Additionally, this mod also includes custom textures, models, and even music. Nonetheless, it’s a great option for players who are actually willing to keep being test subjects. Taking a beloved world and completely changing its setting could have angered many Portal 2 fans. Besides cosmetic changes, Above Aperture does include pretty hard levels, which keep the Portal 2 spirit high and alive.Īll in all, Above Aperture is a risky effort. Even if it’s still Portal 2, it feels like a lot more. In this custom-made extension, Chell gets to visit what looks a lot like an abandoned city with open-sky levels and outdoor transitions between tests.
Don’t get me wrong, the whole underground facilities setting was extremely necessary for the story, but sometimes it got a bit too damp and dark. I know it may not sound like a really big deal, but being able to see the sky while trying to figure out the puzzles in Portal 2 does feel a lot more like freedom. As Chell, you take a trip to unknown parts of the Aperture Center from which you can see the sky. What does Aperture look like to the people in the non-test environments? Well, Above Aperture, a 4 part mod, is based on that idea. Portal 2 is an underground adventure, and even though every level is beautifully designed, sometimes you may have wondered how deep those labs actually were. That’s a huge detail and any Portal 2 fan will agree. Additionally, it’s a great opportunity to check out how far a mod can change its own base game with a little bit of innovation.īy the way, if everything above isn’t enough, there’s a lot of custom content: the time-machine pad, textures, and even an improved Chell model which allows players to see their own feet. While playing Portal 2 with a friend would require real-time decisions and actions, Thinking with Time Machine requires planning and perfect timing so the interactions with your twin are actually successful.Įven though it lacks a bit of portal action since it’s mainly focused on time traveling, Thinking with Time Machine does add a new twist to Portal 2’s gameplay. Undoubtedly, there’s a whole new level of strategy behind this mechanic. This way, you can do the rest of the work and become your own best teammate. Pressing another button will then trigger the creation of a twin Chell, who repeats everything you did. In addition to having the portal device, you also get to use a time machine in order to solve rooms and be a perfectly efficient test subject.īy pressing a button on said time machine (which looks pretty much like a tablet), you record your actions. With this very popular mod, instead of being a robot and messing around with a friend, you are Chell… twice. If you don’t want to play a story you already know and you’d rather play alone, Thinking with Time Machine is the Portal 2 mod for you. This is even more true when taking into account the huge amount of user-made maps focused on cooperative gameplay. Either way, being one of those funny robots is always worth it. It can be all about killing your partner in the most treacherous ways, or finding the sweet momentum of teamwork. Besides having a really amazing single-player story, the co-op mode in Portal 2 is what keeps you going back.