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Portal is a single-player first-person action/puzzle video game first released as part of The Orange Box collection of games released in October 2007 for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. The game was included along with more established titles Half Life 2, and Team Fortress 2, but, somewhat unexpectedly, Portal became a standout on its own, with many gamer's buying the box set for Portal alone. It was released as a standalone game for the PC on Steam in October 2007 for $19.99, and retail games appearing in stores on April 9th, 2008. Portal was released on Xbox Live! arcade on October 22, 2008 for 1200 points.

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Portal 1
MSRP $19.99
Release date October, 2007
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Pros & Cons15
Reviews28
Details
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Competitors1
Comments9
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
27 reviews
87
negative
mixed
positive
26 positive
0 mixed
1 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

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Pros:
Do you agree?
•
Well thought out gameplay
+23agreedisagree

•
Excellent script
+22agreedisagree

•
Cheap - $20 on Steam
+21agreedisagree

•
Atmospheric soundscape
+15agreedisagree

•
Excellent learning curve - not much handholding, but you can figure out everything as you go along
+15agreedisagree

•
great gameplay dynamics, a new and exciting way to use the source engine
+14agreedisagree

•
connects interestingly to the Half-Life universe
+11agreedisagree

•
potentially creates a new Half-Life storyline
+9agreedisagree

•
has a good song at the end "Still Alive"
+7agreedisagree

•
Lots of extra achievments.
+6agreedisagree

•
Available on Xbox Live! arcade for ~ $15
+5agreedisagree

•
Addictive time trial mode
+4agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
Short
+7agreedisagree

•
Voices and sounds can be loud and annoying at times
-2agreedisagree

•
Lack of colors
-7agreedisagree


28 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

Gameplay

In Portal, the player controls the character, Chell, from a first person perspective as she is challenged to navigate through a series of rooms using the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device ("portal gun"). The portal gun can create two distinct portal ends, orange and blue. Neither is specifically an entrance or exit; all objects that travel through the one portal will exit through the other with no change in momentum magnitude. If subsequent portal ends are created, the previously created portal of the same color is closed. Not all surfaces are able to accommodate a portal, and any attempt to do so will not affect the existing portals. Chell can also pick up objects, though she can only throw objects a short distance (affected by the player's momentum). These objects ("Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cubes" or a "Weighted Companion Cube") can be used to press large buttons to open doors or activate platforms, but barriers (known as "Material Emancipation Grids" or 'fizzlers', as described by the audio commentary) at the end of each test chamber or within certain test chambers prevent the player character from carrying such objects beyond them. Passage through these fields also closes any open portals, and portals cannot be fired through these fields

* source Wikipedia

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This report was started May 14, 2008 at 12:32 pm by Erik
with the last edit occurring Yesterday, 12:34 AM by Yale
This page has been viewed 1230 times, with 242 edits by 30 contributors.
See the full report history »

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Competitors

Portal is ranked 1st among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Video Games »
Mirror's Edge

Mirror's Edge

MSRP  $59.99    Released  November, 2008
Pros
  • Able to perform some really cool maneuvers
  • Fantastic animation and sense of weight
  • Very immersing experience
Cons
  • Weak plot
  • If you don't like the time trials, then the game can be short
  • Some sections are extremely difficult making you repeat them dozens of time
ProSCORE
8 reviews
62
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Portal 67% vs. vote Mirror's Edge 33%

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Comments

21 taps
show more
1.  avatar GT-D said:

absolutely spectacular game
May 14, 2008 4:06pm
2.  avatar Manzabar said:

Agreed though it is a bit too short. I wanted more when it was done and I still want more now! :)
May 15, 2008 4:31pm
3.  avatar Howlsthunder said:

I rented the Orange Box specifically for Portal on multiple occasions. If I had a console or computer that would run any of the versions (I am a Windowsless Mac/Wii owner currently) I would own this. :D One of my top 5 favorite games of all time.

I agree that the game is too short, but only in that I want more to play. I think that this incarnation of the game is a good length for the small, yet tight plot and that a longer game would require a bit more story.

