Due to the popularity of Portal 2, many players tend to skip the first game which can leave them confused. That's why I decided to create this guide. Please note that this is my first ever guide, so it will not be perfect.

Portal 2, continues its story right after the events of the original Portal. This guide aims to capture both crucial and interesting points of the game alike.

Portal 2 is a first-person perspective puzzle game. We take on the role of Chell in the single-player campaign, or as one of two robots (Atlas and P-Body) in the co-op campaign. Portal and Portal 2 take place in Aperture Science's Enrichment Centre, which is dedicated to endlessly testing the Aperture Science products and the humans that use them. And you have a portal gun!

The player must solve puzzles using the 'portal gun' or 'Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device', which can create two portals connecting two distant surfaces depicted as matte white, continuous, and flat. Characters can use these portals to move between rooms or to "fling" objects or themselves across a distance. Outlines of placed portals are visible through walls and other obstacles for easy location.




Portal 2 challenges us to expertly use portals to solve chambers. Speed does not change when passing through portals - the vertical velocity when falling converts through a horizontal portal.




Game elements include Thermal Discouragement Beams (lasers), Excursion Funnels (tractor beams), and Hard Light Bridges, all of which can be transmitted through portals. Aerial Faith Plates launch the player or objects through the air and sometimes into portals. The player must disable turrets or avoid their line of sight. These elements are slowly introduced and taught as the game continues, with many of them working in conjunction in some chambers. The Weighted Storage Cube has been redesigned, and there are new types: Redirection Cubes, which have prismatic lenses that redirect laser beams, spherical Edgeless Safety Cubes, an antique version of the Weighted Storage Cube used in the underground levels, and a cube-turret hybrid. All of these game elements open locked doors, or help the character to reach the exit (Apart from the turrets, you wanna avoid/destroy those).

This section is likely to contain spoilers which will not be blackened out, only if they would severly cripple the game's experience, otherwise, some minor spoilers may be included.


We begin our journey a long time after the events of the original Portal. We wake up in a nice apartment, only just waking up for a short amount of time to follow basic instructions from an unknown announcer. We then return to sleep, until we are wakened the second time to find the apartment is extremely run-down, showing that a lot of time has passed. The announcer then confirms this.



A preview of the bed you are sleeping on. When you wake up for the second time you can see by the state of the apartment that a lot of time has passed.

This time around, unlike in the original Portal, we have a companion! That is Wheatley, a very likable personality sphere. In reality, Wheatley is one of GLaDOS' personality cores and he was originally, upon his creation, referred to as "The Intelligence Dampening Core", meaning he is naturally the less intelligent core. Wheatley makes for quite a companion while you two begin your journey through the Aperture Science. Once GLaDOS (from the original Portal) is awakened by Wheatley, you are forced to begin testing. Just like old times. The story takes a few wild turns, one big especially but I will not spoil that for you. For the most part, you are presented with levels to get through, puzzles to solve and some intriguing, for the most part, monologues to listen to. Throughout the story you will learn a lot about the rise and fall of Aperture Science.

The story is divided into 9 chapters, that is the single-player version. When it comes to cooperative levels, there is also a minor story, which takes place after the events of Portal 2. The two players must successfully complete all test chambers presented to them (unique to the ones in the single-player version), to see the ending. In the co-op version, you play as P-body and ATLAS, two testing robots.




Chell is the game's protagonist who is guided through individual test chamber by GLaDOS. She wields Handheld Portal Device and is a silent protagonist. No matter the height, falls won't hurt Chell as she uses braces that prevent her from taking any damage from fall. This is mentioned in Portal 2, that in early stages of portals' development employees have been breaking their legs so to prevent that, future test subjects had to wear these. As usual, GLaDOS often speaks to Chell in a taunting manner, bringing some topics that might seem like a background information or story-revealing dialogues, but these may just be made up to toy with Chell.

Chell is the only living human test subject in the entire facility, apart from Doug Rattmann. Doug Rattmann plays a big role behind the scenes of the games, however his fate is left unknown in Portal 2. Because Portal 2 is set 'long after' the original game, even if he escaped the facility he is most likely dead. He has many hidden rooms a.k.a dens in both Portal games.


Wheatley is the beloved companion we didn't know we needed, but in the end, one we did not deserve. He is your partner in crime and your company. He is a personality core and has access to most of the Aperture Science facility via the steel links that seem to be everywhere in the facility. More about the character is revealed as the story progresses.


GLaDOS, Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System, not much has changed for her since the original Portal game, she still loves testing beyond anything. This time, however, she's been given more room than before, more than to be just a villain and I found it to be a pleasant change. A great character that often enjoys debating about humans' feelings, emotions, their superficial beliefs. She's bright and offers very interesting lines, there is much more to her than what was originally shown in the first game, now she's more than just a voice.



The inseperable duo of ATLAS and the P-body make their first appearance in the cooperative gameplay, where one player, typically the host, takes over the ATLAS, while the other takes the P-body. Both possess a portal gun, each with their respective colors. They are to work together in each chamber to be able to move further. Players can use various emotes to taunt, joke or just playfully annoy the other. While they have no literal dialogues, they make robotic noises showing excitement or sadness.
Players can equip their ATLAS or P-body with a hat and a different skin to give them a new look.

Source: some of the present images have been taken from https://half-life.wikia.com/

Here, you have the option to play other players' custom created chambers, whether co-op or solo, firstly however, they need to be downloaded from the Steam Workshop. You can also create your very own test chambers.



