Portal 2
The first Portal was intentionally omitted from the previous list, because even though Portal is definitely a must-play, it isn't one of my go-to games for a list of favorites. Portal 2 was omitted not for similar reasons, but because I hadn't played it yet. I beat it yesterday. Portal 2 isn't necessarily a must-play - it feels redundant sitting next to Portal 1 in that regard - but it definitely goes on the favorites list.
I know I need to justify these thoughts.
WARNING: Probably some spoilers for Portal 1 follow. Frankly, if you haven't played it yet, shame on you. Also I don't know why you're reading a blog about video games because you clearly do not care about the medium. If for some reason you do care and haven't played it, go do that now. As in, close your browser and go get it. Now.
Also, there might be things considered spoiler-y for those of you who haven't played Portal 2 yet and don't want to know anything about it. So, look out? I'm only going to say insiginificant things, like "you get a gun that shoots blue and orange portals again", but if that bothers anyone get out now.
Portal was brilliant, amazing, and plenty more nice words. But it never felt like a full game to me. It seemed like a very well-realiezd proof-of-concept for another game. And I'll admit, I was unsure as to whether the one mechanic of "a gun that shoots portals" could sustain a full-length game.
Then Portal 2 happened.
Portal 2 is a full game. Portal 2 has all the trappings of a triple-A blockbuster, whereas Portal felt more like an indie title. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind. Some of my best friends are indie titles. Rather, indie titles pioneer new modes of gameplay, as in Portal 1, triple-A games refine the concept with big budgets and long development cycles and lots of gameplay doodads and sprawling level design and stuff (if they do it right and don't blow all their money on shiny goddamn graphics), as in Portal 2. Portal 1's story was implied, and in that way was told extremely well. But there wasn't much plot involved, just atmosphere. Portal 2 uses that as a launching point, where you have some background on Aperture Science and how things went terribly wrong, and then goes on to tell a story. With more than one voiced character, even. Portal 2 also expands upon the backstory, albeit in a less subtle fashion than in the first.
The new gameplay elements are brilliant. The lights and liquids that can be manipulated with portals open up puzzles that are far beyond the complexity found in the first game. The level design is great, albeit somewhat less open than in the first. Often I would ask myself "was I supposed to do that?" because I thought I had thought of something more clever than the game had anticipated. Only for the game to come back at me and say "yeah, that was what we expected," which made me feel that it had trained me very well, previously. I wasn't entirely sure what to do with that feeling, actually.
Portal 2 does have two weaknesses that stand out at me.
For one, there's a few moments before the second set of test chambers where it's not obvious where you're supposed to go. I forgive the game for this because 1) it actually helps the tone (although I'm skeptical that that was an intended effect), 2) it's okay that a few minutes of a seven-ish hour game are a touch slow, and 3) I spent much longer going "derp" toward some of the later puzzles, so consider it a "hide and seek" puzzle and it's accounted for. Still, it's not an enjoyable thing and I remember it, so it's worth mentioning.
And two, the game was clearly made to have more mass appeal. I mentioned before that it's a full triple-A project this time, which means it's got to have a wider spread, and therefore it can't have anything too edgy out there. Still, it doesn't do away with any of the black humor from the first. If anything, it actually has more. Turrents apparently feel pain, or simulated pain, but it's real to them. A character says this casually as a bunch are tossed into an incinerator. Hilarious. Um. Still, the game definitely feels less like it was made for you as a special present, and more like it was made for a bunch of people to enjoy. It is responsible with this, and doesn't indulge in self-satisfied pandering to the cake crowd, so that's a relief.
In the end, the bottom line is, in summary: They made a sequel to Portal. And it did not disappoint.
Consider how often this is simply not the case. Final Fantasy VIII to Final Fantasy VII. Warrior Within to Sands of Time. KotOR II to KotOR. And Portal of all things is a tough act to follow. And they pulled it off.
For some, Portal 2 was great, but doesn't surpass the original. For me, it was the game that the original set up years before, and Portal 2 was the crescendo that delivered with superb gameplay, an engaging story, some truly interesting characters (and plot twists), and a surprisingly good musical score. Also? It is incredibly fun. That's certainly implied by "superb gameplay," but it's worth stating twice.
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Aside: the concept of a must-play game
I consider some games as must-plays. Many of them aren't my favorite games. Some of them I'm not sure if I even like. But, they are required reading. They're the gaming equivalent of classics. They demand study and attention, or at least a passing familiarity.
Some must-plays:
Portal, obviously
God of War
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Mario Bros. 1 or 3
One of the Final Fantasies (pref. IV, VI, VII, IX, X)
One of the Pokemon games (the real ones, Red/Blue, Gold/Silver, etc., not that Pinball or Safari or Hey You Pikachu crap)
Chrono Trigger
Super Metroid and/or Symphony of the Night
Minecraft
World of Warcraft
Grand Theft Auto 3 or later
Halo
And so on.
You don't necessarily need to have played one of these games in their entirety, just enough to get a feel for it. A.k.a. an hour or two. Well, maybe WoW needs more than an hour to get "the full effect", but you get my point.
A "well-read" gamer will have at least passing familiarity with more than half of these. Maybe they haven't played them themselves, but watched friends play. A "well-read" gamer must have heard of over 90% of these. That's somewhat non-negotiable. You can't call yourself a hardcore gamer if you haven't even heard of Half-Life 2, Halo, or Call of Duty; you're effectively missing an entire genre there, and not even a small/niche one like interactive novels.
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