Simply once you thought you had been lastly secure from that man making “the cake is a lie” jokes (earlier than misquoting some Monty Python), Valve has surprise-launched the Swap port of each Portal and Portal 2 at present. Introduced throughout the very Mini Nintendo Direct, the 2007 smash hit puzzle recreation must be in your handheld’s retailer proper now.
Valve’s first ever launch on the Swap, each Portal and its 2011 sequel come as a bundle, however when purchased will obtain to your machine as two separate video games. My hopes of some kind of shock new content material constructed into a brand new launcher are considerably dashed there. However I feel particular point out must be made right here of the worth. It’s $20, which is…actually good?
Nintendo has sadly set an ordinary that their very own ported re-releases by some means appear to start at a full $60, irrespective of how outdated the sport, and irrespective of how unexciting the port. So seeing Valve are available in with two video games (albeit ones 11 and 15 years outdated) at a 3rd of that fairly delights me. Particularly once they’re, you understand, two of the very best video games ever made.
It’s fairly straightforward to neglect what a revelation Portal was on its first launch. It was nearly a throwaway addition to Valve’s The Orange Field, a set that alongside the beforehand launched Half-Life 2 and Episode One, additionally gave the world Half-Life 2: Episode Two, and Group Fortress 2. Becoming a member of these behemoths was this largely unknown puzzle recreation, famously created by a gaggle of scholars Gabe Newell had conscripted from Digipen.
Given the complete Valve remedy (because it was then, and so sadly is not any extra), it had writing by Erik Wolpaw, and the unbelievable voice appearing of Ellen McClain as evil robotic GLaDOS, to accompany a set of puzzles that required rewiring your mind to now not suppose in linear actuality. Oh, and it had that tune on the finish!
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Samsung 32″ Odyssey Neo G8 Curved Gaming Monitor
32″ 4K show
Delivers 240Hz with 1ms response time for extremely clean gameplay. The Quantum Matrix Expertise, HDR 2000, and UHD decision all work collectively to create a crystal clear image. The Matte show reduces glare serving to hold your eyes targeted on the motion in entrance of you.
It seems to be and runs nice on Swap, though there’s significantly no modifications to the sport. It even nonetheless has you stand nonetheless within the elevators for no motive, earlier than then throwing up a “loading” message, fairly than simply bloody placing the hundreds within the experience. I’ve not performed sufficient to know if I’m going to be comfy with out a mouse cursor, and am definitely involved about how these later reflex-y puzzles will work.
Additionally, it’s lastly an excuse to return to Portal 2, a recreation I’ve definitely uncared for within the intervening years. I feel as a result of it was so story-focused, it didn’t have fairly the identical replay worth as the unique’s important assortment of puzzle chambers. However what a unbelievable story it was, and I’m actually trying ahead to enjoying all of it once more.
Will this launch get up some a part of Valve’s sleeping hivemind, and nudge it into desirous to create one thing new (and never just for the VR elite)? Author Erik Wolpaw definitely hopes so.
