Puzzle & Sandbox · 2010s
Portal 2
A first-person puzzle game about connected portals, momentum, and gel-covered walls, wrapped in one of gaming's great comedy scripts. Stephen Merchant's malfunctioning robot Wheatley and Ellen McLain's GLaDOS carry a masterclass in character writing.
| First released | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Valve |
| Original platform | PC (Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
Why it matters
It refined puzzle design to an exquisite curve — every chamber teaches one idea — and showed comedy could be a game's engine, not its garnish. Its co-op campaign required both players to think, a rare and durable achievement.
Play it today
Available on Steam and console stores, with a full two-player co-op campaign included.
Start here
Play the co-op campaign with a friend after the single-player story; they use separate puzzles designed for two. Listen to every line — the writing rewards attention.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_2 — release date, developer, reception
- https://store.steampowered.com/app/620/Portal_2/ — current PC edition
Sources for this page were checked 2026-09-21.