Portal and its sequel, Portal 2, are first-person puzzle/perspective games developed by Valve, released in 2007 and 2011 respectively. Its silent protagonist, Chell, solves puzzles in the form of test chambers overseen and held hostage by antagonist GLaDOS ("Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System"). Portal's unique reality-bending gameplay and charmingly malicious antagonist made waves in the late 2000s, and by the time of Portal 2's release in 2011, its popularity exploded. Internet memes referencing the game and lines by its characters were almost inescapable; if you've been online at any point in the last twenty years, you've probably heard some. Although its popularity has waned in the years since its release, the Portal games are still gold-standard for story-driven puzzle/platformer games the world over.
Why Do I Love It?
The portal series informed a massive part of my early online experience from 2013 onward, fan animations on Flipnote Hatena and Youtube having introduced me to the games before I ever played them. (I've embedded a few of my favorites below.) It took some years before I had enough money to buy a PC capable of playing them, but finally experiencing them firsthand cemented them forever in my collection of favorite media. Portal's brain-bending puzzles were so cleverly designed that I don't think I've ever played a game that made me rely on spacial reasoning so heavily. Its isolated and impersonal atmosphere was as unsettling and frustrating as it was fun, and its setup for Portal 2's more streamlined and refined gameplay and plot was absolutely divine. GLaDOS' characterization as a cold unfeeling AI undone by her need for testing and her very very HUMAN feelings of rage and betrayal (and pettiness, and loneliness, and attachment) are simply divine. Ellen McLain's talent as a voice actor shines SO brightly in P2, she and Stephen Merchant MAKE this game. In addition to the spectacularly witty writing in both games, Chell's rivalry with GLaDOS and GLaDOS' (possibly?) one-sided toxic romance is perfection. On a more personal note, I think GLaDOS is a milf and the attempted murders and elaborate turret operas are the only way she knows how to express affection :)
Meet the Characters:
Chell
Chell is our protagonist; stubborn, single-minded, completely silent, and hell-bent on escaping Aperture. We only see her depicted in murals or in glimpses through portals! Her unbroken silence throughout both games has lead to fans making theories on her muteness, ranging from physical or mental disability to a contemptuous vow of silence to spite her captors. I lean closer to the nonverbal autistic (like me!) headcanon, but any and all of these theories are in keeping with her character.
Wheatley
Wheatley is the eventual antagonist of Portal 2, a talkative, energetic personality core "designed to make GLaDOS an idiot". He's left in charge of the facility after reviving (then removing) GLaDOS, at first helping Chell escape but quickly succumbing to the corrupting effect of GLaDOS' chassis. Despite his position as an antagonist of P2, his yammering is quite endearing and I found myself sad that we had to say goodbye at the end.
GLaDOS
GLaDOS!! Definitely my favorite character in the series, voiced brilliantly by Ellen McLain; she's the main villain and antagonist of both games. She's a human conciousness poured into a supercomputer (and disc operating system) who operates everything in Aperture. Shortly after being onlined, she flooded the entire facility with neurotoxin, killing all but one Aperture scientist. During both games, her robotic voice gives compliments and comments that are thinly veiled criticism and discouragement; in P2, her comments are more directly disparaging. After teaming up with her to defeat Wheatley, she and Chell make some important discoveries about who she was before she became GLaDOS, and a near romance is born between the two. Her sendoff to Chell at the end of P2 is a love song and a reunion with her original Companion Cube. Personally, I like GLaDOS because she's hot.
Cave Johnson
Cave Johnson is the enigmatic (ridiculously over-the top) genius (?) behind Aperture Science. He founded Aperture as a shower curtain manufacturer until the company aquired an abandoned salt mine, eventually shifting to balls-to-the-wall unethical science and technology. His test chambers far below the modern facility are embedded with pre-recorded messages for test subjects to listen to, and as Chell progresses through the old facility, his recordings become more and more unhinged as the man is slowly poisoned by moon rock dust and what we can only assume to be myriad other toxins. His lines, voiced by J.K. Simmons, are some of the more iconic in the series (see "combustable lemons").
Space Core
"Where am I? Guess. Guess guess guess. I'm in space. What's your favorite thing about space? Mine is space. Dad! I'm in space! [low-pitched 'space' voice] I'm proud of you, son. [normal voice] Dad, are you space? [low-pitched 'space' voice] Yes. Now we are a family again." I love Space Core's frenetic personality and delightfully relatable hyperfixation on space!
Rick
Rick is the adventure personality core briefly seen during the core transfer scene. In his minor appearence, he manages to affirm his manliness, his "larate" skills, and adventuring prowess in a hilariously overexaggerated display of misogyny. Whether or not it's actually funny, I'll leave that up to you.
Fact Core
Fact core is one of the corrupted personality cores that appear along with Rick and Space core, who talks like a stereotypical know-it-all and spews tidbits of trivia ranging from established knowledge to nonsense to outright falsehoods. Holding them for long enough during the transfer scene will get you a LOT of fun "information".
P-Body
P-body is the taller of two androids built specifically for testing by GLaDOS. Their personality is a little less cynical than Atlas', but their penchant for mischief is front and center in canon interactions.
Atlas
Atlas is the shorter of the co-op androids built specifically for testing by GLaDOS. Their personality is more down-to-earth and cynical than P-body's, but it's evident through their interactions that they still care about their testing partner.
Companion Cube
The Companion cube!! Our friend shows up in the first Portal game (until Chell is forced to incinerate it) and makes its last appearance at the very end of Portal 2 (a little worse for wear). If you listen closely, in Portal 2 it hums the tune of "Cara mia"! It's featured promintly in the comic "Lab Rat" as Doug Rattmann's talking partner.
Doug Rattmann
Doug Rattmann is the last scientist left alive in Aperture after GLaDOS' violent takeover. His paranoia brought on by schizophrenia is credited for his miraculous survival as well as his relationship with the Companion cube. Although never featured in the games proper, his hideouts and murals can be found all over both. His actions are what lead to Chell facing off against GLaDOS in the first AND the second games, although it's implied that he dies ensuring her survival in between Portal 1 and 2.
