Portal

 PC
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 6390 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5,896 out of 6390
  2. Mixed: 369 out of 6390
  3. Negative: 125 out of 6390
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  1. Ztride
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    Portal features a superb game mechanic in the form of the portal gun, and the puzzles you can solve with it. The setting is unique and interesting, but what really makes it perfect is the storyline and the humour. Brilliant. Too bad it was so short though.
  2. WinTime
    Jul 8, 2012
    10
    this is a great game is very great igra.Prosto super.Prosto mega.Super yumor.Super golovolki and five times as much cool vasche klasss.valve rulit.mogete.
  3. mrnice
    Nov 7, 2012
    9
    Took me 4 hours or so. Contains an interactive "developers' commentary" and additional challenges. I don't have anything new to add to the discussion about this game, I think, but you can think of it as a 3d problem solving simulator. It's almost on-rails as you progress linearly through the campaign, each stop a reflection on the problem presented. The 3d approach introduces an aspect ofTook me 4 hours or so. Contains an interactive "developers' commentary" and additional challenges. I don't have anything new to add to the discussion about this game, I think, but you can think of it as a 3d problem solving simulator. It's almost on-rails as you progress linearly through the campaign, each stop a reflection on the problem presented. The 3d approach introduces an aspect of exploration as you try to get a grip of the elements of each puzzle. There's some sort of a story progression subtly woven into the game as you play. No cutscenes and few 'distractions' from the core gameplay.… Expand
  4. skeith
    May 13, 2012
    10
    Portal really surprise me by showing me the new way and new concept of gaming. Yes, the game is really short, but it is never repeats itself. I know people would say other games are longer, and stuffs, but ask yourself, you do the same thing over and over again (Lvling, farming, fighting the same kind enemies over and over, you get it.) and that is why they are longer. Great humour in thePortal really surprise me by showing me the new way and new concept of gaming. Yes, the game is really short, but it is never repeats itself. I know people would say other games are longer, and stuffs, but ask yourself, you do the same thing over and over again (Lvling, farming, fighting the same kind enemies over and over, you get it.) and that is why they are longer. Great humour in the game too. I always enjoy the sarcasm in the game. Good job to the team. You guys made a game that deserves 10/10.… Expand
  5. Resplendent
    Jul 23, 2012
    10
    If the score of a game is an indication of how much of an impression it made on you, I think most would agree Portal ranks at the top. Writing comedy is hard, and finding such memorable and hilarious comedy in a video game is incredibly rare. The fact that Portal manages to contain just that, while being highly original and thought-provoking, demonstrates just what a work of genius it is.If the score of a game is an indication of how much of an impression it made on you, I think most would agree Portal ranks at the top. Writing comedy is hard, and finding such memorable and hilarious comedy in a video game is incredibly rare. The fact that Portal manages to contain just that, while being highly original and thought-provoking, demonstrates just what a work of genius it is. If any game can be held up as an example of art, this is it. Valve are the masters at creating compelling and immersive environments- and the setting of Aperture can easily feel real. GLaDOS is the perfect example of how fantastic writing and acting can create a beloved character. Portal is gaming at its finest- truly a genre-defining title, and one that will leave the player both wanting and satisfied at its conclusion.… Expand
  6. Krepost
    May 7, 2012
    10
    Eight hours of pure fun. Short and sweet. It's cheap and you'll love it. Grab it. How to describe it? It is a puzzle game. It doesn't take itself too seriously and it has an excellent sense of humour. GET IT.
