Recent reviews by squat la sophia

Portal stands as an excellent example of how a simple concept with limitations can drive and produce a very unique and creative videogame.

Despite being a game where you're a lone character presumably forced into solving puzzle after puzzle by a voice in the ceiling the game is still full to the brim with personality as well as environmental story telling, and that goes from the manner of speech from the ceiling voice, to the way the player character is designed, and even the way rooms are illustrated and textured.

Gameplay-wise the game is extremely unique with it's puzzle mechanics and design and has gone on to drive many inspirations as well as clones and copycats due to it's top-notch and satisfying puzzle design.

The way the developers have gone about to create Portal is a huge testament to how creative and talented said developers are as well as the artists and writers behind it who have all contributed a great deal of talent towards this relatively simple project, and rest assured no copycat or knock off could replicate this gem.

POST VOID

A classic FPS worthy of praise for it's technological development and it's subtle (and not so subtle) world building at the time of release, and it stands tall among the greatest of all time.

This game stands out for it's use of physics objects in creating a dynamic pseudo-sandbox style of play, especially once you near the halfway mark of the game where it truly expands in terms of gameplay.

The graphics are still a strong point and hold up pretty well (especially considering this game is very primitive in terms of graphics development relative to current industry standards) and that is thanks in a huge part to it's excellent art direction and map design which keeps the game looking unique yet grounded and realistic with the most impressive part in my opinion being the character models and how they maintain incredibly natural looking facial expressions.

The story is well done and expands upon the original Half-life in a subversive yet logical conclusion with it's themes of alien oppression as well as humanity's will to endure and survive said oppression and it's aftermath.

All in all this game maintains it's status very well 21 years later and is a must play for every FPS fan.