This game is not only original, but a great reminder of the potential of video games. Portal is a game in which you generate portals (wormholes) in order to solve puzzles and get from one area to another. It is a simple concept, go in one portal come out another, without any loss in momentum. When this is implemented using Valve's excellent physics engine, the results are spectacular.
Portal has tons of things going for it, but I have three favorites:
- The game is very original, not a new version of a tired genre (like pretty much every shooter made)
- It is incredibly fun to play (what a novel idea)
- It joins the short list of games that are genuinely funny (the game's narrator is perhaps the best written, best voiced character in a game I have ever played)
The only real drawback of Portal is that it can be completed in under 4 hours, but I didn't really mind the length. Too many games feel the need to have an epic story and quest and end up tacking on meaningless content to pad their length. I much more enjoy a game that plays to its strengths and doesn't overstay its welcome; plus for only $20 this game is a bargain.