Psychonauts 2

I replayed the first Psychonauts before going into this one, and even though the original is still really good (and works great on modern PCs without any fan made patches!), the sequel is even better.

Not only it has a better gameplay and visuals (duh!), I believe storytelling and writing have been improved as well. The story takes off where the first game left (you don't have to play it, but I recommend you do), and the writers do an amazing job in tying up everything together. There's no lose ends, and both games make total sense as one coherent story.

Gameplay wise, it's still a mix of adventure and platformer, and this combination works pretty well. There's plenty of secrets to find, items to collect and abilities to upgrade. This is not required to beat the main story - Psychonauts 2 is not a hard game - but provides a lot of additional tasks for completionists. And, unlike in the original, you can continue playing after the main story ends just to collect everything.

Overall, it's a rare type of game nowadays, so I definitely recommend it. It's hard to find another modern adventure/platformer with such a good combination of gameplay, visuals, writing and storytelling.

16 years after Double Fine released the first Psychonauts game, they took everything they learnt and made Psychonauts 2.

Simply put, it's better in every practical way. Losing some of previously available powers does suck a bit, but it does not take away from the fun I've had playing.

Narrative wise, having the story focus on Ford and the rest of the OG Psychonauts is amazing.

This was the most fun I've had in years. Great level designs, touching story, funny and sometimes extremely sad characters, and fantastic gameplay. If you liked the first one, you'll love this one.

The level of creative genius in this game is enough to make it an absolute recommend - and yet - it's paired with gameplay that's actually fun!? What are you doing reading reviews? Get it!

This game is everything a sequel should be

Practically everything from the original has been enhanced and modernized, and I love everything about it.

Gameplay is soooooo smooth and good, I LOVE how the combat has been changed, making it so much more engaging and fun, with every single psychic ability having a use in enemy encounters. Platforming is SO good too, with it being super smooth to control Raz in this, never once felt like I was robbed due to the game messing me up, and there is just so much variety for traversing the environments too.

The levels are absurdly good, with visuals, themes and gimmicks that are oozing with creativity and excellent design. Not a single level felt poorly thought out or had some sort of section that ruined it, it's incredible.

The story is very engaging, with many unanswered questions from the original game being explained, with many twists and things that keep you constantly wondering what's going to happen next.

The only problems I have with this game are:
- Performance, as this game's framerate chugs quite a bit in places such as the Questionable Area and some others, which isn't TOO bad, but it does lead to things looking a little weird.

- The fact you cannot manually save, forcing you to depend on the auto save, which, especially when you're in someone's mind, does not save very often, which ends up making you lose progress if something comes up and you are forced to quit mid game. I also don't like how this game only has a single save file, as I would really like to keep my 100% completed file if I ever decide to replay this title.

- Some of the story decisions this game made towards the end were a bit weird, such as how Lucy ended up suffering zero consequences for her past crimes after you send her Maligula side to the deepest part of her mind, despite committing genocide against hundreds of innocent people, with it all being seemingly forgiven by all, even the ones most affected. It does not matter that she was not being herself when she did those things, I just feel like she should've gotten some sort of punishment for it instead of getting hugs and love from all.

But, yeah, this is, overall, a pretty fantastic title that I recommend anyone that digs 3D platformers to try out.

Though, I would HIGHLY recommend playing the OG Psychonauts first, as this game spoils many of the twists from that game, as they are very relevant to it's story.

One of my favourite platforming games it’s very unique creative and deals with mental health/illness topics very well and jack black isn’t an insufferable c@&t in this

Great game, super good dialogues, interesting gameplay and very entertaining.

Was a good game, ended up playing it twice, non-stop each time. It has a nice blend of cinematic and game play
Classic platform feel. nothing insane. Doesnt go to overboard with collectible grind.

A very good game and a very good sequel.

I have some issues with it - particularly some of the mechanics are rough with limited ways to go around them (nothing on par with Meat Circus, at least). It also has an issue with maybe even a bit too much freedom in places, making it hard to tell where the story is trying to send you next until characters are literally refusing to leave areas. The story really picks up in the latter half, which is very good but also fits a bit weirdly with the opening.

Still, it's a very fun game that matches the tone and writing of the first game, and expands on it in ways that feel not just natural but genuinely thrilling and engrossing. I didn't expect such a powerfully emotional narrative with some extremely interesting insights on the dark side of the power of love in the same series that has you sneezing out brains and paddling through livestock vomit. Somehow, these things manage to coexist in the same game pretty well, though the tone is slightly more serious as it moves on.

