[Please note: this article was written before the game released.]
Portal is back! This mod has been taking the Portal community by storm since its announcement trailer in October last year, with a new (if somewhat small) story, new chambers, and new mechanics.
Portal: Reloaded looks to be adding an interesting new mechanic: time travel. Players now have access to a third green portal. Using this portal allows them to travel between the present and a different timeline in a ruined version of Aperture Science.
Portal: Reloaded, much like Portal stories: Mel, is a game created by the community to fill in the hole made by not having Portal 3. However, unlike Portal stories: Mel, which was a big community project, Portal: Reloaded is only being developed by a single person, Jannis Brinkmann, who has been working on it for the past few years.
The addition of a new portal increases the possible complexity of chambers as players will now be dashing to and from timelines to solve various puzzles – of which this game has an additional 25 for players to solve. These tests are designed for Portal veterans. However, on the game’s official website in the FAQ, it says it will explain the new mechanics in a slow and engaging way.
Portal: Reloaded contains a small and self-contained story, designed to not interfere with any established story threads: you play as an unknown test subject awakened by an AI and going through a long-forgotten testing track. However, the finer details, like what the story is about… only time will tell.
My only real complaint about this game is the difficulty curve. As it’s designed for Portal veterans, newer players would have a tough time with three portals. Altogether, Portal: Reloaded seems like a great concept for a new game. And it’s set to be releasing on Portal 2’s anniversary: 19th of April this year.
I love the game but I suck at it so much