Psychonauts 2 is an extraordinary achievement in both its gameplay and storytelling, balancing heavy themes of mental health with its whimsical world. We don't know how they did it, but the wizards at Double Fine not only met them but smashed through them with ease. After 16 years, the expectations for the sequel were so high it felt as though they were impossible to meet. It's honestly astounding how incredible Psychonauts 2 is. It's a fantastic experience that will stick with you, and has a ton to see and do. The overworld is a joy to explore and the levels are more stylish and dazzling than ever before with fantastic controls. It builds on everything the original game was while adding its own unique spin on gameplay and story. Psychonauts 2 is a perfect 3D platformer offering a well balanced challenge that’s engaging and filled with a lengthy narrative that provides many laughs alongside heavier emotional beats. Gamerheadquarters - Jason Stettner - 10 / 10 I will not forget my time with Psychonauts 2 easily the characters and themes have left a lasting impression. Psychonauts 2 excels where others have failed by crafting a story experience that welcomes players, new and old, into the fantastically absurd world of the Psychonauts. Let’s just hope that if we ever get a third installment, it doesn’t take nearly as long to develop.Explosion Network - Ciaran Marchant - 10 / 10
It also presents an opportunity for a whole new generation of gamers to fall in love with Psychonauts' lovable characters and unique gameplay.Īlthough the pacing of the plot is inconsistent towards the middle of the game, the overall story is an emotional journey, chock full of trauma, redemption and character growth. Psychonauts 2 review: VerdictĪll in all, Psychonauts 2 is both a worthy sequel to its predecessor, and a great game on its own merits. It's a letdown, after such an exciting start to the story. This makes it a bit of a hassle to power through several fetch-and-go quests in quick succession. However, one of the only flaws that I found in Psychonauts 2 is that the pacing slows down toward the middle of the game. I was personally glad to see that the developer Double Fine Productions incorporated themes such as mental health and LGBTQ+ representation into the game’s story.
Similarly, improved graphics and some quality-of-life gameplay changes aren’t the only examples of progress that Psychonauts has made since 2005. Psychonauts 2 also introduces a number of new characters with tragic backstories that are bound to tug on your heartstrings.
You can expect to see some appearances from the original game’s most prominent characters, including Coach Oleander, Agent Sasha Nein and Agent Milla Vodello, as well as Raz’s love interest, Lili. However, the developers provided an extensive recap of the previous game as soon as you launch Psychonauts 2.Īt the end of the first game, Raz and the team rescue the Grand Head of the Psychonauts, Truman Zanotto, from the clutches of the evil Dr. I first played Psychonauts almost 15 years ago on the PlayStation 2, so my memory of the original game was a bit fuzzy. However, don’t let this scare you away if you haven’t played the 2005 cult classic. Psychonauts 2 review: Plotĭespite the prolonged time period between the release of the two Psychonauts installments, the plot of Psychonauts 2 picks up almost immediately where the original game (and its VR spinoff, Rhombus of Ruin) left off.
And even once you’re done with the story, you’re free to roam the Psychonauts HQ to finish off any side quests, or replay each level and pick up anything you missed the first time round. If you’re the completionist type, then you’ll be glad to hear that every possible level in Psychonauts 2 features hundreds of ‘Figments of Imagination’ to collect, as well as hidden secrets for you to explore.