Portal 2: is it actually a good idea?

by Richard Mitchell { Jan 10th 2008 at 3:15PM }

MTV's Multiplayer poses an interesting question: does Portal need a sequel? Hailed by many as one of the best games of 2007, and hailed by some as the best game of 2007, Portal represented a truly unique and engaging experience rarely seen in the video game industry. As Multiplayer puts it, the game was satisfying; it didn't leave you wanting more. Of course, we all know that one-off gaming creations are less than common in video games, as the ultimate goal of publishers and developers is to create a game that can be turned into a successful franchise. The question is not whether or not Portal will receive a sequel, but if it should.

Our answer: yes. Because GLaDOS is still alive, and she's got to go. But what do you think? That's what we want to know. As such, we've drummed up a poll asking that very questions. Submit your answer below and tell us why you picked it in the comments.

[Via Joystiq]

Tags: ea, electronic-arts, orange-box, portal, portal-2, valve

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

pfunk @ Jan 28th 2008 1:08PM

Of course a portal sequel is a good idea. What idiot wrote this? Is there even a person out there that hates the game?

konner @ Jan 30th 2008 11:32PM

well portal does end up being used in episode 3 there are hints at the end of episode 2 showing that aputure science labs is going to be part of the game. But of course... this doesn't answer what happens to the girl maybe shes like.. Alex's cousin lol

DrFreemanstein @ Jan 31st 2008 4:56AM

Portal as a game could be said to have cult-status and as such, like many movies with the same following, could well be ruined by a sequel, in particular a unsympathetic or over-explaining one, especially if it aims to give the gamer closure.
Ask yourselves this...would a sequel to a movie like Donnie Darko, be a good idea?? Or would it over explain the plot and ruin the intrigue of the story and fun of speculation??
The other option is to make a sequel 'a-la' Silent Hill in which very little of the plot is actually explained in subsequent sequels, still encouraging the gamer to use their imagination as to what is really happening. You may notice however, that when they made the Silent Hill movie, they tried too hard to explain and ended up spoiling the plot somewhat.
Ultimately it comes down to GLaDOS as a character...
Should it be finished? Or should the character be left to continue doing "science", in it's own malevolent, unsupervised, misguided and slightly insane way that we all love?? Do we really need another load of tests again, which will seem all too similar to ones we have already done, or would it be better to have another different and original facet of the "lambda-verse"?? Could this perhaps, be arriving with the forthcoming "Black-Mesa"? Who knows, but I hope Valve continue to add flesh to the "lambda-verse" with the new and exciting gameplay that Portal demonstrated was possible.

DrFreemanstein @ Jan 31st 2008 5:03AM

Sorry...just an additional comment having read some of the previous ones in more detail!

Perhaps if Aperture Labs are featured in Ep.3, then maybe Gordon or Alex will witness the labs little explosion and come across the dead or dying lying amongst the debris clutching the "Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device", which you can then take and will need to use, especially if the games path takes you through Aperture Labs??

Just a thought!

logan graham @ Feb 17th 2008 6:22AM

i think that it should be yes and have the baseline of portal 2 outside the labs were glados is taking over the world's computer systems.

p.s. they best not forget the cake

somerville @ Feb 28th 2008 8:04PM

gordan and alyx should run into aperture labs, the portal gun, and maybe the in-game creator of glados survives the explosion and rebuilds his precious machine, with new and improved STUFF, LIKE POWERS!!!!! and perhaps have a new human-like form???

Tony @ Jan 10th 2008 3:20PM

There simply isn't enough to do in the game to have it just end there. I don't know that it necessarily needs a sequel per se, but I think most people would at least enjoy additional puzzles.

I have to imagine they'll be using technology similar to this in future Half-Life 2 episodes anyway. Someone already hacked the portal gun into the PC version.

