Portal 2

 PC
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 9230 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8,501 out of 9230
  2. Mixed: 470 out of 9230
  3. Negative: 259 out of 9230
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  1. kindzadza
    Oct 29, 2011
    10
    YEa even though the engine is old, and valve was trying to squeeze everything out of that old engine, the game is FUN
    Portal 1 was incredible, but this is just another league
  2. AcePedro12
    Oct 29, 2011
    10
    In 2007 was launched on Orange Box, a collection with Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2 and Portal, a game that among these heavyweights not gained much attention, but soon won the critics and audiences with its clever puzzles, a bizarre humor and a brand new sense of physical and space.

    Now, four years later, Valve launches Portal 2, which adds a dozen new features to the game, including    In 2007 was launched on Orange Box, a collection with Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2 and Portal, a game that among these heavyweights not gained much attention, but soon won the critics and audiences with its clever puzzles, a bizarre humor and a brand new sense of physical and space.

    Now, four years later, Valve launches Portal 2, which adds a dozen new features to the game, including the awaited multiplayer co-op.

    In Portal 2 we have the return of Chell, protagonist of the first game who wakes up back in Aperture Laboratories. But at this time the labs are in ruins, dominated by plants, which by the way are not able to perform tests.

    The changes in the game are featured early on the beginning. The lonely and depressed mood of the first game disappears with the arrival of Wheatley, a clumsy robot who helps the protagonist to flee from his room.

    In this game we have a charismatic cast, ranging from sarcastic GLaDOS, the villain of the first game until the aforementioned Wheatley, and Cave Johnson, president and founder of Aperture Laboratories. All these characters will serve to the unfolding of a complex plot full of twists, secrets and several references to the first game (and Half-Life), which will be able to crack a smile on the faces of fans.

    But not just story a game lives. The sequel has several new features for the mechanic, ranging from platforms that you throw into the air, to the entertained propulsion, repulsion and conversion gels, among other changes. All these things will help you go through the test chambers that are larger than those of his predecessor.

    To complete the package has the exhilarating multiplayer mode. Forget that thing of shooting alone zombies in Left4Dead. Here, if you do not work as a team, you'll never win.

    The mode has a clever system that allows players performs pings to understand even if they do not speak the same language or have a microphone. There is even an online store to buy and trade items to customize your robot. But the items are expensive and their purchase is not worth it, but it's a great idea from Valve. The Source, Valve's engine, continues to create a beautiful game, without lag the PC, even when there is a lot of action happening or huge scenarios.

    Another aspect that evolves over the first game is the soundtrack. Portal had virtually no music, something that has completely changed in the sequel. The soundtrack is much more relevant and present, accurately pointing out the moments of thriller and action, and changing over the player's progress in the chambers. The voice acting in this game is amazing. All voices are excellent. The cast of celebrities includes Stephen Merchant (of The Office) and J. K. Simons (J.J. Jameson from Spider-Man films) who give life and unique personality to the characters.

    Portal 2 presents few problems. One of them (and probably the worse) are the many loading screens. They annoy especially at moments of exploration, where they break the rhythm of the game.

    Another problem is the miss of what to do at the finish of the game. The achievements do not give much reason to play it again. Luckily the game provides hours of fun before finishing.

