10 Video Games With Genuinely Impressive Level Design

Either one of the Portal games could be on the poster for good level design, but there's no doubt that Portal 2 stepped things up. While the main game featured a myriad of new ways to solve Aperture Industries' diabolical puzzles, it was the game's multiplayer that stood out.

Designing the game's complex physics-bending puzzles for one player is impressive enough but the fact that developer Valve were able to pull it off in two player co-op is every bit a testimony to the developer's notoriously high standards.

The story about two robots who become best friends through facing increasingly difficult tests of logic and coordination directly correlates to the real-life experience of playing the game with another person. Whether you're playing with a friend or a stranger, Portal 2 is one of the rare multiplayer games that demands extensive, positive interaction.

As you and your partner work through puzzles, obstacles, traps and tricky platforming, there's no doubt that your bond grows. This is thanks in large part to the fact that most levels are designed so that you are always trying to help your partner progress, so they can, in turn, help you.

Portal 2 isn't only game to do this, but it is one of the best.