 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Portal
Common Sense Media says
Innovative puzzler with first-person action.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this game contains some blood, the potential for the player to die, and some violence against inanimate objects. Parents should also know that the game is set in a near future in which humans are mysteriously absent, with suggestions that they have met some disturbing but unspecified fate.
What's it about?
In PORTAL, the player controls a human character as if in a first-person shooter, only the player doesn't have any weapons, and there are only a few inanimate "enemies" to shoot. Instead, the player must work their way through increasingly difficult puzzle areas, guided by audio instructions from an artificially intelligent computer named "GLaDOS."
To solve the puzzles, the player uses a device called an "aperture gun" which creates a temporary passage between surfaces. It works like this: shoot at a wall to create an opening, then shoot at the ceiling to create a second opening. Step through the opening in the wall, come out the one in the ceiling. Portal's sophisticated physics engine takes care of the rest.
Is it any good?
Puzzle areas generally take the form of a room or series of rooms through which players must proceed in order to "win." The aperture gun makes it possible to create a portal in order to get to out-of-reach areas, drop onto moving platforms, or retrieve distant objects. That fairly simple formula produces some fiendish puzzles which invite the player to repeat them many times over. That's good, because the game is unfortunately quite short, with only a few hours of game play to finish off the main story. And finishing is required: the charming little song at the end makes the struggle well worth it.
Portal is an excellent game, the standout star of 2007's Half-Life 2:The Orange Box game compilation, which also included the Half-Life 2 saga and Team Fortress 2. As a stand-alone product, Portal includes no additional game content on top of what was included with The Orange Box, so those who own The Orange Box should not pick up this edition of Portal. But since The Orange Box is an M-rated title, if you have a teen looking for an interesting puzzler, this stand-alone version of Portal is an outstanding choice. It represents a new genre of game that combines the sophisticated physics of a first-person shooter with minimally-violent puzzle content.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the possibility of sapient machines in our future and what our ethical responsibilities might be. Because this is set in a future mostly absent of humans, families could also discuss dangers, both real and imaginary, that could cause human extinction.
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AGE
Good game with a story too dark for younger children.
This is an amazing game, one of the best of all time, and it would be appropriate for younger kids if the storyline wasn't so dark. GLaDOS is a robot who will twist and manipulate you and later on the game, try to kill you with things such as turrets, falling cubes, poison water, and an attempt to incinerate you. Don't get me wrong, the storyline isn't so dark and twisted that it deserves an M, I think it is fit for a T, maybe even an E10+. Plus, it might be appropriate for younger kids, if they don't listen to the storyline on games really. But, it's not recommended for young kids. While GLaDOS is very manipulative, she is also likeable and very funny. The game is humorous, in a dark sort of way. GLaDOS is also creepy, because of everything she says, and what she has done (you will learn this at the end of the game, if you haven't already figured it out by the clues they gave you before you got there.) Overall, this is an amazing game, and even though it is short, I wasn't expecting a big 10-20 hour game on a disc with 5 games on it.
10/10
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AGE
A game that improves skills and entertains
Portal is a refreshing change from the usual bloody violence of first person shooters.
The player has to work out what to do, and has to solve puzzles that really make you think.
Added to that, the teleporting means that the player also has to plan ahead, and the frequent unnatural changes in orientation mean that playing the game improves spatial awareness.
A nice touch is the sardonic computer voice-over, which gently mocks the player throughout the game, and there's a healthy dose of visual humour.
Despite the short gameplay, both my kids find this game totally engrossing and return to it again and again.
Overall, Portal is a game that's low on violence and high on educational value and good humour. I wish that there were more games like this.
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AGE
Fun Game
This game is very fun, and even educational to some extent! The real-world physics in this game are incredible, and playing around with the Portal gun is a blast. But for littler kids, it might be wise to steer clear. This is a puzzle game, meaning that violence is kept to a minimum. However, the player is always in danger of falling to his/her death, being riddled by inanimate turrets, or being vaporized by an energy ball. Whenever the player gets hit by one of the turrets (Who are really only in a few levels) blood splatters appear on the wall or ground behind. You can't really kill anything, but instead, you just knock over the cute little gun turrets. Portal is a fun game, and family friendly for kids 10 and up, but know your kid's maturity level and use your good judgment.
