New Portal Map Up For Download - Verdict: Awesome!

I can easily say that Portal was my favorite PC game last year. I'm a sucker for puzzle games and evil computer masterminds with a sick sense of humor. If I had to list two complaints, it would be that the game was too short, and that it's not available without purchasing the Orange Box. I already have the game, so I'm not worried about the second part. As for the game being short, it just got a little longer thanks to Daryl Brigner of Bethesda.

Daryl is a level designer for Bethesda, which had nothing to do with the game's creation. He is apparently just a fan of the game, and decided to create his own maps. His latest map marks the third one he has created. If you're a PC gamer, you can download the maps for free here.

I missed the first maps when they came out, so I spent a bit of time today running through them. The first two maps are rather small, only a few rooms between the both of them. Don't be fooled by their small size, Daryl really knows how to make the best of a small area. I will say that there were some bugs with the second map. If you try to complete one of the steps the wrong way, you'll know what I'm talking about.

The difficulty increases with each of his maps, and the third one may take a little while to complete. This one is much larger (I forgot to count the rooms, but there are several of them). He also uses elements that I don't recall seeing in any of the original maps. Don't feel bad if you have trouble with this one, Daryl Brigner is no rookie when it comes to level design. Did I mention that there's cake at the end?

[via Joystiq]