Aperture Science Announcement System

The Aperture Science Announcement System of masculine voice, is the main public address system used throughout the Aperture Science Enrichment Center in Portal 2.

In the beginning of the singleplayer campaign in Portal 2, Chell; a test subject of the enrichment center, is accompanied by the automated announcement system. The announcer tries to calm Chell throughout the ruined test chambers, assuring that she has to continue with the testing as she is assumed to be the "future starter" due to the system being under the automated assumption that the facility is currently under an apocalyptic event.

Test subject guidance
The announcer's primary role within the test chambers is to maintain testing under extenuating circumstances, including such events as an apocalypse. Although statements are given in a calming nature, the voice never hesitates in mentioning events and such that pertain to the exact opposite.

Monitoring of facility
The announcer has a higher role outside the testing areas, where it identifies GLaDOS as a corrupted core that is in charge of the facility. It proposes Wheatley as a substitute core and even allows the transfer process to impeach GLaDOS from her power over the entire facility.

The announcer remains throughout the entire game, suggesting that it is not a backup replacement of GLaDOS after her destruction in Portal, although possibly only activated after such an event. It has priority over GLaDOS and the ability to detect general facility conditions.

Trivia

 * The announcer is programmed to detect sarcasm, as seen in Test Chamber 06 as GLaDOS sarcastically thanks you for murdering her. However it could not detect sarcasm from Wheatley when the announcer asks for a permission to impeach him, claiming Wheatley's response as a vague answer and interprets it as an agreement.


 * The announcement system is somewhat similar to the PA system at the Black Mesa Research Facility. Both facilities feature a male PA announcer. However, the Aperture Science Announcement System is less computerized and seems to somewhat speak with more of a "human personality," most likely to comfort the Test Subjects inside the Aperture Laboratories.

List of appearances

 * Portal 2