The Orange Box turned 10 years old this year, and by extension Portal celebrated its anniversary too. Sitting alongside continuations of well-loved games, the short puzzle adventure could have been quickly forgotten. Tacked on to bulk up the box. It was, however, a surprise hit, winning over players with its smart spatial puzzles and writing that fans continue to quote. And while I can list lines off with the best of them (don’t even get me started on that cake), this classic’s hold on my heart comes from a person who never speaks one.
It took me an embarrassingly long time to catch on to the game’s mechanics at first. As I exited the first room, I wondered who was that lady disappearing into the portal across from me, only to realize a second later that I controlled her. Like many players, as soon as I snagged a dual-portal firing gun, I contorted myself to try and catch a view of the woman holding it.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw her.
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