'The Final Hours of Portal 2' iPad App Takes Users Behind the Scenes at Valve

LOS ANGELES, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Journalist Geoff Keighley is proud to announce 'The Final Hours of Portal 2' App for iPad is now available on the App Store, giving users a behind-the-scenes look at the blockbuster game's creation.

'The Final Hours of Portal 2,' created to take full advantage of iPad's large, high-resolution display, pushes video game journalism in a bold new direction, blending interactivity, storytelling, and multimedia to take readers inside the hallowed, top secret offices of Valve, creators of Half-Life.

Written over the past three years by Keighley, a veteran journalist who has chronicled the rise of the game industry for almost 20 years, this original 15,000 word story details the ups and downs of development on Portal 2, which was released earlier this week. With unprecedented access to Valve, including in-depth interviews with founder Gabe Newell and the team behind the game, Keighley tells a gripping and dramatic narrative brought to life with photos, audio clips, 360 degree panoramas, videos, polls, and other interactive moments.

"Valve is one of the most important game developers in the world, and iPad is the perfect platform to bring the amazing story of Portal 2's development to life in a new, innovative way," said Keighley.

'The Final Hours of Portal 2' reveals the real story behind the game's creation with stunning and candid detail. From the failed experiments to the personal struggles of key employees, fans will re-live the team's creative and emotional rollercoaster as it tries to build a worthwhile sequel to Portal, winner of over 30 Game of the Year awards in 2007. Gamers get a rare window into Valve's creative process as Keighley unearths fascinating material normally hidden from public view, including details on a shelved Portal prequel and never-before-seen prototypes of other game concepts under development at Valve.

Wrapped around the narrative is a media and photo-rich experience only possible on iPad. Readers can venture into the offices of Valve with 360 degree panoramas; animate the character Wheatley by swiping their finger across the screen; play with an interactive diagram that explains how Portals work; hear songwriter Jonathan Coulton's early versions of his song for the game, 'Want You Gone'; and take part in a series of interactive user polls and other experiences. 

'The Final Hours of Portal 2' App is available for $1.99 from the App Store on iPad or at www.iTunes.com/AppStore.

To discover more, visit www.thefinalhoursofportal2.com. 

SOURCE Geoff Keighley