  7. nildab
    Feb 25, 2012
    10
    This review was meant for Dear Esther: Portal 2 was a hight 10 for me I LOVE Portal 2. Dear Esther was a low 1 for me. Did not enjoy Dear Esther. Waste of my time sorry. I felt the potential for this game to be almost what Myst was when it first started that genre of story driven games. However, I very quickly found myself bored and I love English accent narrations especially but it wasn'tThis review was meant for Dear Esther: Portal 2 was a hight 10 for me I LOVE Portal 2. Dear Esther was a low 1 for me. Did not enjoy Dear Esther. Waste of my time sorry. I felt the potential for this game to be almost what Myst was when it first started that genre of story driven games. However, I very quickly found myself bored and I love English accent narrations especially but it wasn't enough to hold me to the end. I found myself aimlessly wandering around. I couldn't pick up anything nor save the game. Not for me this game had potential it was beautiful the scenery.â… Expand
  8. Mafurios
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This simply is a great game the story is simple and funny but still quite strong it doesn't go on for to long and the mechanics themselves feel refreshing unlike the stale mass produced FPS games that are released on a monthly bases. This game never bored me and it actually is one of few none strategy/fight/race/etc. games that actually made me feel like replaying it (far) more than justThis simply is a great game the story is simple and funny but still quite strong it doesn't go on for to long and the mechanics themselves feel refreshing unlike the stale mass produced FPS games that are released on a monthly bases. This game never bored me and it actually is one of few none strategy/fight/race/etc. games that actually made me feel like replaying it (far) more than just once. Even tough the levels are quite small it gave a huge feeling of freedom because the rooms just seemed infinitely bigger when you were allowed to portal trough them. For those who are done playing the original levels there still are a lot of player made levels that grant an even bigger (or lesser) challenge.… Expand
  9. Frogy2kcritic
    Apr 9, 2012
    9
    This was a brilliant break to the Multiplayer's and Singleplayer's that currently flood this market. If your addicted to half life, call of duty, gears of war, halo, or any other of these great games and you find yourself wanting a little more then I suggest portal. I found myself enjoying every puzzle, all challenges and the great and amusing story line. This game can amuse you whetherThis was a brilliant break to the Multiplayer's and Singleplayer's that currently flood this market. If your addicted to half life, call of duty, gears of war, halo, or any other of these great games and you find yourself wanting a little more then I suggest portal. I found myself enjoying every puzzle, all challenges and the great and amusing story line. This game can amuse you whether your on console or PC, but if you are on PC you'll get the chance to experience the community made maps adding several extra hours of fun. But there is a downfall to this fun including the puzzle as if you find it hard to complete puzzles then this is not the game for you, it's puzzle after puzzle after puzzle. So do I recommend this game yes but if your not a puzzle person then I suggest trying out the console version first as you'll have a chance to return it if it does not live up to your expectations.… Expand
  10. Meridius
    Mar 22, 2012
    8
    Witty, progressive, and simple. Pushes the standards of 3D puzzle-games to a new and intriguing realm. A must play for any puzzle-game fan, but probably not for the fans of conventional 'shoot-em-up' FPS games.
  11. PwnArtist
    Mar 24, 2012
    10
    I mega â
  12. GabrielRS
    Apr 1, 2012
    10
    For me, this game is better than Portal 2, because even as a small game, he has a great story, but the game is kind of easy. Only the Advanced Chambers, in the Bonus Maps, are more difficult.
  13. potatoes351
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    Valve have always treated PC games to the best in gaming entertainment. Now arrives a new IP from the studio's responsible for Half-Life. Portal is a 90 minute first person puzzle game set in the remains of Aperture Science, Black Mesa's only rival in the realms of science. You play Chell, the only remaining test subject for the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, or in layman's termsValve have always treated PC games to the best in gaming entertainment. Now arrives a new IP from the studio's responsible for Half-Life. Portal is a 90 minute first person puzzle game set in the remains of Aperture Science, Black Mesa's only rival in the realms of science. You play Chell, the only remaining test subject for the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, or in layman's terms the Portal gun. As you are set to complete test chambers created by GLaDOS, the corrupt computer program running Aperture. Chell must escape Aperture and destroy GLaDOS to make sure these experiments never continue. It plays like any Valve FPS and looks like Half-Life 2 but a lot more sterile (white). Portal is one of those rare gems that come around every now and again (usually from Valve) that change the way games work, they change the way games are seen and they change the way games are played. Portal is one in a million.… Expand
  14. RoXX
    Apr 15, 2012
    10
    If finished the game at least 5 times, it is short but very fun to play. Getting the achievments is also very funny. The game itself may be short, but there are many mods available like e.g. portal prelude, which steps the difficulty up, many custom maps etc etc so you get unlimited play time! The portal concept was very innovative and it's so much fun to play!
  15. Dune_Jumper
    Feb 25, 2015
    10
    Portal is sheer brilliance. The gameplay is amazing and innovative, it has hilarious humor, and a good plot. Literally the only big issue is how short it is.