    Undoubtedly, Portal 2 is bigger and better than its predecessor. Some glitches here and there but nothing to spoil the integrity of the work which is already one of the best titles of the year so far.    … Expand
  3. ArtAnonim0
    Oct 27, 2011
    9
    Simply a great game. The story is interesting, puzzles are well-designed, plus the humour and co-op mode. You want to play, and play. A must-have for everyone. Keep up the good work, Valve!
  4. shaun37
    Oct 26, 2011
    10
    Incredible amount IF you are into puzzle solving and semi-complex humor (which I am). The story unfolds very well, ridiculous amount of laughs and the Graphics of the Source engine have been improved enough to no make it sub-par. A hands-down recommendation to anyone who has enjoyed Portal or any puzzle platformer etc ... Nice thing with Valve is you get free DLC and maps at a decent rateIncredible amount IF you are into puzzle solving and semi-complex humor (which I am). The story unfolds very well, ridiculous amount of laughs and the Graphics of the Source engine have been improved enough to no make it sub-par. A hands-down recommendation to anyone who has enjoyed Portal or any puzzle platformer etc ... Nice thing with Valve is you get free DLC and maps at a decent rate and coop with a friend can be amazing fun.… Expand
  5. Abraham123
    Oct 21, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fans of Portal, this is the game for you. Itâ… Expand
  6. vDevilEnd
    Oct 20, 2011
    10
    One of the best games of 2011 if not the very best, there is almost nothing I can pick apart in this game that makes it bad in any way. The main campaign might seem a bit short for some but the co-op, and free dlc that was released can also make up for that. The game is just brilliant and must buy.
  7. gilas18
    Oct 20, 2011
    7
    Portal 2 - an amazing game... not. I found it a bit boring after playing a couple of tests, it doesnt keep me playing too long to realise how to do the tests. It took me 8.2 hours to pass it but its not all negative. The end its simply the best ive ever seen in a game and the liked the characters in the game. All this and i only give 7 out of 10, sorry.
  8. CLUTCH
    Oct 19, 2011
    8
    This is a solid puzzle game, but I don't think it is quite as good as the original Portal. There is enough new stuff to make the puzzles challenging, fun and interesting, but I think that Valve play up to the success of the original by re-hashing what people loved about it. I also found Stephen Merchant's voice/character to be really annoying and out of place...I think it should have beenThis is a solid puzzle game, but I don't think it is quite as good as the original Portal. There is enough new stuff to make the puzzles challenging, fun and interesting, but I think that Valve play up to the success of the original by re-hashing what people loved about it. I also found Stephen Merchant's voice/character to be really annoying and out of place...I think it should have been robotic sounding like all the others. Where the first game used mystery to draw you into it's world, Portal 2 dispels all that mystery by taking you into the depths of Aperture Science and it's past. I didn't find the story anywhere near as funny or as engaging as the original Portal, but it was still entertaining for the most part. For the most part, the environments and graphics were great looking, I think that Valve's Source engine can still hold it's own. The scripted creation/destruction in the levels is almost always impressive looking. I haven't tried the multiplayer yet, so I can't comment on that, but the in-game store selling stuff that really should have been part of the game is a bit cheap of Valve imo. It's definitely not their strongest title and it doesn't surpass the original, but if you enjoyed the original and like puzzle games you could do much worse.… Expand
  9. choppy
    Oct 12, 2011
    7
    A solid, enjoyable game, with good production values and neat levels. The only thing stopping this from being a 10 is that the challenge level is obviously dumbed down for mass-market appeal. Much easier than the first one, overall. There's no real challenge, even with the final climax, which is unfortunately quite similar, though less clever, than the original portal climax.
  10. Trashware
    Oct 8, 2011
    8
    So, what else is Portal 2 besides a lot of hype? I was waiting for this title to go on sale and when it did I decided 15 dollar would be the right price for this game and bought it. And I was quite right. Let's start off with the good things: I love the source engine. I had all the graphical settings maxed out and there hasn't been a shred of lag during the entire game. The texturing isn'tSo, what else is Portal 2 besides a lot of hype? I was waiting for this title to go on sale and when it did I decided 15 dollar would be the right price for this game and bought it. And I was quite right. Let's start off with the good things: I love the source engine. I had all the graphical settings maxed out and there hasn't been a shred of lag during the entire game. The texturing isn't overly complicated, which isn't necessary to maintain the smooth style in which Portal games are made. Fun environments, beautiful shadows, lighting effects and very slick animations will keep you in the right kind of atmosphere while portaling your way through the Aperture complex (or what's left of it). It's an awesome experience just to see the world around you either being built up or torn apart (you'll never know for sure which).

