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Portal 2 Hands On and Video
JudoChinX
September 11, 2010
Attending PAX Prime this year, I was excited to find out that there would be a new Portal 2 multiplayer demo available; but when I discovered that it wasn't playable, at least for most people attending, my heart sank. It turns out that the demo wasn't actually hands on. Instead, most would watch as a Valve developer and one lucky audience member played together through some of the game's first co-op levels. Even though most wouldn't be able to get their hands on the game, the line to view the new content was overwhelmingly long, and it was clear that this game was special as the crowd buzzed with excitement. As I waited for the demo, a representative of Valve decided to strike up a conversation with me, and asked me if I was a fan of the original Portal. I responded with an enthusiastic, "Yes!" and explained that I loved the first game. He then asked if I had played it on the PC or a console. I told him that I'd actually played the game on both the PC and Xbox 360. Then came the big moment. "Do you want to play it?" he asked. "In front of everyone?" I questioned. He confirmed that I would have a chance to play the game in front of a small crowd of excited fans. I can be a little shy, but I knew that I'd never forgive myself if I let that special opportunity pass. I agreed to play.
Loving the original Portal, I was both concerned and excited for co-operative play. Too often we see developers tack on co-op needlessly. After all, if something is fun, then it must be more fun with two or even more people, right? Sadly, that's not always the case, but it's certainly not an issue found in Portal 2. The first thing you should know is that Portal 2's co-op mode is not simply the main single player campaign with two people. Rather, it's a completely new experience tuned for two players. Sitting down, we were first shown a video introducing the game's two co-operative protagonists: a pair of as of yet (and who very well will remain) nameless robots; one a personality core and the other a turret. The first thing that hit me was just how personable these two characters were. Robots, by their very nature, are cold and emotionless, and other than WALL-E, I can't recall any other robots that were expressive and relatable, at least until now. The co-op game's protagonists were cute and charming as they showed a few examples of how having two characters with portal guns would change the game. This means that puzzles in co-op will be solved using four portals rather than the traditional two that we're used to. Some of the puzzles shown included redirecting lasers to beacons, launching each other across obstacles using infinite loops, and connecting two points for the other player. To help ease communication, Valve has included a way to show the other player where you need them to make a portal. Simply hit up on the d-pad, and a marker appears on the screen to help guide your partner. Want to show your excitement after overcoming an especially difficult obstacle? Portal 2 has you covered. Hit left on the d-pad, and both robots will move in for a delightful embrace. It was a truly heartwarming and humorous scene, which had the audience in an uproar.
Visually, the game was a powerhouse. It's obvious that this is not the same version of Source that was used on the original Portal, as surfaces were far more detailed, and animations more fluid than those in the previous game. The game controlled well with the actual control scheme being a near mirror of that found in the original. Portal 2 was a fan favorite of PAX Prime, and is bound to be one of the best titles of 2011. To become a bit more familiar with the robot known as Wheatley from the single player campaign, be sure to check out the included video. To see the latest co-op trailer, check out the second included video.
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