Chell wakes up again, albeit in different(yet the same setting, and this time, we get to explore far more of it, and learn its rich and bizarre history, at the hands of Cave Johnson(Simmons as the charming and... let's go with "eccentric", science-enthusiastic and not entirely responsible-minded CEO)) circumstances than last time, and learns that GLaDOS(McLain, with her snarky wit, though not without other emotion or expression) was not completely destroyed. In the time passed, the area has fallen into disrepair, adding "color" to the neat, Spartan look of the original, and with plant-life having spread. With the... help(?) of your new buddy Wheatley(Merchant as a nervous, not-too-bright Hugh Grant-ish British Personality Core that you carry, insert into machines, etc.), she is accidentally re-awakened, ready to attack you with petty insults. Oh, and, y'know, by forcing you through brand new Test Chambers. Those, too. She also starts bringing the facility back to its prime, and we get to see how vast it is. How will you take her down?
Thus, this directly follows the first one, retells what happened in it and also trains you in the mechanics again. You can start with this one, and some will favor that. It can be, and has been, said that the first was a prototype, not a "full game". Due to its success, the decision was made to give it the treatment of such, with this full-scale sequel. More happens, the "behind the scenes" areas are expanded upon(those can get confusing and harder to find your way through, with their, shall we say, "outside of the box" design), there are characters(all with separate personalities to them, they're explored by being placed in different situations, and it's usually one-on-one relationships), dialog, plot twists, everything is properly set up and paid off on, it all moves fast and it's tremendously well-written and, yes, hilarious(without losing drama and threat). From the few aspects, such as "no safety" and "personal remarks", they come up with a ton of inspired material(and the occasional bit that falls flat). With these additions, the isolation and loneliness is no longer so present. One wouldn't have thought they could accomplish it from the 2007 one, and this is more than a little impressive.
One of the most worthwhile parts of this is the co-op. With its own plot, tougher(!) puzzles that require co-ordination(you both have the "gun", and you'll need all four "gateways"!), communication(aided by pin-point signals available to both, sharing view with the other person and, of course, full support for voice chat) and skill(it's the best of its kind, and that is not something I say lightly; satisfying, genuinely collaborative... if you and a friend want to play through something, make it this. You can thank me later), the two(customizable!) characters of Atlas and P-Body that both very clearly belong in this universe(one is the egg-shaped sentry body, both with Battle Droid style legs and arms; a running gag is their easy reassembly, making "death" a very temporary setback, allowing higher complexity), it's compelling throughout. It stores your progress, down to which specific area you got to. Off-line split-screen is possible. It ties into SP, without knowledge of either being necessary to appreciate the other. Nothing will be spoiled by the order in which you complete them, or even whether you only get through one of them.
This builds on the base already set, going bigger. Of course the titular invention wouldn't be enough to sustain the full length - that is, 7 hours for single-player and 7 and a half for online. Light bridges, air funnels, different types(speed, jump, etc.) of gels(rendered using amazing fluid dynamics) etc. All of these can of course interact with each other, and the teleportation Portals(their outlines are visible through walls and obstacles). You get tutorials for all, which does lead to a number of linear, one-solution portions. The minimalist look peals back(via panels instead of tiles, allowing for more variety, making the world feel alive(it reacts organically to you), and whenever they aren't seen to move at all, it feels like something is now "missing") to reveal a much grander scope, and the state of the place is rendered gorgeously, with some forest having grown on/around it, and you can see far beyond the edge of some areas because of holes in walls and the like. This is polished, extensively tested.
The graphics, as already suggested, are great. Water is realistically rendered using technology also used for Left 4 Dead 2. This thankfully does away with the infuriating "look reset"! There is some eerie mood, sometimes replacing jokes - it would be excessive if it was constantly making you laugh. The hints at a post-apocalyptic world outside, and we can guess and theorize about the time(when did the 1st one take place? How long has passed since then?). I hear that it's answered elsewhere; I prefer to think about it for myself. Every so often, this gives you a break(with "experiences") from puzzle-solving, advancing what's going on and letting you recharge, and this leads to a number of unforgettable moments. This comes with a level editor(for both modes) and the option of sharing them with anyone, anywhere, and the leaderboards add a competitive edge.