    Unfortunately there are also some things that didn't quite work for me, which has mainly to do with the voicecasting. GlaDOS sounded allright, although a bit too emotional for my taste. I prefered the more reserved subtlety of the first Portal game, but maybe that's just me holding on to the past. But then there is Wheatly. When you put the voice of some annoyingly human british guy in a robot, at least make an effort to make it sound more computerized. And PAUSE between senteces. There's only a second or two rest between the 'helpful' reminders of what you should do and that gets on my nerves pretty fast. I don't like to be rushed unnecessarily just to keep me from getting mildly irritated, let me enjoy my surroundings in peace for a while first.

    The storyline gets a bit confusing but I think it worked out just fine overall. There are little twists (and some bigger ones) to keep your interest, and there's plenty of humorous monologues and announcements to smile about. I like the new elements introduced in the puzzles (a bit messy, but who cares), but the puzzles themselves are too easy, making the length of the game a bit on the short side. I hope the either Valve or the modding community will be able to mod us single players some better challenges, as I personally don't care for co-op or any kind of multiplayer at all. All in all Portal 2 is good looking, fun experiece. Looking forward for the mods on this one, I think there's plenty of potential here.    … Expand
  11. Genome852
    Oct 8, 2011
    10
    Great story, GREAT characters, and great music. It's somewhat short (finished single player in 6 hours), but I don't see that as a con really - it's a puzzle game and ended right when it should have ended. It didn't end too soon, or drag on... just the perfect timing really.

    Everything about this game is just done with a lot of polish. I only recently finished it (got it on a $15 sale),    Great story, GREAT characters, and great music. It's somewhat short (finished single player in 6 hours), but I don't see that as a con really - it's a puzzle game and ended right when it should have ended. It didn't end too soon, or drag on... just the perfect timing really.

    Everything about this game is just done with a lot of polish.

