"Perfection"

There are few games that test the limit. We know the ones that were rushed, had no thought put into them, were made primarily for money, or just plain suck. However, there are some games that think outside the box, reach for the stars, and exceed any expectations that we gamers have come to know. Games are made to be fun, exciting, and worthwhile, but it takes truly brilliant ones to push the envelope and be imaginative, engrossing, innovative, and downright awesome. Portal is one of the best examples.

In Portal, you take the role of a test subject in a laboratory called Aperture Science. The game is setup so that you progress through the test courses one by one, using your portal gun to figure out intricate ways to get to the end. And that's pretty much it. There are no killer cyborgs, no magical crystals you need to collect, and no damsel in distress. You simply make your way from one chamber to the next, trying to find out ways to use portals to gain access to the next room. However, don't be fooled. Although this seems like a boring and repetitive task, the designers at Valve have assured otherwise.

First off, using your portal gun is fun, no matter how you put it. When you first start using it, you'll find yourself merely playing around with portals and amusing yourself with them. On top of that, the game mechanics are truly spectacular. You can make a portal (almost) anywhere and all physics apply. For some courses, you'll need to fling yourself out of a portal to make distance. You do this by jumping from an elevated area into a portal and using your velocity to send you off. Half the fun of Portal is discovering new ways to use your gun to gain access to different areas.

Secondly, to follow you on your adventure through the test chambers is GLaDOS, a computerized system that observes your development, tracks your progress, and makes hilarious commentary throughout the *entire* game. Honestly, I don't think there's one line of dialogue that GLaDOS spoke which I didn't slightly snicker at. To a lot of gamers, the addition of this character actually made the game what it is.

This brings us to another amazing thing about Portal – the sound. Although there's not much of it, the music in Portal is excellent. When the mood becomes intense or a little spooky, you can bet the music will match. If things get exciting or take a sudden turn, the situation is heightened with great use of the score.

The story in Portal is also one of the best aspects. Although it seems like there's not much to the plot, Portal definitely leaves the player wanting to know more. As you progress through the game, you'll discover more and more things about the story line and discover that there may be more to Aperture Science then what it seems. This great suspicion and mystery adds tons of depth to the already excellent game, and becomes a central drive in completing it.

The graphics in Portal also look spot on. The same engine that was used in Half-Life 2 was used for this game, so you can bet it looks pretty darn good. All of the textures look great, the level designs are all well done and perfectly executed, and things pop out that need to. As you progress through the game, you really get the sense that you're traveling through modern, scientific test chambers. Valve did a wonderful job on the look and feel of Portal.

It must be said, however, that Portal is a short game. This is the primary, if not only, complaint that many gamers have had. You can complete all of it in roughly four hours. However, it was not made to be a feature length game, but more of an extra bonus to buying The Orange Box. And what a bonus it was. Not to mention, Valve has added a commentary to the levels so you can go back and play more times and listen to how everything was put together. Great idea on their part. But to put things in perspective, if all games were under four hours and were as good as Portal, that would be fine by me.

All in all, Portal is, hands down, one of the best games I have ever played. Although it may be short, that is a miniscule detriment and does not take anything away from the gameplay. Everything about Portal is how a game should be: compelling, ensnaring, and just plain kick ass.

OVERALL SCORE: 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/06/08

Game Release: Portal (US, 10/09/07)