“Space, space wanna go to space, yes please space. Space space. Go to space”. All Portal fanatics will remember this infamous and nostalgic quote, continuously yelled out with glee by a corrupted personality core in the finale of Portal 2.
And it’s safe to say that the absence of the dimension-hopping masterpiece has left a massive space in our hearts, meaning we have to turn to similar alternatives to fill the Chell-sized void. Fortunately, that’s exactly what this list is counting down; so, settle down with your talking potato, try to avoid becoming ‘the immediate past president of the being alive club’ and read on as we list ‘The Top 10 Games Like Portal 2’.
10. The Turing Test
Image
Ava Turing, the next best thing to Chell
The Turing Test Gameplay: https://youtu.be/L4kHPqPOrlA
Completing puzzles in the far future, guided by a robot who may or may not want to kill you, you walk around isolated, desperately looking for people. No, I’m not describing Portal, this is The Turing Test.
Playing as Ava Turing you wake up from a deep cryogenic sleep, long after your fellow astronauts awoke. You guide Ava around the Europa space base, guided by T.O.M, an A.I ‘assisting’ you to complete your mission.
As is the nature of the real Turing Test, as T.O.M is a robot, he lacks the creativity to solve puzzles and challenges, meaning playing as Ava you are required to move room to room solving various tests. This entry in particular is oozing with Portal vibes and themes, meaning if you love Portal 2 then you will adore The Turing Test.
The game has an unexplainable eerie feel as you are forced to slowly contemplate whether or not the AI is really helping you. The puzzles in this are great, they are varied, unique, creative and above all, fun. Personally, I really like how you slowly develop more skills and abilities to use, it keeps the game fresh and exciting.
Choose the Turing Test if you like:
The Sci-Fi genre – Turing Test has definitely been inspired by films such as 2001: A space odyssey and it conveys that creepy postmodern environment.
Deep Narratives – This game has a great story if you listen to it. Told to you through various mediums, it’s a captivating journey that deserves your full attention.
Progressive difficulty- A great feature of this entry in particular is that it starts you in the shallow end. Starting easy and working you to see focus and frustrations.
9. QUBE 2
Image
Like Portal, but with Cubes.
QUBE 2 Gameplay: https://youtu.be/awlTqn0PGRQ
Quick Understanding of Block Extrusion or QUBE is an extremely fluid and well-rounded first-person puzzle game, an immediate correlation with our beloved Portal hopping franchise.Waking up amongst the rubble and ruins of an ancient alien planet, you play as Amelia Cross, a lonely and trapped archaeologist who is only guided by another survivor from afar. Using colour-coded puzzles you slowly make your way through a variety of challenges, all whilst the emotional and fascinating story develops around you, all leading up to one worthy finale. QUBE has multiple similarities to Portal, with the main being the seamless and smooth adoption of solving puzzles into the wider story. In a way, both games use the constantly evolving challenges as a way to keep you invested whilst the mysteries unravel around you. Just like Portal’s iconic Portal Gun, QUBE 2 features a ‘magic glove’ that you use to drag coloured blocks and cubes around in order for you to progress through the strange alien landscape.
Choose This Game if You Like:
Beautiful changing environments – Unlike the original QUBE which is mostly bright white walls like a hospital, QUBE 2 has colourful and changing environments which range from forests to laboratories.
Juggling different tools – where QUBE 1 just features the block-dragging aspect, the sequel has you burning, greasing, magnetising and floating your way through the story.
An immersive slow-burning storyline – As previously said, the crux of this game is the exciting and slow unravelling of the story, all whilst keeping you busy with the colour puzzles.
8. The Witness
Image
Like Ipads and Puzzles? You'll love the Witness.
The Witness Gameplay: https://youtu.be/SPMMKFX78x0
Solving puzzles on a deserted island in the hope of finding clues about your identity, your past life, and how you got to the island, you wander, hoping to find some indication of who you are. Playing as a silent character, you wake up in the middle of nowhere with no memory of who you are or how you got here. You guide them through 11 unique areas, solving line-based puzzles as you explore the seemingly uninhabited areas. Even though there are no cool gadgets involved, the logic-based puzzles will get the brain pumping as you figure out the solution. In spite of the fact that there are over 500 of them, they are all unique in their own way, incorporating colours and different viewpoints into the equation. You really need your thinking cap on to solve some of these.
Choose this game if you like:
Open world adventure - This game allows you to explore on your own, through man-made structures and natural landscapes made of vivid colours.
Figuring things out for yourself - this game offers no clues as to what you have to do, or where you have to go, so from the get-go, you are on your own. Use your own intuition to find the answers to the puzzles dotted around the island.
