1. Summary
2. Background
3. Hype

Portal 2 is the game many people have been waiting for. Thankfully, we haven't had to wait six years for its announcement, much less release. The teaser trailer presented at E3, despite being short, showed an incredible amount of change between the first and second game. The question is whether or not it will be for the better. Naturally, this means it's time for a little deconstruction. Before we begin, however, we would like to make a single, off-topic statement: the music in the Portal 2 trailer is amazing.

One of the major problems with the original Portal in development was that players often looked for environmental solutions to puzzles instead of using the portal gun. Thus, Valve made the environments clinical and minimalistic so that the player would be guided intelligently through the stages. This appears to be partially true in the sequel, but with the noted exception that the test areas are now overgrown and dilapidated. We're actually a little concerned on this point, as one particular area shown in the trailer looks so overgrown that it's hard to tell what is going on. We do like, though, that it does depict some of the new minimalistic stages in the trailer, especially since they are shown literally erupting from the walls of the old complex.

Another point of contention is the possible length of Portal 2. Valve has yet to come forward with even a relative on how long it will be. The first game was short, which was both praised and criticized by the gaming public. After all, Portal ends abruptly right as you really get into it. Not only that, but it ends on a cliffhanger! We're betting that Portal 2 will be longer than the original, but here Valve has to play a careful balancing game. After all, one step too far in either direction may cause an issue with either tedium (making it too long) or frustration (too short). Given Valve's pedigree, we're willing to believe it'll end up being just right.

Something that caught our attention that was shown in the E3 demo is the inclusion of paint mechanics. This is directly taken from the game Tag: The Power of Paint, which we have covered before on Freeware Friday. After all, Valve hired the DigiPen student team responsible for Tag, and it appears they put them to good use on Portal 2. While we're sure the gameplay will be incredibly fun, there is a minor thematic disconnect between the semi-realism of Portal and the goopy, goofy nature of using paint. This only seems to be reinforced in the demo, which showcases the paint in a way almost separate from the Portal world. This makes it the only new, known, major feature to have this sort of cognitive dissonance. After all, the two others shown (pneumatic tubes, gravity switching) both fit within Portal's framework.

Portal 2 is one of the few games shown at this E3 that we are genuinely excited for. Despite our potential misgivings about length, thematic conflicts, or environmental confusion, the demo and trailer both make Portal 2 out to be an incredible-looking game. If you play games on the PC at all, you are familiar with Valve's legacy of excellent first-person shooters, and Portal 2 looks to continue that tradition. Here's hoping that Valve gives it all the time it needs to be perfect.