Preview: Portal

Valve is expected to package some excellent goodies into the release of Half-Life 2: Episode 2.

There is a totally revamped addition to the Team Fortress franchise: Team Fortress 2.

From the screenshots, the character models don't look like they came from the Half-Life universe - rather, they seem to have spawned out of The Incredibles.

But that's not what I'm writing about. Read here if you want more info...

What's frothing my rabid curiosity is Portal. Portal will utilize the Half-Life 2 engine and universe...but with drastically different gameplay. You carry a portal-generating/zero-point energy weapon of some kind that allows you to pick up objects (a la the gravity gun in HL2) and also generate entry/exit portals.

You'll have to calculate the best way through the levels using these portals, finding unique solutions to each new labyrinth.

It's kind of like good old Lemmings, where you have a set task and a limited number of tools to achieve that task. Making proper use of those tools in each situation is the key to success.

Portal looks a lot like Prey, but that's not a bad thing.

Part puzzle game, part Pitfall Harry. I'm definitely in.