Beautiful scenery - the colourful and vibrant graphics make this game enjoyable to play. If you can’t figure out the solution to a puzzle, take a walk to the edge of the island and stare out into the vast blue ocean. You may just figure out the answer.
7. The Talos Principle
Image
A Game Bathed in Philosophy
The Talos Principle Gameplay: https://youtu.be/Vu9QFBWb7WQ
You wake up alone, in a … Hold on this feels a little familiar. In the Talos Principle, you spawn as an android in a paradisical heaven-like environment, surrounded by ancient structures and palm trees. You are commanded by an omnipotent voice known as Elohim, to pass all of the puzzles and join him, but the question is what happens when you finally do? The game is soaked in philosophical questions and metaphors to question your own humanity and what it means to be alive; you spend more time considering your own morals and ethics than actually solving puzzles! The deep lore and winding narrative is the true driving force behind the Talos Principle and its mysterious tower serves as a constant visible and tantalising goal. This game is heavily inspired by Portal and you can see this throughout, such as; the strong demanding narrative driven by an all-powerful voice (both Elohim and Glados). Greek mythology is also a strong feature that both games share, with it being blatantly clear in Talos Principle and subtle story points in Portal 2. Finally, the high technology puzzles are an obvious similarity. Playing as an android in this videogame is a clever touch as it only goes to further push the ideas and philosophies of being human. Never has a game been made you think so much.
Choose This Game if You Like:
Strong Narratives – Like I said this story is so cleverly told and intelligence is injected into every action that you take. You truly have to think hard about every decision.
Challenging Difficulty – So many of the puzzles in this one stumped me, it is harder than Portal and arguably the most difficult on this list.
Multiple Endings. – Remember what I said about thinking carefully about your actions, well they really do have an impact on the final scenes of this game.
Quantum Conundrum is a first-person puzzle platformer game that has one feature very reminiscent of Portal, the ability to jump through different dimensions! You play as a young silent protagonist, the nephew of a quirky scientist Professor Fitz Quadwrangle. You unwillingly get dragged into one of his crazy experiments where he gets trapped in a pocket dimension and you have to be his nephew in shining armour. Of course, the whole selling point and challenges aspect is very reminiscent of Portals due to the use of switching through dimensions to help you out. In Quantum Conundrum you use the physics of each dimension to progress, for example in one there may be a heavy immovable box and in the other zero gravity, meaning you can shift it. The story may not be as airtight as Portal’s but it is an extremely fun and memorable game in its own right. Furthermore, Kim Swift (The Lead Designer of Portal) left Valve and soon worked on this game, which is perhaps why it shares the same glorious creativity.
Choose Quantum Conundrum if you like:
Silly fun – Where Portal is full of sarcastic humour and doom and gloom, Quantum Conundrum shifts focus more to the lighter side of life, with little gags of childlike humour scattered around it.
Platforming and Puzzles – Quantum Conundrum reaches a wonderful balance between puzzle solver and fast-paced platforming; giving you the best of both worlds.
Rapidly changing physics – At its prime this game makes you consider the rules and laws of physics in multiple dimensions at once, often having them collide in ways you would never expect.
If anyone has ever told you to get a little perspective then you’ll love this game, it revolves around it. In Superliminal you have to think outside the box and manipulate your perspective to fit your wishes. You are desperately trying to escape from a dream in which you have gotten stuck in and to do so you must use all available tools at your disposal. No item is too big or small, as you can literally mould them to your requirements. Superliminal doesn’t feature as obvious of a connection to Portal as others on this list may have done, but there is no denying it has the same spirit. Making your way through isolated, sterile and quiet rooms both games make you feel like someone is watching you, without directly becoming a horror.
Choose This Game if You Like:
Optical Illusions – Seriously if you like optical illusions this is the go-to game, its central premise and gameplay requires you to create your own optical illusions and invest in them.
Thinking Outside the Box – Where others see a chess piece, you must see a ladder, ramp or stepping stone. To quote Thanos “Reality can be whatever I want”, and that definitely applies to Superliminal.
Subtle Eery Suspense – Despite not being a horror game, this oozes unnatural creepiness, perhaps due to the plot being that you are stuck in a dream (don’t tell Freddy Krueger), many players describe the different environments as being lonely and ominous.
4. The Stanley Parable
Image
Stanley has a boring life, don't be like Stanley.
