Valve Software
Portal

Today I present to you one of the most ingenious puzzles ever conceived: it is the work of Valve (already well-known for the Half-Life series), and it is called Portal (2007).

The dynamic of the game is very simple: you have a gun, shooting with the left button on any surface opens a blue portal (basically a hole), and shooting with the right button opens an orange portal. Anything (including you) that enters one portal, exits the other (and vice versa, obviously). If you want, you can even look through the hole of one portal at what’s there at the exit of the other; however, it's always the same room you were in, even if it seems like you've passed through a wall into a new room. If you're not understanding (it's not so immediate), watch the trailer at the end of the review to get an idea. Anyway, the game form is that of a first-person shooter. But let's start with the plot.

You wake up in a room inside the "Enrichment Center" of Aperture Science, a company that used to produce shower curtains before the head of the shop went crazy and decided to succeed by designing a "quantum tunnel tailored to human dimensions through physical space with possible applications as a shower frame". The project was later funded by the Ministry of Defense, and the weapon in your hand is its final fruit.

You will then be guided by a friendly electronic voice, belonging to an ever-present artificial intelligence, through various tests, which will become increasingly dangerous to your safety. But at least in case of vertiginous falls, you won't have any problems; your legs have been replaced by two metal supports, similar to those Eli Vance, Alyx's father, has in the Half-Life series. They make an impression, but don't worry; for the rest, you are still a beautiful girl.

The tests range from the simplest "reach the door on the other side of the gap" to traversing a path full of turrets or acid pools. I won’t reveal the ending, which is a surprise and also an injection of nonsense. But you won't be alone in there: your companion for part of the journey will be an adorable gray cube with a pink heart, called the "Companion Cube." It obviously doesn't talk or move; it's just a metal cube, but it will be extremely useful in solving some puzzles. You will eventually be forced to euthanize it, throwing it into an incinerator.

And now, the analysis.

The gameplay is excellent, the game elements at your disposal are few, simple, and intuitive, and the only learning required is in the use of the gun itself and its possible uses (release the artist within you). But despite this limitation in available elements, the game lacks nothing. In fact, it's a merit that it has managed to generate such a number of levels and puzzles with only two actions available to the player (create the blue portal, create the orange portal), all inserted within a well-built and engaging story.

The humor throughout the game is very noir, albeit under a cover of order and tranquility suggested by the static and aseptic settings of the first half of the game. We will notice this noir vein better in the second part (which I obviously won't talk about), when within the storyline we have the impression of losing control, and even the sense of order we had internalized (of course, only those who have played it can understand). Pleasant and at the same time unnerving, terrifying.

Anyway, the environments are very beautiful and well made, despite their simplicity, and they change dramatically halfway through the game, to give the player the feeling of disorientation I mentioned earlier. Also, the "characters" are well characterized, even if they can't really be defined as "characters" in the most canonical sense of the term. In addition to the already mentioned Companion Cube, we might find ourselves face to face with turrets (which mimic those tripods from HL2), equipped with a charming female metallic voice that speaks to us, showing affection or allure.

Graphically impeccable, the game is based on the Half-Life 2 graphics engine, which, although no longer the best from a graphical standpoint, is still commendable for its lightness of execution (thanks to some small adjustments, e.g., fixed-angle shadows) and versatility. The audio is good, the Italian dubbing is excellent and appreciable.

In conclusion, Portal is an expertly crafted first-person puzzle with a single brilliant idea at its core (that of the portals) and an engaging storyline, seasoned with fantastic humor. Something truly new, original, and brilliant at the time (and perhaps still today), while remaining accessible to everyone. No more than 20 euros and you take home a masterpiece.

In the meantime, watch the trailer: you might fall in love with it.