Review Time - Portal 2 (Co-op)

Portal 2 is definitely something to behold. A well crafted blend of fun puzzles, excellent narrative, not to mention some classy fat jokes, it's pretty much something anyone can enjoy. I've already made my feelings pretty clear just how awesome I thought the single player was here; having just gotten around to finishing the Co-op, how does that stack up? Well, read on etc. etc. you know the rest.

For your new adventure in Science, you play as Atlas and P-body (Atlas is the enthusiastic hugger above, P-body is the prissy one.) The plot is set up swiftly, and without much ado: GLaDOS has a lot of new testing to do, and is vaguely alluding to a secret deep within the testing chambers, which you'll find out about in due time. The story does refer obliquely to the single player at times, but for the most part the two don't intersect at all. While it may be self contained, it's still recommended to play the single player first, primarily to get used to all the new techniques you'll be using. It's assumed you'll already be well versed in hard light bridges, repulsion gel and the like, and now it's expecting you to use them with 4 portals at a time, and if you don't have prior knowledge you'll get overwhelmed fast.

The change from human to robots means there's a much greater difference in tone from the single player immediately. For the robots, death is an inconvenience. They can be reassembled in seconds, and as such, there's no failure state. There's none of the dramatic moments this time around, but it's not even trying to be dramatic; instead, it has a relaxed atmosphere throughout, and even GLaDOS at her most scathing is being used primarily for comic effect. This was a great decision, since instead of it being just another story where your friend tags along for the ride, the game instead revolves around the friendship dynamic at its core. The game never rushes you forward, so there's always time to stop for a chat and a mug of tea as you muse over the more head scratching puzzles.

Your foremost method of communicating, along with talking of course, is the ping tool. The ping tool allows you to paint a target wherever you point your crosshair, letting you tell your friend where to place a portal, where to stand, as well as timer option for when to synchronise your actions. It's a great way of streamlining communication, especially if you don't have the oppurtunity to play face to face. As well as that, as you progress, you'll pick up new gestures, which allow you to wave, dance, and indeed hug your friend, all in the name of Science.

Science proves that rock always wins, because who the hell picks paper, honestly.

I have to emphasise how important it is to play with a friend. That's not to say the puzzles aren't well designed; more often than not the puzzles are devious and challenging than in the single player, and nearly always rewarding to finish. But that's only half the fun. The other half comes from those moments when you find something they missed and vice versa, when you and your friend seem to work in almost robotic unison, or when you simply step back and just fuck around with bouncy gels for a while. Not to mention sending your partner to their doom for the lulz is that much sweeter when you can feel their utter sense of betrayal. (but hey, maybe that's just me) At any rate, it's a game you won't play through much more than once, and it'd be a shame to miss out on the very best parts that can only happen with someone you know, so make sure to do so. It can't be stressed enough.

Another important point to note is the difficulty has been notably stepped up. With two minds to work on each test, as well as a prior ten hour tutorial in the single player, the game expects a lot more from you. It's never frustratingly difficult, but if you felt the single player didn't challenge you enough, this will surely make up for it. The puzzles require constant communication, careful portal placement by both players, and a good plan to co-ordinate your movements; you won't make it more than ten feet on your own, so you better start being a team player now. Yes, now. Hop to it.

For example, one person presses a button, the other watches.
Hooray for teamwork!

In terms of flaws, it's difficult to think of any. It's short and tight, and whereas parts of the single player can drag around half way in, there's no such issue here; it's pure puzzles all the way through. This does mean it can get a bit tiring in long sessions, but it's more meant to be consumed piecemeal. That didn't stop me from finishing it in two sessions, but It's easy to pick up where you left off. Most puzzles, whilst devious, are fairly short, so unlike say Left 4 Dead, you don't have to commit for huge periods of time.

There's not much else to say really. Explaining why playing Portal with your friend is great is like trying to convince someone that bacon goes well with cheese. Even if you haven't tried it yet, you know it's a good idea.