GAMER VID: PORTAL IN REAL LIFE

via Vimeo

Besides Dan Trachtenberg's marvelous "No Escape" (which I realized I have not covered in The Video Game Tome as of yet, but will soon) this is one of the best fan-made "Portal"-inspired shorts I've stumbled across. It is going viral in a major way today. Jason Craft posted this to Vimeo just over a day ago and the major gaming sites are already sharing it.


This is an enjoyable look at what it would be like to have a Portal gun in real life, y'know, the stuff geek reveries are made of. What these guys lack in acting they definitely make up for in special effects. This 3-minute clip has better special effects than some Hollywood productions! As a faux-home movie it reminded me a lot of "Chronicle," which hit theaters earlier this year. Anyways, enjoy! This is inspiring to indie filmmakers and "Portal" gamers alike.

PORTAL 2 CHAMBER BEAT IN 32 SECONDS

I've yet to play "Portal 2" (which is one of my biggest regrets in gaming this year), but from everything I've heard it is every bit as good as its predecessor (which is one of my favorite gems in gaming any year). Nonetheless, I can deeply appreciate the skill and precision on display in the the video above. YouTube user Divector8 completes the Propulsion Catch chamber in 32 seconds! He was going for a speed run and I think defined it. What's more? He only uses four portals! I cannot wait to play this game (hopefully sooner rather than later).

Full disclosure, I found this video on Game Informer earlier today.

Live on. Game on.