Steam's Best Game Just Got a Free Prequel

Steam has a new free game with a 95% approval rating.

By Tyler Fischer

One of the best games on Steam just got a free prequel. Unfortunately, right now, there is no word of Steam Deck support, but this could change in the future. Of course, what the best game is on Steam is up for debate. In this debate, Portal 2 makes a strong case. This is undeniable, in fact. It is widely considered one of the best games ever made, and a game that is unlikely to ever get a follow-up from Valve. This hasn't changed. What has changed is that Second Face Software has gone ahead and done this work for Valve, releasing a prequel in the process. And it's free. 

Why is it free? Well, it's a mod for Portal 2, but an impressive one. The prequel mod is called Portal: Revolution, which takes place between the events of the first game and the second game "in the dead and decaying Aperture facility." A mod may not seem worth your time, but it's generated quite some anticipation, as evident by the fact a recent trailer for it earning over 1.3 million views. Further, it looks like a proper new installment, and when you considered it took the team eight years to make, perhaps that shouldn't come as a surprise. 

"Portal: Revolution is a fan-made mod for Portal 2 which plays before the events of Portal 2 in the dead and decaying Aperture facility," reads an official blurb about the game. "The campaign contains 40 brand new puzzles making use of new test elements and presents existing mechanics in a new way not seen in Portal 2."

The game's official pitch continues, with story details: "Set inbetween Portal and Portal 2, Portal: Revolution tells a brand new story using new characters. You play as a test subject who is awoken by a personality sphere called Stirling and join his mission to find a powerful device capable of restoring Aperture to its former glory."

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If you do decide to check out the mod, you can look forward to about five to seven hours of content. To this end, puzzles are said to be manageable, but there are new mechanics and tricks introduced. 

"Portal: Revolutions puzzle difficulty starts where Portal 2 stops, but fear not," reads the game's official description."All new mechanics and advanced portal tricks are taught to you. We have ensured through rigorous playtesting that every player can solve the puzzles. Although very few chambers require portals to be fired mid-air, no puzzles require advanced tricky movement. Depending on your experience with Portal 2 mechanics, you can expect about five to seven hours of playtime."

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