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Portal Review (continued)
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Manufacturer: Electronic Arts
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ESRB Rating: Teen
Platform(s): Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP
Release Date: April 8, 2008
Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Retail Price: $9.99
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More User Submitted Portal Reviews
Date: 2008-05-25
Mountain out of a Molehill
First, let me say that I don't appreciate not being informed by the product that it was an online game. I do not buy online-only games. And though this game can be played off-line, the player is forced to go to an online site to obtain the full program.
Then there is that online site's program that is now resident on my computer, taking up memory and really serving no function except to act as an intermediate between me and the product which I payed good money for. Found out about this condition when trying to initially install the program and was informed that I had a 'steam.dll error'. It took a little web surfing to discover that I needed to be online while installing.
Next is the size of the program. From the look and mechanics within the game, there is no apparent reason for the program to be in the multi-Gigabytes! And that wait while the online site downloads their program is no picnic either.
Then there is the play itself. After having the program crash several times around the 10th level, I finally was able to fix it by running the game in a window instead of fullscreen. Obviously there is some form of rendering problem, which is not the fault of the computer but the program.
So when I took a break from chasing this problem which there was apparently no advise available anywhere, and came back to play. The program informed me that I need to once again go to the on-line site. I could not figure why this was necessary. Thought it might have been because I did not fill out their survey, so I did that. And once again, tried to play the game.
Okay, I'm done. The game was rather short. And I know that there are additional levels which can be downloaded from the online site. But that means just more inconvenience. So I removed it and the online site's program from my 'puter. And will probably never load them up again.
Let me add, the game is rather beautiful and the potential play could be great. But not near what most of the rave reviews have given it. Could this all be just product hype by the industry to get us to accept this form of gaming? Not actually owning a game, but renting it piecemeal (remember that it costs most people to have an ISP).
Finally, I am not angry with the developers of this game, just disappointed. They have a great idea, it seems that they let someone talk them into this convoluted method of distribution. Probably driven by the fear of software piracy.
If this ever becomes a stand-alone game, I will probably revisited it. Until then, I have no further interest.
Date: 2008-05-24
Awesome!!!
This game is so creative and fun! The gameplay is fresh and will get you thinking but not looking at gamefaqs. It is just a trainride of fun from start to finish. The dark humor is hilarious and the game is very memorable. downloadable levels extend the life. Even though it is not too long it just helps to get you to the awesome ending. Then see if you can beat the extras!
Date: 2008-05-17
Very Challenging But Crashes
I ordered the Portal DVD expecting a stand-alone game for the PC. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had to sign on for Steam in order to play it. Although I have a strong video card and processor, the game crashed frequently or stuttered both in video and sound. I spent several weeks changing around start-up applications and game options until the crashes stopped (at least most of the time). Good game, but a pain to get running smoothly.
Date: 2008-05-15
A+
This game is very good, its a combination puzzle FPS game. The AI in the game is very entertaining. the game is short but in this case that is isn't such a bad thing.
Date: 2008-05-07
A must-have for fans of FPS games - and others as well
I bought the Orange Box for the Half-Life Episode and was not disappointed. Then I fired up Portal and realized that this was even better!
If you blow through the game as fast as you can it can feel a bit on the short side, but for $10-$20 I think the length is not unreasonable. What it lacks in duration it makes up for in addictive gameplay and wicked humor. I was not disappointed in the length. And yes, they are working on a sequel.
As the game progresses, the challenges get more difficult and GlaDOS becomes more imbalanced. You have to use the portal gun and the companion cube to navigate increasingly complex puzzles. The portable gun turrets are easily disabled by knocking them over, but getting into position to do so or figuring out how to drop one turret through a portal onto another is the challenge here.
Those familiar with the Half-Life universe will notice references to Black Mesa, etc., and Portal 2 may incorporate both (or the next episode of Half-Life might, who knows?).
If you are so inclined, there is also a way to import the portal gun into the Half-Life games with some limited funtionality, a little google searching will reveal how.
Overall, the simple yet addictive gameplay and humor of the game win out over any concerns of brevity. Highly recommended.
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