Psychonauts 2 Review
Credit to: Double Fine ProductionsWhat an amazing return
Welcome back, y’all! This time around, we’re going to be taking a look at the latest entry in the Psychonauts video game series, Psychonauts 2, which is available on Xbox Game Pass and for purchase. It’s been a super long while since we last saw our main guy, Razputin Aquato, so to see him all polished up alongside all of the other classic characters was enough to really hook me in. I just want to jump straight into this review, I’m really excited to talk about it. Now, as per usual, we’ll have a pros section, a cons section, and then the final thoughts section, which of course has the final grade. Now, without further ado, let’s get straight into it.
Pros
Everything, goodbye. Just kidding. In all seriousness, I think the first pro has to be the story itself. I love the fact this takes place literally a day after the first game, and in the span of one single day, there’s already so much fantastic world-building and attention to detail. What’s great about the story, is that not only is it very intriguing, but also the fact that it pays homage to the first game, giving the old fans some nice trips down memory lane, but this game is also very friendly to newcomers. It recaps the story from the previous entry so well, that new fans can properly understand the concept of the game, the backstory of Razputin, and immerse themselves into this brand new story. With this story, we also get some new, fascinating characters, while respecting the old classic characters and involving them deeply into the story. I love how this game provides you with backstories of newly established characters so quickly, but so deeply, so you really never feel confused about who someone is or why they’re important to the current plot. A really great game.
The next pro has to be the overall game design. Of course, this series is based on the concepts of the human brain, and the effects that certain things have on one’s mind. That alone is interesting, but when that’s combined with the idea of psychokinesis, the ability to move/affect things with the power of your mind, you’re stepping into a whole new world here. The Psychonauts series uses these concepts to literal perfection, while adding in its own little bit of flavor and new ideas. This game is no different. Not only does it take these concepts to a new level with even newer ideas, but the overall tone and atmosphere is just flawless. The level design is amazing, from the moment you boot up the game. Visiting the minds of other characters is always a treat, as each mind is just a brand new world to adventure through and admire. This game takes the first Psychonauts and upgrades it tenfold with it’s graphical improvement and fresh ideas, and it really makes me wonder how well the first game would have fared in today’s environment if it looked this good. Hey, they even improved the combat, making dodging absolutely necessary. You also really need to mix up your moves for certain enemies, so you won’t have to just use one or two buttons. I love everything about this game, really.
COns
This is yet another time when I only have a single con with something. For this game, my only issue is the fact that there are a few minor bugs and glitches. Nothing super major, but at times, certain levels might freeze for a few seconds when transitioning to another stage. Another bug I’ve noticed, is that in certain spots of a small few levels, you might clip through some inanimate objects. It does slightly bother me, so it is going to lower the grade, but overall, these little bugs and mishaps don’t necessarily take me out of the game. Had these issues been ironed out, I would literally have no problem with this game.
Final Thoughts
I really love this game. I remember playing the first one, so not only was this nostalgic for me, but it was great to see it return and be handled with such care. The characters are the same old characters we all know and love, but are even better now. The new characters in this game are all either funny, charming, evil, or potentially all of the above. This is such an amazing come back for this series, and I can’t think of anything I’d want this game to do better. Slightly buggy and glitchy, but this game is still amazing.