Cass-D @ Jan 10th 2008 3:20PM

I would like to find out why the hell you in the facility to begin with. Then where the hell did you go after you left. I mean common you still have the portal creator, man talk about an expert thief with this gadget.

pandlcg @ Jan 10th 2008 3:20PM

I was under the impression that they were going to work the portal gun and the main character into the half life universe in the next episode. Not sure if i just made that up in my head, but i'm pretty sure i read it on the intertubes.

MrMuggs @ Jan 10th 2008 3:23PM

I thought there were going to be tons of user created add-on levels for Portal. I enjoy the game for the puzzle and mechanics. The story is great but I'm happy with more levels. Why doesn't Valve create some DLC levels for Portal? I would be happy with that.

Larry not allowed to say cheevo @ Jan 10th 2008 3:25PM

Portal was just a fantastic game. I would be very disappointed if there wasn't another game in the works. The idea was awesome, the gameplay is totally fun, and this game appeals to a wide variety of gamers. Portal is a winner, big time.

Larry not allowed to say cheevo @ Jan 10th 2008 3:25PM

Michael Paul @ Jan 10th 2008 3:26PM

The type of surface that supports a portal wasn't everywhere in the first game, so hopefully whatever they do lets you get around some in the fresh air and not shove you into some new rathole in a quest for cake...

GoldenPie @ Jan 10th 2008 3:32PM

Portal was a great game but it was too short. I would love if they did a sequel. Hell, even a few DLC levels or something would be good.

GoldenPie @ Jan 10th 2008 3:33PM

Portal was a great game but it was too short. I would love if they did a sequel. Hell, even a few DLC levels or something would be good.

GoldenPie @ Jan 10th 2008 3:34PM

Ugh, what is up with the commments today? Meh, it's probably just my computer. Sorry for this..

Flash2000 @ Jan 10th 2008 3:35PM

It'd be great to make it more of a story as well. GLaDOS is a great villain, you could do a lot with her. She's basically Hal9000 in charge of a very scary testing facility. Nothing worse than a homicidal , all seeing, robot.

autochthonous @ Jan 10th 2008 3:57PM

I like cake. I would love to see some real-world type puzzles in a Portal sequel. You've got the Portal gun, take it out into the world and have a ball!

Etchasketchist @ Jan 10th 2008 3:47PM

Two words: Dual wielding.

Etchasketchist @ Jan 10th 2008 3:48PM

Two words: Dual wielding.

DemonGSides @ Jan 10th 2008 3:52PM

Two words.

Double post

Etchasketchist @ Jan 10th 2008 5:29PM

Not my fault.

Nick @ Jan 10th 2008 3:53PM

I think a sequel would be nice with a larger variety of puzzles and problem solving scenarios. I feel like the first game was just scraping the ice with the possibilities. Not too mention multiplayer, which I think, if done tastefully and well, could be awesome and refreshingly different. Imagine a tag type game of some sorts where there a few people chasing each other around a level with the portal gun. Player A creates an orange hole and jumps through and quickly attempts to shoot another orange hole to close his/her escape, but player B from across the map shoots a portal through Player A's portal and then dives through a secondary portal catching up with player A and then blam, he shoots, tags, kills, whatevers the person. The possibilities really are quiet infinite when it comes to the unique scenarios that could be formulated in a multiplayer portal setting. So basically, count me in, one order of Portal 2 please.

-Nick

ogvor @ Jan 10th 2008 4:01PM

I think you should have had more options on the poll. I would like to see (and expect to see) the Portal gun in Half Life 2: Episode 3, but a direct Portal sequel would probably just end up sullying it's reputation. Chell (character you play) could even end up meeting up with Gordon, or perhaps Gordon must go into Aperture science to defeat GLaDOS. Hmmm.... I might have just convinced myself of wanting a sequel.

James @ Jan 10th 2008 4:04PM

I gotta say: I chose the PC version of Orange Box because I thought I'd be downloading a ton of user TF2 maps. I haven't been, but I'm *thrilled* to be able to download custom Portal puzzles.

