I beat Portal 2!

So last night I beat Portal 2 on my stream and I must say, the game was a great experience. The first thing you notice when the game starts is that it has a great sense of humor. The script is very well written and the voice actors execute it extraordinarily well. Even when I wasn't laughing, I felt like I was enjoying myself with my virtual friend in the game. Another game that similarly has good writing and makes you feel like you're rarely left alone is Uncharted 2. I think the technique that both of these games use to keep the flow natural and enjoyable is to play the voices at times where you are platforming, allowing the player to do a little bit of multitasking by advancing story and gameplay simultaneously.

In terms of the levels, I believe the design team did an excellent job of keeping the objectives clear while still providing challenge and opportunities to think about how to solve the puzzles. Nothing is more obnoxious than a level where there is no clear goal, but Valve avoids those problems for the most part. The various features available in the game build on each other as you progress, so you are never presented with a huge jump in difficulty, but there is always a new challenge to deal with, so it never feels boring. Beyond the level design, the environments are varied and interesting, and span a large amount of Aperture Science history, giving you a look into the past for the lab you are being tested in. Portal 2 is a game that I highly recommend to everyone that has any inclination to play video games. If you'd rather just watch someone else play it, you can check out my playthrough on my Portal 2 youtube playlist.