And about that spoiler - the thing is that this game also really expands on Raz's personality and backstory, in a way that definitely still fits with the first game (seriously, it is a very good sequel and a good game; these are not always the same thing). Because Raz is so full of love and we see the good and bad sides of The Power Of Love (and that includes filial and friendly love!), and because the writing itself does not feel cynical or bleak, it hits really well - these are people who meant well and made terrible mistakes for very good reasons, in ways that can't be undone. Needless to say, I was not expecting that in this series - nor was I expecting to actually cry over it, but here we are.

Playing it feels about as fun as the first game, and the new powers are interesting and fit well. The game has some assists - I had problems with platforming (sometimes the camera evokes Ocarina of Time's camera in the worst way), so being able to completely turn off damage from tripping off cliffs was really helpful.

The zone design is fantastic, just as solid as the previous game while introducing completely new ideas. I really liked the design and writing of Hollis' Hot Streak, which combines two completely different things in a surprisingly solid way. The levels are, generally, just really fun to play and fun to look at.

My one major complaint here is this game really ups the grossout factor - from Loboto's dentally-squicky mindscape, the boss fight of Compton's Cookoff, and the germ goo of Strike City, it felt a little excessive. Meat Circus was a bit gross but it wasn't constantly shoving that in the player's face.

All in all, it has some issues, but it's a very good game with good writing and expansion on the first installment, and if you enjoyed Psychonauts 1, it's a must.

Quite possibly the greatest redemption arc in the history of game development.

Psychonauts 2 exceeds expectations in almost every way, and is a worthy sequel to one of the greatest games of all time.

one of the best sequels of all time, this game was made in a very creative way and carries a tremendously important message

After 20 years of waiting, this game delivers on all my expectations (more hopes and dreams as it was really). Great story, great humour and great art style. Also very well optimised. Can't wait to play through it again in 2 to 3 years time.

Fantastic game. Probably gonna be playing this one over and over again

Such a good follow-up on the first game. Less flashy in the themes it brings (sometimes) but it more than makes up for it in imporved tactfulness from it's predecessor. Couldn't believe just how immersed i was as i steered around Bob's bottles or platformed up through the emporium. Ford is magnificently represented in his fractured levels. And of course Raz's family being around and trying to accept a part of their ancestry they didn't know about is such a good point. As that saga keeps reminding me; We all struggle with our own problems and there is no shame in asking for help. Until next time my fellow psychonauts!

Really nice game with a lot cuuute stuffs. The plots and missions are all clearly laid out. Played Split Fiction &It takes Two before, tho their images are better but this game has more profound themes.

a perfect continuation and finale to the first game. Go play psychonauts, it's almost always on sale for like, 89 cents.

Has peak level design, storytelling, plot, and is a perfect sequel to an already great game. Also some of the best mental health rep i've seen in a video game (makes sense cuz its the whole premise basically). Its a collectathon but a very satisfying one, i have all the collectibles in the game, only achievements left are shop upgrades. Don't spoil yourself on anything because the game explains its story perfectly and has great plot twists along the way. It is $60 worth of content but in this economy just get it on sale.
Also don't download the DLC, its a docuseries on the game's development i think

In summary: play the damn game, maybe the original first but its not necessary unless you want the story to be a bit smoother

Holy shit this game is good. The world building, character design, story telling...
Absolutely incredible

Has the same sort of magic as the first game, best played around the summer.

Psychonauts 2 Review

The Psychonauts series is honestly one of the strangest gaming experiences I’ve had in a long time but I mean that in the best way possible. It's the kind of weird I’ve been craving. Even after playing both games back-to-back, I was amazed by how well the developers managed to preserve the spirit of the original, even after nearly 20 years. It may not be as chaotic as the first game, but it still feels like Psychonauts and that's something I truly respect.

STORY & PRESENTATION

Each level (or "mind") in this game feels like it was crafted with care and deep thought. The presentation is some of the most creative and thoughtful I’ve ever seen in terms of how it explores mental health. Honestly, this might be the best representation of psychological disorders I’ve come across in any media. (There’s even a fantastic 8.3-hour analysis on YouTube by Gaming University that dives into the psychology of both games!)

As for the story itself don’t let the art style fool you. I definitely didn’t expect a story this dark from a game that looks so cartoonish. Especially in Psychonauts 2, the narrative is surprisingly mature, emotional, and incredibly well told. All I ask is: please, avoid spoilers! There are some major plot twists that i love.

