Psychonauts 2

I missed the original Psychonauts, it just didn't come up on my radar at that time so despite hearing universal praise for this game, I hesitated in picking it up. Having played through it now, I can confidently relay that not having played the first shouldn't be an obstacle. You may miss a couple of the in jokes but the game offers a lengthy intro which fully explains the events of the original Psychonauts and adequately catches-up the uninitiated.

I've listened to a few reviewers talk about the differences between the two entries in the franchise. The 1st game was allegedly more comedic and light-hearted. Supposedly, this game is much more dramatic and serious, in some cases to its detriment. I wholeheartedly disagree with this, I do think this game is more chuckle-worthy than uproarious but they've done a great job writing an adventure here that has huge amounts of pathos and emotion. This is a much deeper than it appears tale about things like PTSD, addiction, regret and loneliness and it's fantastically done. The story balances showing some of the darker sides of these conditions and how they can haunt you long past the inciting events while not dragging the game too far down into the emotional muck. Raz isn't just fighting off Maligula, he's been tasked with healing his troubled friends, co-workers and family along the way and it wasn't too dour or serious for me at all. The game is extremely well written across the board I don't know if a better kid-friendly slant on these issues exists (if you know one, feel free to point it out).

There are so many standout aspects to this game but the most impressive part of it for me was the imagination put into the level design and the environments. Razputin's adventures through these varied and awe-inspiring worlds are ridiculously creative and visually stunning. Each one has new concepts or ideas that are remarkably inventive and present the player with a fresh take on something. But just when you've gotten used to the environment, it flips on a dime and you're doing something new. The art style reminds me of Tim Burton but it's far from derivative and the character designs are so distinct and memorable as well.

We play predominantly as Raz and aside from jumping around each person's mind, we deal with combat with Raz having a variety of attacks and powers. The game isn't combat focused but I liked most of the fighting because how easily you get through it is directly correlated to how imaginative you want to be with Raz's abilities. Minus the boss fights, combat is usually brief as well and the variety of minions is solid and even a little funny as you get a couple of lines of backstory when a new one is introduced (there's usually an accompanying joke).

My gripes with Psychonauts 2 are going to be brief. My biggest is that I'm not the most experienced platformer, I've played platforming games before (the Sly Cooper Series would be my most direct comparison to this game) but I had a hard time with some of these levels. I want to add however, I've played games that are deliberately so difficult that it's part of the draw (Cuphead, The Surge etc.), the fact that I died so often here came across as more my fault than the game's fault. I died a lot more than I'd care to admit playing Psychonauts 2 and that did lead to a little frustration. Some people have complained that the collectibles are a bit much, I didn't have a problem with them but I did gradually lose interest in grabbing every single one as the game progressed.

I struggle to give just about anything a perfect grade (in this case a 10/10) because everything has flaws to some degree. Nothing is perfect and I do feel that way about this game too. I did have small problems with Psychonauts 2 but what it excels at is so far beyond what I expected. The level design, voice-acting, story, character design and graphics are amazing and the game deserves all the praise and the awards buzz it got. I could continue showering Psychonauts 2 for several more paragraphs, that's how strongly I feel about it. I would give it a 9.5/10 but I'll round up because of how pleasant of a surprise this was. I sincerely implore Double Fine Productions to consider making another sequel and not to compromise on their vision because this was spectacular. Provided you can do some platforming, this is a slam-dunk must play for me.

I never played much of the original (but obviously heard tell of how imaginative it was) - whenever I tried it just felt dated.

Well this isn't dated at all. It's one of few recent games that makes me feel like we're in the "next gen". Not because it's got hyper detailed graphics or mechanics, but because it seems to push the enveloppe for the medium of gaming, and is just packed to the brim with meticulous design.

It's one of those games that goes exceptionally well with some smoke (if you like to indulge), and pulls you into a wondrous and charming world that makes you recall what it was like to play a really immersive video game for the first time as a child.

You keep playing not because of a gimmicky gameplay loop, not because you're trying to get that dopamine hit from progression, or any of the other cheap tricks games use to keep a player invested. Rather, you keep playing to see what fresh wonders lie around the corner. There is an element of RPG progression in leveling up your powers and buying a few items that modify them, and then there's the collectibles (which I typically don't care for in games), but that's secondary to what really makes this game compelling - the spectacular level design and the way it's integrated into the world and the narrative.

