When comparing Portal vs Badland, the Slant community recommends Badland for most people. In the question“What are the best split-screen PS4 games?” Badland is ranked 30th while Portal is ranked 35th. The most important reason people chose Badland is:
Badland uses a very unique art style in that it has a black silhouette based foreground that is in contrast of a beautiful colored background.
Specs
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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 Amazing art-style and great soundrack show off a level of polish not often found in mobile gaming
Badland uses a very unique art style in that it has a black silhouette based foreground that is in contrast of a beautiful colored background.
Pro The fun trial and error gameplay contains no consequences and elongates the gameplay
It is only through trial and error that a player will figure out what is dangerous in a level and what all of the different powerups do. By forcing the player to try things over and over until success, the game exponentially elongates the amount of time spent playing. It also makes for an interesting way to learn the full mechanics.
Pro Easily play on a single device thanks to the robust local multiplayer support
Badland has built in support for up to four player local multiplayer using a single device (sharing the screen) or using up to four controllers.
Pro Easily try out the game for free thanks to the free trial portion of the game
For players that do not purchase the in-app-purchase, to unlock the full title there are 40 free levels (of which after the first 10 there will be in game advertisements). For those that do pay for the full game unlock, there are 80 levels to play through, ad free.
Pro Excellent variety in power-ups and puzzles keeps the player guessing as to what is next
Power-ups that make the fuzzballs grow larger or smaller, clone themselves, get bouncy or sticky among others have to be used to get through a selection of great, creative puzzles. It keeps the gameplay fresh and varied throughout the experience.
Pro Full game content unlocked and advertisements removed through an in-app-purchase of $5.99
While being free to play with advertisements, Badlands full content can be unlocked, and its advertisements removed, with a singular in-app-purchase, at the price of $5.99.
Pro Great controller support, no matter the Android controller owned
Badland features controller support for HID, MOGA and Nvidia Shield, meaning that just about any Android target controller will work with the game.
Pro Includes immersive mode, which allows anyone with a stock Android device to play the game in fullscreen
The developers have included full screen immersive mode in Badland on any Android device with 4.4+. This way anyone using a stock Android device will be able to play the game without the software navigation bar taking up a portion of the screen.
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 No real strategy to the gameplay
Gameplay can be simplistic, asking for no real skill or strategy from the player.
Con A lot of advertising if no purchases have been made in app
Often appears ad banners and videos that are really disruptive and time-killing!