That said, this game has awesome humor, slick puzzles, and game mechanics unlike any other game out there due to the portal gun. Portal appeals to a wider variety of gamers as well with its unique shooter/puzzle meld.

Apparently Valve has plans in the works for a much longer, full-size "Portal 2". I am sure it will do amazingly well. :)
May 27, 2008 9:10pm
4.  avatar Manzabar said:

@Howlsthunder: If you're on a recent Mac and want to try playing Portal, you might want to look into trying Crossover from Codeweavers. They give Portal a Silver rating (runs but not flawlessly).
May 28, 2008 10:30am
5.  avatar GT-D said:

Yeah it was a bit short - but it seemed like they weren't sure how far to go with it and wanted to get it out there... the advanced stages and various challenges modes did expand the replayability of it a bit.
May 29, 2008 10:39am
6.  avatar Erik said:

Woohoo. Available from Xbox Arcade. Niiiiiice.
Oct 23, 2008 2:35pm
7.  avatar Erik said:

First time playing last night, and already addicted. Now, I know what everyone is raving about. The puzzles are fantastic, and well thought out. The script is laugh out loud funny.

Oct 24, 2008 9:43am
8.  avatar BrileyKenney said:

Awesome game, if you can buy it with the orange box set; great price! I bought the orange box over steam when it first came out. The only problem I have with steam is that no matter what, it takes forever to load; come on valve get rid of those load times! Regardless it is still an awesome game, puzzles are great, voice-overs are solid, and the environment is unique; and what most of these reviews don't mention is that there is a large Portal user base with fan created content. Which means even though the game is short, the experience doesn't have to be. Not to mention the fact that the orange box version comes bundled with the source code and editing content to make your own mods and add-ons.
Nov 13, 2008 6:19am
9.  avatar mugglensu said:

Dont think too much about my pros n cons.............I HATE PUZZLE GAMES!!!
Dec 18, 2008 10:07am
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

keatsta

avatar
November 11, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
0 cons

Pros

  • Well thought out gameplay
  • Excellent script
  • Cheap - $20 on Steam
  • Atmospheric soundscape
  • Excellent learning curve - not much handholding, but you can figure out everything as you go along
  • great gameplay dynamics, a new and exciting way to use the source engine
  • connects interestingly to the Half-Life universe

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Competitors

keatsta prefers Portal over Mirror's Edge
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

listener

avatar
October 7, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
86
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
1 con

Pros

  • Well thought out gameplay
  • Excellent script
  • Excellent learning curve - not much handholding, but you can figure out everything as you go along
  • great gameplay dynamics, a new and exciting way to use the source engine
  • connects interestingly to the Half-Life universe
  • Lots of extra achievments.

Cons

  • Short

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Thomas Shouf

avatar
August 18, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
0 cons
love itlove it

Pros

  • Well thought out gameplay
  • Excellent script
  • Atmospheric soundscape
  • Excellent learning curve - not much handholding, but you can figure out everything as you go along
  • great gameplay dynamics, a new and exciting way to use the source engine
  • has a good song at the end "Still Alive"
  • Lots of extra achievments.

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

drl1989

avatar
May 20, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
0 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • Well thought out gameplay
  • Excellent script
  • Cheap - $20 on Steam
  • Atmospheric soundscape
  • Excellent learning curve - not much handholding, but you can figure out everything as you go along
  • great gameplay dynamics, a new and exciting way to use the source engine
  • Lots of extra achievments.

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

rabidpotatochip

avatar
May 28, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
2 pros
1 con
love itlove it
have ithave it
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Well thought out gameplay
  • Excellent script

Cons

  • Short

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

silence omo7

avatar
May 14, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
3 pros
0 cons
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Well thought out gameplay
  • Excellent script
  • Cheap - $20 on Steam

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Amanie

avatar
October 24, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
1 con
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • Voices and sounds can be loud and annoying at times

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Bluebery

avatar
January 3, 2009
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
0 cons
love itlove it
have ithave it
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • great gameplay dynamics, a new and exciting way to use the source engine

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No
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