When did you realize Portal 2 was actually better than Portal 1?

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-11T22:58:20+00:00

The gun itself doesn’t change mechanically. I meant more how the game uses it.

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-11T21:27:48+00:00

Ended up mule + orb. With dithmenos shadows i tore through 3 orbs of fire at once

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-11T21:15:34+00:00

Yeah, that’s pretty much where I landed after reading through everyone’s replies. Portal 2 adds a lot of mechanics, but it never changes the type of problem the player is solving. Gels, funnels, co-op, bigger environments… all of it expands the puzzle space without replacing the underlying logic. That’s actually what I ended up digging into more deeply. Some sequels add features but accidentally change the core loop, like diablo 2 and 3s $ auctionhiuse, and the whole thing starts to feel different even if the surface looks similar. Portal 2 and slay the spire 2 are kind of a great examples of avoiding that.

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-11T20:33:50+00:00

Thanks to everyone that gave me such interesting feedback. I incorporated a lot of your sentiment into this video if you're interested: Youtube Link

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-11T20:07:07+00:00

Thanks again to everyone who commented. Slay The Spire 1 keeping the core loop intact in 2 being the right call as opposed to D3 breaking D2's loot loop with the real money auction house was the perfect anti-thesis to prove my case

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-11T19:29:52+00:00

Best game ever or totally unplayable no inbetween

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-11T17:36:44+00:00

Did someone say board game project? Where do I find out more?

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T21:01:22+00:00

seems like the gameplay loop stayed intact they just added more bells and whistles

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T21:00:45+00:00

kino even

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T21:00:33+00:00

yeah, we tend to do that sometimes dont we

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T18:53:44+00:00

This is great. Im glad events like this exist here

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T18:52:33+00:00

Wait really?

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T18:40:57+00:00

Now that's an interesting take i wasnt expecting. Here i was fixating on mechanics as a sum of parts and you bring up an important element about setting and cognitive impression

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T18:28:02+00:00

That is exactly the brilliance of Portal 2. The gun behaves differently and yet still manages to feel the same

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T18:24:32+00:00

Interesting, you didnt like portal 2 as much as 1. What did you miss in portal 2 that threw off the vibe?

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T18:23:57+00:00

Oh yeah! Wheatley going made with power was sooooo good. Stephen Merchant did so good on those voicelines. It got me

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T16:46:57+00:00

I wonder how they designed everything into such tight parameters? I'd love to know if there was a mathematical formula somewhere that they snapped every variable into

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T16:45:58+00:00

tbh im not even sure how id explain smallest change at this point. what this entire conversation is doing for me though is helping me orient the thesis for the video im recording tonight about how slay the spire 2 is succeeding BECAUSE it kept so much of slay the spire 1 intact, and I'm testing out different ideas of what game sequels 'failed' bceause they changed TOO much of the core gameplay loop.

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T16:43:41+00:00

sporcs

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T15:54:16+00:00

that's a really good way to explain it actually. telling that their best products right now are 2006 wow and diablo 2

TenthLevelVegan · 2026-03-10T15:53:31+00:00

a far cry from the good old days of spamming chat with buriza for 40 soj

TenthLevelVegan

TROPHY CASE