Portal

Portal is a game that has been greatly overshadowed by the second Half Life 2 add-on, but is well capable of standing on its own. Originally included in the 'Orange Box' bundle, which also included Team Fortress 2 and the anticipated Half Life 2 Expansion, 'Episode 2', it is easy to see why the game might not have gotten the full recognition which it deserved. 

This puzzling (literally) technical marvel implements for the mostpart, a unique physics-based concept in which the player can shoot two portals (one a fiery orange-red, the other a calming blue) against floors, roofs and walls to reach places otherwise impossible. The player may travel through either of these portals to appear out the other, allowing you to overcome various physical obstacles.  While this may sound simple enough, it can quickly become a mind bending experience when posed with the well designed game levels, consisting of numerous challenges needing to be hurdled, which leave the player feeling justly rewarded. This feeling of reward drives you to continue playing and overcome harder obstacles, just to gain a furhter sense of satisfaction - though the game's very very... very short play length will eventually hit as a mood ruiner.

The portal gameplayu concept was originally introduced in 2005, by students at the Washington-based DigiPen Institute of Technology, whom created the free to download 'Narbacular Drop'. Little did they know that the famed Half-Life developper would be interested in their services shortly thereafter, when they were hired to develop a game demonstrating similar qualities using the highly regarded Source Engine.  Two years and four months later, Portal became available for the PC through the Orange Box, though its hard to see what took so long, content-wise.

In Portal, you play as the character Chell, who you can see by looking at yourself through the portals. The Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System 'GLaDOS', speaks directly to you the player, as the computer artificial intellegence that helps direct you through each level. You are a test-specimen in the Enrichment Center for Aperture Laboratories - the corporation which created the Portal Gun which you use throughout the game. The Enrichment Centre is completely absent of any other human life, though you do who have your own 'Companion Cube', which becomes useful at many intervals. As you progress through the test levels of the Enrichment Centre, it becomes clearer that things aren't quite right - and so the games plot reveals itself...

Portal's use of the Source Engine supplies significant visuals to the game, which looks fantastic by the games simplistic wall and floor panelling design. The game became well known for its soundtrack, in particular - the track which plays during the credits, "Still Alive", sung by Ellen McLain, who voices GLaDOS. It should be noted that the game, although at times serious, makes numerous attempts at light-hearted comedy throughout. GLaDOS makes numerous insults towards you such as 'being adopted' among others, which relate to joke-insults prominant on the internet between friends and the there is also of course, the ongoing promise from GLaDOS that, at the end, there will be cake. The only issue of course which the player learns as the game progresses, is that GLaDOS doesn't always tell the truth.

The cake is a lie!