PORTAL 2: THINK WITH PORTALS, LAUGH WITH GLADOS
9.5 of 10 bananas. Puzzle design that still teaches the troop how to think, with co-op that makes two apes better than one.
By the Alpha. Steam storefront. Updated Oct 15 2026.
Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from launch reviews, critic consensus, patch history, and what is known about the game today. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.
Platforms: PC on Steam is the button. Portal 2 also launched on PS3 and Xbox 360, and Portal: Companion Collection brings Portal and Portal 2 to Nintendo Switch as a digital eShop title. I found a used PC disc listing on Amazon, but the only stock at my check was Goodwill used with an untested digital code warning, so Steam is the only button until a clean new US listing shows up.
Get Portal 2 on SteamSit with me a moment. The first time a portal flung me across a chamber and I landed laughing, I knew this canopy had a new teacher. Portal 2 does not flex guns. It flexes wit.
What It Wants To Be
Valve's 2011 sequel expands Aperture Science with gels, lasers, tractor beams, and a co-op campaign starring Atlas and P-body. Single player follows Chell against GLaDOS and a new, eager AI named Wheatley. The joke is the puzzle, and the puzzle is the joke.
What Works
Chamber design is still the gold standard for teaching without a tutorial dump. Co-op is a full second campaign, not a bolted-on mode. The writing lands because it respects your intelligence. Physics tricks with speed and gels feel like discovering a secret vine in the jungle.
What Breaks
Listen well. The single player campaign is shorter than some players want once the novelty settles. Old console versions are locked to aging hardware. Steam Workshop and community maps keep PC alive, but the official campaign is a finite meal. Spoiler warning: stay off ending clips.
Who Should Play
Play if you like clever puzzles, dry comedy, and co-op that needs talk. Skip if you only want combat shooters. Start with Portal if you somehow missed it, then move here.
STRENGTHS
- Best in class puzzle teaching
- Full co-op campaign
- Writing that still lands
- Physics toys that stay fresh
HONEST COSTS
- Single player is finite
- Console versions show their age
- Easy to spoil the ending
- No clean new Amazon disc at my check
Store note: Steam is the only button until a real Amazon listing is linked. The troop earns nothing from the Steam link.