Portal 2 - a great game that is unfortunately much too fast.

"Portal 2" is the really successful continuation of the PC classic "Portal", which was an original gameplay, interesting physics puzzles and a particular sense of humor in a short time become a cult game.

The gameplay of Portal 2 ...

... Is as simple as it is ingenious. The player must cross with the help of portals test chambers and in them different puzzles that are based on the credible from ingame by physics to solve, in order to reach the exit can. The game is played, unlike regular puzzle games (like in classic adventure games), in the "first-person" perspective, that is similar to a popular first-person shooter. However, there is virtually no violence and only one weapon, the Portal gun in Portal 2. Shoots times it (left-click) on a Special surface form a blue entrance, with a second shot (right click) opens an orange exit portal. If both portals are opened correctly, the player, or other object can pass through without the actual space to have to cross in between. The portals work here in both directions and always similar to each other. No matter in which direction a portal has been positioned, an object that crosses it will come out at the same angle and at the same speed again as it has penetrated.

To quote the game: "What goes in quickly also quickly comes back out."

For this purpose a small example: Imagine the front, you get stuck in a test chamber, in front of them there is an abyss, and on the other side is the output, you need to reach. Sorry, but there on the other side no suitable place to open a portal. What do you do? The answer is relatively simple: you plunge into the abyss! Yes, you read that right. What would usually result in other games to certain death, is the key to success in Portal 2. Before you jump into the abyss, they open more quickly behind a portal and in the case of a second, at the exact spot on which they are set up (Do not worry! By Collapsed from a great height they can "normally" do not die). Because they retain their entry speed into the portal exit, they are thrown directly over the abyss and thus reach to the other side of the test chamber. This is also called "Portal" effect.

That might sound a bit complicated, it would probably also, but I can assure you. The girls and boys from Valve have done an excellent job here. Nestled in a witty story, flavored with exciting puzzle elements (such as laser beams, Tractor Beam, turrets, light bridges, springboards, jump- speed and Moongele) and topped by an incomparable antagonist, is the Portal 2-creators here a really great game and a great level design succeeded. The test chambers provide the player at any time prior intractable challenges to become monotonous without. Rather Portal 2 as a good crossword puzzle is (One may forgive me this comparison.): Difficult enough to challenge, but without annoying head nuts that could not crack even university professors.

Sound, graphics and story

Now it is a little difficult for me. I've never thought much of it to define individual game elements by numbers or points. If I like a game, I can even forgive through from an annoying background music or unsightly artifacts. Such things are always connected to a purely subjective sense of taste and therefore difficult to explain. To put it another way: What I liked, my neighbor might find disgusting, and vice versa.

Nevertheless, I would like to briefly go into it: I think everything was great!

I beg your pardon ?! Too short? Well okay ...

The music is well done and fits almost always to the situation. The German voice actor (one I think the German voice of Jack Black.) These are all Office cast excellently and erstklassisch been staged. However, I must confess that my voice of Glados has fallen in the first part a little better. In Portal 2 it sounds to me something "human" to. Especially by the electronic-distorted voice of the first part was their actual form credible. On the other hand, her character in Portal 2 developed much further, which should of course also reflected in their main means of expression. Fashion Victims so.

About graphics, I can not complain really. She is beautiful, there are many charming details, nice effects and, in many respects great staging. It's actually a shame that the player must rush through some areas.

The plot of the first Portal game revolved around a young woman named Chell and her escape from a mysterious laboratory facility. The second part is here now seamlessly and can the predecessor in terms of humor, originality and surprising turn even surpass. In fact, the story of the bizarre test facility is one of the main motivations of the game. Without wanting to give away too much, I can promise that many unanswered questions of the first part to be answered (In one way or another.).

The co-op has me personally the most surprising (in a positive and negative sense). Since my Counterstrike time hardly made me the multiplayer of the game can really convince. I often had the impression that the co-op part in many games actually served only an end in itself and technically made little to no sense. That's definitely in Portal 2 different. The player assumes the role of one of two robots, and has, together with his partners, like in single player, solve tasks in test chambers. The crux of the whole thing is that no player can solve these tasks alone. Teamwork, as I experienced it never before, so is an absolute must.

