Portal Stories: Mel

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 41
  3. Negative: 1 out of 41

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  1. MyHoused
    Dec 28, 2016
    9
    First came to this gamer thinking about an alternative story in the overgrown Aperture. What I discovered is that it' s even more than that.

    ---The Story and Plot--- The game not only creates a great story, but also puts in it a scrapped character. Only 5 characters appear in the whole game, but they still are able to make their best with their personalities. You see things from a    First came to this gamer thinking about an alternative story in the overgrown Aperture. What I discovered is that it' s even more than that.

    ---The Story and Plot---
    The game not only creates a great story, but also puts in it a scrapped character. Only 5 characters appear in the whole game, but they still are able to make their best with their personalities. You see things from a little guy that really wants to help you (differently from Wheatley) to an aggressive and scary supercomputer and security system.

    ---Playability---
    Almost same as Portal 2, quite friendly, but not 100% equal. The levels, even the first one, are very hard and are only for the pro players. This and other games like Shovel Knight prove that gaming without difficulty is nothing. If you thought that Portal 2 was too easy, play Portal Stories: Mel

    ---Final Evaluation---
    9.25/10    … Expand
  2. Stawarski
    Sep 23, 2017
    10
    At least as good as the original game. Mooders did great job and I would certainly pay for this mod even 10$ but they generously decided to make it free for everyone.
  3. hoanns
    Jun 6, 2020
    7
    Pretty cool for a free game. The tests are quite challenging on advanced mode. I feel it needed more playtesting, though, as I got stock on some very stupid things sometimes. I can recommend it to Portal fans.
  4. mainzmom
    Jul 26, 2020
    7
    A nice addition to the portal games. Brings interesting additions to the lore with a few new gameplay mechanics and a good story. Right after the introduction passage of the game you are thrown right into puzzle solving and the story gets kind of forgotten. For an indie dlc the puzzles are great, but doing puzzles over and over again for 8 hours gets very boring. Which sucks because ifA nice addition to the portal games. Brings interesting additions to the lore with a few new gameplay mechanics and a good story. Right after the introduction passage of the game you are thrown right into puzzle solving and the story gets kind of forgotten. For an indie dlc the puzzles are great, but doing puzzles over and over again for 8 hours gets very boring. Which sucks because if there were more story passages in between the gameplay the great ending couldve had a good buildup.… Expand
  5. kman5473
    Feb 5, 2017
    3
    I completely appreciate the effort that was put into this game, but for me it will always feel "less-than".

    Though I like that the modders of this game chose to set the story to when Aperture was in it's golden age, they really did a bad job of setting themselves up to be critiqued in this light. Modders: you don't have JK Simmons to perform your script as Cave Johnson--that is    I completely appreciate the effort that was put into this game, but for me it will always feel "less-than".

    Though I like that the modders of this game chose to set the story to when Aperture was in it's golden age, they really did a bad job of setting themselves up to be critiqued in this light. Modders: you don't have JK Simmons to perform your script as Cave Johnson--that is acceptable and understandable. HOWEVER the script they wrote for his character is so clumsily written. What I mean is, the dialogue feels completely unnatural. If you're trying to allude to the face that Cave Johnson is lying, you only need one line that establishes an obvious cover-up. Repeatedly saying OVER, AND OVER, "Here in my 1950's computer, in my 1950's folder, because it's the 1950's," is insulting to your player. I would argue that even as talented of an actor as JK Simmons would have a hard time performing the dialogue and actually making it sound good and natural. It's just super awkward.

    My second big criticism is with the opening. We ride a train car for so long that even the dialogue of Cave Johnson's greetings ends before we reach the station platform. Then! It is only to walk to an elevator that we ride for a very, very long time. And to cap it all off: this loooooong ride on the elevator and train is TO BE PUT IN A CRYOGENIC SLEEP. This is the such a slow-paced beginning, that by the time I got to the part where I actually get to, oh you know, PLAY I was done. You lost me. I didn't care anymore.

    Either set something relevant up to the user during these long opening sequences, or just skip to the character waking up from a cryogenic sleep. Instead of referencing Half-Life/Half-Life 2, just go right to the Portal throwback. I'm not even sure if I'm going to keep this in my library anymore.    … Expand
  6. kezzyhko
    Jul 28, 2020
    8
    ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍
  7. azgoodaz
    Apr 4, 2021
    10
    Years ago when I played Portal 2, I really enjoyed the game and wanted more. I don't call myself a puzzle master but those puzzles in that game were really fun to do. When I saw this pop up on Steam randomly I thought I'd try it out. Hell, I was not disappointed at all.

    I played this Mod in Story Mode, I haven't touched Advanced Mode yet and not gonna lie these puzzles mind boggled me    Years ago when I played Portal 2, I really enjoyed the game and wanted more. I don't call myself a puzzle master but those puzzles in that game were really fun to do. When I saw this pop up on Steam randomly I thought I'd try it out. Hell, I was not disappointed at all.

