When comparing Orcs Must Die 2 vs Portal 2, the Slant community recommends Portal 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best Online Co-Op games on Steam?” Portal 2 is ranked 1st while Orcs Must Die 2 is ranked 19th. The most important reason people chose Portal 2 is:
While Portal 2 requires focus and logic, it does not punish players for causing a bit of mischief. The instant respawn system means trolling your friend will affect almost nothing in the game, as there are no in-game setbacks when you die. Being able to stop at any point in the game to just goof around is great for releasing some steam, even when it is at the expense of your co-op partner.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Challenging mix of direct and indirect gameplay
The game requires patience and analysis from the player. You can only use so many traps because the currency is limited, which means you will have to run in and slay orcs yourself. Balancing when to attack and when to sit back is vital to success, and makes for an enjoyable challenge when things get hectic.
Pro Fast paced co-op that allows for deep strategies thanks to teamwork and communication
Unlike the first game in the series, Orcs Must Die 2 allows for co-op multiplayer. Two players can team up to kill hordes of orcs, each with their own skills and equipment slots. This not only allows for faster paced action, but also for strategic combat tactics. For this reason, it’s best played with headsets to ensure open communication. Overall, the co-op mode adds a level of fun that was missing from the first title.
Pro Many variables of gameplay that makes for a ton of replayability
The game has many maps, a ranking system, and a wide variety of items that can change each game significantly. These variables create a differentiated experience that doesn’t get stale.
Pro Challenge and longevity for those that want to master the leaderboards
Leaderboards are on offer for those that would like to compete for high scores around the globe. This can be a fun but monumental task, as higher tier weapons will be needed in order to score the combos necessary for a competing high score in any level. Something more in line to the hardcore gamers looking for a challenge, but easily a way for the players to pad out the longevity of the game.
Pro Humorous
The main characters have a great banter with one another that keeps the levels amusing.
Pro Co-op does not punish when you want to goof off with or troll the other player
While Portal 2 requires focus and logic, it does not punish players for causing a bit of mischief. The instant respawn system means trolling your friend will affect almost nothing in the game, as there are no in-game setbacks when you die. Being able to stop at any point in the game to just goof around is great for releasing some steam, even when it is at the expense of your co-op partner.
Pro Huge selection of user-generated content that should appeal to any use-case
The game has more than 60,000 co-op puzzles created by users through the Steam Workshop and through mods. Because it is user-generated content, the quality and size of these puzzles vary widely, including everything from simple, one-off chambers to full-fledged expansions with high-quality stories, voice-overs, and new gameplay elements (for example, Mel). By having such a selection of content, there should be something that appeals to just about anything someone is looking for.
Pro Entertaining and well delivered voice acting
Voice acting for Wheatley the AI robot is done by Stephen Merchant (Extras, The Office UK, Life's Too Short) in humorous fashion. His delivery is well executed on all dialogue. On top of this specific experience, the rest of the voice acting of every other character in the game is performed just as well, in part due to the fact that the dialogue was written in a funny smart and entertaining cool fashion. This makes for a top quality listening experience that shows a lot of care was taken with the acting of the game.
Pro Creates a sense of accomplishment through a high level of teamwork
Game is shit
Pro Challenging puzzles that require creative thinking
Pro Witty and funny character driven story
Four major characters drive the single player poop campaign, and they are amazing. Three of which have explosive personalities, bring humor, suspense, sadness, and empathy. The other being Chell, who doesn’t speak but her interactions with the rest of the cast make her all the more mysterious and interesting. Most of the time you don’t even see or directly interact with the characters, but that just shows how great and cool they are.
Pro Cross-platform co-op
As long as both players have a Steam account, the co-op is able to be played even if one user is playing on the PS3 while the other is on a PC.
Pro Well implemented tools that improve teamwork
Pro So large in scope that it takes multiple playthroughs to see everything
Portal 2 is larger in every way when compared to the first title, from the longer and more detailed story to the larger levels and new game mechanics. This makes for a title that will last 8-9 hours minimum, with many elements that are worth revisiting, not to mention the co-op section of the game, which is separate from the single player story.
Pro Versatile selection of co-op multiplayer
It’s possible to play a multiplayer game for free online using the Steam servers, as well as locally on your machine using split-screen (the second player must use a gamepad controller if playing locally). This keeps the multiplayer options versatile to any players needs.
Cons
Con Gets repetitive over time
Actually since the game is perfection based (meaning you'll want to redo areas for better scoring) and has plenty of included plus DLC maps you can play OMD2 for quite a while and it will seem fresh. The difference in difficulty levels also can refresh the same map since varying levels release different type of enemies.
Con Main co-op campaign is short
The co-op campaign in Portal 2 is about 4 hours long for experienced players, meaning it could be beaten in a just a couple days. With almost zero replayability, this makes the game feel incredibly short. Luckily, hundreds of hours of user-generated content is available.
Con It's already on every coop list since 2011
Con Steep co-op learning curve
Although the single-player campaign features a gradual learning curve, co-op offers no mercy. The puzzles start off hard and only get harder. It’s highly recommended that you play through single-player first if you are not familiar with Portal's mechanics.
Con Sense of accomplishment is often onesided
Con Frequent motion sickness trigger
Con Late game single player can be quite difficult
While the single player learning curve is quite gradual, late game the puzzles can become quite difficult, sometimes leading to the player being stuck for long stretches of time. While not impossible to solve, some creative thinking will need to be done in order to finish.