Portal 2....

[duke of chucchinchilla]

**SPOILER ALERT: READ ONLY IF YOU'VE BEATEN PORTAL 2**

I've been thinking a lot about the storyline to Portal 2 and it seems we have a family connection here and the more I think about it the more obvious it becomes. In short, Chell (who you play in the game) is the daughter of Cave Johnson and his assistant Caroline. You have all the references to "bring your daughter to work day," the potato project which was probably done by Chell (maybe explaining how she got there in the first place?), a very Chell looking Caroline seen in a portrait of Cave Johnson, and GLaDOS singing "She was a lot like you, maybe not quite as heavy, now little Caroline is in here too" suggesting Chell looks a lot like her mom Caroline (whose brain was transferred into the main computer, we learn via Cave's announcements). As we go along, GLaDOS becomes more in tune with the Caroline side of 'her' which helps Chell in the end as GLaDOS doesn't want to kill her, but wants her to just leave. The companion cube is a gift, maybe better than cake? So what do you think?

[eddie291]

Yeah, that's a pretty popular theory. There's also the song at the end. Its in Italian, but translate it to English, and its basically GLaDOS saying a bunch of good/sweet things to Chell and saying goodbye.

[SOAR]

I thought it was pretty obvious that she was the daughter. Once Glados said the "She was a lot like you" line, it hit me.

[duke of chucchinchilla]

Yeah, that's a pretty popular theory. There's also the song at the end. Its in Italian, but translate it to English, and its basically GLaDOS saying a bunch of good/sweet things to Chell and saying goodbye.

The opera singing turrets? I guess that would be the Caroline side saying goodbye? I guess if what I'm saying is a pretty popular theory then it's probably true. Good storyline....hopefully there are enough open ends to allow for future games.

Taking the story further. If you can shoot a portal to the moon, then you could theoretically shoot at the sky and eventually hit another planet or moon thousands of light years away. Taking that further, you could shoot a portal to the alien world Xen from Half-Life. Now that would be a cool tie in.

[TurboZen]

**SPOILER ALERT: READ ONLY IF YOU'VE BEATEN PORTAL 2**

Taking the story further. If you can shoot a portal to the moon, then you could theoretically shoot at the sky and eventually hit another planet or moon thousands of light years away. Taking that further, you could shoot a portal to the alien world Xen from Half-Life. Now that would be a cool tie in.

Turn's out crushed up moon rocks makes great portal surfaces - Cave Johnson (paraphrased.) Just don't ingest it.

What I found interesting is that the portal wasn't instant. it took a while to get to the moon. probably following the speed of light rule. That was really thought out well.

[SOAR]

Taking the story further. If you can shoot a portal to the moon, then you could theoretically shoot at the sky and eventually hit another planet or moon thousands of light years away. Taking that further, you could shoot a portal to the alien world Xen from Half-Life. Now that would be a cool tie in.

Isn't that how the Combine got to Earth in the first place? Using Portal technology developed at Black Mesa?

There are lots of cool little tie-ins with Portal and half life. Cave Johnson mentions Black Mesa during the game, you can see a head crab in one of the elevator shafts in Portal 2, and also in Portal 2 when you find Glados in the birds nest, there is a dry dock that has no ship, but has life preservers that say "Borealis" on them.

[eddie291]

The opera singing turrets? I guess that would be the Caroline side saying goodbye? I guess if what I'm saying is a pretty popular theory then it's probably true. Good storyline....hopefully there are enough open ends to allow for future games.

Taking the story further. If you can shoot a portal to the moon, then you could theoretically shoot at the sky and eventually hit another planet or moon thousands of light years away. Taking that further, you could shoot a portal to the alien world Xen from Half-Life. Now that would be a cool tie in.

Yup. I don't think the game ever explicitly mentions that it's GLaDOS who's singing, but everyone assumes so since the voice actress playing her/it is a trained opera singer and did actually sing the song for the game. There's a video up on YouTube showing off the entire song and translated subtitles if you're curious.

[eddie291]

Isn't that how the Combine got to Earth in the first place? Using Portal technology developed at Black Mesa?

There are lots of cool little tie-ins with Portal and half life. Cave Johnson mentions Black Mesa during the game, you can see a head crab in one of the elevator shafts in Portal 2, and also in Portal 2 when you find Glados in the birds nest, there is a dry dock that has no ship, but has life preservers that say "Borealis" on them.

Yup. I just love how Valve manages to tie everything together. And it doesn't seem forced at all, which is great considering how many badly other video games retcon everything into their story.

FYI to everyone, that's a ship you find in Half Life 2: Episode 2(I think? Maybe Episode 1. Correct me if I'm wrong). The ship even has the Aperture Laboratory logo on it.

[SOAR]

Yup. I just love how Valve manages to tie everything together. And it doesn't seem forced at all, which is great considering how many badly other video games retcon everything into their story.