Now enter the internet. Portal uses the Source game engine, which means that mods can be downloaded for it from the program that runs Portal, Steam. If your child has a Steam account, this means that he/she has access to many demos and mods to download. Mods are like add-ons to a game. Basically it's a ton of bloody games that your child would have at the click of a button if they own both Portal and Steam. He could download a brutal, bloody medieval mod, or download a grotesque zombie survival mod, or maybe even a western mod.
If you want to keep your child away from these mods, keep taps on what they are doing on their Steam account, and pay attention to the game that they are playing.
Know your kid, know what he/she is doing.
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AGE
An Amazing, Innovative Puzzler
Portal is one of the best games I've seen in a while. It's different from any other puzzle games in a way that it uses teleporters (portals) to get you from point A to point B. I'd say the only reasons this game isn't E is because it has a surprisingly dark (though humorous) story and there is a little blood. GLaDOS, an AI, guides you through the game. But she eventually begins to manipulate you and try to kill you. Discretely. She makes it seem like it's part of the challenge. But in the end, you are forced to destroy her. It does seem rather evil, but the plot is very good, and GLaDOS is funny. I highly recommend this brain twister.
And no, despite what she says, the cake is a lie. :)
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AGE
Well...
The word h-ll is used once during the game, and some of GLaDOS' s taunts can get pretty-- ehh.... but most kids couldn't understand that until they're ready for it anyway. One thing I would like to point out is that the "violence against inanimate objects" is garbage. Really. The cube you are forced to "incinerate" isn't actually destroyed by the fire- only charred.
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AGE
Great game, but could be frustrating for younger players
This game is one where you need to use logic skills rather than violence to win. The whole game is basically about how to get from point A to point B without running into C, D, or E. The puzzles get gradually harder as you go on, but everything is explained to you in the early levels.
The antagonist of the game threatens to kill you at several points, and tries first to lower you into a pit of fire and, later on, to fill the room with neurotoxin. Because of this, I'd say that the game is not okay for children younger than 11 or so. Younger players might have a hard time with some of the puzzles, but there is no time pressure except in the boss fight. Overall, this is a fun, challenging game that makes you use your head.
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AGE
ROCKS!
The games amazing, no doubt. I think its being too much criticized for nothing..
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AGE
awesome for tweens and older!
i think this is a great game! although after the 17 room GLaDOS
does say "android hell is a real place you will be sent at the first sign of defiance. there is some blood and ending with death threats and jokes about cake. the end fight is funny although there is a rocket turret. the puzzles were challenging and sometimes glados encourages you to keep trying. with a little "caaake" of course
i give this game a double thumbs up!!
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AGE
A near perfect game, but unsuitable for under 13s
From a gameplay point of view, Portal is simply one of the best and deeply though out games I have ever played in my life. The puzzles are at times maddeningly difficult, but never impossible. Although Portal is now 5 years old, the graphics are still nice and run fluidly even on older machines.
Now for the problems. In the later levels, there are turrets that shoot at you, with moderately realistic blood splashing onto walls behind you. Turrets are also heart-breakingly adorable, and they make you love them even though they want to kill you. The main enemy of the game (GLaDOS) constantly taunts you with messages meaning to hurt you, and may upset younger players. Nevertheless, she is an excellent character and is undoubtedly one of the best video game characters of all time despite the fact that she is a megalomaniac who has wrested control over a science facility.
A final problem is the last level, where the player is running through the 'behind the scenes' of the facility. The environments are at times scary and disturbing, that unsettles even me.
Portal's fantastic puzzles create an excellent challenge for teens and above, but the mild violence and negative themes makes it unsuitable for pre teens.
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| Platforms: | Windows |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Puzzle |
| Developer: | Electronic Arts |
| Release date: | April 9, 2008 |
| Price: | $19.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T |
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