Portal: Still Alive

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 320 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 274 out of 320
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 320
  3. Negative: 21 out of 320

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. MichaelF
    Oct 27, 2008
    10
    Perse Pappa, is it because PSN games are horrible? The fact that you say XBLA games aren't regular games means you shouldn't be PLAYING games.. Another fun thing to mention is that this was with The Orange Box, and I bet you praised it. Portal: Still Alive is a GREAT addition to your gaming library and adds more to what we already love.
  2. MarkRandall
    Oct 30, 2008
    10
    You can tell Perse Pappa's nipples lactate...and he hasn't played the game. This is essentially a greatest hits edition of the game...similar to Midnight Club 3's, God of War 2's, or even Lost Planet's...Is it worth 15$...unequivocally 'Yes'! Also Perse Pappa there are a lot of XBLA games that are rated high
  3. EndymionU.
    Nov 10, 2008
    10
    I'm mostly posting this to respond to Perse Pappa's comment. This game was originally released as part of The Orange Box, next to Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2, although this is much added content that was not included with that release. It is a game deserving of a full release in and of itself. The game is innovative and invigorating. It is nothing like the majority of XBLA I'm mostly posting this to respond to Perse Pappa's comment. This game was originally released as part of The Orange Box, next to Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2, although this is much added content that was not included with that release. It is a game deserving of a full release in and of itself. The game is innovative and invigorating. It is nothing like the majority of XBLA games out there. Production quality is that of a full release game. Furthermore, just because games on XBLA are normally "lousy" does not mean that there is not a minority worth purchasing (especially for the price). Braid is a shining example of this. N+ and World of Goo (available to Wii owners as WiiWare) are worthy purchases as well. Perse, you should play the game before you post.… Expand
  4. LanceS.
    Nov 5, 2008
    10
    This is simply an expansion onto my favorite game of last year, and i bought it because i adore portal. And dont listen to that idiot Perse Pappa. My guess is the only thing he plays are twitch shooters and Madden (not that thats a horrible thing or anything) but seriously, if you think size is what makes a game good, you need to open your f**kin eyes!
  5. NeilC
    Oct 24, 2008
    10
    This is one of the best games I ever played, regardless of genre. If you didn't buy the Orange Box then you should really take advantage of the opportunity to buy Portal separately - it's better than Half-Life 2 and both its episodes combined!
  6. shane
    Oct 27, 2008
    10
    Perse Pappa - this is not a forum. It's idiotic to think that just because a game is on xbla that i tcannot be as good as a retail release. Such an absurd comment. AND this game in particular has had an individual retail release if you bothered to make an informed comment. Awesome game and well worth the small price to pay to have it on your xbox.
  7. ChangMan
    Oct 28, 2008
    10
    Don't listen to Perse Pappa's review; He sounds like someone who has no true knowledge or extensive experience in gaming, he probably has been gaming for like 3 years. I've been a gamer for over 20 years and let me tell you games CAN be of SMALL size and still be GREAT games, classics even. Many titles from the 80's and 90's still hold their own today, not because Don't listen to Perse Pappa's review; He sounds like someone who has no true knowledge or extensive experience in gaming, he probably has been gaming for like 3 years. I've been a gamer for over 20 years and let me tell you games CAN be of SMALL size and still be GREAT games, classics even. Many titles from the 80's and 90's still hold their own today, not because of size or graphics, but because of gameplay and innovation. Portal's gameplay is amazing and innovation is second to NONE. Granted, You could probably get the entire Orange Box used for $20 these days, and get the original Portal levels, but this also comes with 14 new (and even more difficult) levels, not to mention new achievements. For anyone who has NOT played Portal yet, this is a no-brainer. If you have played Portal and/or if you still own the Orange Box, then I only recommend this if you are a huge Portal fan, for the 14 new challenge levels -- which are excellent.… Expand
  8. JonC
    Oct 23, 2008
    10
    I got this game with the Orange Box package but i highly recommend this to anybody who doesn't have it with the Orange Box yet. I'm not into many puzzlers, but this game changed my perspective. It's extremely fun all the way through, and challenging at the end. With its great humor and addictive gameplay, this game itself deserves a ten.
