Guides
Portal: Alive & Kicking guides for same-drive install, controls, chamber walkthroughs, GLaDOS, and advanced tests.
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Portal Alive Kicking Wiki
Install the Portal 2 remake, then clear every chamber.
Unofficial Portal: Alive & Kicking wiki covering same-drive install, chamber walkthroughs, GLaDOS, and crash fixes.
- 19+
- Test chambers
- 9
- Steam achievements
- Free
- Requires Portal 2
- 1P
- Single-player only
Trailer
Portal: Alive & Kicking trailer
Game overview
A Portal remake inside Portal 2
Portal: Alive & Kicking is a single-player remake of Valve's original Portal, rebuilt in the Portal 2 engine by Rhubarb & Rhubarb. It retells Chell's first run through Aperture Science with Portal 2 lighting, panel language, and a new reactive score, while keeping the cube, pellet, turret, and fling grammar of the 2007 campaign. It is not a sequel and it is not cooperative. You need Portal 2 installed in the same steamapps folder, on the same drive, or the menu will fail looking for startup_loading.vtf. Start with the install guide, learn how portals conserve momentum, then follow the chamber walkthrough. If a map dies on load, open troubleshooting before you reinstall. Rankings live on the chamber tier list, and the release notes track what shipped on 28 August 2026.
Quick facts
- Developer
- Rhubarb & Rhubarb
- Publisher
- Rhubarb & Rhubarb
- Platform
- Steam (Windows, Portal 2 required)
- Genre
- First-person puzzle
- Release date
- 28 August 2026
- Price
- Free mod (owns Portal 2)
Explore the wiki
Hubs for install, chambers, GLaDOS, and the issues players hit on day one.
Tools
Portal: Alive & Kicking tools: launch crashes, language options, Steam Deck notes, and same-drive install fixes.
View all ToolsChambers
Portal: Alive & Kicking chamber tier list: which tests are brutal, which are jokes, and why Chamber 18 sits on top.
View all ChambersUpdates
Portal: Alive & Kicking updates: 28 August 2026 Steam launch, promised elite maps, soundtrack DLC, and bug fixes.
View all Updates Featured guides
Start here if you cannot launch, or if a test chamber has you looping.
Latest updates
Launch notes, known issues, and chamber warnings after the 28 August 2026 release.
Popular right now
The pages testers open when a map will not load.
Quick start
Five steps from a Portal 2 install to the first emancipation grill.
- 1
Install Portal 2 on the same drive
Alive & Kicking reads Portal 2 assets from the same steamapps folder. Put both games on one disk, then follow the install guide.
- 2
Launch and bind the portal gun
Confirm blue and orange fire, use, jump, and zoom. The controls reference lists keyboard and controller defaults.
- 3
Learn flings before Chamber 10
Momentum is conserved. Read how to play so later pellets and turrets do not feel unfair.
- 4
Work the campaign in order
Use the chamber walkthrough for 00–19, then how to beat GLaDOS for the new escape.
- 5
Fix crashes before you reinstall
Missing startup_loading.vtf, map-start closes, and Steam Deck boots are covered in troubleshooting and the known issues list.
- 6
Check achievements and the score last
Nine Steam unlocks sit on achievements. The reactive score is already in 1.0; the album listing is on the soundtrack page. Veterans can skip to differences from Portal.
FAQ
Wiki FAQ
Quick answers for testers stuck in Aperture.
What is Portal: Alive & Kicking?
A single-player remake of Valve's Portal inside the Portal 2 engine. Rhubarb & Rhubarb rebuilt the original campaign and advanced chambers with sequel visuals, puzzle cues, and a new soundtrack. It is not a two-player campaign.
Do I need to own Portal 2?
Yes. Steam lists Portal 2 in the same steamapps folder as a hard requirement. If the games sit on different drives you get the missing background image error. See the install guide.
Where should I start if I already know original Portal?
Read differences from Portal first, skim how to play for cue changes, then Chamber 17–18 notes and how to beat GLaDOS because the escape is new.
Which languages are supported?
English, French, German, and Spanish. Game audio is listed as English on Steam. Legal pages stay in English.
Where are achievements and the soundtrack listed?
Steam lists nine unlocks on achievements. The in-game score is in 1.0; the separate album is on soundtrack.
Is this wiki official?
No. It is a fan resource. Confirm patches, download buttons, and legal status on the [Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/270470/Portal_Alive__Kicking/) and the updates hub.
The game will not launch. What now?
Check same-drive install, disable extra Portal 2 mods, and try -threads 1. Full steps are in troubleshooting. Steam Deck notes are separate in the Steam Deck guide.
Ready to open the first portal?
Install on the same drive as Portal 2, then work chamber by chamber. Start with the install guide or jump to troubleshooting if the menu never appears.
Open the install guide