Wrestlevania Posted November 7, 2007 Just finished it. Was feeling a tad ripped off by test 18, as I'd flown through the game up to that point in less than an hour. Crawling around in the inner workings of Aperture was very smart though. On the one hand, I really liked the sense of total isolation. On the other, where the hell were all the employees that would have been necessary to build and operate this place?! Fleeing because of the Combine? If so, was GLaDOS just messing about on her own with the androids left in the building (i.e. you)? Intriguing... I just went and tossed it right in there. It's just a fucking box. Ditto. I'll pay more attention to it when I replay with the commentaries enabled. Something I found on another forum, thought it was quite funny; http://www.weebls-stuff.com/wab/cube/ Weebl & Bob are still going? Blimey... Quite good though: "I'm doing science with my arse!" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LOPcagney Posted November 10, 2007 On the other, where the hell were all the employees that would have been necessary to build and operate this place?! Fleeing because of the Combine? Good news. I figured out what that thing you just incinerated did. It was a morality core they installed after I flooded the enrichment center with a deadly neurotoxin to make me stop flooding the enrichment center with a deadly neurotoxin. Apparently they didn't do a very good job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted November 10, 2007 The missing employees are a bit of a mystery. The possibilities are: GLaDOS killed them all. They fled the Combine attack They are in storage like you were at the start. They are going through the tests at the same time as you (remember the graffitti?), but GlaDOS keeps all subjects away from each other. Also I disagree with you being an android. Supposedly her name is Chell Johnson, and if you've been through www.aperturescience.com then you'll know that the founder was Cave Johnson, and that GLaDOS was first fully switched on during the first annual "bring you daughter to work day". I'm sure you can see the inference here. Also that bit at the end Where GlaDOS says "Good news" - the way she says it is absolutely chilling. You instantly know that something bad has happened. I love it. I recently described GLaDOS to someone as "SHODAN, if she were off her face on valium". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LOPcagney Posted November 10, 2007 I was under the impression that the "android" bit referred to your leg braces. The whole bring your daughter to work day thing is really interesting though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duncan Posted November 10, 2007 The android reference is because GLaDOS sends you through the room designed for military androids. It's just a joke. You're not actually an android. And Valve put the leg braces on Chell so people wouldn't wonder why she could fall and not take damage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LOPcagney Posted November 11, 2007 The android reference is because GLaDOS sends you through the room designed for military androids. It's just a joke. You're not actually an android. And Valve put the leg braces on Chell so people wouldn't wonder why she could fall and not take damage. Yeah I knew the braces bit, but I didn't pick up on the joke. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toblix Posted November 11, 2007 I wonder how it must be to have made these games and know about how their stories were really developed, and then read the thousands of forum threads where people dig up minute details from all the previous games, many of which you had probably forgotten about yourself, theorizing about all the possible connections and hints they represent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted November 11, 2007 It probably feels like... being GOD! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erkki Posted November 14, 2007 Heh, somewhy I always thought the player was an android. But being human makes more sense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmuerte Posted November 14, 2007 it's one of the daughters than came to work it's one of the daughters than came to work I quoted it... so it must be true Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderPeel2001 Posted April 27, 2008 Finally got around to picking this up via Steam. After all the hype it's difficult to be able to enjoy is completely without expecting something amazing, but I did think it was rather good - but more as a piece of the Orange Box than a stand alone game. Game of the Year? Hmmm. More like Mini-Game of the Year. It's an interesting concept. At first it's all soulless and Half Lifey (which I despise). Empty corridors. No personality. Poor humour. But it's so incredibly polished and the game idea itself is so intriguing that you find yourself pulled in. At its best, it gaming at its pinnacle; The player feels like they've got too much freedom, somehow. The portals allow them a sense of almost complete control. It's so much fun, during its best moments, that you almost feel like you're cheating. Of course the Valve Polish means that they know precisely what you're doing and how you're able to solve the puzzles. It's an interesting mix of experiment and slick presentation and design. At its worst you get completely stuck. Sometimes, especially later in the game, it felt more like hunting for the pixel you needed to squeeze a portal through, than tickling your brain like the earlier levels. There's a definite attempt at making the gameplay more twitch based, too. Unfortunately, when you're stuck in portal it becomes extremely boring to play. It's a downside with all puzzle games, I guess, but I especially noticed it here. The other thing about Portal is the excellent dialogue, which comes into play towards the end. I'm not sure if I read this somewhere, but it reminded me of the dialogue from Psychonauts. "Put down the portal gun, lie down on your stomach with your arms at your sides, and a party organiser will be with you shortly." Very, very good. The final scene, with all its dialogue and surprises, is really what you take away from the game, and the reason I think it's managed to grab such a huge cult following. Considering that this was such a small part of the game, I can't help but feel that Bioshock might have been robbed. Anyways, a very unique and interesting experiment, played out to absolute perfection. Can't wait for the sequel... if only for the story to be expanded. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LOPcagney Posted April 27, 2008 From what I understand, the sequel will be HL2 episode 3. I think its incredibly interesting how they saw the opportunity to combine the two story lines. I just want to see how portal technology will work in the half-life universe... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nappi Posted April 27, 2008 Something about the sequel here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderPeel2001 Posted April 27, 2008 Man, just playing it again. Loving it more and more, actually! It IS rather good, I have to admit. Perhaps even better the second time around. I've only just (even thought I completed the whole game in my first sitting) realised what a "fling" is. It doesn't seem quite so difficult any more! I showed my girlfriend the ending, and now she wants "Still Alive" on her iPod Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
