Make no doubt, Portal is one of the best games this year so far but I've got to come out in Episode 2's defense. Nearly every review and podcast I've seen or heard tells me that ep 2 is the weakest game in the Orange box. They probably mean the weakest new game but its still a great disservice to what I think is the better game out of the three.
Yes, Portal has innovation and TF2 delivers on a 10 year wait, but no other game delivers on an emotional and story-driven level than Ep2 did for me. Portal made me laugh and TF2 makes me smile but Ep2 does both and much more. At the end, at the very end when the big battle is over the game goes up another level and makes you shed a tear or at least for the hard-bitten heartless gamers out there - makes you think about shedding tears.
I can't say much more than that without giving it all away but for me Half life 2:Episode 2 did something most games can't even get close to doing - it made me feel that I was actually there and that there was no Gordon Freeman, only me and what was taking place around me.
Portal 2? I can wait. Episode 3 - i need it now!