The Stanley Parable Gameplay: https://youtu.be/FD057TSkauk
Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere. On the face of it, The Stanley Parable may not look similar to Portal 2, with a clear lack of interactive puzzles, portals and platforming, but when you strip it down or even play the game you start to feel some similar themes. Stanley Parable centres on your playable character ‘Stanley’ suddenly realising he is completely alone and is the only one in his whole office building. This shocking revelation develops into even more mystery as you control Stanley to investigate the building. Until finally, you come to the ultimate twist or at least one of them... Stanley Parable is all about choice and the main fascinating factor of the game is how the sarcastic, witty and often grumpy narrator reacts to these decisions. He breaks the fourth wall often and even tricks you as a player into making some surprising choices. If you like the hilarious exchanges and interactions with both Glados and Wheatley then you’ll see and adore the obvious likenesses to Portal. The narration happens in real-time and more often than not results in him insulting you in one way or another; looking at you Glados.
Choose The Stanley Parable if you like:
Witty banter – The hilarious jabs and mockery displayed by the narrator are quite simply the purpose of Stanley Parable, he adds a tone and enjoyability to the game that just makes you want to keep repeating it.
Multiple Endings – I would be surprised if Stanley Parable didn’t have the most endings to any game ever made. There are so many intricate pathways and decision paths that you can take, each leading to a different ending.
Varied Genres – One amazing unique aspect of the Stanley Parable is that the game encompasses multiple genres, from thriller to mystery and always comedy, the game keeps you hooked at all times. It sometimes even adopts other games such as rocket league and even Portal.
This one’s a given; can you really get closer to Portal 2 than Portal Stories Mel? It’s very likely that this is the closest we will ever get to having a Portal 3 and honestly we can’t complain. I’ll take any time I can get, in the wider Aperture science universe. Set in the Aperture science facilities in the early 50s this entry serves as a prequel to Portal 2, using a prototype portal gun that looks like it could fall apart at any time. Set between Portal 1 and 2, you play as Mel a German Olympian who wakes up in the facility surrounded by crumbling walls and rubble. It is soon discovered this was caused by the destruction of Glados in the first game. You follow a personality core named Virgil and attempt to escape the facility and flee the security system AEGIS whilst you may or may not accidentally wake up the beloved protagonist of Portal 1 and 2. The similarities to Portal 2 are endless so I’ll just sum it up by saying, The Portal Universe and mechanics.
Choose Portal Stories Mel if You Like:
The Portal Universe – This game bridges the gap between both official portal games in a fun, satisfying and believable way, making it the perfect game for all Portal fanatics.
Mods – Perhaps one of the most impressive mods of all time, Portal stories Mel is an incredible display of how powerful proper mods can be.
Being Left to Your Own Devices – Mel assumes you’ve played the other games and gives no tutorial or hand-holding, making it a great easy-to-pick-up game for Portal veterans. It even challenges you on where you can place the portals.
Solving puzzles that truly test your brain, you walk around a seemingly endless labyrinth that encourages you to think outside the box. The minimalistic design of monochromatic and neon gives you a false sense of ease and simpleness. This game is far from it. What you know about traditional game mechanics is challenged as this uses them in new and exciting ways. The fact that there is no clear narrative involved allows you to focus on the ever-changing world around you and gives you a chance to figure out what the hell is going on.
Choose Anti-Chamber if you like:
Thinking outside the box - the rules to this game change throughout, and the player is tricked by false walls and tricky logic problems. Maybe those stupid suggestions don’t seem so stupid after all…
Superliminal - like Superliminal, you have to use your mind to uncover new ways by manipulating your surroundings, even if it doesn’t stick to the normal laws of physics.
Vivid Graphics - even though the main theme of the area is minimalism, the abstract and vivid colours used adds another element of beauty to this game.
1. The Entropy Centre
Image
Who doesn't love a gun with a smile?
The Entropy Centre Gameplay: https://youtu.be/RVWf7Bi6YH8
Control time and manipulate the order of events around you to solve seemingly impossible challenges in deceptively quick time. In the Entropy centre you must progress through different events and stages by rewinding objects through time, in order to make them useful for you and your character. The similarities to Portal are clear for anyone to see, all you have to do is search this game and you are met with floods of comments calling it a Portal tribute and a love letter to Valve’s Portal franchise. Though there is no denying that Entropy Centre is a smart and innovative success in its own right. With the same themes, space-bound futuristic gameplay and AI the Entropy centre is more than worthy of Portal fans’ respect. A game made by Portal fans and for Portal fans, who could ask for more?
Choose The Entropy Centre if You Like:
Smart strategising – The puzzles in this game require some serious planning with just a little luck to pull off, making strategy key.
Smiling guns – Your time-manipulating gun/device smiles at you as you play and that’s enough of a reason for me.
Portal – Again, if you love every aspect of Portal then this game was literally made for you.
As a certified legend of the west and dark knight. I've spent my last few years developing my skill tree and gaining valuable loot. My other passion is for writing creative and unique stories.