Score for Story & Presentation:

9/10

GAMEPLAY

Now... my biggest complaint with Psychonauts 2’s gameplay is the skill selection system. The combat is built around combos and psychic powers, but you can only equip four abilities at a time. That might sound like enough, but trust me it’s not. You’ll often find yourself needing to switch powers mid-combat, which seriously reduces the fluency of the combat.

That said, the combat is still really fun, especially when compared to other 3D platformers it feels satisfying. As for the platforming, Psychonauts 2 doesn’t introduce a lot of new mechanics compared to the original, but it does polish everything about it. Don’t expect deep platforming mechanics like Mario 64 and... that’s okay. It didn’t disappoint me, but a bit more depth wouldn’t hurt.

My Score for Gameplay:

7/10

SOUNDTRACK

I CAN’T GET THE GRULOVIA SONG OUT OF MY HEAD AAAAAAAAAA

The soundtrack is fantastic and absolutely fits the bizarre and weird tone of the game. I love it.

Score for Music:

8/10

VISUALS & ART STYLE

I’m in love with this game’s art direction. It’s amazing how they managed to keep that iconic "ugly and asymmetrical" style alive after all these years. The graphics and animations are AMAZING. I still have no idea how they managed to render the animation during the Psi King’s concert it’s absolutely mind blowing.

Score for Visuals & Art Style:

9/10

OVERALL

Psychonauts 2 really stuck with me. I went in expecting a quirky platformer like original —and yeah, it is that— but it also hits you with some surprisingly dark humor—still like the original—. Not like deep, emotional darkness or anything, just unexpected stuff that catches you off guard and actually makes you laugh. and honestly I wasn’t expecting it to be that good at being funny and a little messed up—speaking this for the both of the games—

It’s bizarre, it’s stylish, it’s funny, and it never takes itself too seriously—but it also knows exactly what it’s doing. I’m still thinking about this game even after a month! It’s definitely gonna stay with me for a while.

Final Score:

8.5/10

easily the best game i have ever played. it's peak. the level design and depictions of mental health issues are both absolutely incredible. 1,000/10

Psychonauts 2 is an absolute PSI-Blast! This game features a healthy amount of challenging platforming, engaging combat with a variety of enemies, and awesome psychic powers for fighting and utility. As a sequel, the game builds on the story and characters from the first game revealing surprising new facets to each character. The environments in the game embody the definition of creative, and the game might change some of your mental connections; embedding itself in your brain for years to come.

Genuinely one of the best single player games I've played in the last few years.
The amount of love put into the details of this game together with how fun the levels are to run through is simply amazing.
I truly wish for a third game to come!

What an absolutely fantastic experience - i dont even like platformers normally. But this is a good game, that made me realize that maybe missing a father actually was a big deal after all.

I grew up with the first Psychonauts. This is faithful to the lore, look and feel that the universe established.

A great game, it took that Psychonauts had and improved on it

this is a fantastic, mind bending game filled with fun characters, levels, and lots of weird and quirky world building. it is a fun but thought provoking game that tries to interpret the strange psychology of people, as well as making mental issues understandable through symbolism scattered throughout each brain. this game also has some incredible voice acting, with most of the VAs coming back to reprise their characters. the main character, Razputin Aquato, is voiced by the incredibly talented Richard Horvitz. Without him, I probably never would have known about this fantastic game. his characters made the childhood of millions, with some of his most famous roles being: Zim in Invader Zim, Billy from the Grim adventures of Billy and Mandy, Daggit in Angry Beavers, Kaos in Skylanders, and Moxxie in Helluva Boss. His voice really brings the character to life. This game picks up where the last two games (Psychonauts and Psychonauts: The Rhombus of Ruin) left off, and though you don't HAVE to play them first, I'm certainly glad I did. they are fantastic and %100 worth checking out. Have fun guys!!!

Second time playing this game and I'm having an equal amount of enjoyment as my first time. The Psychonauts franchise is easily one of my favorites due to its nigh-incomparable levels of creativity and this is one of the rare instances of a long-awaited sequel being well-worth the hype. Cleaning up the mechanics of the first game kinda fixes its only flaw. Maybe the first game had a little more edge to its humor, though I still found the vast majority of the jokes here funny and charming. Even though a lot of people say Psychonauts 2 is too easy, I still find that there's a few challenging sections in every mental world and even the expansive hub world.

More like a movie than a game,
At-least half of it is watching cut-scenes.
The other half is a good story with better combat than the original and none of the brains (levels) I visited felt like a miss.

Platforming took a step back to let these other elements shine.
I don't think it's better than the first game, but it's good on its own merit.

