The Premise Of Portal

The game begins in an abandoned research facility, seemingly controlled by an AI-powered robot. GLaDOS introduces itself and starts giving you a series of tests to monitor your physical and on-the-spot problem-solving abilities. Naturally playing as Chell, your objective is to get out by any means necessary.

So… you’re basically a guinea pig working to navigate the dangerous laser-ridden obstacles for the amusement of a lonely robot. Wouldn’t sound like an ideal vacation destination, but it makes for an excellent gaming experience – especially if you enjoy science fiction and puzzles.

What kind of puzzles?

Well, you’re handed a portal gun that can be used to navigate these courses – many of which are impossible without it. Eventually, your portal gun is upgraded, allowing the player to create two portals that connect to each other – this makes for so many more possibilities, which, in turn, calls for more difficult puzzles to solve.

Cultural Impact

Throughout the game, GLaDOS makes promises of cake if you can complete the series of tests in its entirety. This is seen as some sort of incentive, similar to how scientists use cheese for experiments with rats.

As you may have guessed, there was no cake. This led to the popular internet meme “The Cake is a Lie“, which people would often use when someone offers a reward for something that they have no intention of following through with.

The eeriness of the robot promising cake still sticks with us… it’s as if that’s one of the few things the robot knows about humans, so it thinks it’s doing an amazing job motivating you. When in reality, you’re a person fearing for your life… something a psychopathic robot would never be able to feel or understand in the first place. GLaDOS also makes grim (sometimes humorous) remarks throughout the game that acts as comic relief and a device to convey the player’s anxiety.

The Sequel

With Portal being a smash hit, Valve eventually blessed us with a sequel. In this story, you aren’t a human trapped in the facility, but another robot trying to escape. You’re guided by Wheatley, another robot who can fly around the facility – he always has the best intentions, but always seems to misunderstand the situation or just flat out drop the ball. The biggest case being when he awakens GLaDOS.

Once awakened, you’re given even more dangerous tasks to satisfy her boredom, fully equipped with passive-aggressive (and sometimes hilarious) comments to keep you company. Wheatley comes in and out in an attempt to help, but let’s face it – he’s mainly comic relief… or is he?

Will There Be A Third?

Sadly, no. At least, probably not. We’ve yet to see a true 3rd installment of any Valve game to date, including their most popular titles like Team Fortress, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead and so on. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but we certainly aren’t getting our hopes up.

The Good News?

Portal and Portal 2 are still loads of fun and even after years of release, they still prove themselves to be replayable. If you just wait enough time in between sessions, part of the game almost feels like you’re playing it for the first time!

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It acted as a bridge that connected older generations of media with a new era that expressed new waves of creativity and interactiveness, with early introductions of what later became modern technology. At the forefront, we had gaming systems like the Sega Genesis, which paved the way for some of the most popular games over 20 years later. So let’s rewind to 10 of the most loved and admired action-adventure games for the Sega Genesis.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist (1992)

What boy growing up in the 90s didn’t love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? From the cartoon to video games and the live-action movie, you couldn’t (and didn’t want to) escape turtlemania. But one game seems to stand out. The platform, “beat ‘em up’ adventure game, brought players through the streets, parks and sewers of New York City to fight their way to the Hyperstone and prevent Shredder from world takeover. The overall playstyle was reminiscent of the original TMNT arcade game, but with an ambiance that brought the experience to a whole new level.

Shinobi 3: Return of the Ninja Master (1993)

Shinobi 3 brought a lot of the fun from its original titles, but with a twist. Players now had options for moves, weapons, techniques, even some combo opportunities that gave them a truly unique game. The only drawback? Shinobi 3 was super difficult to beat, just like its other titles. So if you have patience and an appetite for fun, give it a shot!

Earthworm Jim (1994)

Playthrough the animated lower layers of the earth as “Earthworm Jim”. The unique platform design and boss fights made this game innovative and the cartoon-y design made it fun for the whole family. When you talk about family-fun adventure games for the Sega Genesis, there’s a reason why Earthworm Jim comes to mind.

Rocket Knight Adventures (1993)

Everyone loved Rocket Knight Adventures because it was one of the earlier Sega games that were able to compete with the likes of Super Mario, Sonic and Mega Man. Speaking of Mega Man, this was like a unique twist without as many gadgets, allowing users to get a little more ‘up close and personal’ with their enemies.

The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1994)

Da na na na na na na na… BATMAN!!!

Loosely based on the hit animated series, The Adventures of Batman & Robin tales the user through the streets of Gotham City to take on two-face, the riddler and many more notorious villains. It played like a platform game, but offered additional features that gave people hours of entertainment… all with the DC aesthetic that everyone loves about the caped crusader.

Gunstar Heroes (1993)

Imagine a fantasy land mixed with awesome rockets and lasers… that’s Gunstar Heroes. This action-adventure meets RPG kind of set the bar for a lot of games to follow. The huge array of mini villains, boss battles and adventure maps gave people a truly unique adventure. As a matter of fact, it still has something of a cult following even today.

Streets of Rage 2 (1992)

I feel like I can count on one or two hands how many Sega Genesis series are still around today and Streets of Rage is one of them. The perfect mix of beat em’ up mixed with platform-adventure made this game so much fun and in a unique way.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)

Who can forget one of the best retro gaming sequels ever? This game took off from the original legendary Sonic the Hedgehog, allowing users to play as Sonic, Tails and Knuckles to fight Eggman and his minions. Legend says some players are still stuck in the nuclear power plant…

Castelavia: Bloodlines (1994)

If you like fantasies and horror, then Castlevania is certainly for you. Here you play as Simon and Richter Belmont as you fight through various stages, including Dracula’s castle to end his tyrannous reign. Like many other Castlevania games, Bloodlines was able to stand out with its state-of-the-art graphics, excellent storytelling and advanced gameplay.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

Can you honestly say you’re surprised? Sonic the Hedgehog was the game that put Sega on the map in an act to compete with Nintendo’s Super Mario and it did just that. The unique, ring-filled adventures brought users a new perspective on adventure games as it clashed between science and fantasy. The only real drawback is that it’s very hard to beat. With all his abilities, why can’t Sonic do a little better underwater?!?!?

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