    I played this Mod in Story Mode, I haven't touched Advanced Mode yet and not gonna lie these puzzles mind boggled me (a nicer word to say compared to mind f... haha). Sadly I had to get help from some videos on how to complete some because I literally spent 10 minutes trying to figure out a test chamber (yet to figure out it was in my vision all along) but overall what a fantastic mod.

    Once I started the game I felt like I was playing Portal 3 or even a pre-sequel. I love all the subtle easter eggs throughout the entire mod and references to the Portal games. The level design and the 3D models of the areas are great, and the writing of the Virgil was great also, it has a very different comedic relief compared to GLaDOS and Wheatley. It really felt like an actual AAA title game from Valve. To be honest, everything was spot on. I was even quite surprised by the voice acting, I thought it was just gonna be gameplay but that also left me in awe.

    Other than minor bugs where I couldn't save multiple times or overwrite a save file (had to rely on auto-save), it was great... A solid 200+ FPS.

    Portal Stories: Mel is truly a unique mod experience that you can't get anywhere else.    … Expand
  8. MindWanderer
    May 12, 2023
    9
    A worthy extension of Portal 2's puzzles and lore. This could easily have been paid DLC, and worth the price.

    It's not quite up to the quality of the original games. The humor is... fine. Nothing exceptional. The voice acting is excellent, though. The story is an excellent companion piece to Portal 2. The puzzles are all very good, nothing too obtuse, very few too easy. The only    A worthy extension of Portal 2's puzzles and lore. This could easily have been paid DLC, and worth the price.

    It's not quite up to the quality of the original games. The humor is... fine. Nothing exceptional. The voice acting is excellent, though. The story is an excellent companion piece to Portal 2.

    The puzzles are all very good, nothing too obtuse, very few too easy. The only problem is that they're introduced in an odd order that fluctuates weirdly between complicated and simple, sometimes putting complex puzzles that clearly expect the player to remember certain mechanics from Portal 2 immediately before simple puzzles that seem to introduce those mechanics. More than a few times, I got stuck for a bit on a puzzle trying to figure out how to make step A lead to step B lead to step C to lead to the goal, when step A led straight to the goal and I was making it much harder than it needed to be, because earlier puzzles had led me to expect that level of complexity.