    I only recently finished it (got it on a $15 sale), but if I knew it would have been this good I would have bought it on release. This will be a game that will be remembered throughout the times.    … Expand
  12. Scyrenus
    Oct 7, 2011
    10
    This is the best game of the year. It is interesting and fun. A lot longer then the previous game. Also the price of the game is very low. Valve just keeps on amazing us with awesome PC games.
  13. Mandala
    Oct 5, 2011
    3
    I've beat both Portal and Portal 2. Portal 1 is ok, and my favourite of the 2. Portal 2 is pretty boring, tedious, and is extremely drawn out for what it is. The hype surrounding this game is just that... hype.
  14. Akito8
    Oct 4, 2011
    10
    I loved just about everything about Portal 2. With Portal 1 being one of my favorite games of all time, and Valve being one of my favorite companies, I was dying to play this game.
    When I finally did play it exceeded my expectations. The story in this sequel is phenomenal and much more immersed than the mysterious back story of Portal 1 (Not that it's a bad thing at all). The puzzles all    I loved just about everything about Portal 2. With Portal 1 being one of my favorite games of all time, and Valve being one of my favorite companies, I was dying to play this game.
    When I finally did play it exceeded my expectations. The story in this sequel is phenomenal and much more immersed than the mysterious back story of Portal 1 (Not that it's a bad thing at all). The puzzles all felt fresh thanks to the new mechanics and the levels didn't fail to disappoint. I also liked how you weren't confined to just the upper, clean portion of Aperture Science. You were able to not only visit the same chambers as in Portal 1 but travel to the abandoned segments never seen before. This kept things going well and kept me more interested than before. The voice acting was great although I'm not the biggest Wheatly fan (Even just GLaDOS would have made my day) I still came to like both characters more by the end. The Graphics are anything I can expect from a game, and more. But I'd rather a great story than some eye candied piece of garbage. The only thing against this game is the length, I keep wanting to play more!
    10/10 from me, I can't see how anyone in their right minds could dislike this game but some people don't have the mind for a great story or the puzzles it seems. 11/10 from me    … Expand
  15. HeavyLead
    Oct 3, 2011
    9
    Well seeing as there are already plenty of review on this game i'll be short and quick. This game is fantastic. The puzzles are hair pullers and when you figure them out you make yourself feel like your the dumbest person on the planet. Glados is back with her sarcastic and black humor. Wheatley is a great addition too, Stephen Merchant does a fantastic job on voice work. Though for me theWell seeing as there are already plenty of review on this game i'll be short and quick. This game is fantastic. The puzzles are hair pullers and when you figure them out you make yourself feel like your the dumbest person on the planet. Glados is back with her sarcastic and black humor. Wheatley is a great addition too, Stephen Merchant does a fantastic job on voice work. Though for me the character that shined was Cave Johnson's voice over. I was laughing so hard nearly every time a work came out his mouth. My only problem, is that there is really no replay value when finished. A puzzle is only good once. 9/10… Expand
  16. SpookyPhish
    Oct 2, 2011
    10
    Have to say, they did this right. You can't knock them for the DRM. Piracy is rampant, and if they make more money, they make more games. Graphics were great, storyline goofy, scary and compelling. No technical issues encountered, and I bought it day 1 from Steam. Even the music was great.
  17. SilverUchiha
    Sep 28, 2011
    8
    I don't really give a damn about DLC from the start or any thing that all the negative reviews have been spouting off. Portal 2 is probably one of the best looking games Valve has put together thus far. The story is well told and characterizes the diabolical antagonist from the first game, GlaDOS to a phenomenal degree. Voice acting is top-notch. The sections where Cave Johnson speaks hadI don't really give a damn about DLC from the start or any thing that all the negative reviews have been spouting off. Portal 2 is probably one of the best looking games Valve has put together thus far. The story is well told and characterizes the diabolical antagonist from the first game, GlaDOS to a phenomenal degree. Voice acting is top-notch. The sections where Cave Johnson speaks had my side-splitting the whole way. But the game still isn't quite as tight and stellar as the predecessor. If it wasn't for the fact that it was Portal's sequel, I'd probably consider it perfect. But one can't help and compare it to the first. When you do, Portal was just tight and everything that was needed for it to work was there with no extra filler. Portal 2, however, just has so much packed into it. While I appreciate Valve for putting this exceptional piece together, it just isn't the same. I even feel like because of how Portal 1 taught us the basics so well, that Portal 2 just felt easier. The co-op was, obviously, a bit more challenging than the story mode. I want to go back to it soon and finish getting the achievements for it. But the problem is that unless the PS3 guys can download custom maps (which I don't think they can) then the PC guys will stick to their own kind because they'll want to change it up from time to time and not play the same maps and the same puzzles all the time. In short, an amazing game that I wish packed a more focused punch in terms of game play and challenge. But it is still worth buying if you haven't yet.… Expand
  18. Badmojoman
    Sep 26, 2011
    10
    First Person Puzzle game (not a shooter). A worthy sequel to the first one. Superb story, with interesting characters. Visually very impressive. Gameplay varies between solving puzzles and sightseeing around the environment with well balanced pacing. Great emotional impact with varied between laughs and a sense of weariness and drama. Developer Valve also has a history of all-free DLC.First Person Puzzle game (not a shooter). A worthy sequel to the first one. Superb story, with interesting characters. Visually very impressive. Gameplay varies between solving puzzles and sightseeing around the environment with well balanced pacing. Great emotional impact with varied between laughs and a sense of weariness and drama. Developer Valve also has a history of all-free DLC. This game is worth every single penny.… Expand
  19. Toolbox
    Sep 25, 2011
    9
    Portal 2 is not Portal; to assume that the sequel should be simply more of the original would overlook its brilliant aspects which make the game shine. First off, the puzzles aren't as mind-boggling, simply because the original game was entirely about portals and portals alone, and that forced the player to get creative. That being said, Portal 2's puzzles are more diverse and varied, andPortal 2 is not Portal; to assume that the sequel should be simply more of the original would overlook its brilliant aspects which make the game shine. First off, the puzzles aren't as mind-boggling, simply because the original game was entirely about portals and portals alone, and that forced the player to get creative. That being said, Portal 2's puzzles are more diverse and varied, and carry important aspects of the game's story. Even if they don't have quite the same "WHOA" factor as the original Portal's puzzles, they're still incredibly fun, and are more central to the plot driving the game. That leads me to the best thing about Portal 2: its story. The story is intriguing, intricate, well-told, and incredibly funny. I actually really enjoyed the dark humor and eerie subtext surrounding the original Portal, but unfortunately, that wasn't a huge focus. This is not the case with Portal 2. The characters are fantastic! Wheatley has, in my mind, set a new bar for the fluidity a voice actor can achieve. All in all, this game is absolutely worth the purchase, whether or not you liked/played the original game. I gave it a 9 rather than a 10 because the "in-between chambers" sections were rather linear and lacked the same creativity of the actual test chambers, but since those comprised a minor part of the game, it's not a huge deal.… Expand
  20. Pomornik
    Sep 24, 2011
    6
    Best things about this game are the atmospheric locations and monologues of the characters, but sadly not the puzzles itself. Its also too short, and lacks replayability factor. Its a game you will beat in few days, and never return to it.
  21. IvanOvalle
    Sep 20, 2011
    10
    I loved everything of this game, the music, the ambientation, the graphics, the fun, the great voice lines and the great touch of mind resolving games that gives portal 2.

