Portal

Portal is a puzzle/platforming game that follows an unnamed test subject as they are put through an automated testing system. The subject's mental and physical prowess is challenged as the testing rooms become more and more deadly. With only a portal gun and their own wits to sustain them, the subject must complete the rigors before them or die.

Blood

Blood spatters occur on walls when Player Character is hit with bullets from turrets.

Claustrophobia

The game has some small spaces where the Player Character must crouch to move.

Darkness

After the main testing areas are finished, the platforming areas become shadowed and dark. They are never so dark that the player cannot see the environment around them and nothing will jump out at the player.

Dehumanization

The Player Character is reduced to nothing but a test subject in the game. The Player Character is never named and only referred to by their testing number. After finishing testing the computer administrating the tests states that the Player Character should be disposed of because they are no longer of use.

Drowning

Some levels involve floors that are acidic and cause death although not drowning. The death visuals show the acid on screen for about a second before restarting the level.

Electrocution

Some of the levels involve a ball of plasma-like electricity that is lethal to the player, but there are no graphics depicting electrocution.

Emotional Abuse

The computer administering the tests is intentionally verbally abusive towards the Player Character. The statements are occasionally threatening or insulting. The verbal abuse is ongoing and includes the computer condescending to or mocking the player repeatedly. This abuse is present throughout the game.

Existential Despair

Ratman (unnamed in game) is a scientist who participated in the lab prior to the events in the game. After the computer took over, he made several lairs throughout the game that the player can choose to explore. These lairs contain assorted phrases (the cake is a lie, help, etc.) and tally marks that show his eventual despair and descent into madness. These places are not required to be explored and can be avoided by not exploring the areas after the main testing part of the game.

Explosions

The plasma/electricity balls disintegrate with a faint smashing sound, although it is not violent-sounding.

The boss battle involves explosions via guided rockets being aimed at the player. These are used to damage a sentient computer. The explosion lasts for a split second and is always warned against by a series of distinctive beeps.

Fire

There are three major instances of fire in the game:

• Incineration of companion cube
• Incineration of personality cores (boss battle)
• Attempted incineration of the Player Character. The the Player Character (first person) is slowly lowered into a fire.

All situations are necessary to progress the game’s plot.

Guns

Turrets are present in some levels and shoot bullets at the Player Character. They make gun noises and there are bullet trajectories shown on screen. If the Player Character is hit blood spatters appear.

The main game mechanic revolves around a portal gun that is shaped somewhat like a gun and fires portals. It is not used in-game as a weapon.

Heights

This game involves a lot of heights, and using heights to progress to checkpoints. The Player Character uses momentum to jump, and the player has a first person experience of falling. The Player Character is equipped with boots that allow her to land without injury from an indefinite freefall, so there is no risk of gore or death from falling.

Medical Malpractice

It is implied that the Player Character was a voluntary test subject for a legitimate laboratory. However, the plot reveals that the computer took over and began testing subjects in violation of ethical medical procedures.

Murder

The computer antagonist intentionally gassed scientists with a neurotoxin prior to the events of the game. This is briefly discussed in-game.

The computer antagonist attempts to murder the Player Character several times throughout the game.

Psychological Trauma

Ratman (unnamed in game) is a scientist who participated in the lab prior to the events in the game. After the computer took over, he made several lairs throughout the game that the player can choose to explore. These lairs contain assorted phrases (the cake is a lie, help, etc.) and tally marks that show his eventual descent into madness; his mental issues are implied to be exacerbated by the trauma of the computer antagonist trying to kill him. These places are not required to be explored and can be avoided by not exploring the areas after the main testing part of the game.

The Player Character is forced to throw away the companion cube, which they supposedly had a fondness for. Though it is not shown in-game, the antagonist states that often subjects form attachments to the cube and are traumatized by its destruction.

Slavery

Though it is implied that the Player Character may have originally been a volunteer, they are not given the option to leave the testing areas. They are forced against their will to complete the tests or die.

Victim Blaming

The computer antagonist is verbally abusive towards the Player Character and will sometimes imply, though not explicitly state, that anything bad happening to the Player Character is their fault.

Weapons

Turrets are small robots that shoot bullets at the player. The main game mechanic revolves around a portal gun that is shaped somewhat like a gun and fires portals. It is not used in-game as a weapon.

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