First Psychonauts is one of my most favourite games I’ve ever played, and honestly, I feel like this game is even better. Game polishes and enhances every aspect of its predecessor, gives depth to (most) of its character, new and recurring, as well as has an amazing, thought-provoking story. If you haven’t played the original, buy it and play it. Then immediately after play this one. Both are worth your time.

- Fun Story.
- Actually really well Written with good plot twist moments.
- Memorable Characters with memorable Voice Acting since the first game.
- Creative Level design for each mind that having it's own mechanics and look.
- Amazing Soundtrack

This game is truly a worthy sequel and also closure if this is the last Psychonauts game.

Excellent game and excellent game play. Different stages and different skills required that what also make the game a lot interesting. I really enjoyed the game. It's highly recommended.

Great level design, dialog and challenge. Games are rarely so well made.

Typical quality from Double Fine.

Just a wonderful and creative platformer. It's been a while since I've stayed up late to finish just "one more level". The game is a perfect mix of challenging and fun. If you liked the first Psychonauts, you'll love this one as well. I really hope it gets a 3rd installment.

I think the first game is one of the best games like, ever, so this had a lot to give up to. Psychonauts 2 COMEPLETELY blew it out of the water, and as amazing and great the first game is, THIS IS SOMEHOW SO MUCH BETTER.
Better and more interesting fughting mechanics, better and more interesting enemies.
I am SO connected to the characters in this story, every other little thing and leve has made me cry.
Platforming and the puzzles are so so good, movement in the game is super well designed and feels very natural.
The world and level design, ESPECIALLY level design, is some of the most whimsical and creative shit I've seen in a game, ever.
Most importantly, the humour is on point.

I don't think I'll ever play another game that will stand up to Psychonauts 2. THIS IS THE GAME EVER IM GONA PEEEEE

Visually, the game is a work of art. The unique art style, coupled with fantastic animation and a dazzling color palette, makes every level feel like stepping into a surreal painting. The voice acting and soundtrack further enhance the experience, with top-notch performances and an eclectic mix of music that perfectly complements each mindscape. Amazing art style, funny dialogue, and great story.

I felt like the platforming was a lil janky at times and I gave no hoots about the story (as usual for me) but easy game to get 100% in and I still had fun!

only 3d platformer I've played recently with a semblance of a story gameplay isn't as good as the modern greats like crash bandicoot or astrobot but it's still really good fun

fantastic characters, fun gameplay lots of interesting themes and worlds.

A thoroughly enjoyable and wonderful sequel to a timeless classic. Lives up to its predecessor in the best kind of way.

Was recommended this game and honestly loved it. The exploration, combat and story all meld really nicely, it was very fun figuring out the puzzles and piecing together the story through all the dialogue. Very fun experience, would 100% recommend!

It's a decently fun game to waste some time on. The mechanics are of course a good bit better than the first psychonauts game, the story is okay and it's playable.

Wouldn't call it spectacular or very fun though, just good enough to play without feeling like it wasn't worth my time.

The first game, probably thanks to when it was made, was more fun because people didn't fuss so much about being politically correct back then and used cruder language and actions. It just feels too mild and lacking compared to that. Especially since the protagonist essentially plays the role of a doormat that everyone and their dog looks down on for the most part, who even gets bullied by both his siblings and other people while he never has anything remotely clever to say or do, nor any temper at all. Just dull.

I don't feel like I will remember this game for long but despite this, it's good enough to play. Bonus points for being playable on macos even if it's through rosetta.

Without a doubt the best game I've ever played in my life. Makes me feel like a kid again. Incredibly creative, great humor, seriously emotional and deep story telling, and a spark of adventure that no other game has made me feel. I played the first a few weeks ago and had to dive directly into this without a break. The first game was already amazing but definitely suffers a bit from age in certain areas (controls mainly) but Psychonauts 2 fixes everything and adds so much more. It's a game you never want to end. I can't even put into words how amazing this is. I wish I heard about this series sooner. 10/10

It's one of my favorite platformers ever and I haven't even played the first game. The writing is phenomenal, the cast of characters is unique, the settings and situations that you live throughout the story are fantastic.
Loved every minute of it, it's an easy recommendation for me.

I'm buying this game on sale and i don't know they are put g*y scene on the game, it's my mistake buy this game without view review first, but you can skip scene with hold button on your controller or keyboard if you don't want watch it.

My review (+) for positive (-) for negative review:
(+) Graphics and animation
(+) Soundtrack
(+) Puzzle
(-) it's has some hit box problem
(-) Map (it's still confusing like first game)
(-) Physic (ball physic is weird, it's hard to control)
(-) I feel some content has been cut in this game

Silly game!

