Portal 2 - Let Them Eat Cake!

Even I didn't see Portal 2 coming...But here it is!

Apparently, things will have changed, but the general attitude and gameplay will remain (just about) the same.

Co-operative play will transform this sequel into something amazing (apparently...), and with a DUAL MAC release (Thanks to Valve's latest news of putting Left 4 Dead 1 & 2 on Apple's OS), the number of buyers of Portal 2 could easily be higher than the original Portal.

Valve Software’s Portal will be remembered for three things: cake, the companion cube and mind-bendingly terrific first-person puzzling that had you opening and closing teleportation portals to navigate the topsy-turvy levels to escape Aperture Science Labs.

Originally bundled with Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 in the Orange Box compilation, Portal got off to a very humble start. Since then, the game has taken on a life of its own, gaining release as a standalone product and spawning an entire community of fans. The catchy end-game song “Still Alive” by Jonathan Coulton also became somewhat of a geek pop hit.

Well, no surprise then that Valve has announced Portal 2 for release later this year. Once again putting the player inside Aperture Science Labs (as well as, it seems, other mystery locations), gameplay will again revolve around utilising the Portal Gun to create entry and exit point portals in order to teleport through imaginatively designed levels. Not only will you return to conquer a variety of new test chambers, but you’ll be reunited with that homicidal artificial intelligence, GLaDOS.

None of that is very surprising; however, more intriguing is the inclusion of an all-new cooperative mode for two players, with a unique plot and setting. As well as introducing new characters to the world, it sounds like the co-op mode will really challenge players to work together (unlike most other co-op modes out there these days that are more just about blasting through aliens with a buddy by your side).

If you consider that each player will probably be equipped with a Portal Gun, you can begin to imagine the ridiculously complex puzzles that will need to be cracked by two friends not only combining brain power, but by creating portals for each other to leap through. You literally won’t be able to progress without a helping hand from your co-op partner. The potential for this mode is just staggeringly awesome and I'll be staying glued to Valve’s website for more information.

Literally, CANNOT WAIT!