Portal Series
Portal is a game puzzle-platformer game series developed by Valve Corporation. Set in the Half-Life universe, Portal (10/9/2007) and Portal 2 (4/19/2011), center on Chell, a human woman, who was forced to undergo a series of tests in the ASEC, Aperture Science Enrichment Center, by a psychotic AI (artificial intelligence) GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operations System) that controls the entire facility. Each test includes using the ASHPD, Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device (a.k.a. portal gun), which creates a human sized teleportation device. This allows the player to "fling" themselves from one flat surface to another. Not only is it possible to just move the player and objects through the portals, the momentum is preserved therefore making complex fling maneuvers possible. A number of other mechanics like turrets or light bridges to help or hinder the player in your goal to make it through the exit chamber.
The Portal games are noted for bringing students and their projects from the DigiPen Institute of Technology into Valve and extend their ideas and turn them into the full game. The portal concept was introduced by the game Narbacular Drop and became the basis to the Portal Series. Another of these games, Tag: The Power of Paint, constructed the basis for surface-altering "conversion-gels" which were introduced in Portal 2.
Both games have received praise from nearly the entire world and millions of copies have been sold. The first game was released as part of a three game compilation, The Orange Box. Though Portal was intended to be an add on to the compilation, it was considered the best of the three which led to the creation of Portal 2, which had multiple playable game modes. Portal 2 received mostly positive reviews too. In addition to the challenging elements, it is known for its dark humor which was written by Erik Wolpaw, Chet Faliszek, and Jay Pinkerton. The voices were Ellen McLain, Stephen Merchant, and J.K. Simmons. The songs were by Jonathan Coulton. A number of spin-off media have been developed alongside the games, and several of the game elements have become parts of Internet memes.
Sources:
"Portal (series)." Wikipedia. 06 Mar. 2013. Wikimedia Foundation. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_(series)>.
The Portal games are noted for bringing students and their projects from the DigiPen Institute of Technology into Valve and extend their ideas and turn them into the full game. The portal concept was introduced by the game Narbacular Drop and became the basis to the Portal Series. Another of these games, Tag: The Power of Paint, constructed the basis for surface-altering "conversion-gels" which were introduced in Portal 2.
Both games have received praise from nearly the entire world and millions of copies have been sold. The first game was released as part of a three game compilation, The Orange Box. Though Portal was intended to be an add on to the compilation, it was considered the best of the three which led to the creation of Portal 2, which had multiple playable game modes. Portal 2 received mostly positive reviews too. In addition to the challenging elements, it is known for its dark humor which was written by Erik Wolpaw, Chet Faliszek, and Jay Pinkerton. The voices were Ellen McLain, Stephen Merchant, and J.K. Simmons. The songs were by Jonathan Coulton. A number of spin-off media have been developed alongside the games, and several of the game elements have become parts of Internet memes.
Sources:
"Portal (series)." Wikipedia. 06 Mar. 2013. Wikimedia Foundation. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_(series)>.