What I did not like the Co-op is the very expensive in-game shop, where you can earn a lot of money for embellishments such as painting, gestures, hats or small flags for his robot. Basically, I have nothing against DLC or like when you expand the game sense and also still contribute to the financing of a free multiplayer (providing the server maintenance and monitoring) - Why not? - However, if the total price of the additional content offered (. I'm talking still of cones and flags and so nen bullshit) exceeds the purchase price of the actual game, it really verschlägt a language. The over-priced in-game store would really be difficult for the weight of the vote, if you shop there "would", but you do not. Drum can ignore braved the matter. Too bad, with a reasonable price-performance ratio Valve had to make many fans happy here.

All in all, I have only one real gripe with Portal 2 and that's the Time. For the single player, I needed about 12 hours and was then even more easily. Even more portal, more puzzles, more Glados and -Damn again! - I want to know what happens next!
Let us be true, I do not blame Valve. In those 12 hours I was really entertained notch for my money. I want more, actually only shows that the portal developers have (almost) everything right. It would have been very easy to stretch the season artificially. Here and there a mystery unnecessarily difficult, a little turned on the physics-screw, a few turrets repositioned, installing less autosave points and already the player needs twice as long for playthrough. Okay, it is then also often frustrated, but 30 hours time sounds so much better. I can only say: Thank Valve and my respect, you did dispense with such trickery.

Conclusion: Portal 2 is an ingenious puzzle game with quirky humor and a surprising finale.

A very strong buy recommendation from me!

And if you are still reluctant to take a look at the first Portal quiet part of. For little money you actually get a very good impression of the continuation and 4 very entertainment.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Portal 2 is repeatedly criticized for its connection to Steam. I am basically of the opinion that games and Steam should be evaluated independently, since these also involve different things, and the link from the user at any time can be reduced to a minimum.

I do not want to talk about sense or nonsense of Steam or similar platforms here really. There are finally forums. What disturbs me, however, very, is that a lot of nonsense is disseminated. That is why I would like briefly to Steam, its pros and cons go, and maybe so, answer a question or two.

- What is Steam? -

Steam is a distribution platform for PC games, developed and operated by Valve (the creators portal). It serves mainly the sales of PC games in digital form (Download) and the monitoring of these Games (copy protection).

- What are the requirements to fulfill for Steam? -

The main requirement, in addition to a working PC, is an internet connection, as all games must be registered online. Before a Steam-bound game can be installed, Steam must be set up on the PC first. The software for this is generally supplied with the game or can be downloaded from the internet for free. After installing Steam an account yet to be established.

- Do you have to constantly be online on Steam? -

No. Every game has to be registered once, then you can enable offline mode.

- Do all Steam games are downloaded, even if I have purchased on DVD? -

No. It can be installed from physical media or be ordered directly from Steam online.

- What data needs to be specify if I set up a Steam account? -

A user name, an email address and a password. ATTENTION! Steam games are tied at the registration to the Steam account. Without these data, the game is practically worthless.

- What are my benefits with Steam? -

Games in online mode are constantly maintained (Patch). This service may, however, be viewed with mixed feelings. Since a return to older versions of the game is impossible and Valve hence undesirable changes (such as advertising) can insert into play.

The Steam client is part of the Steam community.

Once registered games and game content (DLC) can be obtained from the account at any time, even if the actual disk is no longer available.

Steam often offers attractive bargains.

- What are my shortcomings through Steam? -

One of the main criticisms of Steam is probably the fact that a physical disk (DVD) is linked to a digital account, and thus the resale is significantly more difficult.

The online registration and the related dependence (server failures, overload when new,) is often valued negatively, but, in one form or another, has long been standard in PC software.

Consumer advocates criticize that Steam procured by the compulsory registration of its sales platform an anti-competitive advantage.

To which it is known the Steam data of its members accumulated (successes, seasons, hardware information), presumably to evaluate them commercially and technically, a process which is quite common in practically every industry. But this is pure speculation, since Steam issued with reference to data protection, as well as any information on this subject.