Portal: Still Alive
2008
- platform
- puzzle
- adventure
- science fiction
- single player
The story
Portal: Still Alive is a retooled version of the original smash hit first-person puzzle game, with additional levels and challenges. As unwilling test subjects in a sinister laboratory, players must break the laws of physics using 'portal' technology to solve puzzles and survive. Featuring a darkly comic story that weaves adventure with brain-bending puzzles; 'Portal: Still Alive' also introduces 14 brand new bonus puzzles to challenge even the most skilled test subjects. Players can also get a glimpse into the making of 'Portal: Still Alive' with commentary from the developers.
What it’s like
Clean white test chambers under flat fluorescent light, grey steel catwalks, and the rhythmic hum of machinery, with portal rims glowing orange and blue against the sterile walls. The first-person view stays close and deliberate, and the puzzles unfold in patient, tidy rooms where each solution clicks into place with a satisfying chime. The soundtrack is sparse, mostly ambient drones and quiet mechanical tones, so the voice of a sardonic AI carries most of the atmosphere, cool and passive-aggressive and often funnier than it has any right to be. Vibe: clinical unease with a dry, deadpan wit, best for a focused evening alone or a puzzle session with headphones on. Pacing is measured, with long stretches of thinking punctuated by brief bursts of tension. Intensity is low: there is no gore, and the threat comes from hazards, sentry turrets, and a wry, menacing menace rather than graphic violence, with failure often ending in a cartoonish, quickly reset death. The arc follows a silent test subject slowly uncovering the facility's strangeness, and the bonus puzzles and developer commentary add extra depth for players who want a longer, gentler challenge.
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