As part of last year's The Orange Box, Portal introduced gamers to a unique kind of first-person game. Instead of wiping out endless hordes of enemies, you must use your brain to finish levels. Now it has its own separate release with the Xbox Live Arcade game Portal: Still Alive, featuring all the levels from the original and a few extras.
In the game, you're a human lab rat at the Aperture Science Center, awakening in a clear plastic chamber. GLaDOS, a computer system with a freaky female voice and infrequent power failures, sets you about your way. Your goal is to get through a series of "test chambers," although the path is often unclear. There are puzzles to solve, dangers to avoid and items to pick up. Fortunately, you have a Portal gun. With it, you create rifts, which open doorways that would otherwise be considered physically impossible. GLaDOS, of course, is no help, as it attempts to kill your confidence.
In addition to The Orange Box levels, Still Alive features 14 new challenges. These really overload your brain, as you experiment with opening portals, some that'll result in your demise. No matter where you start, however, you'll find the game very rewarding.
If you need a break, you can check out the included developer commentary, getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse at Portal. If that's too technical, there are 12 Achievements that take time to unlock. A speed run option is also available, in case you really feel like putting GLaDOS to the test.
Valve did a stupendous job cramming all this Portal goodness into downloadable form. Sure, it's big (over 600 MB), but everything from the original is here. The 3-D visuals move consistently enough, without any loss in quality. Just firing the gun at an impenetrable wall and watching the shots explode into blue and orange chunks is beautiful.
Sound also plays a key role. GLaDOS' random comments will crack you up, although she really doesn't have much to say in the challenge rooms, which is a little sad. From the soft hum of the moving platforms to the ominous buzz that comes from an open portal, the sound effects are perfect. There's not much music in the game, aside from the memorable theme song "Still Alive." Really, that's all you need.
It's pricier than most XBLA games (1,200 points instead of the standard 800), but you get your money's worth with Portal: Still Alive. Even if you think you've beaten it (even the final GLaDOS encounter), you haven't. The new challenge stages are a joy and the presentation is amongst Valve's finest efforts.
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