Similarity to the Cube films

[NayusDante]

Before I even played portal, I noticed some elements that greatly reminded me of the Cube films. If you haven't seen Cube, Hypercube, or Cube Zero, I highly recommend them.

After playing through the game, there are a few similarities that strike me as interesting. The most important being the idea of the "test subject." In the Cube films, people are put into the cube for unknown reasons, supposedly as punishment, but also for testing. Each film deals with people that wake up in the cube without any recollection of how they got there. Chell is in a similar predicament, except the traps and obstacles before her are not immediately deadly. The cubes are active, being watched, being maintained. The Enrichment Center has been empty for some time. Still, both are surreal tests of improbable situations.

The ending to both involve only one person escaping, but their fate being uncertain or unexplained.

I have long wondered how a game adaptation of Cube would play out, and I think that Portal captures the general tone and surreal environment better than anything else.

 

[Druckles]

You know. While I was playing Portal, I noticed a resemblance to Space Odyssey 2001.

Isn't that funny.

 

[NayusDante]

I noticed a resemblance to Space Odyssey 2001.

There's a sequel possibility...

GLaDOS: What are you doing, Chell? That's not a good idea, Chell. Remember what happened when you killed me last time, Chell? If you blow me up, you can't breathe in space, Chell. Jonathan Coulton taught me to sing a song, would you like to hear it?

 

[Qhartb]

You know. While I was playing Portal, I noticed a resemblance to Space Odyssey 2001.

There's a sort of small genre of stories of people (or sometimes just a person) inexplicably finding themselves alone in a strange, isolated, and perhaps dangerous environment. More than one classic Twilight Zone episode did this. The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe also. And Portal and Cube, of course.

 

[Gordon_X]

I just finished watching the first Cube film. :/

 

[redruM]

I've only seen Hypercube and Cube 0, but I agree the atmosphere is similar, although in Portal I found it less scary, since at least I had contact with something (GLADOS).

 

[Druckles]

Jeez, you guys. I was being sarcastic! Portal could represent any number of films.

Even the Wizard of the damn Oz!

 

[RjD]

Well, strangely, Hypercube came up in my memory when playing Portal

 

[Qhartb]

Just wait for the next sequel "Cube: the Weighted Companion."

 

[NayusDante]

Here's a thought. Take a page from the boot trick in Cube and use the WCC or the storage cubes to check for traps. I sense a custom map idea coming on...

 

[Qhartb]

Actually, the ASHPD would come in extremely handy in the Cube movies.

 

[Shephard]

You might want to check the "Hypercube: source" mod out: http://www.moddb.com/mods/7488/hypercube-source/downloads

Hypercube: Source is a HL2 deathmatch mod. It takes place inside of the same cube that was seen in the moive "Cube 2: Hyperucbe". It has traps from all three cube movies, and has been designed to simulate infinite cubes in a finite number of rooms. The object of the game is to simply, get out of the cube alive. This project was started on Jun 21, 2006 and was released on July 21, 2006. There are three exits in this cube, and to make it more difficult only one exit is activated at one time. Its not easy to get out DONT GIVE UP. LADDER NOTE: To use the ladders first, Climb above the side door and press the jump button, you will land on an invisible ledge. Now you can simply duck and go through. NOTE: dont duck before you jump and land on the ledge. Percentage Complete: 100%

 

[Azner]

Jeez, you guys. I was being sarcastic! Portal could represent any number of films.

Even the Wizard of the damn Oz!

It would really brighten up my day if GLaDOS Sang Somewhere over the rainbow at the end of the game.

 

[hot564231]

And replace the word rindow with portal.

Somewhere over the portal
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby 
Somewhere over the portal
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true 
Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me 
Somewhere over the portal
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the portal
Why then, oh why can't I?
Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me 
Somewhere over the portal
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the portal
Why then, oh why can't I? 
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the portal
Why, oh why can't I?

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Thank god you posted the lyrics, I had a hard time visualizing the concept at first.