Every moment is packed with character, artistry, dazzling visuals and mind-bending and challenging gameplay.

The writing is charming, wholesome and (amazingly, given how 'out there' the world building is) grounded and mature enough to have the broadest appeal possible. It's like a Pixar movie or something - I would eagerly encourage young gamers to try this out (it's liable to spark a love for gaming in kids IMO) but at the same time everything here is of a calibre to easily appeal to the old timer who's been playing games for a decade and has seen everything.

It's hard to find anything to complain about. I don't even like platformers - in fact I usually dislike them. There's nothing I hate more than wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out "what is the game telling me to do??" or painstakingly trial/error your way through some small corner of the level that wasn't even meant to be difficult - and platformers seem to have that problem a lot (for me anyways). Well Psychonauts 2 doesn't have that problem at all. The gameplay strikes a perfect balance of intuitive and challenging, everything reads on screen very well, and from beginning to end at no points did I find my immersion in the world was compromised by poor game design.

The game takes you along for a wild, colorful, endearing and unforgettable ride that is just overflowing with creativity, finesse, imagination and charm. It's well worth anybody's time. There's a few releases these last two years that have rekindled my love and hope for games as the cutting edge in escapism, both artistically and technically. Psychonauts 2 is definitely one of them.

I know it's a lame thing to say ("durr you gotta get HiGh tO pLaY ThIS gAmE mAn.."), but I really can't understate how well this game goes with a bit of cannabis. People think you smoke to make a poor game seem good, but it isn't like that at all. If anything I find I get more critical of games while stoned, and demand more variety and detail than I would sober. Well this game delivers big time to the sativa-blazed gamer like very few do - constantly throwing you in new and distinct levels with completely unique styles. It's a wonderful world to get lost in.

This is by FAR the most unique game I have played, maybe ever.. It is phenomenal. The fantasy behind it is limitless. No two levels are alike. It is Persona 5 (castles) on steroids. The mind levels are beyond description. Characters are cartoonish and lovable and the story bizarre AF.

P. S.:If you don't like platformers you will have a hard time.

This was one of the best games of this decade, and it's unfortunate it didn't win anything, let alone GOTY, which was given to It Takes Two which was a 10/10 for me too. But it really sucks and makes no sense that Best Game Direction AND Best Art Direction was given to Deathloop? Are you kidding me? Have they even played Psychonauts 2?

Anyway, rant aside, this game is really really good, for even someone who hasn't played the first.

First of all, I didn't expect it to be this long, albeit I 100%ed the game and spend a lot of time going back to old areas to collect Figments, Vaults and Baggages and all that to 100% every area, so it probably would've taken me less to finish the story, but I finished it in 35 hours and even without exploring and collecting everything, above 20 or 25 hours is still longer than I expected it to be, and I ain't complaining either, the so many mind levels in this game are just absolutely amazing and beautifully designed.

The art style easily beats every other game that came out in 2021. The direction and narrative is amazing. The level design is phenomenal. The voice acting is really good and it has two unexpected voice actors in there and they do a great job too.

The game also might look like a game made for kids, but the story and the themes and topics they tackle are really adult and this game is for every age, not just kids.

The combat is good and it has its own nuances and combos and different mechanics, but still feels really easy, especially some boss fights, and especially the last boss fight. It might look a little hard at the beginning but when you upgrade a lot and find Half a Minds and get Psi pouches, you're basically invincible.

All in all, it's an amazing game - or should I say experience - and one of few games of 2021 - next to It Takes Two - that actually worth the full price and you will enjoy every minute of playing it. (Well, not every minute because most of the times I got infuriated cuz Raz didn't grab a ledge).

This is what gaming is all about, and this is a game that reminds us of how fun, cool, great, and complete were the good games back in the day and worth the time and money you've spent on!

Psychonauts 2 somehow manages to meet and exceed the expectations I ever hoped for a sequel. This is a "hall-of-fame"-worthy platformer with so much story and character it will make Super Mario look like a russian novel in comparison. The writing in dialogues stands out as being exceptionally good. I don't typically make it a point to talk to NPCs, but Psychonauts 2 had me talking to everyone I could find, just to hear what they would say. This is a behavior that only Tim Schafer games seem to get out of me.

The game plays much like it did in the original, but with tightened controls and enhanced combat Psychonauts 2 improves on almost everything that made the original fun and engaging. That includes some of the most creative level design I have ever seen.

Recommended.