I got a new co-worker in the office yesterday. He's kind of a stiff

Worth every penny, IMO.

PORTAL

Since Portal is part of The Orange Box, I won't give it a score (I'll save that for my Orange Box review) just yet.

As always, the Kotaku-way

LOVED

Concept: The reason why this game rocked the gaming world was because the concept of Portal is fresh & unique. Your gun shoots 2 different "portals"...think of them like an "IN" and an "OUT" portal. You do have to see it in person and it's freakin' cool.

Gameplay: A game's concept can be awesome, but it has to be implemented correctly for it to work & be entertaining. No worries because Portal is a VALVe game. Perfect gameplay that keeps you wanting more.

Save System: Portal has an excellent auto-save feature that saves frequently. Not once did I have to backtrack because I or the game didn't save right.

GLADOS: Very unique/cool Boss with cool voice.

HATED

Motion Sickness: Most FPSs don't get me motion sick but Portal did. I think it had to with how the game plays (jumping from Portal to Portal), but it was nothing Dramamine couldn't handle.

That's it. Portal is a must-play for any gamer.

HL2 Impressions:

I'm strictly a console gamer. So, that means I missed out on Half Life 2 back in 2004 on the PC.

Anyway, this game may be 4yrs old, but it's still a damn good game and it still looks great, IMO. Not Gears of War/MGS4-great, but it's no slouch.

I think I'm about 5hrs into the game. I'm totally digging this game so far. I hope to finish it by Friday.

What's Your Game?

Yeah, I know I'm late to the party. But I just felt like posting my impressions of Portal regardless.

Anyway, I now understand why the gaming community went nuts after Portal came out. Very innovative game concept set in the First Person perspective. Some of puzzles really make you think.....and once you figure them out, it all seems so obvious.

Great game and great start to the Orange Box.