    The entire game was freaking fun, always difficult as the first game and introducing some new characters that gives the game a complete new look in the story. The new cooperative addition was completely amazing,    I loved everything of this game, the music, the ambientation, the graphics, the fun, the great voice lines and the great touch of mind resolving games that gives portal 2.

    The entire game was freaking fun, always difficult as the first game and introducing some new characters that gives the game a complete new look in the story.

    The new cooperative addition was completely amazing, telling a side story after the end of the main story, that is impressive in all kind of ways.

    Valve managed to make a game that was completely unbelievable and fun with some incredible innovation and a excellent care of their games.

    The reason why i gave a 10/10 is because during all the time I played Portal 2, I never got bored at any moment.

    VALVE you did it again and i know that you will keeping doing this with all of your upcoming games.    … Expand
  22. TechLevel
    Sep 19, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I guess it must be the best video game in history ever... I enjoyed it.
    No videos, all is game-play!... It's wondering. I give it a 10.
    I played Portal 1 first, and the new release is just GREAT. 10 over 10... awesome!    … Expand
  23. fedorathxplorer
    Sep 18, 2011
    10
    Watched this game's announcement from the very first ARG, to the Potato Sack release. And I've gotta say, It lived up to the hype. Story, sound, music, game play, characters? In my humble opinion, they were all virtually flawless. To those on the fence about purchasing this game...do it. I promise you, you will not regret it.
  24. T5ZK
    Sep 17, 2011
    10
    Valve crafted Portal 2 well enough. Single play has a chaotic funny accidental story line. Although the puzzle twists are less challenging than Portal 1, the play is well balanced. But I am afraid that the multi play is unbalanced if a teammate doesn
  25. ScottReid
    Sep 16, 2011
    10
    I actually cried at the end of Portal 2. No, really. I did. I CRIED BUCKETS. Portal 2's ending was so happy. Yet, so sad. We hope this isn't the end of Portal. I'm sure that the 2000+ of us that gave Portal 2 a positive review would agree. Portal 2 is the best game I've played in my short, sad life yet. It passes Half-Life (not by much, though) It certainly passes ricochet. By miles.
  26. jwt7000
    Sep 16, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is almost outstanding with some crucial technical flaws that gave this game rating a four for me. First, the game rating would have been retained as "T for Teen" since adventure and violence are too intense for young children. Second, one level in one map loading at a time makes a lot of players knew it was a ported PC game from the video console. Third, the story is great with some laughs, but redundant drama isn't making a good sense of keeping up the gameplay. Fourth, the SP game campaign is as long as any recent Call of Duty game with a "not-so-worth it" regular price. The co-op campaign was a great addition but having 100+ levels of puzzles and having additional DLC and MP features would have secured a outstanding deal out of this game. I loved the graphics with its recent engine but overall the best game by Valve is always the first Half-Life game, period.… Expand
  27. beetsaregood
    Sep 13, 2011
    10
    Absolutely stunning. This is an epic scale game with new ways to interact with the environment, new puzzle types, new personalities, and a huge helping of witty quips. It's funny as hell, and the mechanics are incredibly rewarding. The only issue is that the puzzles are a little bit too easy and the campaign is therefore quite short (maybe 3-5 hrs). But throw in multiplayer and it'sAbsolutely stunning. This is an epic scale game with new ways to interact with the environment, new puzzle types, new personalities, and a huge helping of witty quips. It's funny as hell, and the mechanics are incredibly rewarding. The only issue is that the puzzles are a little bit too easy and the campaign is therefore quite short (maybe 3-5 hrs). But throw in multiplayer and it's definitely worth $20.… Expand
  28. Rastarorm
    Sep 13, 2011
    8
    Even though I absolutely loved the first Portal,Portal 2 is just plain overrated.It just "surprises" you over and over again.(Just like GlaDoS and her "surprises") Which,apparently,gets boring after a while.