Now if only they could come up with their own ideas for games, instead of just buying up digipen students and acquiring their ideas.

(see games: "Narbacular Drop" and "Tag: The Power of Paint")

[duke of chucchinchilla]

I let my gf play Portal 1 the other night for the first time. After a couple chambers GLaDOS announces something along the lines of "Remember, bring your daughter to work day is an excellent time to get her tested."

[gizmopop]

I finished the single player campaign this past weekend, It was a very good game. That theory makes a lot of sense. I definitely want to pick up Orange Box now.

[F1_Fan]

Finished it on the weekend. I thought the Wheatley Laboratories levels were a nice change of pace but I found the final level to be a let down. I'd have to play Portal 1 again to be sure but that final level had the exact same feel in both games right down to the final winning move requiring an aerial move. Maybe that was the point though...

I'm looking forward to the DLC but I'll probably pass on user-created levels as I forsee a lot of flying-turning-precision timing crap.

[Avus]

this is pretty cool...

[Geechie_Suede]

Cave Johnson was hilarious, very quotable

All these science spheres are made of asbestos by the way, keeps out the rats. Let us know if you feel a shortness of breath, a persistent dry cough or your heart stopping, because that's not part of the test - that's asbestos.

Good news is, the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show a median latency of forty-four point six years, so if you're thirty or older, you're laughing. Worst case scenario, you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator and it makes a happy face.

Alright this next test may involve trace amounts of time travel. So word of advice: if you meet yourself on the testing track don't make eye contact. Lab boys tell me that'll wipe out time - entirely. Forward and backward. So do both of yourselves a favor and let that handsome devil go about his business.

Those of you helping us test the repulsion gel today, just follow the blue line on the floor. Those of you who volunteered to be injected with praying mantis DNA, I've got some good news and some bad news: bad news is we're postponing those tests indefinitely. Good news is we've got a much better test for you: fighting an army of mantis men. Pick up a rifle and follow the yellow line. You'll know when the test starts.

[Elbows]

Ran through co-op with my bro -- very fun, although a bit easy most times...was hoping it would get a bit crazier and it never did.

[wolfsburgraz]

I didn't want to read this thread until I finished Portal 2, just in case I'd run into something I didn't want to read.

Finished it this Friday and I have to say it's probably one of my top games for 2011 so far. Fantastic puzzles, excellent humor and a lot of replay to go and collect the achievements you missed on your first trip though.

Multiplayer is also incredible fun, albeit a bit short. Love Glados taunting you or your teammate. Not exact phrases:

"Nice catch, orange"

"I don't want to tell you which one is doing better than the other, but their name rhymes with Bloranage"



I hope they can tie together enough nonsense to make a third one. I love this series.

[NaKoRuRu]

Just picked this up a few days ago. Played for about 4 hours straight after it finished downloading. Pretty cool game! Love how Valve presents the story. The first couple puzzles were really way too easy though. It didn't start getting "tough" until *SPOILER* GLaDOS was turned into a potato */SPOILER* Which is where I am now.

Does anyone want to play Co Op? I'm in Asia right now so hopefully someone who wouldn't mind playing at awkward times or with someone who lag's... doubtful I know.

[BRealistic]

Bought this a few days ago (9.99 sale on steam) and just finished the single player game.
Awesome game!

[n0rdicalex.]

same here.

i loved the first portal, and this one has been just as fun.

[Code-7]

This game became a completely different one for me about halfway through it. And the ending blew me away. Love it, hope they make a third.

[SOAR]

This game became a completely different one for me about halfway through it.

That's because it came from completely different game.

That gameplay was taken from "Tag: The Power of Paint". It's a fun freeware game, you should check it out.


Also, check out Kim Swift's new game(she's one of the Portal/Narbacular Drop/Tag creators):

[BRealistic]

This game became a completely different one for me about halfway through it. And the ending blew me away. Love it, hope they make a third.

It is definitely the most fun game I played having brain damage.

And this is why linear game play really returns the best story.
Adding storyline options just means diluting the actual core story.
(Mass Effect fans attack!)

[BRealistic]

Love it, hope they make a third.

Wait... how would they do the story?

Chell realizes she left her sunglasses in level 13 and returns?
Chell just can't sleep without the Propofol she got in the lab?

[TurboZen]

Just played this again and the user generated maps are fantastic. Map editor is great as well. Over 11000 maps uploaded so that's going to take a bit of time to go through. I'll probably die first.

[BRealistic]

Just played this again and the user generated maps are fantastic. Map editor is great as well. Over 11000 maps uploaded so that's going to take a bit of time to go through. I'll probably die first.

User created levels???? Wut? How come I did not know about this?

Damn.. and I have to finish a project tonight.. no game time.

[wolfsburgraz]

Interesting. I've only got the 360 version and I see there's a 1.37gb free DLC. Going to get it and see what it's all about.