Remain idle at the game selection screen. After a few minutes, a demo video of one of the games will begin. After the video ends, wait for the next video to begin, which will be a Left 4 Dead trailer.
Accomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:
Additionally, there are eleven secret achievements:
Successfully complete the game to alternate the title screen.
Enter the options menu, select "Controls", then "Advanced". Turn on the option for the console. Then while playing the game, press ~ to display the console window. Type "sv_cheats 1" to enable cheat mode. Then, type one of the following codes and press [Enter] at the console window to activate the corresponding cheat function:
| Result | Cheat Code |
| Toggle God mode | god |
| Cannot die due to damage | budda |
| All weapons and extra ammunition | Impulse 101 |
| Toggle no clipping mode | noclip |
| Ignored by NPCs | notarget |
| Damage player by indicated amount | hurtme [number] |
| Map list | maps |
| Load indicated map | map [map name] |
| Spawn indicated weapon or item | give [weapon or item name] |
| Spawn Jeep | impulse 82 |
| Toggle framerate display | showfps |
| Crosshairs on | hud_quickhelp/text? 1 |
| Run script file | exec [filename] |
| Developer mode | developer [0-2] |
| Toggle HUD | cl_drawhud [0 or 1] |
| Toggle HUD | cl_enablehud [0 or 1] |
| Toggle disabled NPCs | ai_disable |
| Spawn NPC | npc_create_aimed |
| Spawn NPC | npc_create |
| Picker mode | picker |
| Set gravity | sv_gravity [number] |
| Set vertical view | sv_waterdist [number] |
| Set air density | air_density [number] |
| Set explosion length | dsp_explosion_effect_duration [number] |
| Limit texture units | mat_numtexttureunits [number] |
| Bounding box debug | prop_debug |
| Set bounce multiplier | sv_bounce [number] |
| Set minimum stopping speed | sv_stopspeed [number] |
| Set pitch yaw | setang [number] |
| Set friction | sv_friction [number] |
| Set maximum velocity | sv_maxvelocity [number] |
| Commit suicide | kill |
Use one of the following values with the "map [map name]" code:
Use one of the following values with the "give [weapon or item name]" code:
Enter the options menu, select "Controls", then "Advanced". Turn on the option for the console. Then while playing the game, press ~ to display the console window. Type "sv_cheats 1" to enable cheat mode. Then, type one of the following codes and press [Enter] at the console window to activate the corresponding cheat function:
| Result | Cheat Code |
| Toggle God mode | god |
| All weapons and extra ammunition | Impulse 101 |
| Toggle no clipping mode | noclip |
| Spawn indicated item | give [item name] |
| Reduce your health | buddha |
| Damage player | hurtme [amount] |
| Ignored by NPCs | notarget |
| List maps | maps |
| Load indicated map | map [map name] |
| Spawn indicated NPC | npc_create [name] |
| Set max ammo for .357 Magnum | sk_max_357 [number] |
| Set max ammo for Pulse Rifle | sk_max_ar2 [number] |
| Set max ammo for Pulse Rifle energy orbs | sk_max_ar2_altfire [number] |
| Set max ammo for shotgun | sk_max_buckshot [number] |
| Set max ammo for crossbow | sk_max_crossbow [number] |
| Set max ammo for hand grenades | sk_max_grenade [number] |
| Set max ammo for pistol | sk_max_pistol [number] |
| Set max ammo for RPG | sk_max_rpg_round [number] |
| Set max ammo for submachine gun | sk_max_smg1 [number] |
| Set max ammo for SMG grenades | sk_max_smg1_grenade [number] |
| Set damage value for pistol | sk_plr_dmg_pistol [number] |
| Set damage value for .357 Magnum | sk_plr_dmg_357 [number] |
| Set damage value for Pulse Rifle | sk_plr_dmg_ar2 [number] |
| Set damage value for shotgun | sk_plr_dmg_buckshot [number] |
| Set damage value for crossbow | sk_plr_dmg_crossbow [number] |
| Set damage value for crowbar | sk_plr_dmg_crowbar [number] |
| Set damage value for grenades | sk_plr_dmg_grenade [number] |
| Set damage value for RPG rockets | sk_plr_dmg_rpg_round [number] |
| Set damage value for submachine gun | sk_plr_dmg_smg1 [number] |
| Set damage value for SMG grenades | sk_plr_dmg_smg1_grenade [number] |
Use one of the following values with the "map [map name]" code:
Use one of the following values with the "npc_create [name]" code:
Use one of the following values with the "give [item name]" code:
Set the system date to October 31. After you are ambushed by Hunters and Combine at a big house, drive along the road. Near where the supply cache is found, you will see an old truck. Go up to it, and there will be lots of pumpkins lying on the ground.
