This AH-HA moment brought to you by Portal 2. Don’t call it a Backlog Review.

Portal, I love this game. I really was a bit shy towards it when I bought the Orange Box in an EBay lot back a few years ago. I bought the Orange Box for Half Life 2 because Ranvier said it was awesome; at least he thought the first one was. Now I beat and enjoyed Half Life 2, then I decided to play Portal. This little unknown side note became a phenomena or something like that. All about a test subject trying to escape; there has to be some deep metaphor how all of us are trying to escape or maybe not.

If you don’t know the Portal story already I pretty much gave it away previously. You are a test subject named Chell trying to escape from the clutches of the Aperture Science Laboratories overruled by the omnipotent and powerful GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System). The first game she promises you cake. Scribbled everywhere throughout the game are the ravings of the previous test subjects, “the cake is a lie, the cake is a lie.” Brilliant subtle humor. GLaDOS has a sarcasm chip and knows how to use it; witty, tongue in cheek jabs at your abilities. 

Well it’s a new game and you have just been awakened 999999999 years in the future, figures not accurate. Wheatley, the AI in control of tending to the human test subjects decides to wake you as you being one of few left alive to get you out. As the labs are deteriorating into rubble and plants have overrun the facility, leaving things in a state of chaos. You puzzle your way until you meet up with GLaDOS once again. I am not going to say much more, those that have played and beat the first Portal will understand, this is bad. GLaDOS has some of the best lines in the game. For those of you that have played the first game you will love the direction Portal 2 takes. It really took me off guard, as I was expecting more of the same. This is…but with a twist.

The game play is simple enough once again, you are armed a Portal device making an orange and blue portal which are used to transfer you through this small rip in time and space. Bloody brilliant. That is just the beginning though, complex puzzles and using the device to solve and move through areas of the labs gets difficult. In my opinion the puzzles in the first game were a tad more difficult, with timing and portal placements; Portal 2 is definitely more elaborate. They have added lasers and gels this time around, it adds to the mix quite well.

Grapically this is still running on the same engine from the oringinal from 2007. I like the engine, it is simply designed, nothing pops out at you visually but it is very crisp and clear, with very little details that make it look realistic enough.

If you like the first one, guarantee you will love the second one. All the best stuff from the first game and then added a story to make it even better, well, if you can call it a story, more like a dilemma we’ll say.

The Rating System

1 Inu - This Inu is bad. It eats baby birds out of trees, craps in you shoes, and scares any potential female friends away with its ferocious demeanor.

2 Inu's - This Inu has been taken to obedience training, but failed. The dog tried hard, but just never got any of the tricks right.

3 Inu's - An average lovable Inu, sure its not gonna win any awards, but it is a faithful companion

4 Inu's - This Inu is special, he knows all of his tricks, everyone loves him, and he sits by your side every time you come back from the bar... alone.

5 Inu's - This is Inu is legendary. He is a dog among puppies. One day there will be movies made about how awesome he is.


If you haven't played this series and you like puzzles in a FPS view, I strongly suggest you try this game. Start and beat Portal. The story of Portal 2 hinges on the fact that you have beat the first game and you will enjoy the story that much more. 4.99 INUs I'll probably never give a game a 5 but this truly the type of game that I can't get enough of. The puzzles are complex but once you solve them the AH-HA factor is so satisfying. The story is great with a twist that is pure humor but adds to the series and the canon of Portal. The Orange Box is worth the purchase of the original Portal and Half Life 2 and the following episodes. In my opinion.