Portal 2 almost had fake endings, terrible multiplayer and no portals

Writers Erik Wolpaw and Chet Faliszek reveal the things that got left out of last year’s GOTY

Words: Mikel Reparaz on March 8, 2012

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BaronVonFistingMcButtholePunch - March 19, 2012 3:26 a.m.

While Chell speaking would have been cool, it doesn't really fit with the rest of the game (Never speaking during it), though perhaps if she returned for another game she could have an active speaking roll in that one.
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Net_Bastard - March 9, 2012 12:21 p.m.

Chell saying "Yes!" at the end would have been a great ending, that is if it happened after the chosen ending for the game. As in, Chell exited Aperture out of the elevator, the Companion Cube gets ejected out, and she just says "Yes!". That would have been a very powerful ending.
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Alex_Syros - March 11, 2012 9:46 a.m.

I don't think such an ending would be fitting. To me, the delightful intrigue of Portal 2 ending is that (a part of) Chell probably does not want to leave GLaDOS after all. Firstly, GLaDOS just saved her life. Secondly, having spent so much time with GLaDOS and having gone through a great deal of turbulent stuff together, Chell must have developed a significant degree of attachment to the deviant AI creature (and it's not just Stockholm syndrome here). Then you have all those Caroline connections to boot... The ending you're suggesting would ruin all these intricacies, ambiguity and intrigue, imo. Portal is more sophisticated and subtle than that.
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Alex_Syros - March 9, 2012 9:25 a.m.

Scary to think that Portal 2 could have been stripped of all those things which are so essential (even iconic) to its universe now. The fact that it didn't happen indicates that Valve are doing some... well, lots of things right ;) It's actually quite baffling how they manage to eventually settle on really good, near-perfect stuff having started out with a fair chunk of chaff. One great example would be Chell's outfit. If you look at the early versions of Chell's costume, they look rather generic and somewhat uninspired, while the final version is pure genius and blows everything else out of the bleeming water!
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TanookiMan - March 9, 2012 7:25 a.m.

Loved the Portal 2 video by faceofdoomness (and The National!), hadn't seen that before.
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CommanderCrunch - March 9, 2012 12:39 a.m.

I DEMAND THE RETURN OF THE MORGAN FREEMAN SPHERE!
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Fuzunga - March 8, 2012 7:57 p.m.

Oh, so they mean at the point where you had to push the button she would just say "yes"?
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slapdatass - March 8, 2012 6:26 p.m.

Stephen Merchant was brilliant, but Richard Ayoade! If there's any British comedian who could have done as good a Wheatley (different of course, but still), it would be him.
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KidKatana - March 9, 2012 1:21 a.m.

But he knows nothing of the crunch!
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rainn'sgaydar - March 8, 2012 5:24 p.m.

I understand why they cut the multiple endings, but they would have been great. It would have made finding all of them worth playing the game even more.
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Redeater - March 8, 2012 4:27 p.m.

With games like Bioshock, Dead Space and The Darkness II getting slapdash multiplayer nothing suprises me any more.
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TheFabricOfTime - March 8, 2012 4:15 p.m.

Portal prequel guys? Guys?
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shneepsh - March 8, 2012 6:32 p.m.

Don't ask them to make Portal 0 (the 0 will be a giant portal on the box art, of course), you're just enabling their 3-phobia. In all seriousness, I'd rather they drop the Portal franchise name and make this mystery "F-stop" game, which'll probably be really cool, as a 5 hour add-on game to HL3 or whatever they make next. It'll be short and sweet like the original Portal and avoid all the crazy hype and expectations of fans for a prequel.
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Headstandz - March 8, 2012 4:14 p.m.

Portal 2 wasn't my favorite game. But it was the only game which ending made me go O.O It was EPIC!
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Craza - March 8, 2012 8:17 p.m.

The little "Ting!" and twinkle as you land that portal, ahhhhh man, that was just perfect.
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MetroidPrimeRib - March 8, 2012 3:28 p.m.

The game should've been longer with more Puzzle Elements. I feel that a lot of the stuff got taken out because the beta testers were dumb.
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Alex_Syros - March 9, 2012 9:42 a.m.

"...a lot of the stuff got taken out because the beta testers were dumb." That, unfortunately, does seem to be the case. When I heard the story explaining the origin of the Weighted Companion Cube (ok, they lucked out on that one), it also made me wonder to what extent the developers are urged to dial down the complexity in games. Here's hoping for a higher average IQ of playtesters going forward.
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SideOfBeef - March 8, 2012 3:27 p.m.

They couldn't have the main character speak because they're saving that to end Half Life 3.
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josh-horvath - March 9, 2012 7:03 a.m.

we all know how it will happen: 'end of the game' alyx: gordon, you have saved us all. what do we do do know? gordon:'lowers weapon' pub everyone: pub? gordon: 'smiles and nods head' pub
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talleyXIV - March 8, 2012 3:21 p.m.

First! Spoilers: for those that have not beat Portal 2 (WHY?) Anyway, this article was really cool. I loved Portal 2 and I think it is the single greatest ending sequence ever, you go to the moon, the villain/friend saves you, and you win (are set free.) I can't believe after the success of Portal they even considered ditching portals, Chell, and GlaDos. Really quite unbelievable. Well, however they came up with it, it was a brilliant game.
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