Dear Esther vs Portal
Dear Esther
Dear Esther is one of the few rare games that managed to evoke strong powerful emotions simply with beautiful visuals, euphonious instrumentals, and an immersive and narrated story filled with love, loss, guilt and redemption. Previously a cult mod, the game sends you on a journey of exploration and self-reflection as you explore a remote and uninhabited island in the outskirts of Hebrides where apparently a mysterious Esther has summoned you here.The best part about all of this though is that the game is, unlike most heavily story-driven games, very replayable. Every play-through will give you a new experience as the audio, visuals and even the events that happen are all randomly generated. So, if you enjoy story rich games, Dear Esther is a game that will unequivocally captivate you.
Portal
Portal is one of the most highly acclaimed and innovative puzzle-shooter game of all time. The game is set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories where players, while playing as the human test subject, Chell, will need to manipulate objects and move through space by strategically opening portals to solve physical puzzles in controlled environments generated by the nefarious AI supercomputer, Glados.Featuring 19 levels in total that gets progressively more difficult than the previous, the game promotes creativity when it comes to puzzle-solving especially in the later levels, requiring players to explore various ways to best solve the level. There is also an advanced mode that drastically increases the difficulty of the last 6 levels. This is perfect for players who want to go a step further to challenge their puzzle-solving skills.
Portal is rather revolutionary in its own way and it's no wonder why the game has been awarded and nominated for multiple awards. If you fancy a fun and somewhat relaxing brain teaser, Portal is the game for you. Do check it out!