Introduction
Psychonauts 2 had one of the more interesting development cycles of any game in modern memory, shifting between publishers and lingering in production for roughly a decade. Now, 16 years after the first Psychonauts came out, we finally have the opportunity to experience the sequel for ourselves. And the years have been nothing but kind to Raz and his friends. Psychonauts 2 takes everything I loved about the original game and makes it better, proving emphatically that 3D platformers still have a place in modern gaming.
Story
Psychonauts 2 picks up shortly after the events of the first game and its VR-exclusive sequel hitting the ground running. Raz and his Psychonaut allies soon get wrapped up in a conspiracy that involves missing brains, the original team of Psychonauts known as the Psychic Six, and an old enemy known as Maligula.
I started this game expecting a story with a lot of humor, in-jokes, and meta-textual references. And I got all of that and more. This game has a story. A really good story; probably the best of any game I’ve played so far this year.
Psychonauts 2 has something profound to say about mental health, self-care, and generational trauma, and it makes its case with deftness and care. It’s poignant that Raz, as a child, becomes the only one capable of guiding many of these much older characters to a place of healing and understanding.
Each character has their own issues, not unlike the first game, but this time each brain you enter belongs to someone to whom Raz is more personally connected, especially in the later parts of the game. It adds emotional stakes to every encounter that builds with each brain you visit, ramping up to an exhilarating climax.
While major story beats come at you fast, the game never feels rushed. Each brain world sticks around for just the right amount of time so I never felt tired of any area’s aesthetic choices. This feels like a good indicator of the game overall as by the time I hit the credits I felt more than satisfied with my experience in Psychonauts 2.
It doesn’t hurt that the voice cast here is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Richard Horvitz turns in another wonderful, nuanced performance here as Raz, David Kaye brings a new level of emotion and depth to Ford Kruller, and Kimberly Brooks shines as Hollis Forsythe, a newcomer to the series.
The principal cast of Ford’s original Psychonaut team and Raz’s fellow interns are all delightful to interact with as well. The performances coupled with the strong story often reminded me of the best animated TV shows of my youth.
Gameplay
Psychonauts 2 is a perfect example of how to bring antiquated game mechanics into the current decade. I recently played through the original Psychonauts and it’s astounding how Double Fine Productions has managed to retain what made the first game so special while modernizing it so elegantly. What the first game did with platforming and exploration is honed to a brilliant sheen in this sequel, and even combat has seen some notable improvements.
Raz retains most of his mobility from the original game, though his Levitation ability is paired down a little. He also packs a few new tricks, such as the Mental Connection ability that allows him to zip between special points to access out-of-reach areas.
Psychonauts 2 eased me into each of these new powers with well-crafted levels that are built around your most recently acquired ability. In that way, each world reminded me a little of the dungeons from The Legend of Zelda: puzzle boxes designed to be solved through the use of a new tool.
Psychonauts 2 leans into its 3D-platforming roots in the best way with plenty of bouncy platforms, swinging poles, and carefully timed jumps to manage. Though some of the frustration that’s endemic to any platformer is still present here, it’s never more than a passing nuisance in the face of a glut of satisfying exploration.
And boy is there a lot to explore. More and more of this game unfolds as the story progresses, and it genuinely feels like there’s always something new to find just around the next corner or high overhead. Psychonauts 2 somehow feels more vertical than its predecessor, which makes the platforming improvements all the more appreciated.
With exploration comes collectibles, many of which return from the original game. This time around, every collectible has purpose, whether that’s raising your Psychonaut Intern Rank and awarding skill points or just adding a few extra pieces of Psitanium to your wallet. It makes backtracking feel less like a chore and more like an important, strategic decision. It helps that the levels are designed in a way that going back through them feels easy and natural.
Combat also sees some remarkable improvements for this sequel with Double Fine expanding and improving on the combat suite in some impressive ways. Each ability you use for traversal or puzzle-solving now has a distinct combat mechanic as well, and the enemy variety has been hugely expanded to make use of these new mechanics.
Each ability also sports a series of upgrades that change the way they work and increase their effectiveness. You earn these skill points by raising your rank, creating a feedback loop between exploration and combat that activates that sweet, sweet serotonin boost.
In addition to the skill points, you can also purchase pins that alter your abilities further. While these offer some cool effects, it’s hard to experiment with them as the Psitanium required to purchase is incredibly scarce. There are pins that make this process easier, but they’re prohibitively expensive until later in the game and require a high rank before you can even equip them.
While combat has seen improvements in utility and progression, the moment-to-moment action doesn’t always feel great. Enemy attacks can feel uneven and poorly telegraphed while certain enemy types can make battles so complicated that they just become an exercise in frustration. However, in the end, the gameplay excels in all the right places.
Visuals and Sound
It wouldn’t be a comprehensive review without a few words on that sweet Double Fine aesthetic. This game is a feast for the senses. Just kicking it off, it looks absolutely gorgeous. I mean it’s easily the most stunning game I’ve played this year, and there have been some truly gorgeous releases in 2021.
The colors, character designs, and environmental design; all feel like a well-crafted animated film. Even something as small as minuscule character animations look incredible. Just watch Raz’s eyebrows in any scene and you’ll know what I mean. If this is what Double Fine can produce today, I can only imagine what they’ll be coming out with over the next decade.
The trailers had given me a good idea of what to expect visually, but they couldn’t prepare me for the auditory journey I was about to go on. There’s music in this game that would give any Disney composer a run for their money. It’s just that good.
It hits every note just right; whether you’re wandering around the Motherlobe or creeping through the Forgetful Forest, the music suits the environment perfectly. More than that, its wonderful music is sweeping and atmospheric. It never distracts from the gameplay experience, instead, accentuating an already fantastic game with a wonderfully produced score from Peter McConnell.
Verdict
I cannot sing this game’s praises enough. Each time I picked it up I didn’t know where it would take me next, and it never failed to delight and surprise me with each session. Even after the credits rolled I found myself diving back in to do more. Whether that was talking to characters about the events of the finale or just scouring the map for more collectibles.
While it does carry some minor flaws, I could easily recommend this game to gamers of all persuasions, which is something I don’t think I can say about the original. With a heartfelt story, fun exploration, and a gorgeous world, Psychonauts 2 is the most fun, thought-provoking, and unique gaming experience I’ve had all year.