Sorry, guys. I love my 360 (well, loved -- I'm sure I'll love it again once it gets back from the RROD repair depot), but it's the worst possible platform for user generated content. Even the PS3 gets the UT3 "mod cooker" some time this month...

James @ Jan 10th 2008 4:05PM

intRvenous @ Jan 10th 2008 4:09PM

Just imagine the Portal gun against live enemies - the possibilities are endless. Oh... and it would be sweet to have the story converge with the Half-Life series and have some cross-game coop.

intRvenous @ Jan 10th 2008 4:11PM

( + Half-Life coop ) one player: gravity gun, the other: portal gun. Mix in tons of enemies...

George Arauz @ Jan 10th 2008 4:20PM

Definitely a good idea... its a great game.

akatsuki @ Jan 10th 2008 4:45PM

No. They should just release DLC level packs. Then stick the portal gun in HL3, maybe grenade launcher style so you don't have to switch weapons. The only problem with the portal gun is that the levels have to be sort of designed to work well with it, and that might make HL3 seem a bit "fake" in layout.

Etchasketchist @ Jan 10th 2008 5:30PM

Half life levels already feel fake.

J @ Jan 10th 2008 4:52PM

Yes! Let us eat cake!!

As far as the story goes, it would make most sense to either make the sequel begin exactly where Portal leaves off, or a prequel.

Adding new content and maps would, although not a huge deal, not jive with the original, because there were a certain number of actual levels that were numbered. How would they explain just adding more maps? It is a severely nitpicky point, but it makes the idea of simply additional maps seem forced.

Or, at the very least, give the portal gun to Gordon in Episode 3.

carll @ Jan 10th 2008 4:58PM

Of course there should be a sequel. No question.

AnOffday @ Jan 10th 2008 5:24PM

My question is what does MTV know about video games? Aren't they too busy creating fake shows like the Hills and Laguna Beach to worry about games?

matt mcclard @ Jan 10th 2008 5:27PM

i say yes. and make good and make it quick!

bigmac375 @ Jan 10th 2008 5:56PM

it doesn't need one, it will be blended into the main half- life game

Bill @ Jan 10th 2008 6:07PM

Doing more test chambers is out of the question, and I doubt Valve would take you from the isolated environment of Aperture Science and dump you right into armed combat with the Portal gun. Portal is at its heart a puzzle game, and you can't just change it to a shooter and call it the same thing. But moving it into the "real world" seems like the next step. Anyone who's seen this video should realize how crazy/cool it could be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKg3TUPQ8Sg

Oh well, we should all just be happy that Valve is in charge of this decision. I have faith they'll do it right.

Rufus @ Jan 10th 2008 6:11PM

No, no, no... I say sure to a second Portal game, but they should make it a prequel. Perhaps even including the former 'slave' to Aperture.

It's evident the entire facility went a little weird after the initial person's presence as it's completely empty bar GLADOS 'herself' so why not be the one who leaves the messages (it would also fit into the feel not to have a great winning ending too.)

Hey Apples @ Jan 10th 2008 6:21PM

The real question: How can Portal 2 actually be a bad idea?

Mr Television @ Jan 10th 2008 8:51PM

Portal is proof that video games are a true modern art form. Here is a game whose story seams are so well disguised that as players we forget we are playing.

Why would you want a sequel? To follow this argument through, I would have to reveal Portal's plot, but I will say that the game is absolutely a complete experience that should be enjoyed on its own terms and dwelled upon like a good meal. People talk about extra levels in the form of downloadable content. What a mistake that would be. The puzzles, the level design - they were a means to an end. The physics were delightful and I was pleased when I got the long jump achievement, but please leave Portal alone. It was perfect.

fleethefactory @ Jan 11th 2008 9:23AM

Agreed, I adored Portal, and wouldn't mind seeing another game in the series, but is it necessary? No. And it definitely could ruin our opinions and images of the game being as great as it is. Some of the greatest pieces of art/media are what they are because of how the consumer is left, and Portal left me in a good place.