When you enter the White Forest base, you meet a Vortigaunt in a lab coat named Uriah. When you first enter the room where you meet Uriah, there is a gas tank against the back wall. Behind that tank is a small room with a computer that has a sequence of numbers on it. This is a reference to the TV show Lost that Gabe Newell added due to the fact that he and the creator of Lost were close friends.
Enter the options menu, select "Controls", then "Advanced". Turn on the option for the console. Then while playing the game, press ~ to display the console window. Type "sv_cheats 1" to enable cheat mode. Then, type one of the following codes and press [Enter] at the console window to activate the corresponding cheat function:
| Result | Cheat Code |
| Toggle God mode | god |
| All weapons and extra ammunition | impulse 101 |
| Toggle no clipping mode | noclip |
| Toggle ignored by enemies | notarget |
| Toggle enemy artificial intelligence | ai_disable |
| Toggle Buddha mode, damage does not result in death | buddha |
| Infinite auxiliary power | sv_infinite_aux_power 1 |
| Spawn airboat | ch_createairboat |
| Spawn jeep | ch_createjeep |
| Spawn indicated NPC | npc_create [name] |
| Lose indicated number of health points | hurtme [number] |
| Wireframe mode | mat_wireframe 1 |
| Display damage done to enemy in wireframe mode | r_modelwireframedecal 1 |
| Allows no clipping while game is paused | sv_noclipduringpause 1 |
| Shows trigger brushes when set to 0 | showtriggers 0 |
| Bind key to console command | bind |
| Toggle display of frame rate and filename of current map | cl_showfps [0 or 1] |
| Toggle current position and angle display | cl_showpos [0 or 1] |
| Toggle crosshair | crosshair [0 or 1] |
| Display current positional co-ordinates | getpos |
| Spawn item, one time only | give [name] |
| Save screenshot to "episodicscreenshots.[number]" | jpeg |
| Load indicated map to a specific map | map [name] |
| List map names | maps * |
| Level performance tools | perfui 1 |
| Play back existing demo | playdemo |
| Records a demo of your game | record |
| Reload current save file | reload |
| Restart the current level | restart |
| Set view direction | setang |
| Set position on the map | setpos [coordinates] |
| Shake your character | shake |
| Stop demo recording | stop |
| Set gravity; default is "600" | sv_gravity [number] |
| Commit suicide | kill |
| Disable cheat mode | sv_cheats 0 |
Use one of the following values with the "npc_create [name]" code:
| NPC or object | Code |
| Alyx | npc_alyx |
| Antlion | npc_antlion |
| Antlion Guard | npc_antlionguard |
| Barnacle | npc_barnacle |
| Barney | npc_barney |
| Breen | npc_breen |
| Ceiling Turret | npc_turret_ceiling |
| City 17 Citizen | npc_citizen |
| Combine Dropship | npc_combinedropship |
| Combine Gunship | npc_combinegunship |
| Combine Helicopter | npc_helicopter |
| Combine Metrocop | npc_metropolice |
| Combine Scanner | npc_cscanner |
| Combine Soldier | npc_combine_s |
| Crab Synth | npc_crabsynth |
| Crow | npc_crow |
| Dog | npc_dog |
| Eli | npc_eli |
| Fast Headcrab | npc_headcrab_fast |
| Fast Zombie | npc_fastzombie |
| Father Gregori | npc_monk |
| Floor Turret | npc_turret_floor |
| Gman | npc_gman |
| Headcrab | npc_headcrab |
| Headcrab Launcher | npc_launcher |
| Ichthyosaur | npc_ichthyosaur |
| Kleiner | npc_kleiner |
| Manhack | npc_manhack |
| Mortar Synth | npc_mortarsynth |
| Mossman | npc_mossman |
| Pigeon | npc_pigeon |
| Poison Headcrab | npc_headcrab_poison |
| Poison Headcrab | npc_headcrab_black |
| Poison Zombie | npc_poisonzombie |
| Rollermine | npc_rollermine |
| Seagull | npc_seagull |
| Stalker | npc_stalker |
| Strider | npc_strider |
| Vortigaunt | npc_vortigaunt |
| Zombie | npc_zombie |
| Zombie without legs | npc_zombie_torso |
| Zombine (Combine Zombie) | npc_zombine |
Successfully complete the game to unlock the cake title screen.
