During last month’s Comic-Con, those lucky enough to sit in on the Totally Rad Show panel on Friday night saw something pretty spectacular. While, going into it, we had no idea what we were about to see, after it was over all the seats were empty and a standing ovation rang out through Room 7AB.

What we had witnessed was a short film, directed by TRS’ own Dan Trachtenberg, inspired by Portal. It was simple in its execution, well paced, and most importantly compelling from beginning to end. Now obviously there has been considerable excitement built up around the piece — gamers and TRS fans wondering when they will get to see it — and, thankfully, today is that day.

While the jaw-dropping reveal of the short as Portal-inspired will be lost on most, there are still plenty of surprises packed into this short. We don’t want to ruin the experience for you, so watch Portal: No Escape and then read on.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4drucg1A6Xk&feature=player_embedded

Planned before Portal 2 was released to tremendous fanfare and very high review scores (read ours here), this short feels all the more poignant in light of Portal 2’s status as a game of the year contender. Furthermore, it shows that not only can great films be made from video game storylines, but that any concept, in the right hands, can make a compelling experience.

Sure there is a constant struggle between the film and video game world to make a game, and conversely a film, that works but it can be done — and this is proof. Will this protect us from the likes of Thor: God of Thunder or the film adaptation of Prince of Persia? Probably not, but it’s a great start.

What the future holds for Dan Trachtenberg’s Portal piece we do not know, but we hope that there is more both from Dan and this Portal world.

What do you think of Portal: No Escape? Would you like to see more short films set within the world of Portal?

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Follow Dan Trachtenberg on Twitter @DannyTRS and watch him Monday - Friday on the Totally Rad Show.

Source: YouTube