Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
The National Writing New Tune For Portal 2
Valve announced that the critically acclaimed indie band The National is contributing a brand new song for Portal 2.
"The inclusion of the original song, 'Still Alive,' in the first Portal game was part of what made the game special," said Valve writer Chet Faliszek in a press release. "For Portal 2, we wanted to extend the use of music. When Bug Music mentioned to us that The National might be interested, we jumped at the opportunity to work with them."
Like the popular Jonathon Coulton song from the first game, The National's track will likely tie directly with the game's theme. Known for it brooding lyrics and austere song arrangements, the band's vibe should mesh well with GLaDOS, who I'm sure would enjoy the song "Terrible Love" and sing along with the "'cause I'm evil" chorus in "Conversation 16."
The National's latest album, High Violet, debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts last May, and the Brooklyn via Cincinnati band has been touring nonstop around the world ever since.
You can learn more about the band on its website, and check out their music on MySpace. "Fake Empire" is a good entry point for newcomers.
Portal 2 hits store shelves and Steam on April 18.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
