portal

Portal-themed bedroom is for real

If you're a fan of Valve video games, you'll probably think this is the coolest thing you've ever seen (or be super jealous that your parents aren't as awesome as this kid's).

Welcome to Vector Farr's own personal Portal-themed bedroom, complete with a red button rug, plush weighted companion cubes, and a GLaDOS replica on the wall.

Vector is the son of comic book writer and artist James Farr, who's most famous for his Xombie series.

For those who aren't familiar with the first-person puzzle-platform video game, Portal introduces gamers to Aperture Laboratories, the handy portal device it developed, and GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System), the lovably masochistic artificial intelligence.

As an Aperture test subject, it's the player's task to successfully navigate a series of physics-based puzzles while enduring hilariously negative reinforcement from GLaDOS as she monitors your progress from one test chamber to the next.… Read more

preGame 59: Rage; Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection

Today on preGame we've got an early look at Rage, hitting consoles and PC on October 4. Then we'll battle a giant colossus in our demo of the PS2 HD reboot for PlayStation 3, Shadow of the Colossus. Shadow makes up one half of the highly anticipated rerelease, the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection. For CNET's full take on the game, check out our review here.

Today's demo of Rage includes strong language and violence. Viewer discretion is advised.

Want to be a part of our live taping? Make sure you head to http://cnet.com/live/pregame … Read more

The 404 860: Where we're selling Spotify invites (podcast)

Spotify has finally made its way to the U.S., successfully striking deals with all four of the major record labels to provide a unique music-streaming service, and Wilson's already a member with a premium account. If you're weren't lucky enough to get an invite to the party, we'll be selling them to the highest bidder.

In other news, Jeff's friend brings us news about a man in China who built an iPad clone from scratch, except I already have my eyes set on a Buy.com deal for an Archos 7" Android tablet for $90 shipped! If you already have the Archos, let me know if it's worth the money, or if I should wait for Amazon's tablet to launch in October.

All this plus e-mails from the public on today's podcast!

The 404 Digest for Episode 860

Spotify lands in the United States. Chinese "hacker" makes iPad clone from scratch. Amazon to launch its own tablet in October.

Episode 860 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Fan's Portal turret replica gets smoke, laser

The picture you see here is a life-size replica of the Portal turret made by a fan. Not only is the model impressive in its likeness with the video game character, but maker Ryan Palser also shot some impressive photos of the final product complete with smoke and a laser. Furthermore, using a motion sensor, the turret plays a preloaded audio track when someone comes near. Click here to get a sense of what sounds the Portal turret makes.

In his description, Palser concedes that the turrets in the latest installment of the game, Portal 2, have been significantly redesigned, so he designated this model Version 1.0. That takes nothing away from the beauty of this project, and we can't wait to see if he will be building the newer turret. More images of the replica after the jump. … Read more

preGame 49: Call of the Dead; PSN outages; L.A. Noire

What a week for video game news! As PSN outages continue to plague PlayStation 3s, Sony has finally declared the incident a "compromise of personal information" and a "malicious act." Does this mean our credit card info has been tossed into the Internet void? Nevermind that, we just want to be able to play Mortal Kombat online again.

Last night's Tribeca Film Festival screening of L.A. Noire marked the first time a video game was spotlighted at the big event. Jeff was there for the screening and Q&A that preceded; plus he'll give us some thoughts on an entire case he played a few weeks ago.

Since Nintendo has confirmed that the successor to the Wii will debut at E3 2011 and go on sale next year, we'll play an interesting voicemail that speculates on how players will interact with the new console.… Read more

Portal 2: For fun, for everyone, for science

Portal 2 is the follow-up to the 2007 cult-classic original that was bundled inside Valve's Orange Box collection. Since then, Portal has gone on to spawn a loyal following that has been clamoring for a sequel for years.

This week Portal 2 hits the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Steam as its own full-length game, extending the mythology of GlaDOS--the game's maniacal nemesis--Aperture Laboratories, and much more.

Jeff: We listed Portal 2 as one of our most anticipated games of 2011 for good reason. It is by far one of the most unique gaming experiences available, forcing the player to think well beyond the laws of physics. In the process of creating a brand-new gaming genre, Portal 2 also delivers some of the most clever and unique level design around, allowing for an overwhelmingly satisfying experience.

If that weren't enough, Portal 2 doubles the value by adding a fully fledged co-op campaign that is totally different than the single-player mode. The most complex puzzles are found here and the sense of accomplishment and mutual discovery while playing with a friend cannot be overstated.

We got to chat with one of Portal 2's writers, Erik Wolpaw--the 8-minute interview of which is embedded above--about the process of creating the highly anticipated sequel and how Stephen Merchant was brought on as the voice of Wheatley, one of the game's new characters.… Read more

preGame 48: Portal 2; Mortal Kombat

Editors' note: Today's demo of Mortal Kombat features intense scenes of violence. Viewer discretion is advised.

Two blockbuster titles highlight this week's episode of preGame as we demo Portal 2 and Mortal Kombat--we're calling it Portal Kombat!

To celebrate the release of Portal 2, we're also giving away two Portal 2-themed hoodies courtesy of ThinkGeek.com. For your chance to win, follow the show's new Twitter account, @CNETpreGame, and follow the directions found in the video above! The winners will receive direct messages before next week's show.

For more on Portal 2, please stick around at the end of this week's episode for our full interview with one of the game's writers, Erik Wolpaw. Or if you want to jump right to that video, press the play button to the right.

As if these two massive games weren't enough, we've also sneaked in a look at Uncharted 3's multiplayer experience. Check out the newest trailer that gives a taste of what's to come in Drake's latest adventure, due out this November.… Read more

preGame 47: Inversion teaser; SOCOM 4; WWE All Stars

On today's preGame, we'll be screening the teaser-trailer for Inversion, a game set to hit consoles in February 2012. So why all the excitement now? Let's just say the live-action trailer leaves us with a few unanswered questions.

Next we'll take a look at the technology behind the next installment of the SOCOM franchise in SOCOM 4. Find out how the game attempts to max out the PlayStation 3 and how development made PlayStation Move a major factor in the title's creation.

Jeff will then take a look at WWE All Stars for Xbox 360 … Read more

Opera launches mobile app store

Opera announced today the opening of its own mobile app store.

The new online Opera Mobile store is offering both paid and free apps designed for a variety of phones, including those running Java, Symbian, BlackBerry, Android, and Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS. The company launched the new store with help from mobile app marketplace Appia, which provided the storefront e-commerce technology.

Opera is specifically looking to reach users of its own mobile browser by setting up the store's mobile Web site as a Speed Dial link. Opening the site on a mobile device prompts users to either select … Read more

Valve bringing Steam-supported Portal 2 to PS3 in April

According to a press release that went out to GameSpot and others this morning, the PlayStation 3 version of Valve Software's forthcoming Portal 2 will ship this April with support for an assortment of features that tie the game in with Valve's Steam PC gaming software.

Among the announced features, Valve says the PlayStation 3 version of the game will ship with cross-platform chat and multiplayer among PS3, PC, and Mac Portal 2 players, as well as support for Valve's Steamworks cloud-based storage system that lets gamers store saved game files, settings, and other data remotely to … Read more