    Graphics are quite smooth as you'd expect from a Source engine game,music is great,storyline is good but not as good as the first one.It certainly doesn't deserve a 95 out of    Even though I absolutely loved the first Portal,Portal 2 is just plain overrated.It just "surprises" you over and over again.(Just like GlaDoS and her "surprises") Which,apparently,gets boring after a while.

    Graphics are quite smooth as you'd expect from a Source engine game,music is great,storyline is good but not as good as the first one.It certainly doesn't deserve a 95 out of 100,maybe 85-90 at max.

    I enjoyed it,and the co-op mode is short but fun to play.Has low re-playablity value though.    … Expand
  29. kowalski
    Sep 13, 2011
    2
    Some people get Portal. I don't. I don't find it entertaining. It gets boring really fast. Perhaps it's the amazing start - too amazing to fit the rest of the game.
  30. LimeWarrior
    Sep 13, 2011
    8
    There are two types of people I will write to in this review... those who are new to portal, and those who played the first and are wondering about the sequel. If you are new to Portal, go get Portal 2. Never fear, it will teach you the basic mechanics in the beginning. The single player campaign is masterfully entertaining. It's main downfall is the shorter than average single playerThere are two types of people I will write to in this review... those who are new to portal, and those who played the first and are wondering about the sequel. If you are new to Portal, go get Portal 2. Never fear, it will teach you the basic mechanics in the beginning. The single player campaign is masterfully entertaining. It's main downfall is the shorter than average single player campaign (which might actually be very long if you have trouble solving the puzzles). If you played Portal 1, my advice comes with some warnings. This game is not at all like Portal 1. Sure the puzzles can be similar, but once gels, lasers, and light bridges are added into the mix they become very different. Portal 2 is big, with an epic scale. Where Portal 1 was a contained, intimate experience. If you are like me, you played Portal 1 to death and became very good at "thinking with portals" If so, you may find all the puzzles in Portal 2 too easy with straight-forward solutions. This also led to the campaign feeling short, because I was breezing through the challenges. However, Valve has promised a more difficult map-pack, and I have played some brilliant community-made maps. So if you are a Portal 1 fan, be warned: this is a very good game, but it is not the same at all.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2011
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
6
#6 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
95

Universal acclaim - based on 52 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 52
  3. Negative: 0 out of 52
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 20, 2011
    90
    Almost as good as the first one. Main reasons are lack of cake, unfunny Wheatley and slightly boring one-solution middle-levels. Otherwise Portal 2 is as clever as it is well written. And now Half-Life 2: Ep 3, please. [May 2011]
  2. Thunderbolt
    Oct 6, 2011
    90
    The graphics may not be of the same caliber of other AAA titles, and the story may falter from time to time, but those are paltry excuses not to experience one of the best current generation games around.
    Read full review
  3. PC Format
    Jun 13, 2011
    92
    A hilarious slice of gaming glory. [July 2011, p.92]
See all critic reviews »