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This is a triumph... Valve's incredible 3D puzzle game has been "de-made" for the C64 in an experiment by Jamie Fuller.

The player takes control of Chell, the human test subject trapped inside a series of twenty test chambers by GlaDOS, a malevolent AI. Before each level, GlaDOS will give advice or taunt the player. Fortunately Chell has access to the Portal Gun, which is aimed with the 1351 mouse (or joystick). The gun can create two portals, one orange and one blue, in light grey walls. These portals are the key to solving the puzzle in each chamber standing between Chell and the exit door - when the two portals are active, Chell can teleport between them.

Switches (press E) will deliver a Companion Cube into the chamber, which can be used in various ways, either to stand on a pressure pad (a Cube can be picked up and dropped with E), or to block the gunfire of the deadly turrets. Water is also fatal to Chell, pressure pads will switch walls on / off and later on coloured walls pose an additional challenge. Should the level be left in an unsolvable state, the player can quit to the title screen (with Run-Stop) and resume on the same level. Each level has a password shown on screen, which can be entered on the title screen to skip to that level.

This is not the first 2D version of Portal, but it is a very good attempt at recreating the gameplay. The graphics evoke the stark grey test chambers, and sound is sparse but effective. Using the mouse and keys gives plenty of freedom. The humour remains in GlaDOS speaking before each new level. Best of all the end game sequence (featuring the classic Jonathan Coulton song Still Alive) has been recreated, with ASCII cake and scrolling lyrics in time with the excellent SID music. And there is plenty of moist, delicious cake as a reward... (Including a cake recipe hidden in memory).

The biggest concern is that there are only twenty levels to overcome, which will not take players long. A level editor / designer would have been a brilliant addition. Having to go back to the title screen to reset the level is understandable but frustrating (especially as the cutscene begins again, but can be skipped by pressing E). Many puzzles also rely on jumping rather than portals, and it looks slightly odd when moving right and aiming left (and vice versa) as the Chell sprite is not mirrored completely when aiming. Finally, *the cake is a lie*...!

The spirit and humour of Portal is still alive in this C64 conversion, it's just a shame there are not more levels (and cake) to get your teeth into.