When comparing Portal vs Grim Fandango Remastered, the Slant community recommends Portal for most people. In the question“What are the best games on Steam with a rich story?” Portal is ranked 10th while Grim Fandango Remastered is ranked 29th. The most important reason people chose Portal is:
The main mechanic of the game revolves around solving different puzzles using a handheld portal device - a device that can bend space and time to create a wormhole through which you can move.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Requires solving spatial and physics based puzzles using portals
The main mechanic of the game revolves around solving different puzzles using a handheld portal device - a device that can bend space and time to create a wormhole through which you can move.
Pro Humorous telling of a dark story
Portal is known for its humor. Even years after it's been out in the world people are still quoting and referencing it in everyday situations.
Pro The game leaves clues to a deeper story
Throughout both Portal games there are hints left in various forms that fill in more of the story, including information about Chell's personal history.
Pro Innovative gameplay
Portal has won multiple awards for innovative design. Using a first person view and portals that allow one to traverse a room through one placed in one location to the other placed in another location to solve puzzles was and still is a very unique game design.
Pro Created one of the most memorable characters in gaming history - GLaDOS
GLaDOS, or Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System, is the main antagonist of Portal games. She is voiced by Ellen McLain with the voice later processed to sound closer to how a text-to-speech program would synthesize a voice.
GLaDOS initially functions as a guide to the player and is only later revealed as a manipulative, narcissistic, sinister and passive-aggressive character that wants to kill the protagonist.
GLaDOS is the main force that moves the humorous yet dark narrative of Portal series with her remarks being simultaneously hilarious and terrifying.
Pro Character-driven
Even though the only organic sentient being in this game is the player's character, this game features some of the most memorable and intriguing characters in fiction or in gameplay. GladOS obviously, but also the drone robots that sweet-talk the player to a sudden death (and then forgive you when you dismantle them), the clues left behind by former test subjects, the abandoned hints of what the lab used to be like. It tells a story without telling a story, and immerses you more than most other games can ever hope to achieve.
Pro Made people fall in love with an inanimate, virtual object
The game made people emotionally attach to The Weighted Companion Cube and feel uncomfortable when later forced to incinerate it.
Pro Merges first-person shooting mechanics with platforming and puzzle-solving
Portal uses an engine that was meant for a first person shooter and creates puzzles that need solved through various stage with the use of platforming. While not the very first game to merge platforming with and FPS the puzzle aspects make it unique in that no other game had done this specific combination yet.
Pro Making it halfway and completing unlocks new content
Getting to the halfway point in Portal will unlock challenge maps and finishing the main story will unlock advanced chambers.
Pro The sequel contains an AI powered by a potato
If that is not funny, then nothing is.
Pro Inspired by the day of the Dead holiday, Mexican folklore and film Noire
Grim Fandango is self admittedly inspired by the Day of the Dead Mexican holiday as well as Noir style films.
Pro Challenging
Compared to modern point and click Grim Fandango actually requires the player to pay closer attention to details or even take their own notes. While this may not be everyones cup of tea, for long time point and click adventure game players it is a refreshing change back to the norm.
Pro A world of depth
The world is immersive and the characters feel like real people.
Pro Stellar writing and voice acting
While the art design and music come together to create a cohesive world oozing with atmosphere, the near-Pixar quality voice work and writing breath life into the characters in way few other games have managed to achieve.
Pro Improved controls and UI
The controls were remastered to feel like more modern point and click adventure games I instead of the tank controls that turned so long time gamers off. From fully enjoying the game. The UI was cleaned up and made easier to use
Pro New commentary track
The current remastered developers have added a new commentary track from the original key developers to the game.
Cons
Con Somewhat short
Portal takes 2-3 hours to complete which means it can be completed in one sitting. This may not be enough game for the money for some people and should be considered before purchasing.
Con Portal mechanics not used much to their best ability
Certain parts of the game sees the player using portals to manipulate sentry guns that fire rockets in order to progress in that stage, Mechanics like this make for a really enjoyable way to manipulate ones environment but sadly are not used too often.
Con Outdated graphics
The game was released in 2007, making it somewhat of an older title, because of this the graphics will not be on par with modern releases.
Con Improved controls and interface
The controls were remastered to feel like more modern point and click adventure games I instead of the tank controls that turned so long time gamers off. From fully enjoying the game. The UI was cleaned up and made easier to use
Con Some puzzles are obtuse
While the quality of puzzles is generally fantastic, there are a few offenders that may force players to resort to a "hail Mary" strategy of clicking anything and everything in hopes of stumbling on the solution.
Con No tutorial
A missed opportunity with this remake is the chance to finally add a tutorial.