14 DAY TRIAL // What we know
Portal 2 is set to be one of the most innovative titles of the year, as Valve wants to once again amaze players through intricate mazes with simple, yet fiendishly complex solutions.
The game will follow in the footsteps of the rather surprising Portal, a small title that was bundled with The Orange Box back in 2007, and got a cult-like following due to its quirky humor, intense puzzles and for generally being completely different than anything before.
Now, Valve, after almost four years, is set to follow-up that success with Portal 2, which will see its protagonist, Chell, once again trying to defeat the evil GLaDOS artificial intelligence by navigating through a series of complex puzzles erected by the computer with the ruins of the Aperture research facility.
This isn't just a new level pack for the original game, however, as lots of new things were added to gameplay, including the ability to spray different substances likes gels or paints onto floors in order to make them extra sticky or extra smooth, in order to decrease or increase momentum.
What's more, Portal 2 is going to have a cooperative multiplayer, as two robots become sentient and use portal guns to escape the Aperture facility.
This will add a whole new layer to Portal's puzzle solving experience, with players needing to work together in order to make it through to the end.
Why it matters
Portal amazed and become a phenomenon through its simplicity and quirkiness, and, judging by Valve's proven track record, lightning may strike twice.
As such, if you loved the witty ramblings of GLaDOS, the complex yet rewarding puzzles and the ability to do more in game levels than just shoot things or jump on platforms, then Portal 2 should be on your radar.
The cooperative mode also looks extremely interesting, and even if some may say that the game didn't need such a thing, it's great that players can put their brains together and try to solve puzzles.
Also, for PlayStation 3 owners, Portal 2 is offering a huge amount of features, including cross-platform play with PC and Mac users, as well as a free copy of the game on Valve's Steam service and Steam Cloud support for game saves.
Portal 2 is out on April 18 for the PC, Mac, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.