Very unique and amazing game. First game really made me feel weird with it's ending. I expected 2nd game to come out soon. But oh well, at least finally I could beat it.

Massive variety in level design and aesthetics. Great for kids and casual gamers. Good for hardcore gamers looking for a relaxing and artistic experience. Throws me back to a different generation of games.

Psychonauts 2 is a fairly polished game that's much more user friendly than the original, but I can't help but feel that something was lost in translation while updating it in the sequel. The main problem I have with the game is that it's just too easy. There are a couple seemingly very challenging parts, but there's always a workaround that makes it much easier.

The story is interesting because it expands upon the events in the first Psychonauts game and even explains some things that weren't explained in the original, such as why Ford Cruller (The old man who comes out of Raz's ear) has multiple personalities. And while the story is overall a little better and more interesting than the first game, the villain is still pretty generic and needed to have more motivation than "sinister alter ego." This game's levels are great and a lot of fun to explore. There's never a dull moment as you are always doing something new, but it can get annoying that there is a cutscene interrupting things constantly in the beginning of the game. You can skip the cutscenes but if you do there's no other way to get the story information while playing.

As you progress, you rank up, collect upgrades and hunt down countless collectibles. The general idea of "Psychonauts" is so brilliant that there could be 20 sequels and I would play all of them. The issue with this game, however, is that it doesn't maximize the hardware and seems more comfortable just being a standard platformer much of the time. There are several mind-bending moments, but the final few levels don't really have the epic scope and feel of the first game. At the end of the first game you climb to the top of a dilapidated asylum and then enter into a maniacally difficult circus level to end on a ridiculously high note, and this is after it seems like you've already beaten the final boss. This game's last two levels are very standard and unimpressive. One is just a quilt-themed level and the other is an amusement park ride designed to spout story exposition. Even though the combat is much improved in this game and there is more customization with equippable stat-altering pins and upgrade points, the platforming seems to have been nerfed to be way too easy. Even though the first Psychonauts game was easy, there were a few crazy moments that challenged the player, especially at the end. This game has none of that, and since you can take revive and healing items into the boss fights, many seemingly difficult battles just become impossible to lose and the platforming feels way too user friendly.

With that said, hunting down all the collectibles if you're going for 100% is easily the hardest thing in that it's just a chore, especially in this game since the figments (little sketches that are hidden all over the map) are duplicated so even if you use a guide you still might have to check multiple locations. I really liked this game's story, but I felt like the way it wrapped up was a bit dissatisfying. It's mainly because the whole game centers around how screwed up the Psychonauts actually are without the main character ever having a moment of reflection to ponder this fact. I think a better ending would have been the characters coming to terms with the fact that the Psychonauts may do more harm than good and just leaving it on a cliffhanger before some more evil element shows up.

And while the levels are highly varied (A bowling alley city inside a shoe where germs are afraid the world is coming to an end, for example) I can't help but feel like the first game was better at making each level its own unique concept instead of just a generic platforming stage. Raz can still jump, bounce, swing, climb, use his psychic powers and all that, but I definitely think the better levels in Psychonauts are the more gimmicky ones that resemble minigames. I think the best level in this game is Compton's Cookoff, a mini game show where you are expected to prepare a dish in a certain amount of time by using food ingredients in the studio audience as part of the meal. Too many levels are just linear A to B sequences designed to dump story exposition.

My last gripe is that the music is very generic in "Oh we're on an adventure" type of design instead of mimicking the weird offbeat kind of tunes in the original. There are some funny jokes in this game, but there are also some pitifully unfunny ones, and while the tone is a bit more even than the first game that had crazy random vibe transitions, it sometimes feels like it's playing itself instead of being darker and more menacing. There is a level near the end of the game where you are in kind of an underwater world that turns into a coffin. I think this would have been a great final level and could have been full of all kinds of crazy horror/phobia sequences before sending the player into some kind of hell and then the final boss fight. It might not have served the story as well but the pacing and tone would have made for a much more epic journey.

So while this is a great game I still vastly prefer the original Psychonauts because it was more daring and bold with its decisions and feels like a more unique and risky idea than this game.

Incredible, more serious than the first but just as fun. What was really nice was the quality-of-life things, like how you could 100% the game in 1 run even if you've already beaten it, there is no "Nope, you missed your chance. Play for another 10 hours" it's all there and all fun and funky. The Map design, the combat system, the characters, and how every world is so unique to the others is simply astonishing and nothing short of real passion from the team, good stuff