    All in all, if Portal 2 is one of your favorite games (as I know it is for many), Portal Stories: Mel is well worth your time.    … Expand
  9. bocciardolight
    May 16, 2017
    9
    "Generally they need to be tested at least 3 times before they're finalized. Some people just can't count further than that, I guess." - Since Valve isn't making good games anymore the community stepped in and a group of eight fans created this beautiful piece of art. Portal Stories: Mel might not be "as" cinematic or deep as Portal 2 but for beeing "fan made" this absolutely awesome and a"Generally they need to be tested at least 3 times before they're finalized. Some people just can't count further than that, I guess." - Since Valve isn't making good games anymore the community stepped in and a group of eight fans created this beautiful piece of art. Portal Stories: Mel might not be "as" cinematic or deep as Portal 2 but for beeing "fan made" this absolutely awesome and a play worthy experience for every Portal fan.… Expand
  10. popmelon
    Feb 12, 2017
    10
    I loved portal 1 and I loved even more portal 2 but portal story: Mel was my favorite of all.
    The story in portal: mel was good, but its the levels that are the best, they are hard but I never
    raged into them and they alway look diferent.
  11. Bismvth
    Aug 26, 2017
    7
    Portal Stories: Mel continues trends that lead to the success of Portal 2, including more insight of previously clouded lore, and serves as a non-canonical prequel to Portal 2, with extra game mechanics, and mind-boggling puzzle design, which is possibly more difficult than Portal 2 itself. Portal Stories: Mel is not at the same tier of gaming as Portal 2 is, however, due to some problemsPortal Stories: Mel continues trends that lead to the success of Portal 2, including more insight of previously clouded lore, and serves as a non-canonical prequel to Portal 2, with extra game mechanics, and mind-boggling puzzle design, which is possibly more difficult than Portal 2 itself. Portal Stories: Mel is not at the same tier of gaming as Portal 2 is, however, due to some problems in level design, and writing, that Portal 2 just flat out didn't have problems with. Portal Stories: Mel has a steep learning curve, which is justified because of what audience it's meant for, but it might actually be too difficult for what it tries to be.
    In conclusion, while Portal Stories: Mel includes all factors which made Portal 2 great, and even improving on some, it takes what made Portal 2 a 9.5/10 instead of a 10/10 and magnifies it. Despite this it's still a good game, which you should definitely try if you were a fan of the original series, just don't expect anything amazing out of it other than levels that look like they came from the Portal 2 level editor or a DLC    … Expand
  12. Hayter
    Jun 9, 2020
    5
    Я кое-как прошёл первую и вторую часть оригинального Портала, для моего ума это было настоящее испытание. К сожалению, PORTAL STORIES: MEL не для меня.
  13. pinstripedparka
    Jan 5, 2019
    7
    This game is a tough one for me. While I really enjoy playing this mod, I also find myself getting frustrated over and over again. The best thing about this game are the puzzles. They are extremely challenging, but well designed, and it feels great when you solve them! They incorporate many of the new ideas from Portal 2, such as the light bridges, and combine them in ways that PortalThis game is a tough one for me. While I really enjoy playing this mod, I also find myself getting frustrated over and over again. The best thing about this game are the puzzles. They are extremely challenging, but well designed, and it feels great when you solve them! They incorporate many of the new ideas from Portal 2, such as the light bridges, and combine them in ways that Portal 2 never did, which allows for a fresh experience. Despite this, however, there are many issues that I have with this mod. The main one for me is the plot. This mod was seemingly designed to be a sort of prequel to Portal 2, but the plot is riddled with countless inconsistencies that clash with Portal 2. In addition, the deuteragonist, Virgil, is written in such a way that he always points out the extremely obvious and patronizes you, but can't give you any helpful advice when you've been stuck in the same room for an hour. Overall, this is a decent mod, but doesn't hold up in comparison to Portal or Portal 2, and in my opinion, is way overrated. If you can get past some of the major issues in the mod, you certainly can have a fun time playing this.… Expand
  14. spencerplewe
    Mar 12, 2020
    10
    If you got Portal 2 on PC/Steam, GET THIS IMMEDIATELY! I discovered this after it went through various updates and improvements, and in the version I saw, it just wows me straight up and down! This is one fan mod that freaking blows my mind with its new story, new characters, new puzzles, and sheer compatibility with Valve's official canon!
  15. MrSnow32
    Dec 31, 2022
    8
    Overall: 7.7/10
    Recommended: yes
    Time to complete story+extras: 10.5 hrs (Med-Fast play speed, Advanced difficulty, 27/28 achievements, used guide for non-Story achievements) Time to 100%: 10.75 hrs (added replay of Chapter 5 on Story difficulty, 28/28 achievements) Controller compatible: only partially (for some reason) - I remapped the missing Portal 2 standard KB&M controls to    Overall: 7.7/10
    Recommended: yes
    Time to complete story+extras: 10.5 hrs
    (Med-Fast play speed, Advanced difficulty, 27/28 achievements, used guide for non-Story achievements)
    Time to 100%: 10.75 hrs
    (added replay of Chapter 5 on Story difficulty, 28/28 achievements)
    Controller compatible: only partially (for some reason) - I remapped the missing Portal 2 standard KB&M controls to gamepad in Steam (uploaded my config for others to use)

    Gameplay: 8/10
    Story: 7.5/10
    Characters: 7.3/10
    Graphics: 7.3/10
    Audio: 7.5/10
    Settings/UI: 7.5/10

    Score comparison:
    HLtB: 8.1/10 (147 votes)
    Metacritic: 8.4/10 (39)
    Steam: 96% positive (19,230)    … Expand
  16. whirly
    Sep 4, 2022
    9
    I'm late to this in 2022 - but what an astonishing contribution from the modders Prism. Clearly a work of love and dedication by avid fans, Mel is a new story that fits perfectly into the existing canon. The opening sequence breathes new life into the world of Aperture Science, and is immediately evocative of openings from Half Life games. The puzzles are challenging, designed to build onI'm late to this in 2022 - but what an astonishing contribution from the modders Prism. Clearly a work of love and dedication by avid fans, Mel is a new story that fits perfectly into the existing canon. The opening sequence breathes new life into the world of Aperture Science, and is immediately evocative of openings from Half Life games. The puzzles are challenging, designed to build on experience gained from completing Portal 2; both for the story and the challenge you must do this first. Brutal as I feel doing it, I held short of giving this a 10 because in places the pacing is a little off, with some areas dragging a little, and occasionally the creative sets are a little too clunky to navigate. The game makes full use of the existing assets, and adds an impressive amount of original material. The story develops well; and whilst it lacks the punch of plot twists in the original games it does a great job of keeping you engaged. Thank you Prism for extending the life of Portal with this wonderful gift to the fans.… Expand
  17. Poccigoni
    May 25, 2023
    8
    A good mod for the original Portal 2 that takes place before the original game. Good characters and art style, the puzzles are very good for what I was expecting and it is overall a mod that could have perfectly been sold as a separate game.
  18. The8Bit
    Feb 22, 2023
    7
    Loved it so much that I played the game for a day with no breaks and now have permanent eye injuries.