bestbcaa.ucoz.com best bcaa
-
http://www.bbmbattery.com PLC Batteries
-
http://freedellxpsm1530.com Free Dell XPS M1530
-
http://www.real-property-management-brooklyn.info property management brooklyn
-
http://earnmoneyonline-india.in Earn Money Online India
-
http://www.assoc.rigs.pro/forum/member.php?u=19772 tanie noclegi zakopane
-
http://www.hugeyield.mobi make money online
-
http://longhairpictures.blogspot.com blonde model
-
http://www.personalinjurylawyermilwaukee.org Personal Injury Lawyer Milwaukee
-
http://www.quechup.com/blog/entry/view/id/896247 wedding flowers
-
http://gfd.ocean.washington.edu/wiki/index.php/User:Linkbuilding1292012 Link Building
-
http://www.nychotelnetworks.com/Hotel/Four_Seasons_Resort_Vail.htm New york city hotels
-
http://www.minnesotajunkremoval.com/ Minneapolis junk removal
-
http://www.ziki.com/en/trinity-wilson+812310/post/Skin-Care-Break+13764310 Dove Body Soap
-
http://davidgray932.xanga.com/758731304/winchester-gun-safe---6-faqs/ winchester gun safes
-
http://egFeyjaMaecrita.sixent.com/blog/Ideas-for-Scary-Halloween-outfits kids halloween costumes
-
http://camilalynn908.posterous.com/virtual-laser-keyboards-to-the-long-run Projection Keyboard
-
http://level5motorsports.com/team.cfm Scott Tucker Racing
-
http://www.saintsticketshotspot.com/falcons-vs-saints-tickets/ Falcons Saints Tickets
-
http://www.buckettrucksonline.com best payday lons
-
http://www.singlemomslife.com single mothers
-
http://community.atom.com/Post/Bring-Your-Rankings-Up-With-These-Search-Engine-Optimization-Tips/03EFBFFFF025912D50008018643AA my article network review
-
http://www.bpo-automation.com BPO Software
-
http://lipo6reviewsx.com/about lipo 6 hers reviews
-
http://www.specmurt.com/arts-entertainment/stop-smoking-cigarettes-with-one-of-these-excellent-suggestions/ electronic cigarette michigan