- First Person
- Mechanics include; Moving, Jumping, picking up and placing cubes, shooting the portal gun ( 2 portals, essentially doorways player plants on surfaces)
- Puzzle game with Platforming aspects
So let's play the first level of Portal 2!
Tutorial and Initial Background:
The player is initially left/taken into a "Mental relaxation room" while seemingly friendly yet creepy voice giving tutorial instructions overhead. Fast forward to the total destruction of the environment, meeting a new "friend" and the player is thrown into their first test.
The player uses the gun for the first time to get out of the room. No other obstacles or ways to die. The player can see the little cyan running portal man a few steps before- which is the destination. Player sees this at the end of every test and understands that is the goal.
The player is initially left/taken into a "Mental relaxation room" while seemingly friendly yet creepy voice giving tutorial instructions overhead. Fast forward to the total destruction of the environment, meeting a new "friend" and the player is thrown into their first test.
The player uses the gun for the first time to get out of the room. No other obstacles or ways to die. The player can see the little cyan running portal man a few steps before- which is the destination. Player sees this at the end of every test and understands that is the goal.
Then at the next stage in the level, the player is introduced to the cube prop. Player must place the cube on the button to then open the door. Simple but crucial mechanic. 
Now onto the tests:
Player immediately notices the cyan man in the back as the destination- but it immediately challenges the player by putting it behind glass. Player also notices buttons on the right and left of the stage.
By trial and error, the player experiments by pressing both buttons to go through an initial portal and receive the cube, then press the other button, go through the portal to place the cube on the larger floor button.
Then when the cube is placed on the larger floor button, the destination door opens. But what about the glass in front of the destination door? I'll tell ya. Player must press the third and final button to open a portal and get to the door.
Next step:
Player falls into the depth of the watery science lab and finds the portal gun! Player then must figure out how to use the gun and portal system on their own (Blue/Orange settings). Using their prior knowledge of the puzzle beforehand (player has already been introduced to portals being stationed on walls), player shoots the wall near the destination and their current location to transport themselves to the destination.
Player falls into the depth of the watery science lab and finds the portal gun! Player then must figure out how to use the gun and portal system on their own (Blue/Orange settings). Using their prior knowledge of the puzzle beforehand (player has already been introduced to portals being stationed on walls), player shoots the wall near the destination and their current location to transport themselves to the destination.
Analysis:
The player feels smart while playing this because the game doesn't hold your hand. When you figure out the puzzle there is a sense of accomplishment for using your cognitive thinking skill. The most interesting part of the puzzles is that the player always knows where the destination is from the beginning, thus making some puzzles more troublesome than intended. It offers a higher end reward to the player.
The player feels smart while playing this because the game doesn't hold your hand. When you figure out the puzzle there is a sense of accomplishment for using your cognitive thinking skill. The most interesting part of the puzzles is that the player always knows where the destination is from the beginning, thus making some puzzles more troublesome than intended. It offers a higher end reward to the player.
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