Portal 2 is not a good sequel

[Mandrew]

Let me get this straight, I think Portal 2 is a great game but that doesn't mean it is a good sequel. It isn't a bad sequel either. I'll tell you why. I don't want to do a Portal vs Portal 2 here. Also, I will gladly say that Portal 2 is objectively better than Portal.

1. The Negatives.
When do you see any of this crazy stuff in the original Portal? Like the panels, new doors, elevators, everything basically. This was a poor decision.
Let's start from the beginning, they remade the first Test Chamber. They changed the buttons, doors, elevators and much more. Let's be honest, if it were a good decision why didn't we see this in the first game? It is honestly things like this that make this feel like a not-real sequel. New testing elements are fine though like the lasers, light bridges and tractor beams which are all cool. Why did GLaDOS's voice change too a bit? It is noticeable. But it is more than just the test chambers.

In the Behind the Scenes areas of Portal is felt like a real maintenance area, with large (automatic) machinery, loudness, being able to explore, the warm lighting, breaking the glass with the rocket turret and things like that. The orange lighting also heavily contrasts from the blue colder lighting of the Test Chambers. It really feels like you are not supposed to be here.

Portal 2's though? Removed a lot about what Portal's Behind the Scenes areas had going for them. Where is the orange lighting to contrast this area from the Test Chambers? Why is it still blue? Why am I told to be here in the areas I am not supposed to see? All that does is remove the feeling from Portal 1 of "It really feels like you are not supposed to be here." See what I mean? Also, in Portal's Behind the Scenes areas I mentioned you can explore. But not in Portal 2. In Portal 2 there basically is always going to be a deep/bottomless pit (which Portal never had) and you have to follow a catwalk like everywhere. The game basically tells you what it wants you to do. Also, Test Chambers being held up by these carrier things? When was that ever in Portal? Why does GLaDOS and here body look different? Also remember the automatic turret maker? Guess what? That was never in Portal because there was a room for building/repairing turrets. The vacuum tubes for boxes and spheres look different too, why is that not in Portal?

Basically just ask yourself "Is this also in Portal?" whenever you see stuff in Portal 2.

2. The positives
To be fair there are positives that I like about this sequel. Like the 1950s-1980s style because it didn't change anything from Portal 1, just added a new area to Aperture. It gives us more lore about Portal.
Chell was once a kid in Aperture. Also it is funny that there was a "science fair" in Aperture.

Another good part is that story-wise, it was an actual continuation to the previous game. However, the style changed way too much which removes points from the sequel part of the game. Which is why it is not a bad or good sequel, just average.

I really just like Portal 2 for the lore honestly when it comes to being a sequel.

Anyways, this is called Portal 2, not "Portal but different". I still love Portal 2 but this is my biggest criticism for Portal 2. I have a friend who likes both Portal games. He likes Portal 2 much more than the original but he agreed with me that Portal 2 doesn't work well as a sequel but is great as a game.

If you want to respond, I'd rather have a private conversation. Discussion posts aren't going to get anybody anywhere because
1. "It's basically just a 'youtube response video culture' palette swap"
2. Responses are so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ slow.
3. It's easier to dodge/avoid points.
4. It's easier to talk about 1 topic at a time since it's much more straight forward.
5. People tend to feel more comfortable in an environment where people agree with each other.

[BezaoBuilder]

About the Behind the Scenes in Portal 2. I honestly prefer Portal 2. Yes, in Portal, it looked more realistic, but I remember it was often frustrating to go through the Escape, because you often felt lost, with no direction of where to go. I often had to repeat puzzles/reload saves because I simply got lost.

[Mandrew]

Originally posted by BezaoBuilder:

About the Behind the Scenes in Portal 2. I honestly prefer Portal 2. Yes, in Portal, it looked more realistic, but I remember it was often frustrating to go through the Escape, because you often felt lost, with no direction of where to go. I often had to repeat puzzles/reload saves because I simply got lost.

I didn't want to do Portal vs Portal 2 but Portal 2 didn't work well as a sequel.

[Buddha]

It's inevitable that new devs will add new stuff to a new game, based on an old game. You either like it or you don't. Comparing the two games is fine, but preference really is a personal thing.

I enjoyed the sense of vastness and the gel mechanics of Portal 2 - also the inclusion of Cave Johnson and Caroline added story interest - I love stories. And there's Wheatley.

Both games are great - for different reasons.

[Mandrew]

Originally posted by Buddha:

It's inevitable that new devs will add new stuff to a new game, based on an old game. You either like it or you don't. Comparing the two games is fine, but preference really is a personal thing.

I enjoyed the sense of vastness and the gel mechanics of Portal 2 - also the inclusion of Cave Johnson and Caroline added story interest - I love stories. And there's Wheatley.

Both games are great - for different reasons.

But how did all of this stuff just magically change to Portal 2 style? Why do the buttons, droppers, cubes look more complex magically? Remember, I love Portal 2 and it is a great game. But the "sequel" part bothers me the most. I admit that I compared the 2 games in the BTS parts but I was trying to get my point out that it is strange how the BTS areas look so different. Portal didn't have bottomless pits and they all the sudden appear in Portal 2.

