Zen Pinball 2: Portal (PlayStation 4) Review

Back in the good old days, pinball machines used to have such simple and easy gameplay mechanics, yet they were so complex and active at the same time. Like moving around on a chessboard, shots were carefully planned ahead to not only hit their target, but also put the ball in the right location for the next aimed shot. This is one aspect sadly missing in Zen Pinball 2: Portal, but for the right reasons.

Confusing statement? How can something so essential to a genre's complexity and gameplay be removed, yet for justified reasons? That is because Zen Pinball 2: Portal is not solely designed for the pro pinball player. Oh no! It wants to capitalise on fans of the Portal series who might never have touched a pinball machine before.

It succeeds perfectly: with easy, yet flashy, mechanics this new table manages to capture the essence of the high action in modern pinball tables without being as overwhelming as several others in recent times. It is relatively easy to rack up a nice score and be able to play on for a while, even for newcomers, as the tilt function is sparsely required to survive and, therefore, that addictive nature from a newcomer's perspective is there, without there being any feeling of being "bad" at it.

What could such a table offer a pinball veteran, though? Sadly, this is where Zen Pinball 2: Portal falls down. Sure, there are shots that require great aiming, generating a lot of points to ensure skilled gamers can strive to reach the top, yet only a few of the most rewarding ones require setup to succeed, with very little risk. The most horrible balance breaker is Ratman's Den, where it is possible to constantly rack up over four million points just by doing two shots on the normal table. The problem with this bonus table is that it is so easily accessed, and is a safe table, which means that it is not possible to 'die' on it, removing most fun for high-score hunters. Sure, every board is "doomed" to have some strategies being better than others, but this feels like an overlooked exploit, especially when there are more skill demanding shots that only generate one-tenth of the value. It is a bad balance, but it will definitely not affect the opinion of rookies.

Zen Pinball 2: Portal is, while a little imbalanced, a very enjoyable and thematic table. It is one that will be a great pinball hook for a whole new audience, rather than the typical pinball players. The bonus games where extremely high numbers of points can be stacked up are very well themed in the form of "test chambers," paying great homage to the Portal gameplay.

Besides balancing issues and lack of more complex planning for veterans of the genre, this is a great pinball table. It is one of the better 'beginner tables' out there and should be tried by all Portal fans as it is not alienating. Score hunting veterans might find that the cheap and safe tactics that can be abused kill the experience in the long run, but for the low price it is definitely worth a go.