  9. Xonatron
    Jun 27, 2016
    10
    My other favorite game of the past 10..15 years. (The other is Braid.) I love this game. One of the best indie games ever released. Still replayable too.
  10. Grado
    Apr 17, 2011
    10
    This is one of my all time favorite games, funny lines, puzzles that look hard until you remember you have a portal gun, greatist thing since sliced bread deserved a full release and a sequal
  11. bashfulberry
    May 9, 2011
    10
    Portal is a great concept, brilliantly executed. Wonderful, intuitive puzzle design, a great visual aesthetic, and some of the funniest dark humor narration you could want. Short but there's not a bad moment to be found and this version of the game comes with a whole new challenge mode where you complete short puzzles under strict time limits to earn medals...this encourages some reallyPortal is a great concept, brilliantly executed. Wonderful, intuitive puzzle design, a great visual aesthetic, and some of the funniest dark humor narration you could want. Short but there's not a bad moment to be found and this version of the game comes with a whole new challenge mode where you complete short puzzles under strict time limits to earn medals...this encourages some really creative portaling!… Expand
  12. jdogginess
    May 27, 2011
    10
    When I played this the first time, I stayed up all night with my nephew and his foreign exchange girlfriend until we beat it. It transcended the language barrier. It was like nothing we had played before. It was clever, mind blowing, funny, challenging, innovative...just an absolute blast and completely engrossing. There wasn't much reason to play through again, and it only lasted oneWhen I played this the first time, I stayed up all night with my nephew and his foreign exchange girlfriend until we beat it. It transcended the language barrier. It was like nothing we had played before. It was clever, mind blowing, funny, challenging, innovative...just an absolute blast and completely engrossing. There wasn't much reason to play through again, and it only lasted one night (about 6-8hrs) but I will never forget the way it made a portal in my brain when I first stepped through one, saw myself, and went..."Whoa!".… Expand
  13. squarewindow
    Jan 7, 2015
    10
    The developer commentary featured in the "Still Alive" XBLA version of Portal is incredibly insightful. Well aware that they had created a completely new animal, the first-person puzzle platformer, the guys and girls at Valve explain how each of the 19 puzzle chambers was carefully engineered to gradually "train" the player and equip them with the necessary skills to tackle theThe developer commentary featured in the "Still Alive" XBLA version of Portal is incredibly insightful. Well aware that they had created a completely new animal, the first-person puzzle platformer, the guys and girls at Valve explain how each of the 19 puzzle chambers was carefully engineered to gradually "train" the player and equip them with the necessary skills to tackle the increasingly more complex challenges. Some levels were modified, some cut completely, and additional ones added based on the responses of the playtesters. There's no filler, everything is there for a reason. It really illustrates how impressive the game is - not only refreshingly original, but also constructed to perfection.

    Portal is short. It can be completed in a couple of hours, but it houses more new ideas and memorable moments than most other titles ten times its duration, and that's really what matters. The escape sequence at the end, which all that training has been leading up to, is the highlight, and means that the game is one of very few which continuously builds up all the way through and peaks at its conclusion. The characters are also excellent - the menacing GLaDOS and her chilling dialogue, and player character Chell for the exact opposite reason - because she is silent and almost invisible, giving the player a real personal connection to the villain.

    The sequel, released four years later, was also spectacular, but the first game left a much greater impression on me. Portal 2, while possibly the funniest game I have ever played - largely thanks to Stephen Merchant's portrayal of Wheatley, was understandably an evolution of the first game. It contained some nice innovations and furthered the physics-based puzzling with a handful of new obstacles, but the exploration sections of chapter 6 just dragged far too much for my liking. The success of Portal meant that the budget and scope for the sequel was much greater, and it ended up not quite being as concise and perfectly-formed as the first game, which was perhaps to be expected. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic effort.

    Playing through Portal felt like returning to the early days of videogaming, when everything was new and every game needed to be learned from scratch. A first-person game which didn't involve killing bad guys by shooting at them? Who would have thought? (Shooting a portal onto the floor underneath a turret doesn't count.)    … Expand
  14. MoCStigma
    Jul 8, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Truly awe inspiring. How Comedy mixes with Platforming and FPS, truly marvelous. It's one of the most memorable games I've ever played. The cake at the end of that game looked delicious and made me want to play it again... and I did.… Expand
  15. mazonik78
    Nov 28, 2013
    10
    I have finished portal a hour ago, waw great experience, one of the best puzzle games ever, brain breaking tests for the thinking gamer, great black humor history, and the big motivation to get the cake, i still want to taste it...
