Continue reading These talking GlaDOS Curiosity Spheres probably want to kill you
These talking GlaDOS Curiosity Spheres probably want to kill you originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
One of the most impressive demos during E3 was that of "Portal 2." I went in expecting, well, more "Portal." But what I got was a much more story-centric, atmospheric jaunt through the ruins of Aperture Science. At least that's what I could glean from the 20-minute-long presentation. And now you can glean stuff too! Valve will be releasing the entire "Portal 2" E3 presentation in stunning HD for the world to enjoy. Part One is embedded below and includes my new favorite "Portal" character: Wheatley.
Fun fact about Wheatley: He's actually voiced by a Valve staffer. His cockney accent is legit, the guy actually talks like that. Throughout the production of games, staff members are often used as placeholder voices for characters, and Wheatley's voice was one of those placeholders. But based on the tremendously good job he does, I have a strong feeling he'll be making the final product. But Valve, please don't make me drop him down a fiery pit like the poor Companion Cube. That'd just be cruel.
Portal was one of the most popular video games of 2007. Part of the allure was its humble roots as a title developed by independent game creators. At the E3 trade show in Los Angeles, game publisher Valve announced that it will launch Portal 2 in 2011 and revealed details of the game.
Portal was a single-player first-person shooter game conceived by students from the DigiPen Institute of Technology; they were hired by Valve, the Bellevue, Wash.-based game developer and publisher. The game had a lot of dark humor and unique mechanics. You could use your gun to short a “portal” in a wall. Then you could shoot another portal in a wall across a giant divide. If you then stepped into the first portal, you could emerge from the other portal on the other side of the gap. It was thus a clever way to get through puzzles. You could use physics to work through the many obstacles, all the while working with the computer artificial intelligence character named GLaDOS.
Portal 2 raises one of those big conundrums in video games. When something as unique and original as Portal hits the market, fans can’t get enough of it and demand a sequel. But sequels by their very nature are quite boring and unoriginal. It’s interesting that four years will pass between the launches of Portal and Portal 2. Hopefully that will give Valve enough time to come up with a creative story and unique game, even if it is a sequel. Valve is one of the most creative companies in video games, making titles such as Half-Life and Left4Dead. If anyone can pull off surprises, this company can.
The company announced Portal 2 in March and even scheduled a major event at E3. But after delaying the game until 2011, it canceled the event and showed the game only behind closed doors. Doug Lombardi, vice president of marketing at Valve, said the new game will be about twice as long as the first game and that its environment will have plenty of mind-bending puzzles to solve. This game takes place several lifetimes after the first, although you play the same character who has been in a sleep state. You get woken up by a funny little computer character, which proceeds to train you how to play the game. And once again, you meet GLaDOS.
Check out the description of the mechanics of Portal 2 in the video below, which is narrated by Lombardi.
Tags: GLaDOS, Portal, Portal 2
Companies: Valve
People: Doug Lombardi
Ever since the dawn of "Portal," the prospect of that gameplay with a second person is just slightly mind-bending. It seems the reality is just as mind-bending, as I attempted to survive a handful of "Portal 2" co-op test chambers with Valve's Erik Wolpaw.
Co-op features a completely different story and set of challenges from the single-player game. When teaming up, you'll control one of two robots...one made from an old GladOS personality sphere and another made from a broken-down turret. Your character doesn't affect your abilities, though, as both robots act exactly like the hero did in the original game.
Which means both robots can fire two portals each. So you can have a total of four portals running at once, and each robot is free to use the other robot's portals. Hopefully you're beginning to understand just how complicated this can become.
Thankfully Valve is known for its game balancing, and the challenges of "Portal 2" start out slow. But in time, the demands become greater and require constant communication between players. To this end, Valve added a communication system which allows players to mark objects in the world. For example, you can tell your friend to place a portal in a specific spot just by marking it...instead of having to painstakingly describe exactly where you want him to place it.
You'll need that communication when you come up against the myriad of new puzzle elements in "Portal 2." Laser bridges, refracting cubes and spring boards are just a sample of some of the new elements being introduced in the game.
From my brief play-through, it's clear that co-op "Portal" is going to be just as tricky as it sounds. But hey, that's why we play puzzle games, right?
Tags: E3, PC, portal, portal-2, Previews, PS3, Valve, Xbox 360
Valve originally announced "Portal 2" for a 2010 launch, but delays do happen in the video game industry, and "Portal 2" has now been re-tagged to be released in 2011. The sequel, which will reportedly feature a co-op campaign and a story taking place hundreds of years after the first game.
"'Portal 2,' the sequel to the ground-breaking title that earned over 30 Game of the Year awards despite missing its original ship date, is now targeted for a 2011 release," the typically tongue-in-cheek press release from Valve stated.
That doesn't Valve won't have some "Portal 2"-related things to show interested parties at E3 next week, but it does mean that everyone who's been getting excited about the hotly anticipated follow-up may need to stretch their timeline of expectations out a few months to avoid disappointment.
"To ask questions about how close we all came to dying, or to ask futile questions about the previously announced E3 ***PORTAL-2-THEMED-FOR-GOD'S SAKE*** surprise or, less futilely, to schedule an appointment to attend a 'Portal 2' screening at the Valve booth during E3, please contact Valve's delegate to the EU's Valve Time Studies Group, Doug Lombardi," the release read.
Obviously, there will be some message board outrage, but Valve's credibility is better than most companies when they say they need more time to make a quality game.
Do you think the extra wait for "Portal 2" will be worth it? Are you disappointed? Share your reactions in the comment section below.