This comes with an interesting developer commentary, a cool comic(read any time, it doesn't give anything away), the trailers for this and an interactive(!) teaser for Super 8 - why aren't more movies advertised like this?! If I wasn't fairly thoroughly inoculated(Lost went off the rails with the mysteries, in Mission Impossible III he channeled the wrong "strong female protagonist" show(Felicity rather than Alias), and it appears that his ST is too action-driven) against J.J.(his Star Wars might still be good... right? What's with the blank stare?) by now, I'd be there! There is a lot of darkly comical disturbing content in this. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys brain-teasers and has hand-to-eye coordination, yes, that's whether you're a gamer or not. 9/10
Thus, this directly follows the first one, retells what happened in it and also trains you in the mechanics again. You can start with this one, and some will favor that. It can be, and has been, said that the first was a prototype, not a "full game". Due to its success, the decision was made to give it the treatment of such, with this full-scale sequel. More happens, the "behind the scenes" areas are expanded upon(those can get confusing and harder to find your way through, with their, shall we say, "outside of the box" design), there are characters(all with separate personalities to them, they're explored by being placed in different situations, and it's usually one-on-one relationships), dialog, plot twists, everything is properly set up and paid off on, it all moves fast and it's tremendously well-written and, yes, hilarious(without losing drama and threat). From the few aspects, such as "no safety" and "personal remarks", they come up with a ton of inspired material(and the occasional bit that falls flat). With these additions, the isolation and loneliness is no longer so present. One wouldn't have thought they could accomplish it from the 2007 one, and this is more than a little impressive.
One of the most worthwhile parts of this is the co-op. With its own plot, tougher(!) puzzles that require co-ordination(you both have the "gun", and you'll need all four "gateways"!), communication(aided by pin-point signals available to both, sharing view with the other person and, of course, full support for voice chat) and skill(it's the best of its kind, and that is not something I say lightly; satisfying, genuinely collaborative... if you and a friend want to play through something, make it this. You can thank me later), the two(customizable!) characters of Atlas and P-Body that both very clearly belong in this universe(one is the egg-shaped sentry body, both with Battle Droid style legs and arms; a running gag is their easy reassembly, making "death" a very temporary setback, allowing higher complexity), it's compelling throughout. It stores your progress, down to which specific area you got to. Off-line split-screen is possible. It ties into SP, without knowledge of either being necessary to appreciate the other. Nothing will be spoiled by the order in which you complete them, or even whether you only get through one of them.
This builds on the base already set, going bigger. Of course the titular invention wouldn't be enough to sustain the full length - that is, 7 hours for single-player and 7 and a half for online. Light bridges, air funnels, different types(speed, jump, etc.) of gels(rendered using amazing fluid dynamics) etc. All of these can of course interact with each other, and the teleportation Portals(their outlines are visible through walls and obstacles). You get tutorials for all, which does lead to a number of linear, one-solution portions. The minimalist look peals back(via panels instead of tiles, allowing for more variety, making the world feel alive(it reacts organically to you), and whenever they aren't seen to move at all, it feels like something is now "missing") to reveal a much grander scope, and the state of the place is rendered gorgeously, with some forest having grown on/around it, and you can see far beyond the edge of some areas because of holes in walls and the like. This is polished, extensively tested.
The graphics, as already suggested, are great. Water is realistically rendered using technology also used for Left 4 Dead 2. This thankfully does away with the infuriating "look reset"! There is some eerie mood, sometimes replacing jokes - it would be excessive if it was constantly making you laugh. The hints at a post-apocalyptic world outside, and we can guess and theorize about the time(when did the 1st one take place? How long has passed since then?). I hear that it's answered elsewhere; I prefer to think about it for myself. Every so often, this gives you a break(with "experiences") from puzzle-solving, advancing what's going on and letting you recharge, and this leads to a number of unforgettable moments. This comes with a level editor(for both modes) and the option of sharing them with anyone, anywhere, and the leaderboards add a competitive edge.
This comes with an interesting developer commentary, a cool comic(read any time, it doesn't give anything away), the trailers for this and an interactive(!) teaser for Super 8 - why aren't more movies advertised like this?! If I wasn't fairly thoroughly inoculated(Lost went off the rails with the mysteries, in Mission Impossible III he channeled the wrong "strong female protagonist" show(Felicity rather than Alias), and it appears that his ST is too action-driven) against J.J.(his Star Wars might still be good... right? What's with the blank stare?) by now, I'd be there! There is a lot of darkly comical disturbing content in this. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys brain-teasers and has hand-to-eye coordination, yes, that's whether you're a gamer or not. 9/10