The graffiti in the game are clues for the ApertureScience.com website. Go to the site, and enter "LOGIN" as a command. Enter "CJOHNSON" as a username and "TIER3" as a password. After logging in, type "HELP" for a list of commands. In addition to logging in as "CJOHNSON" (Chell), you can login as anyone desired by typing a username longer than two characters and using "PORTAL" as a password.
While logged into the ApertureScience.com website, type "THECAKEISALIE" to access a hidden message left by some employees.
At the end of the advanced map for Chamber 18, you will have the same raised platforms as you did in the normal one except now after you leave the lower one, it falls into the toxic water. This forces you to be more precise with your portal jumps. However, you can get past this easily. Do the platform jumping as usual, but if you miss, just land on the platform you came out of. You should be able to fire an opposite color portal at the wall where you entered this area, allowing you to go back to the start. All the platforms rise again, and the portal is still where you left it. You can now fall into the pit again and be able to portal jump to the next ledge. This take longer but does not require precise timing.
On the level where you get the companion cube after you run past the energy balls and are in the room with the three elevators, there are two doors leading to a catcher and a platform that is pushed out of the wall. Walk up to the platform that is pushed out. Crouch behind it, and walk through the opening. On the left hand side are a group of pictures of people with boxes for heads and hearts around them.
If the "sv_cheats 1" code is enabled, achievements are disabled; however, there is a way around this. There are a few command strings that can be bind to keys which allow you to enable or disable God mode when desired, get all equipment such as weapons, plus the better portal gun. To do this, use the bind [key] "sv_cheats 1; wait; god; wait; wait; wait; sv_cheats 0" console command. For God mode, use the bind [key] "sv_cheats 1; wait; Impulse 101; wait; wait; wait; sv_cheats 0" console command.
Enter the options menu, select "Controls", then "Advanced". Turn on the option for the console. Then while playing the game, press ~ to display the console window. Type "sv_cheats 1" to enable cheat mode. Then, type one of the following codes and press [Enter] at the console window to activate the corresponding cheat function:
| Result | Cheat Code |
| God mode | god |
| Take damage, but cannot die | buddha |
| No clipping mode | noclip |
| All weapons, including those from Half Life 2 | impulse 101 |
| Enemies do not target you | notarget |
| Allow separate sets of portals to be created | change_portalgun_linkage_id [0-3] |
| Allow use of second portal placement | upgrade_portalgun |
| Portal placement cannot be bumped | sv_portal_placement_never_bump 1 |
| Portals can be placed on almost any surface | sv_portal_placement_never_fail 1 |
| All challenges completed | sv_bonus_map_complete 1 |
| Spawn citizen | npc_create npc_citizen |
| Spawn Breen | npc_create npc_breen |
| Spawn zombie | npc_create npc_zombie |
| Spawn Bouncy metal ball | ent_create_portal_metal_sphere |
| Spawn Weighted Storage Cube | ent_create_portal_weight_box |
| Basic portal gun | give weapon_portalgun |
| Fire an energy ball | fire_energy_ball |
| Fire rocket from head (glitched) | fire_rocket_projectile |
| First person view | firstperson |
| Third person view | thirdperson |
| Set gravity; "600" is default | sv_gravity [number] |
| Disable cheat mode | sv_cheats 0 |
As an engineer, do not wait for your building. Just whack it with the wrench so that it builds faster.
Play a game with just you and a friend. Have your friend let you repeatedly kill him or her to easily get achievements.