Tags: NEWS, PC, portal, portal-2, Valve, Xbox 360
In one of the most entertaining PR missives we’ve received recently, an Aperture Science memo (via Valve) has revealed that the Portal 2 event originally scheduled during E3 at Los Angeles’ Regal Theater has been canceled. The game itself will still be showcased at Valve’s booth, but whatever shenanigans that may have been planned for the event have been put on the back burner.
Of course, E3 won’t be completely devoid of Portal 2-themed monkeyshines. The memo promises, “the event will be replaced by a surprise,” adding, “the cancellation of the event is not THE surprise,” and furthermore insisting, “the time, date and content of the actual surprise will only become available as you experience the surprise.” After a build-up like that, whatever this surprise might be, it better be awfully surprising.
Portal 2 E3 event cancelled and replaced by a ’surprise’ originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: aperture-science, cancellation, e3-2010, portal, portal-2, Valve, valve-software
Free Portal downloaded 1.5 million times originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 May 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Once upon a time a dude with a PC rig laughed at a Cupertino enthusiast. His sleek and beautiful Apple iMac could do a lot of things quickly; but none of that power amounted to a hill of beans when it came to games. Simple fact was that publishers didn't have a powerhouse digital delivery pipeline... Until now, that is.
Valve put on a big show Wednesday afternoon with the launch of its Steam platform for the Macintosh, revealing a staggering 63 games that Mac owners could buy on the first day of its release. That's a lot stuff to sift through. No worries, though. I did all the hard work and plucked out ten games that you simply must have among the impressive list of launch titles.
'And Yet it Moves' ($9.99)
"And Yet it Moves" might have a protagonist ripped straight out of that one A-Ha music video, but that's sort of the point. The game's art style draws inspiration from ripped and crumpled paper. Yet, "And Yet it Moves" is more than its visuals, as it offers a deep, unique, and non-linear puzzle-platforming experience courtesy of its physics-bending "tilt" mechanic.
'Loom' ($4.99)
"Loom" is an old LucasFilm Games' (now LucasArts) adventure title that merges adventure mechanics with exploration and discovery. What makes "Loom" special is its dismissal of traditional "verb" mechanics and its focus on tone (in more than one respect, interestingly). Instead of picking at a list of verbs, you'll play music to activate the uses of objects. Some call this odd and frustrating, but I think it's glorious and different.
'Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis' ($4.99)
The second entry in a LucasFilm Games adventure series starring Indiana Jones, "Fate of Atlantis" is a wonderful romp. It's as complex and challenging as it is witty and charming. Consider it the mechanical antithesis of "Loom," but a shining example of the entertainment a traditional Lucas pick-the-verb game can provide.
'Tales of Monkey Island' Series ($29.99 bundled)
You may be sensing a pattern, but I assure you it stops here with Telltale Games faithful continuation of the LucasArts "Monkey Island" series. All five episodes of "Tales of Monkey Island" are rife with quirky narrative, characters, and places. And the games' puzzles are more than rewarding. Expect numerous callbacks to the source material as well as tons of fresh content to explore. You can't go wrong with this series.
'Peggle Nights' ($9.99)
It doesn't get much simpler than PopCap Games’ "Peggle Nights," a stand-alone expansion to the original "Peggle." This specific title ushers in new faces and powers, but most importantly, “Nights” serves up dozens and dozens of new cocaine-laced peg boards to smash with metal balls. Call me a simple man, but I can spend hours with this every afternoon.
'Portal' (free until May 24th)
Valve's first-person puzzle title "Portal" is straight quality. The core puzzle mechanic -- the inter-dimensional portals that you can throw at will -- is the definition of compelling and unique play. And while the cruel AI GLaDOS might steal the show, there's something to be said about the way Valve designed each level to be challenging, yet never frustrating. Plus, it's free. Go get it.
'World of Goo' ($19.99)
2D Boy's "World of Goo" is a delightful, low-impact physics-based puzzle game that has you assembling little balls of goo into wiggly skyscrapers. The goal is to use as little goo as possible and funnel unused goo balls into a pipe at the end of every level. Each of the game's five worlds has a different art style, but the charm and easy-to-grasp mechanics remains the same between.
“Braid” ($9.99)
"Braid" is the little indie title that could. Its innovative twist on game narrative and fascinating time mechanics have thrilled critics and users alike, amassing the game serious cred across all of its available platforms. If you're in to getting your mind blown while having a good time, this is definitely up your alley.
'Machinarium' ($19.99, pictured above)
Amanita Design's point-and-click adventure title "Machinarium" is kind of like a modern day "Loom." It features an experiential no-dialogue story and nearly zero puzzle backtracking. It also constricts you to one zone at a time, thereby dodging most adventure game pitfalls. Oh, and the art looks fabulous on top of the game being rad.
'Torchlight' ($9.99, usually $19.99)
Runic Games channeled the original "Diablo" with "Torchlight," and I've always been fine with that. This point-and-click dungeon crawler is an experience almost solely focused on the loot, quest, and experience grind. It's unapologetic about it, offering little in the way of narrative. But don't let that get you down: if you want a game that will consume you in an instant, don't even think about passing "Torchlight" up.
Tags: braid, Features, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Loom, Machinarium, Macintosh, peggle-nights, portal, steam, tales-of-monkey-island, torchlight, world-of-goo
Continue reading Portal is free, and here's a cute video about it
Portal is free, and here's a cute video about it originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 May 2010 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Continue reading Steam for Mac rolls out tomorrow, Portal and Torchlight in tow
Steam for Mac rolls out tomorrow, Portal and Torchlight in tow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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