[>:FrozenDragon:<]

The reason why GLaDOS's voice is slightly different was due to her morality core being detached in portal 1. If you notice her voice glitches out after putting it in the incinerator and becomes abit more human like.

Portal 2 has her voice abit human seeing that her 4 cores are gone so therefore there is nothing that can make her voice back to it's original robot announcer type thing.

[Mandrew]

Originally posted by >:FrozenDragon:<:

The reason why GLaDOS's voice is slightly different was due to her morality core being detached in portal 1. If you notice her voice glitches out after putting it in the incinerator and becomes abit more human like.

Portal 2 has her voice abit human seeing that her 4 cores are gone so therefore there is nothing that can make her voice back to it's original robot announcer type thing.

I know that. While they are comparable, it still sounds a bit too different.

[>:FrozenDragon:<]

Also I think they changed the BTS areas to what they are now since portal 1's BTS was too much of a half life 2 aesthetic and they wanted a different look that is more fitting to portal 2's theme.

[Mandrew]

Originally posted by >:FrozenDragon:<:

Also I think they changed the BTS areas to what they are now since portal 1's BTS was too much of a half life 2 aesthetic and they wanted a different look that is more fitting to portal 2's theme.

But how did it all the sudden change to be less realistic? The colors were warmed colored which contrasts to the Test Chambers. So why does it look blue now? No explanation to that.

[>:FrozenDragon:<]

Originally posted by Mandrew - Wonderland_War:

Originally posted by >:FrozenDragon:<:

Also I think they changed the BTS areas to what they are now since portal 1's BTS was too much of a half life 2 aesthetic and they wanted a different look that is more fitting to portal 2's theme.

But how did it all the sudden change to be less realistic? The colors were warmed colored which contrasts to the Test Chambers. So why does it look blue now? No explanation to that.

That is true but not every change needs an explanation. If valve wants to change the design of something in a sequel of a game then that's their decision.

[Mandrew]

Originally posted by >:FrozenDragon:<:

Originally posted by Mandrew - Wonderland_War:

But how did it all the sudden change to be less realistic? The colors were warmed colored which contrasts to the Test Chambers. So why does it look blue now? No explanation to that.

That is true but not every change needs an explanation. If valve wants to change the design of something in a sequel of a game then that's their decision.

That doesn't mean it is a good decision. I feel like while they developed this game, they forgot that they were making a sequel and for something as big as the BTS areas to change (which was basically what made Aperture Science) without an explanation, is a huge problem for selling this as a sequel.

[>:FrozenDragon:<]

Originally posted by Mandrew - Wonderland_War:

Originally posted by >:FrozenDragon:<:

That is true but not every change needs an explanation. If valve wants to change the design of something in a sequel of a game then that's their decision.

That doesn't mean it is a good decision. I feel like while they developed this game, they forgot that they were making a sequel and for something as big as the BTS areas to change (which was basically what made Aperture Science) without an explanation, is a huge problem for selling this as a sequel.

In your opinion that is.

[Mandrew]

Originally posted by >:FrozenDragon:<:

Originally posted by Mandrew - Wonderland_War:

That doesn't mean it is a good decision. I feel like while they developed this game, they forgot that they were making a sequel and for something as big as the BTS areas to change (which was basically what made Aperture Science) without an explanation, is a huge problem for selling this as a sequel.

In your opinion that is.

Portal 2's BTS styled areas are still good, just not for a sequel. Like there is 0 explanation to all the changes. Where is any of this seen in the first Portal? Nowhere, they even replaced stuff that already existed!

[MeowDread]

Most of the stuff changed because Portal 2 is set into the future, that or whatever. im sure the cores and other mechanical things have changed things

In my opinion, the colder blue colors are better, the orange lighting just made my head hurt, but i do agree that the old bts really did look like you weren't supposed to be there

[Mandrew]

Originally posted by engineer.mdl:

Most of the stuff changed because Portal 2 is set into the future, that or whatever. im sure the cores and other mechanical things have changed things

In my opinion, the colder blue colors are better, the orange lighting just made my head hurt, but i do agree that the old bts really did look like you weren't supposed to be there

How could they? We barely saw Wheatley do anything. The only way Wheatley could open that one panel is when the Player puts him in there. That gives me the impression that their abilities were extremely limited. I don't want it to be Portal vs Portal 2 even though I did that a little bit with the BTS areas.

[BurningCakeDoesAche]

Because it's a fricking remake, do you seriously want the game to be EXACTLY like Portal 1? Portal 1 is BAD compared to Portal 2. BTS areas are too dirty and Half Life like, Aperture isn't robotic enough and modern enough, and Portal 2 adds a lot more of story and different updated areas that look ten times better than the sewers in Portal 1. I see what you mean, but really.
It's called evolution dude, if the game was like Portal 1 it would be T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E.