  16. Andreakossa
    Apr 22, 2012
    9
    I've never been a puzzle games fun but i can say i regretted not buying it sooner, anyway you must think with portals to be able to complete it, this game is not very long but you still a nice challenge, and that mean you have to get this game and the sequel for be able to understand what's really going on down there, anyway both awesome.
  17. kimaasen1984
    Apr 25, 2012
    8
    Five years after it's release I just found out how great game this game is! If you - like me, missed this game, it's not too late to play it. This is a fantastic game, and I recommend you playing this one before you start with the even better sequel!
  18. 000Tuld000
    May 5, 2012
    9
    I enjoy playing this game on both the pc and my PS3. It seems to run better on the pc than portal 2. Even so, I enjoy playing them both equally. What's neat about both games is finding secrets.
  19. Cubixreviews
    May 9, 2012
    9
    Portal is funny, clever and interesting, with an extremely short single player. It simply doesn't beat Portal 2, but still It is amazing. When I was playing this game, It remembers the Half Life 2 atmosphere (quiet and alone). The plot is amazing, but people, why the Users Review for Portal 2 is 8.4, I still can't understand. Anyway, I give 9 points for Portal.
  20. RangerGxi
    May 10, 2012
    10
    This game is why limited budgets and resources can create games of the highest quality. It's clear that we had a motivated and passionate team who poured their very hearts and souls into this game. They didn't waste resources on useless garbage. The Tutorial IS the gameplay. The story isn't played through boring cutscenes, you interact while the story is conveyed to you by theThis game is why limited budgets and resources can create games of the highest quality. It's clear that we had a motivated and passionate team who poured their very hearts and souls into this game. They didn't waste resources on useless garbage. The Tutorial IS the gameplay. The story isn't played through boring cutscenes, you interact while the story is conveyed to you by the antagonist, a hilarious AI.
    The gameplay is amazing and the physics are just stunning. I could not find a way to describe it..

    This is revolutionary and simple. Hardcore gamers and Casual gamers will love this game. After this experience you will be buying all Valve games.    … Expand
  21. Discord
    May 19, 2012
    10
    Portal is an amazing game with astoundingly innovative gameplay. It may be short, but it makes up for that with progressive difficulty and good humour.
  22. Darkmark
    Mar 9, 2013
    8
    When i first heard about Portal i was a bit sceptical. Could a game where you just place portals really be interesting or challenging? Yes it could. The game is lots of fun and even though the puzzles are't that hard they can still confuse you a bit every now and then. The game was pretty short though and there didn't really happen anything except solving tests in the first half of theWhen i first heard about Portal i was a bit sceptical. Could a game where you just place portals really be interesting or challenging? Yes it could. The game is lots of fun and even though the puzzles are't that hard they can still confuse you a bit every now and then. The game was pretty short though and there didn't really happen anything except solving tests in the first half of the game. Nevertheless a very nice game, i would recommend it to those that doesn't already have it.… Expand
  23. Mizlissafrey702
    Jun 13, 2012
    10
    Portal is a puzzle game like no other, set in a world that seems to defy the odds. You will work your way through twenty something puzzles and discover the world you think you know, is nothing compared to what it really is. It's ingenious and really makes you think in order to progress. If you can think outside of the box you can pass through this game easily while learning about the worldPortal is a puzzle game like no other, set in a world that seems to defy the odds. You will work your way through twenty something puzzles and discover the world you think you know, is nothing compared to what it really is. It's ingenious and really makes you think in order to progress. If you can think outside of the box you can pass through this game easily while learning about the world around you.… Expand
  24. DoubledRevos909
    Jun 22, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Quick and conceptual, Portal is one of the best physics puzzle games I've played yet. It must've been developed well because the voice-acting, amount of puzzles and the puzzles themselves is just one big clump of AWESOMENESS. The only flaw is the program it runs; hl2.exe, which I'm guessing is Half-Life 2. They forgot to make the game "itself" if that makes any sense, but it even holds a connection with Half-Life 2... sorta...… Expand
  25. BlooMilkDealer
    Jul 3, 2012
    9
    This game was great, though I watched walkthroughs on Youtube because I'm pretty bad at solving puzzles, but the puzzles themselves are well thought out and really intelligent. The story is good, even though there are only two characters, but it feels like one because the main character Chell doesn't talk. She grunts, but doesn't talk. Valve made epic games, and this is one of them.