  16. jacob4
    Jun 2, 2016
    10
    An unconventional first person shooter/ puzzle game. It combines sharp thinking, atmosphere, and great humor and adventure. But the fun doesn't stop there! Portal bends your thinking skills after you complete the main game with the advanced bonus levels, and there's plenty of achievements to work for as well. A great, spectacular, must play valve game! And if you want more portal fun, playAn unconventional first person shooter/ puzzle game. It combines sharp thinking, atmosphere, and great humor and adventure. But the fun doesn't stop there! Portal bends your thinking skills after you complete the main game with the advanced bonus levels, and there's plenty of achievements to work for as well. A great, spectacular, must play valve game! And if you want more portal fun, play the sequel!… Expand
  17. Polaroid300
    Jul 18, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The best puzzle game I have EVER played in my lifetime. Yes, I've played other puzzle games, but it doesn't satisfy my needs for a game that you use a "weapon" in. The game usually lasts within an hour, but with that hour comes a whole bunch of puzzle solving. You have turrets, 2 portals, energy pellets you need to insert into slots that activate other objects like a moving platform, cubes that you need to put on buttons to open doors, etc. Hell, there are even short-cuts to beating levels quickly that the developers put in. The most interesting aspect in the game is how you try to escape from death. When that platform is moving into the fire pit, you have to think fast, or you'll die. When you fight GLaDOS, she reveals the reason why you respawn. It's nothing like the usual "magic potion" in the Legend Of Zelda, or some other goofy reason like a save file or a password. The reason why you respawn is because your brain was scanned. Once you defeat GLaDOS, you actually get the cake you are promised in the game early on. This game is perfect, and I can't come up with any situation that seems like something to take off points. Sure, the game lasts an hour or less, but just because it does, doesn't mean you can't enjoy a game. Mario Maker doesn't have any main plot, but you eat it up. Before anyone down-votes this because I said that people eat it up, It's a good game. I had it, and when I played it, it was fun. This is great for people who want to enjoy a puzzle game, but don't want to spend more than an hour playing one.… Expand
  18. Sami_Steen
    May 2, 2021
    10
    best puzzle game I ever played.solving puzzles with a portal gun is amazing,fantastic work from valve.
  19. pikachu713
    Sep 7, 2022
    10
    amazing game for logic with good company and good gameplay .
  20. GrossBurger5
    Apr 5, 2023
    10
    The main story is jam packed with exciting adventures and I definitely recommend this game for anyone who has an hour or two on their time to go through with this adventure.
  21. JN.
    Nov 5, 2008
    9
    To start off, and clear up some confusion surrounding Still Alive, I will state that the main game is exactly the same as the one included in The Orange Box. However, there are an additional 14 test chambers and new achievements that were not on the disc. Given the length of time that The Orange Box has been out, I will not cover the main story/game of Portal but will instead focus on the To start off, and clear up some confusion surrounding Still Alive, I will state that the main game is exactly the same as the one included in The Orange Box. However, there are an additional 14 test chambers and new achievements that were not on the disc. Given the length of time that The Orange Box has been out, I will not cover the main story/game of Portal but will instead focus on the new challenges. All of the charisma of the old Portal is still there and the challenges really do make you start "thinking with portals" once again. The new game mechanics add to the feeling of impending doom you get when playing through the story version of Portal, and some of them really make you sit back and think "how the… Expand
  22. JDUB
    Dec 2, 2008
    9
    Portal rocks. anyone having problems with not being able to load your saved portal game from the Orange Box? I'm having to redo the original portal puzzles before getting to the new puzzles b/c of this problem. BUT, portal is such a cool game that I don't really mind.
