tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208890564265615027.post2902909070273676392..comments2024-03-08T19:47:41.485+11:00Comments on Ascii Dreams: Review: Portal 2Andrew Doullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099404183952971291noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208890564265615027.post-82926062448779818082011-04-21T21:19:34.873+10:002011-04-21T21:19:34.873+10:00I felt like I was on rails the whole time, too. F...I felt like I was on rails the whole time, too. For the test, this was pretty much expected. The non-test areas were even worse, though. At least let me take a wrong turn once in a while.<br /><br />Being able to complete tests in multiple ways would have been nice, too.<br /><br />Having said that, I beat the game yesterday, and played a ton of co-op, and I'm still super hyper about the game. At my age, I don't often get hyper any more. It was absolutely amazing.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830815127091799751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208890564265615027.post-44212868536557479982011-04-21T09:32:19.260+10:002011-04-21T09:32:19.260+10:00Very interesting take on it and nicely written. I ...Very interesting take on it and nicely written. I really enjoyed Portal 2 but got a hint of what (I think) you're alluding to. It feels like an uncanny valley equivalent for gameplay - things were a little <i>too</i> clean so you could sense the artifice.<br /><br />However I don't take it quite the way you do. While a lot of the signposting was super-obvious, it reminded me of issues with the recent map release for L4D2, Cold Stream. It was created by a community mapper, so they didn't have the clean flow that Valve maps do. In fact, the path forward was so often obscured, unobvious or just plain weird to get to that it frustrated me no end. In the few occasions where the way forward in Portal 2 wasn't obvious, it irritated me. I don't know if wanting clear guidance makes me a good Valve lab rat, or if it's just about good level design.<br /><br />Some of the rhythm of the game was a little too inorganic - solve puzzle, get funny line. Corridor, corridor, open vista, corridor. But there were enough twists to show they weren't as robotic as you suggest. Moreover, they lampshade this on a few occasions (GLaDOS' trap, for example), so they are aware of what they're doing. Parts of it felt like a deconstruction of their own game development practices, especially in Portal 1.<br /><br />I disagree with the ARG/marketing angle, the fact that they cut gels for simplistic philosophies, that the levels were the same thing they've had for the last 13 years, and that they cut the technician for any reason (it's quite obvious he died a long time ago). Nevertheless I think these are valid concerns and interestingly presented. Thanks.BrettWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01298919494493414819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208890564265615027.post-85985399694630704102011-04-20T23:27:41.829+10:002011-04-20T23:27:41.829+10:00I had written this earlier today, but held back fr...I had written this earlier today, but held back from posting it for a number of reasons. Until I read <a href="http://iam.benabraham.net/2011/04/a-short-word-on-portal-2/" rel="nofollow">this article on Portal 2</a> and realised I wasn't the only person with this reaction.Andrew Doullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11099404183952971291noreply@blogger.com