I find creating custom levels to be a very fun way as you get to make puzzles for other players. Keep in mind, however, that a lot of the players are very experienced and coming up with a hard but not overly complicated chambers.

I gave creating a test chamber a go myself and while it can be completed, it is quite messy and needs work. Feel free to give it a go! Edit: I've changed the test chamber to a new one I've made (30/03/20) as it is a bit better. Enjoy!

https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2040789364

This section will only briefly cover achievements and secrets. I recommend checking out the other already existing guides on them if you would like find all secrets and gain all the achievements.


You like achievements? Well this game has got them! Many achievements can be obtained by playing through the story. This is the case with some of the single player and co-op achievements. However to obtain others the game requires you to do certain things or take different turns. Here are a few achievements that do this.

Good Listener
When you are escaping with Wheatley, you can get this achievement by taking GLaDOS' escape advice and going left instead of right, which is obviously a trap.

Pit Boss
In the beginning of chapter 9, when you escape death, you will be asked to come back when you begin to run away. If you do this and jump into the pit as asked, you will get this achievement. However be sure to wait before you jump in as there is some funny dialogue from Wheatley that you don't wanna miss!

Ship Overboard
This achievement requires you to find a hidden area in the story. I won't explain here as it is difficult to explain without spoiling the main story as the achievement is found near an area with major plot points.

Along with the many single player achievements, there are achievements you must get in co-op. Some of these require you to have someone else on your friends list who also owns the game. This is the case with the following achievements, Professor Portal and Friends List With Benefits.

This, a somewhat special achievement, requires you to play co-op with a friend of yours under 2 conditions: 1) You must have completed the co-op story and seen the ending. 2) Your friend must not have played co-op, ever, therefore you two must go through the introductory test chambers.
Naturally, you two must be friends as well.

This is another achievement which requires the usage of your friends list. Here, you must simply hug 3 people that are on your friends list, do that by selecting hug from the wheel of gestures.

Portal 2 has plenty of secrets and easter eggs. For this guide, I will only cover 1 as there are already existing guides which cover all the secrets.


Very later on, close to the ending of the game, when things get a bit out of hand and chambers start to mash together, you'll catch a glimpse of the co-op robot, P-body. He can be seen in a distance and after noticing you, he attempts to disappear quickly. It was a nice thought, bringing one of the co-op characters into the main story, even if just for a few seconds, it was a nice thing to see.

Portal 2 keeps all of its former testing elements and also introduces some new ones. Let's go over some of the new ones.

(source: images have been taken from https://half-life.wikia.com)

Laser-based technology used to either burn turrets and cause them to explode from large range up to close range, or to trigger energy pellets associated with them. To go with this, we also now have laser redirecting cube, that can reflect the laser and allow you to manipulate it to your liking.





These beams of light can be channeled vertically or horizontally. If vertically, they are meant to be used as a shield against lined up turrets. In case of them being placed horizontally, you are to walk upon them so look for white portable walls to access distant areas or to cross the goo.





This mechanism creates a wide cylindrical beam of blue light that the player may enter or exit at any time. It seems to defy the laws of gravity, allowing anything/anyone who enters to become weightless and travel along the path of the Funnel. Anyone or anything caught inside the Funnel travels in the direction that the Funnel is flowing in, unless the Funnel is reversed, which is usually accomplished through the activation of a button. Excursion Funnels can pass through portals and can cross vast distances, and can, therefore, be used to solve puzzles in which Funnels may not initially appear to be useful. Excursion Funnels can also act as a mode of transportation for the player or objects across large gaps, as well as Gels (scroll down for gel info).





They are paint-like liquids that impart different effects when applied to surfaces and objects. The gels come in 3 main variants and 1 less used extra one.

• Repulsion Gel (Blue) - causing objects to bounce of off it
  
• Propulsion Gel (Orange) - causing objects to move at an accelerated rate
  
• Conversion Gel (White) - causing surfaces it is placed on to be portable

From left to right: Repulsion Gel, Propulsion Gel, Conversion Gel and the Cleansing Gel to remove the other gels













The gels impart special properties to surfaces or objects they touch. Here, blue Repulsion Gel causes the painted turrets to bounce off any surface.

In my personal opinion, Portal 2 is one of the greatest video games of all time. The praise would go to its gameplay, balanced learning curve, pacing, dark humour, soundtrack, writing, and acting.


For a single player linear campaign game, this game probably has the best replay value. The atmosphere is unique, the music fits perfectly, the story is interesting and suspenseful. There are also many fun secrets and achievements.

Here's the thing too, if you hate puzzle games, this game is STILL great. The puzzle aspects of this game are unlike any other puzzle game, and can require quite some time and patience to solve. I am not very good at puzzle games, but I still love this game.

For a game released in 2011, the graphics are magnificent.

The gameplay is addictive, The audio is excellent, the story is award-winning and the game time is perfect and it is so worth the price. The price is also insanely cheap now!

On a scale of Zero-Assassin's Creed Unity, the game has zero bugs (apart from two small ones on MacOS).

And you don't need to ask NASA if they have a spare computer because this game will run on just about anything!

This is a unique puzzle solving game. You won't regret buying Portal 2.

I really hope you found this guide somewhat useful and sufficient. This is my first guide so it's not gonna be perfect. But thank you for checking this one out. Be sure to like/favourite this guide if you enjoyed it.

Valve's games have something to them that other games don't. I bought both Portal games in January 2018 and played a bit but then stopped. I then went back to the games in the second half of 2019 and realised how good they were. Even if you aren't into these types of games, give them a go. You'll be surprised how good they might be.