Psychonauts 1 is a game aggressively from the 00s. Lots of obtuse collecting, antiquated view of mental health, and general excessive 00s cartoon-isms. As excited as I was for a sequel, I can't say I felt there was anything justifying its existence beyond the fact that people wanted a second one.
This game shatters those expectations handily.
Psychonauts 2 is just tighter, both mechanically and narratively. All the flaws of the original are gone and the story is polished to a fine sheen. There's incredible touches across the game to show the respect and care the story has for its world. From the opening trigger warnings to the way Raz asks permission before entering a mind to the way characters are more willing to be genuine and honest with each other. The entire first real level is about Raz fucking up in someone's mind and learning that he needs to be more responsible in how he behaves. This isn't summer camp anymore. These are people's lives.
But what really propels the story is its core idea. This is a story about trauma. Its about people making awful mistakes that haunt them. Its about people lashing out after trauma because they need to justify that trauma somehow. Its about how we try to rewrite the complicated parts of history to ourselves to make it easier to understand. And its about the trauma we pass on to the next generation from what remains of the histories we tell.
Its just... an incredibly compelling and exciting story. As the big Broken Age defender, I take no shame in saying this is Double Fine's greatest work.
This game shatters those expectations handily.
Psychonauts 2 is just tighter, both mechanically and narratively. All the flaws of the original are gone and the story is polished to a fine sheen. There's incredible touches across the game to show the respect and care the story has for its world. From the opening trigger warnings to the way Raz asks permission before entering a mind to the way characters are more willing to be genuine and honest with each other. The entire first real level is about Raz fucking up in someone's mind and learning that he needs to be more responsible in how he behaves. This isn't summer camp anymore. These are people's lives.
But what really propels the story is its core idea. This is a story about trauma. Its about people making awful mistakes that haunt them. Its about people lashing out after trauma because they need to justify that trauma somehow. Its about how we try to rewrite the complicated parts of history to ourselves to make it easier to understand. And its about the trauma we pass on to the next generation from what remains of the histories we tell.
Its just... an incredibly compelling and exciting story. As the big Broken Age defender, I take no shame in saying this is Double Fine's greatest work.