Batch of HD 'Portal 2' trailers hit the net

(All rights reserved - Valve Corporation)

Now that the flurry of video games news from June's Electronic Entertainment Expo has died down, Valve Software have released seven high-defenition videos showing off the tweaked graphics and gameplay systems that will feature in their 2011 release of Portal 2 for PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The first Portal was initially sold as part of a five-item Valve Software bundle towards the end of 2007, and despite the game's short length it was highly praised for its innovation and humor.

It also spawned a free 2D web browser game called 'Portal: The Flash Version' hosted primarily at portal.wecreatestuff.com, and a downloadable PC / Linux, Ascii Portal, which was given a 1980s graphical style. Even a parody web game ' You Have To Burn The Rope' found fame.

Though Portal was considered an experimental product, bundled with the proven Half-Life 2, its success meant that Valve are throwing their full weight behind the sequel, leading to MD Gabe Newell describing it as "the best game we've ever done".

These videos were first shown as part of a presentation at the June 15-17 E3 event in Los Angeles, California.

1) Part 1 - 'Wheatley, the Personality Sphere'
New environmental features and a friendly English robot are introduced. The manipulative supercomputer GlaDOS comes back to life.

2) Part 2 - 'Excursion Funnels'
Tractor beams are one of many new features, and can be used to transport friends, tools, and enemies through player-created portals.

3) Part 3 - 'Faith Plates'
Mechanical trampolines propel all sorts of things towards hard-to-reach places.

4) Part 4 - 'Thermal Discouragement Beam'
Lasers make an appearance, and can be diverted in order to activate switches or fend off robotic turrets.

5) Part 5 - 'Pneumatic Diversity Vent'
In conjunction with a few well placed portals, huge suction tunnels can be used to clear rooms filled with deadly robots.

6) Part 6 - 'Repulsion Gel'
The opposite of sticky putty - anything that lands on it goes flying. Boing!

7) Part 7 - 'Propulsion Gel'
A slippery liquid that allows players to leap great chasms, given enough of a run-up.