Review: Portal (2007)

'The cake is a lie.'

★★★★

Valve is known for great games, starting with "Half-Life" in 1998, which used the GoldSrc Engine. After its success and the development of many games using the same engine, Valve decided to create a second engine with better graphics and capabilities called the Source Engine, releasing it with "Half-Life 2" in 2004. Since "Half-Life 2," many great games have been released using Source, such as "Team Fortress 2" (2007), "Left 4 Dead" (2008) and its sequel "Left 4 Dead 2" (2009), "Counter-Strike: Source" (2004), and "Portal" (2007).

"Portal," developed by Valve Corporation and released in 2007, originated from the student project "Narbacular Drop" at DigiPen Institute of Technology. Valve hired the student team to create a new game based on their portal mechanics, resulting in "Portal."

The game is set in the secretive Aperture Science Laboratories, has been hailed as one of the most innovative new games, promising hours of unique gameplay. This simple puzzle game is a classic that everyone seems to enjoy. You play as a female test subject named Chell, who goes through a series of tests with a Portal gun, with the antagonist GLaDOS voiced by Ellen McLain. What makes this game fresh is the puzzles and their difficulty. For every puzzle you complete, the next one introduces a new feature, and you must use that feature to your advantage to complete the level.

In addition to the main story, there are also some side challenges to practice your skills in "Portal." These challenges are much more difficult than the main game's storyline puzzles. The challenges offer tasks like completing the chamber in a certain time, using fewer portals, and more.

If you're looking to start a new video game franchise, this is a great place to begin! Trust me, you'll enjoy it. "Portal" can easily be purchased through Valve's own gaming service, Steam. But if you're seeking a physical copy, the game was released on Windows, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360.