Buzz
Among the most iconic puzzle games in history, Portal always holds a high position, both in terms of critical acclaim and in the hearts of gamers who have experienced this masterpiece even during the reign of Windows XP.
It must be admitted that the gameplay of the game is never old. If we overlook the storyline with its incredibly dark humor, then this is a perfect tool for people of all ages to exercise logical thinking, without needing quick reflexes like many other games, just using their brains to solve the obstacles in each level.
On December 9th, which is just 2 days away, Valve and Nvidia are set to release a 100% free update for those who own Portal in their Steam accounts. The new game update is named Portal RTX. True to its name, the game only changes one detail: Graphics. Besides that, the storyline, dialogues, and details of each room, each puzzle remain exactly the same.
The only requirement to play this game is to own a graphics card capable of ray tracing. This 'gift' itself is a showcase of the power of the recently launched RTX 40 series generation.
In fact, it must be acknowledged that, amidst a time when the gaming industry is gradually running out of ideas, publishers are making a living by digging up old games to remake or remaster their graphics, Portal RTX being offered for free is commendable. It saves us from having to spend an additional $10 to $20 to replay an old game, revitalized in terms of visuals.And immediately, within the first few seconds, the differences became truly apparent. It's worth mentioning that, based on the outdated graphics platform from 15 years ago, Portal RTX can't be compared to the latest games on the market that also utilize ray tracing. So, the only way is to place the 2007 and 2022 versions side by side to notice the differences in visuals, to see how with the presence of RTX, everything changes.One thing that few people notice is that with real-time ray tracing, game scenes are not only improved in terms of the realism of light, shadows, and reflections. The way light interacts with different object surfaces, including reflections and refractions, is also enhanced, like the ripple effect of the 'virtual' glass surface in the game:
When it comes to lighting effects, the brightness intensity of each area becomes more realistic and soft, thanks to the processing power of ray tracing cores, rather than pre-built lighting by the hands of level designers. Where there's direct light, it's very clear, even slightly dazzling, and gradually fades as the intensity decreases:
From another perspective, the image noise reduction feature and ray tracing-based light processing also come into play. You don't need to know much about the technical details, just enjoy the results of the research and development efforts of Nvidia engineers. The power of the auxiliary technologies in the ray tracing processing software package is maximized. First is RTX Direct Illumination, simulating the path of thousands of light sources and how they react to the environment. And second is PBR, a technology that simulates object surfaces based on real materials.As a result, the scenes of Portal RTX seem to lose the feeling of an abandoned laboratory, instead presenting very realistic walls or water surfaces, combined with shadows and reflections on shiny surfaces:
Speaking of reflections, the combination of light and object surfaces always creates a strong impression for players when enjoying games that support ray tracing. Portal RTX is no exception.
If you notice any stuttering in the video clip, it's due to the Beta version we're testing provided by Nvidia. It only occurs when recording with Shadowplay. When the game officially launches, this issue will be resolved with a patch, so you can rest assured.
If, and it's a big if, you've never tried Portal before, then in this game, you'll step into the shoes of Chell, one of the volunteers testing quantum space portal technology, directly connecting two physically distant locations. In her hands is a device called the Handheld Portal Device, which doesn't shoot bullets but is the most important tool to solve every room, every puzzle in both Portal 1 and 2.There was a time when Portal 2 celebrated its 10th anniversary, and I asked a friend who teaches at an international school in Hanoi, with students from both elementary and middle school levels, to play through Portal and Portal 2, then provide feedback.
Here's what my friend's conclusion looks like: 'The essence of Portal doesn't force players to think 'outside the box' because most puzzles only have one solution. But in contrast, Portal 2 requires players to observe, use creative thinking, and combine lessons learned from previous levels to find solutions for each puzzle.'Creativity is a commendation reserved for Portal's puzzles, not necessarily a trait players will possess. Instead, they'll learn how to observe, combine existing data to piece together solutions to a problem. This trait, alongside creativity and imagination, is crucial not only in the learning process at school but also in life.'And with the free update, supporting Nvidia's RTX graphics card, suddenly Portal, a 15-year-old game, has the chance to be revived, completely overhauled for players to once again rack their brains, using all their nerve cells to solve the game's logic puzzles.
