I am not a huge fan of Psychonauts 1. I tried playing the game multiple times, and bounced off of it about halfway. Right before getting into this game, I finally beat it, and I was left with a semi-frustrating experience that left a lot to be desired, especially on modern hardware and conventions. Psychonauts 2 is not that same game. In fact, the sequel does so much right and goes so far beyond the original, it obsolesces it.
Psychonauts 2 has a winning sense of clever wit that elevates its level scenarios and their design to a new level. While the original had very direct, almost too on-the-nose interpretations of mental illness and torment, 2 carefully balances the identity of its mind with the psychology of their world. The opening world has a dentist winning employee of the month, so the level is an office space littered with teeth. Taking these themes and running with them are the game's best moments and much of the game's runtime is spent inside of minds. That said, the levels peak early, and some of the later stages just aren't as interesting characters or ideas. It also ends on a relatively easy note, opting for more of a story focus than a gameplay gauntlet. While I didn't need another Meat Circus, I would have liked even a post-game challenge to make the journey feel complete.
Speaking of the narrative, its smartly written dialogue rides the line between comical and personal, while also closely shadowing the narrative of the original. I was surprised by the amount of subtle moments that portrayed a characters' deepest regrets and flaws, accentuated by the top-tier animation and voice work. It's a shame that sometimes the game's audio cuts lines off over themselves, but it's a minor gripe that only slipped in a few moments. Otherwise, I loved how much mattered from the growing universe of Psychonauts.
In terms of gameplay, much of the core platforming stays the same. Jumping and traversing through 3D space feels much better in 2021, and awkward control issues have been mostly remedied in this entry. Badges are Razputin's main power source, and many of them are fun to use. The Levitation ability returns and remains in permanent use throughout the game, and other powers like Time Stop are excellent. Swapping between these powers can be annoying, only allowing four powers at a time to be equipped. I wish Double Fine had found a way to map some of the less important powers to a contextual action button or a separate input (Clairvoyance to L3, for example). Pins are purchasable in a store to modify your existing PSI powers. While I liked some of them, many of them feel useless and only work as modifiers, not huge upgrades.
Collectibles remain a major element of the Psychonauts formula. Figments are now more streamlined, and typically follow the main path. They are also less transparent and not as difficult to search for, thanks to modern hardware's ability to light and pull objects more off of the background. Emotional Baggage and Memory Vaults also return, along with Half-A-brains and Nuggets of Wisdom. While the Nuggets probably could have been combined with an existing item, it was nice to have the excitement of constantly collecting new items. Combat is still a low point. Much of the game's dullest moments come from trying to whittle down an enemies' health bar slowly with increasingly irritating enemy types. That said, most boss encounters are great, with energetic and inspired ideas carrying the weight of the final stage of the level. When you aren't in a mind, you'll be exploring the Psychonauts HQ and beyond. I loved running around these open areas and think this is the strongest element tying the game together.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS:
Unfortunately, the game decides to add in a point-of-no-return very early in the experience, about halfway through the game, which locks off all previous areas from being explored. It's a weird, non-sensical decision that limits the game's freedom during its admittedly more boring levels.
I really enjoyed my time finishing and completing Psychonauts 2. It has a lot of heart, and deals with a lot of complex issues with a deft hand, and improves in all aspects as compared to its 16 year old predecessor. While I wouldn't choose to replay Psychonauts 1 anytime soon, I would strongly recommend this game to anyone looking for something a little strange and a lot of fun.
Psychonauts 2 has a winning sense of clever wit that elevates its level scenarios and their design to a new level. While the original had very direct, almost too on-the-nose interpretations of mental illness and torment, 2 carefully balances the identity of its mind with the psychology of their world. The opening world has a dentist winning employee of the month, so the level is an office space littered with teeth. Taking these themes and running with them are the game's best moments and much of the game's runtime is spent inside of minds. That said, the levels peak early, and some of the later stages just aren't as interesting characters or ideas. It also ends on a relatively easy note, opting for more of a story focus than a gameplay gauntlet. While I didn't need another Meat Circus, I would have liked even a post-game challenge to make the journey feel complete.
Speaking of the narrative, its smartly written dialogue rides the line between comical and personal, while also closely shadowing the narrative of the original. I was surprised by the amount of subtle moments that portrayed a characters' deepest regrets and flaws, accentuated by the top-tier animation and voice work. It's a shame that sometimes the game's audio cuts lines off over themselves, but it's a minor gripe that only slipped in a few moments. Otherwise, I loved how much mattered from the growing universe of Psychonauts.
In terms of gameplay, much of the core platforming stays the same. Jumping and traversing through 3D space feels much better in 2021, and awkward control issues have been mostly remedied in this entry. Badges are Razputin's main power source, and many of them are fun to use. The Levitation ability returns and remains in permanent use throughout the game, and other powers like Time Stop are excellent. Swapping between these powers can be annoying, only allowing four powers at a time to be equipped. I wish Double Fine had found a way to map some of the less important powers to a contextual action button or a separate input (Clairvoyance to L3, for example). Pins are purchasable in a store to modify your existing PSI powers. While I liked some of them, many of them feel useless and only work as modifiers, not huge upgrades.
Collectibles remain a major element of the Psychonauts formula. Figments are now more streamlined, and typically follow the main path. They are also less transparent and not as difficult to search for, thanks to modern hardware's ability to light and pull objects more off of the background. Emotional Baggage and Memory Vaults also return, along with Half-A-brains and Nuggets of Wisdom. While the Nuggets probably could have been combined with an existing item, it was nice to have the excitement of constantly collecting new items. Combat is still a low point. Much of the game's dullest moments come from trying to whittle down an enemies' health bar slowly with increasingly irritating enemy types. That said, most boss encounters are great, with energetic and inspired ideas carrying the weight of the final stage of the level. When you aren't in a mind, you'll be exploring the Psychonauts HQ and beyond. I loved running around these open areas and think this is the strongest element tying the game together.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS:
Unfortunately, the game decides to add in a point-of-no-return very early in the experience, about halfway through the game, which locks off all previous areas from being explored. It's a weird, non-sensical decision that limits the game's freedom during its admittedly more boring levels.
I really enjoyed my time finishing and completing Psychonauts 2. It has a lot of heart, and deals with a lot of complex issues with a deft hand, and improves in all aspects as compared to its 16 year old predecessor. While I wouldn't choose to replay Psychonauts 1 anytime soon, I would strongly recommend this game to anyone looking for something a little strange and a lot of fun.