Summary
Renowned as one of the most innovative, witty, and charming first-person puzzle platformer series of all time,Portaland its sequel,Portal 2,follow test subjects at Aperture Science and their experience solving physics-based puzzles using a portal gun. With its sarcastic AI cast and compelling plot twists,Portal’s simple yet effective gameplay can leave players wanting more after completing the series.
Although few games can matchPortal’ssuccess precisely, several embody the series’ best features through their mechanics, themes, and aesthetics, making them perfect for fans ofPortalandPortal 2in many unique and exciting ways.
Updated on July 14, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Portal is one of the most popular video games ever made, with the first title appearing as a surprise addition to the Orange Box collection that has since gone down in history. The popularity of this game prompted Valve to develop Portal 2, a game many people consider to be a massive improvement in every way. Fans of these two games who have lost hope in the possibility of a Portal 3 can still check out several great games that are pretty engaging in their own right.
Splitgateis one of the most innovative uses of portals in a shooting game, incorporating the same in frenetic multiplayer action that made the game such a blast to play through in its heyday. With the game’s developers choosing to focus on other projects, most people may feel like getting intoSplitgateisn’t worth it right now.
However, fans of unique multiplayer shooters will love what Splitgate brings to the table. Portals add a lot of depth to the gameplay, and it’s important to be wary of one’s surroundings while also becoming deft with the portal mechanic to make traversal easier and get the drop on enemies.
15The Entropy Centre
Manipulate And Reverse The Flow Of Time For Objects To Solve Puzzles
Mostfirst-person puzzle gamesneed to do something unique to stand out from the rest of the pack.The Entropy Centrecertainly achieves this, with its core mechanic involving reversing the flow of time for objects to solve puzzles.
This makes for a compelling mechanic that needs to be used in creative games for some of the game’s harder puzzles. While the narrative may not be as strong as Portal, the innovative puzzle mechanics more than makeup for it.
After Playdead split apart, most people were saddened at the loss of such a great studio. However, one of the founders wasn’t giving up any time soon, putting all their heart and soul into the development of a nifty little puzzle game calledCocoon.
The way this game messes with players and makes them jump into and out of worlds is quite innovative and makes the game’s presentation stand out. The fact that players wanted this game’s puzzles to be drawn out a bit longer is a testament to the impact this title had.
13The Beginner’s Guide
A Witty Meta-commentary On The Video Game Development Process
Made by the developer behindThe Stanley Parable,The Beginner’s Guideis not a game for everyone. Some of the ideas and viewpoints thrown out in this title can feel forced and opinionated at times, which can be rather hard to digest.
However, players who decide to giveThe Beginner’s Guidea chance without being too judgmental will love what this title has to offer. It’s far from a perfect game, but works more as a nice experience that gives players a glimpse into the mind of a video game developer.
Anexcellent puzzle gamethat fans will love,Fez’s innovative take on 2D platforming and puzzling is interesting. Players can rotate their viewpoint to align platforms and solve certain brain-teasers, which makes for a fun time indeed.
The developer, Phil Fish, may have become somewhat of an infamous name in the industry, but that shouldn’t take away from the brilliance that exudes in this game. The vibrant art style and great mechanics certainly make this title more likable and engaging than ever.
First-person platforming can be tricky to execute, so it’s great to seeMirror’s Edgepull this off in incredible fashion. This short linear platformer is a blast to play through, nailing the feel that players can enjoy while parkouring across the map.
Thesequel to this gamewas a colossal disappointment, but the firstMirror’s Edgeis still a must-play for fans who haven’t experienced it yet. It’s a wonderful game where players will feel amazing as they make the most of Faith’s abilities to execute some amazing moves.
Although ithas many differences fromPortal,fans of the series may be interested in Valve’s well-known debut series,Half-Life.Following a theoretical physicist named Gordon Freeman, theHalf-Lifeseries chronicles the collapse of the space-time continuum, the ensuing alien invasion, and humanity’s fight for freedom.
Half-Lifemay have a more complex storyline thanPortal.However, it can be insightful to see how both series influenced each other, especially since they share the same world and use similar technological advances to arm players with some of the mostunique weapons in first-person shooters.
9Quantum Conundrum
Directed by the lead designer forPortal,Kim Swift,Quantum Conundrumisan underrated puzzle gamewhere players can manipulate four alternate dimensions while trying to restore power to their eccentric uncle’s house after a failed experiment turned off the lights.
Quantum Conundrumhas a more cartoonish and light-hearted tone thanPortal.Still, using a special glove to explore the fluffy, heavy, slow motion, and reverse gravity dimensions makes it reminiscent of the iconic series while asking players to consider how its specific mechanics help it stand out.
8Antichamber
A Seemingly Simple Puzzle Game With Immense Depth
Guided by motivational quotes about how to solve various puzzles and the importance of perspective,Antichamberisa first-person exploration gamewithout a clear plot. Once players clear a few areas, they unlock a portal gun-like tool that allows them to prop open doors or create platforms using blocks.
Despite its apparent simplicity, overcoming obstacles using the tool can be a disorienting experience that relies on confidence and focus, making it a perfect fit forPortalfans who enjoy the thrill of solving particularly complex tests at Aperture Science with ease.
InThe Witness,players explore an open world while solving line-based puzzles, discovering new rules along the way. Each of the 18 areas adds its twist, allowing the mazes to pull in more environmental details as they increase in difficulty. While theopen-world game has little plot, occasionally there are philosophical audio logs and videos about humanity hidden between puzzles.
AlthoughThe Witnesslacks thePortalseries’ more guided story and clear objectives, its creativity and environment give players a more self-paced experience that encourages them to find their meaning in its solutions and rules.