  26. OrangeHeadset
    Nov 11, 2013
    9
    Most original game I have played in the past few years. The storyline and the graphics are very interesting. Overall opinion: Okay, definitely worth buying.
  27. wwJeSTeR
    Jul 16, 2012
    10
    Even though it has indeed been quite a few years now since I first ever played this game at a friend's house, followed IMMEDIATELY by me purchasing it for myself to play on MY computer, my love for the original "Portal" game has not diminished even a single bit!!! I can still so EASILY remember how unbelievably quick I was to become completely engrossed in this "first-of-its-kind"Even though it has indeed been quite a few years now since I first ever played this game at a friend's house, followed IMMEDIATELY by me purchasing it for myself to play on MY computer, my love for the original "Portal" game has not diminished even a single bit!!! I can still so EASILY remember how unbelievably quick I was to become completely engrossed in this "first-of-its-kind" game-play. I even went so far as to try by best at brainwashing my own father into playing it. (And much to my surprise, he gave it a try after watching me play a bit on my PC, and of course, quickly came to love it every bit as much as I.) Add to that list my own younger brother, who was and is still a hardcore "console" player. Sure enough though, as soon as he found it available for purchase on the X-Box 360, he was up all night long playing it as well. In conclusion, I would very much like to also add-in the factor of this beautiful game's UNBELIEVABLE "RE-PLAY" value. I've not ever kept any official count or anything, but it I had to guess, I am quite comfortable in guessing that I've played back though the same game again, over and over, trying new and different techniques each and every time, no less that a few hundred times within the past few years. :) To some, that fact will no doubt just appear stupid, and easily a target for such words as "has no life", "still living at home with Mom", etc... It's OK though, because, to all the rest out there who ALSO fell in love with Portal years ago, YOU no-doubt "understand". :)… Expand
  28. kane148
    Dec 13, 2012
    9
    This game was simply fantastic in most every way: it is humorous, dark, intriguing, fun, challenging, and innovative. While it is pretty short and the graphics are not particularly good, I don't hold this against it considering how cheap it was (basically free in the Orange Box) and because it was a small-team effort with impressive results. I was glad to see this game get a big-budgetThis game was simply fantastic in most every way: it is humorous, dark, intriguing, fun, challenging, and innovative. While it is pretty short and the graphics are not particularly good, I don't hold this against it considering how cheap it was (basically free in the Orange Box) and because it was a small-team effort with impressive results. I was glad to see this game get a big-budget sequel that could be longer with higher production values, but the original Portal remains a gem in the video game industry.… Expand
  29. emceefan
    Aug 1, 2012
    10
    Innovation at it's finest. Portal provides much humor and action, something that is very elusive from writers, designers, developers, and creators alike. It is very challenging too. Anyone who doesn't like it can't use their damn brain. It's a damn humorous puzzle action story so **** YOU!
  30. Dicktwister
    Aug 7, 2012
    10
    Awesome game. Introduces an amazing concept, story, and all around style to the world of gaming. The only con I can think of is the fan base. All of the **** running around saying, "LOL the cake is a lie guys amiright!!!" But you cant blame the developers for that. And to the ass hats complaining it was so short? This game was made by a small team within valve. It was just padding for TheAwesome game. Introduces an amazing concept, story, and all around style to the world of gaming. The only con I can think of is the fan base. All of the **** running around saying, "LOL the cake is a lie guys amiright!!!" But you cant blame the developers for that. And to the ass hats complaining it was so short? This game was made by a small team within valve. It was just padding for The Orange Box, and kind of an apology present for half life 2: episode 2 being delayed. It was never expected to explode like it did. Even thought it was only a couple hours, those hours were some of the best of my gaming life.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PC Game of 2007
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2007
9
#9 Most Shared PC Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. IGN
    82
    The idea behind Portal ends up being more brilliant than Portal itself. Regardless, we definitely had a lot of fun with what is there and appreciate the level of polish and thought that went into the presentation.
    Read full review
  2. PC Gamer UK
    92
    Portal is a magnificent puzzle game. The titillating wrongness of every solution and the wonky thinking required to get there make you feel like a space-folding genius, and yet you'll almost never get stuck.
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer
    90
    One of the most interesting and delightful things Valve's ever done, but also one of its least fulfilling. If only we had our own portal gun to bridge the gap to the first infusion of new content, perhaps we could forget it.
    Read full review
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