Kevin's Watch

I've been watching the clips of new features coming in this sequel on Youtube. It looks amazing.

I've never been this excited about a new game before. It's months away and I can't wait.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=tax4e4hBBZc

^ Teaser trailer, then click about for more vids. The new graphics, the new physics, it all looks incredible.

Yea man. One thing i'm particularly excited about is the new map design. Makes the old portal (which was revolutionary for the time) look two dimensional and blocky. This is much more organic and apocalyptic. Dig the broken-down-lab direction that they've taken. I honestly consider Portal the spiritual successor of Half-life in its doomy, black humor approach to the danger of science and dingy, hostile laboratories. Love the whole Aperture Science vs Black Mesa vibe too. Half Life 2 just didn't have the same feel (great game though). Too open, not enough claustrophobia and crazy robots. Long live Portal.

I like the way it looks like the place starts out run-down then rebuilds itself by just pushing new walls out from behind the broken ones.

Tomorrow!

I'm behind the times. I've been hearing so much love for Portal lately, that I was going to actively try to track it down, but nowhere that Gamestop has it is nearby, so I figured I'd wait. I went to Sears on Sunday, and they had the Orange Box listed for $20 in the bargain bin, so I figured I should pick it up. When I brought it to the cashier, they charged me $15, so hurray for that. So I'm now playing Portal, and enjoying it. But I suspect most of the surprises have been ruined. After that, Half Life 2. I've played the first, and enjoyed it, but was in no hurry to pick up the sequel as I'm not a FPS fan.

Half-Life 2 is one of the only FPS games I've played, and I've played it more than once. It is just that good.

You could've bought the game directly from Steam, since you'll have had to get Steam on your PC to play it anyway. Unless you're playing it on a console, in which case you are a terrible person.

It's gonna take forever to download Portal 2, ugh...

Murrin wrote:You could've bought the game directly from Steam, since you'll have had to get Steam on your PC to play it anyway. Unless you're playing it on a console, in which case you are a terrible person.

Mark me as a terrible person. I'm playing it on the PS3.
I started Half Life 2 yesterday, and am happy to say I've achieved the crowbar. And shortly thereafter, the pistol. Just like the previous Half Life, a good leadup to the action. We'll see where this one goes.

I'm stuck in Portal. I'll have to look up the answer, dammit. It's getting tough already.

I don't know if I could ever get into a first person game on a console - the mouse gives much finer and more responsive control over your movement and camera. I couldn't stand Halo 2 on the X-Box.

Played through Portal 2's first two chapters yesterday. All good so far. I'm so used to Portal's style by now that even with the new stuff I'm solving the puzzles quickly.

Edit: Though it's always disconcerting when you realise that they're training you. Like the room with no emancipation grid, where you're told not to take anything with you... which I realise several levels later taught me to always carry a cube with me when the opportunity presents itself.

Wow. I thought it was over, and then it took a biiiig turn into someplace unexpected.

Murrin wrote:Wow. I thought it was over, and then it took a biiiig turn into someplace unexpected.

Just like the original, then.

Except better.

I just finished the game, and it is awesome. Really. It's about twice as long as the original, maybe more. And they really pushed the writing to a new level with multiple characters involved. The ending is just brilliant.

I'm disappointed that there's apparently no section for Challenges this time round.

By the way, I finished the first game, and am currently working on Half Life 2. Damn the Water Hazard level is taking me forever to get through.

They recently released the free DLC which expands the cooperative campaign. If anyone wants to play the new content with me then I'm up for it!

Frakking turrets! Let me by so I can continue the story!