  23. WillB
    Nov 16, 2008
    9
    To Perse Pappa: Braid? Geometry Wars? Banjo-Kazooie (to some, but i am a fan)? Arcade game are certainly in the same league as normal games at least. Hense Microsofts huge dashboard change with prime time. For this game however, its basically just more of the same. Which is fine by me (as i loved the gameplay), but for those who didnt like portal, dont think you will find solitude in this To Perse Pappa: Braid? Geometry Wars? Banjo-Kazooie (to some, but i am a fan)? Arcade game are certainly in the same league as normal games at least. Hense Microsofts huge dashboard change with prime time. For this game however, its basically just more of the same. Which is fine by me (as i loved the gameplay), but for those who didnt like portal, dont think you will find solitude in this game. just more portal.… Expand
  24. RyanS
    Dec 7, 2008
    9
    Don't want to buy the Orange Box because you don't want/have Half Life and Team Fortress? Well this is for you. Portal is the best arcade puzzle game to hit the 360 this year. Get it.
  25. Watermelon789
    Jul 10, 2011
    9
    Portal is meant to play only by genius people. People that complained about this is because they cannot handle the puzzles. Never in my entire life thought about some company to put the FPS genre and fuse it with( as already said) puzzle genre. The graphics looks good and bad, but thats not necessary. The controls are great and the puzzles itself are bizarre.
  26. drlowdon
    Jun 12, 2013
    9
    Every once and a while a game comes along and takes everyone by surprise with its quality, Portal is one such game. Originally ported to the Xbox as part of Half Life 2: Orange Box collection its clever physics based puzzles and strange sense of humour was like nothing that had ever been seen before. Whether you like puzzlers or not Portal is a game that everyone should experience.
  27. Breegullbeak
    Jan 18, 2013
    9
    AS someone who wasn't going to waste money on the orange box for a single game, this title game is wonderful for those who just want Portal. The extra maps are nice and unlike the achievements in the Orange box, these ones are actually possible to obtain by human beings.
  28. LordDeathsama
    May 29, 2014
    9
    A good puzzle shooter that will keep you entertained for a few hours. "Only a few hours" you may say and yes. This game is really short, but it got replay value so no worry. But the average time to beat the story will be 2 hours or less. There are also some Challenge Maps that you can do after beating the story, but this will most likely stretch the playtime to about 6hours. This is justA good puzzle shooter that will keep you entertained for a few hours. "Only a few hours" you may say and yes. This game is really short, but it got replay value so no worry. But the average time to beat the story will be 2 hours or less. There are also some Challenge Maps that you can do after beating the story, but this will most likely stretch the playtime to about 6hours. This is just the only negative thing about this game, the rest of the game is nearly perfect. It's fun, challenging and it's also having a great humor. Buy it… Expand
  29. Termin8ter
    Jun 10, 2017
    9
    Portal: Still Alive is an overall great re-release of 2007's Portal. The original atmospheric, yet humorous campaign is still there for newcomers and veterans alike to enjoy, but the developers at Valve have added a heap of new challenge maps that will stretch your brain-cells as you desperately scramble to complete them. Overall, these new challenge maps add an hour or two to yourPortal: Still Alive is an overall great re-release of 2007's Portal. The original atmospheric, yet humorous campaign is still there for newcomers and veterans alike to enjoy, but the developers at Valve have added a heap of new challenge maps that will stretch your brain-cells as you desperately scramble to complete them. Overall, these new challenge maps add an hour or two to your playtime, extending the playtime, which is good, because the campaign is pretty short. All in all, I would recommend getting Still Alive rather than the regular version of Portal 1, because it boasts more content to play.… Expand
  30. Dperks
    Jun 22, 2020
    9
    This is probably one of my favorite games of all times. And i love just coming back to it and quickly playing through it from time to time usually its worth it just to hear the song at the end. I cant recommend this title enough its charming, funny and has some real brain teasers .
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
33
#33 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
13
#13 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    90
    Clever humor that'll have you chuckling for months. [Dec 2008, p.93]
    Read full review
  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    90
    It's easily the best puzzle game to come along in quite some time and arguably up there with some of the best we've seen within the world of videogames. [Issue#38, p.114]
  3. IGN
    92
    Part of what makes the main Portal experience so successful is that the game draws you in quickly, subtly creates a believable world with every new room and then begins to slowly draw back the curtain. Much like a fine malt liquor, Portal sneaks up on you.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »