When it comes to writing in video games, very few minds come close to Tim Schafer and his gang of artists over at Double Fine. From the timeless classic Grim Fandango, to the misunderstood gem that was Brutal Legend, to the humorous Costume Quest series of RPGs, this development team has proven, time after time, that all you truly need to create a memorable video game is a little bit of ingenuity and the confidence to make it work.
Double Fine made a name for themselves by blending creative art design, simple gameplay, and fantastic writing into inventive experiences. Never was this more true than with 2005’s Psychonauts. Arguably Double Fine’s magnum opus that has transcended the passage of time and remains for many, including myself, Psychonauts is seen as the best game to come out of Schafer’s arthouse. 16 years later, does Psychonauts 2 live up to the lofty expectations set by the cult favorite original? The answer is a resounding, no-holds-barred yes.
Following up less than 3 days after the Whispering Rock incident, Psychonauts 2 starts in the cubicle-ridden offices of the Motherlobe, the headquarters of the titular Psychonauts that was consistently alluded to throughout the first game. From here, the stage is set for a story to uncover the dark secrets of the Psychonauts’ past while changing their future forever. As Raz sets out to uncover the mole within the organization, the story breaks away in digestible layers as the past is tied to the present, presenting a mystery unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Simultaneously tracking a story in the past and present with such an original plot could be a big ask for lesser games, but Psychonauts 2 makes it look easy.
As you jump between the minds of the idiosyncratic new cast members, their traumas, fears, and identities are presented as fantastically twisted landscapes of personality and depth (a poignant connection between gameplay and story carried over from the first game). Mind-bending effects are used with reckless abandon to sell the otherworldly illusion of being inside someone’s head as tons of optional world building and backstory take the form of collectibles and environmental objects scattered within.
It’s difficult to put into words just how fleshed out every single main character and plot point is in this sequel. Classic characters return as if never missing a beat. Sasha Nein is still a calculating, nicotine-addicted, closeted sadist and Ford Cruller is still a broken kooky old man living inside Raz’s head. Coach Oleander even returns despite being an antagonist in the last game, something the thorough and adorably presented recap will tell you, remaining as brash and untrusting as ever. While nostalgia could play a heavy role in the welcome return of these characters, hilarious writing and and superb voice acting ensure you’ll be entertained whether it’s the first time or the 100th time you’ve heard Milla call you “Daaaarliing.”
The new supporting characters are just as worthy of praise, too. Like Morris, a handicapped boy in a psychic wheelchair who runs a pirate radio in secret, so secret that he’s told just about everybody; and Bob Zanottto, an original member of the Psychonauts, living in isolation in the forest outside the Motherlobe after the loss of his husband. Though they don’t get as much screen time as the campers in the first game, they’re just as equally fleshed out and vibrant, adding a lot to the game through side quests and impactful roles in the game’s overall narrative.
The original Psychonauts is unique in the fact that it’s a 3D platformer in the style of a classic LucasArts adventure game. You solve environmental puzzles, exhaust dialogue lines between dozens of NPCs, explore every crevice of the game world for secrets and collectables, and, of course, jump between moving platforms of increasing variety. As soon as you start, Psychonauts 2 feels like it hasn’t missed a beat as it effortlessly introduces you to its platforming principles. Every move Raz had in the first game returns and is organically re-taught to the player throughout the first level of the sequel.
Although the original game’s controls are no slouch, Psychonauts 2 spares no expense in improving every aspect of character control. Small touches like Raz turning his head before his body and putting his arms out for balance when on uneven/sloped surfaces work wonders towards giving him weight and making the game a visual treat to watch without dampening the responsiveness of platforming and exploration, which feel better than ever. The most satisfying double jump in gaming makes its bouncy, floaty comeback and new traversal moves like Mental Connection feel snappy as it pulls you from point to point, not unlike the grapple in Ratchet & Clank.
The level design is as creative and cutting edge as before. The new massive hubworld, The Motherlobe, and its surrounding areas are intricately designed, yet with a firm grip on this universe’s own form of reality. Winding hallways are designed for speeding down with your levitation ball, and dozens of side areas feature small rewarding platforming challenges or environmental puzzles. Meanwhile, the levels taking place inside the minds of Psychonauts 2’s expansive cast are where “realism” is thrown out the window and conceptual ideas get turned into wide linear platforming landscapes. There never seems to be a dearth of creative, fun, and well designed areas to test your abilities in. And with Raz being such a joy to control, nothing comes across as oppressive or insurmountable.
This is made all the more better by Psychonauts 2’s stellar AAA-level presentation. The “no straight lines” approach to art design tends to give off a Saturday morning cartoon vibe that simply never lets up from start to finish. Details are packed into every perceivable corner of the game; rooms packed with unique props and art assets or a wall covered in in-jokes and graffiti are just the tip of the iceberg when noting the level of detail seeping out of every nook and cranny. NPCs fill the Motherlobe, each uniquely voiced with dialogue that not only adds believability to this otherwise unbelievable world, but also moments of brevity and humor as you pass through on your way to and from the game’s plentiful side missions.
It wouldn’t be a cinematic adventure game without its fair share of cutscenes, and Psychonauts 2 simply refuses to disappoint. Character models are well lit and look amazing at every angle as depth of field effects call attention to the excellent facial animation work, pulling out emotional detail that was never thought possible in 2005. The camera rarely stays in one place for long periods of time as it uses stylistic techniques, such as match-cutting and dolly zooms, to avoid becoming dull or uninteresting to look at, all while maintaining a visual flair. Moments like the Psycho-Synergy moment in the first hours of the game create a hectic sense of urgency caused by a killer score, split screen camera effects, and characters cutting into the screen to speak over each other ridiculously — just one of many memorable sequences in a game full of them.
I’d be remiss to praise the writing and presentation without bringing up the hours upon hours of extensive high-quality voice work on display here. In one level, Raz has 5+ unique voice lines just for repeatedly checking a microphone. In the Motherlobe, NPCs constantly chatter amongst themselves, creating little self-involved stories that progress along with your progression through the story. You’ll overhear plot-relevant conversations such as suspicions about the mole in the Psychonauts, or you’ll just catch two co-workers hiding from one’s husband to plan his birthday party for being such a good sport about their extramarital affair. Yes, that conversation is that much of a rollercoaster and I loved it.
Double Fine even drafted in some big names in voice acting to play relatively small parts. Standout cast members include: Steve Blum as a Snake Cop with 3 lines, Josh Keaton as a headstrong knight, Yuri Lowenthal as a mellow dragon not wanting to fight said knight, and Elijah Wood as a brainless mailman named Nick. Primary dialogue is filled with emotion and sharp wit when necessary. In most conversation trees, the exact response I had in my head was an option and more often than not led to a humorous back and forth, followed by a fitting (unplanned) twang of the soundtrack to carry the tongue-in-cheek mood home.
The soundtrack as a whole deserves high praise in and of itself. Peter McConnell’s score encapsulates everything about Psychonauts and more as he effortlessly sways between genres. Some tracks even reminded me of classic LucasArts adventure games like Monkey Island and the previously mentioned Grim Fandango (which McConnell also worked on), creating a nostalgic sound that will hit home with fans of Double Fine and adventure games alike. The lyricized showstopper “Brain in a Jar”, composed by McConnell, written by Tim Schafer, and performed by the ever-charismatic Jack Black is a great jam, perfectly caps off the journey taken through his psychedelic mind in a way that is neither conceited nor over-indulgent. On top of original music, licensed tracks by rock band The Hi-Fives, like “Welcome To My Mind” are featured as catchy, ironically-titled jams featured on Morris’ in-game character’s pirate radio station. Both the OST and limited licensed music serve the story and setting in such a way that I can’t help but love every aspect of it.
As you jump between the minds of the idiosyncratic new cast members, their traumas, fears, and identities are presented as fantastically twisted landscapes of personality and depth (a poignant connection between gameplay and story carried over from the first game). Mind-bending effects are used with reckless abandon to sell the otherworldly illusion of being inside someone’s head as tons of optional world-building and backstory take the form of collectibles and environmental objects scattered within.
It’s difficult to put into words just how fleshed out every single main character and plot point is in this sequel. Classic characters return as if never missing a beat. Sasha Nein is still a calculating, nicotine-addicted, closeted sadist and Ford Cruller is still a broken kooky old man living inside Raz’s head. Coach Oleander even returns despite being an antagonist in the last game, something the thorough and adorably presented recap will tell you, remaining as brash and untrusting as ever. While nostalgia could play a heavy role in the welcome return of these characters, hilarious writing and and superb voice acting ensure you’ll be entertained whether it’s the first time or the 100th time you’ve heard Milla call you “Daaaarliing.”
The new supporting characters are just as worthy of praise, too. Like Morris, a handicapped boy in a psychic wheelchair who runs a pirate radio in secret, so secret that he’s told pretty much everybody; and Bob Zanottto, an original member of the Psychonauts, living in isolation in the forest outside the Motherlobe after the loss of his husband. Though they don’t get as much screen time as the campers in the first game, they’re just as equally fleshed out and vibrant, adding a lot to the game through side quests and impactful roles in the game’s overall narrative.
a pleasure to collect and explore for, making this a completionist’s dream.
Just about everything in this game rubbed me the right way. The heavy psychological themes of the original game are back in full force, platforming feels amazing, and everything about the presentation screams quality. Meaningful collectibles flood every level and are simply a pleasure to collect and explore for, making this a completionist’s dream. Psychonauts 2 is everything I could have asked for and more. That being said, playing on Xbox One X has marred my experience slightly. Psychonauts 2 is everything I could have asked for and more. That said, playing on Xbox One X has marred my experience slightly.
While many games (even some all-time classics) may fall down with boundary breaks, softlocks, clipping issues, and all kinds of glitches, Psychonauts 2 is absolutely rock solid on a technical and stability level. The only issue I seem to have is with its excessively long load times. Players with an SSD (such as next-gen players) will likely never notice them as they’re few and far between, only showing up when moving between hub areas or into the mindscapes. On an Xbox One X though, the game stops for a good 45-60 seconds of silence with a static animation on screen — definitely manageable, but hard not to notice. Playing on last gen also yields a considerable amount of pop-in during the cutscenes, specifically when the camera cuts to and from new scenes, though it was never enough to pull me out of the game. Both issues are tied directly to loading and data streaming, so if you’re still running a last gen console or HDD, be aware, but also know that it’s not likely to dampen the impact this game will make on you.
This entire generation has promised the return of 3D platformers from games like A Hat in Time and Yooka-Laylee, but I’ve ultimately been left with varying degrees of disappointment. Psychonauts 2 is the first game that has actually delivered on this promise I had long since lost hope in. I love this game.
The thoughtful content warnings and accessibility options at the start of the game make me feel comfortable recommending this game to everybody I know. The adorable hand drawn recap at the start ensures anybody can play it without playing the first game or its VR half-sequel. The amount of work that had to have gone into everything from the small details to the bombastic setpieces only makes it worthy of more praise. Delving into themes of guilt and greed and even the very idea of stress are more than simply being interesting concepts for a video game level, they’re nearly therapeutic as you tie them to your personal life. Even after beating the game, returning to the world of Psychonauts 2 yields yet more meaningful story content, proving this rich deep world doesn’t just fade to black after the credits roll, and that everything within meant something to the developers.
If the only complaint I have about this game is that I have to wait through long load times to play more of it, then it must be pretty damn obvious that Psychonauts 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece. Tim Schafer and everyone at Double Fine should be proud of this stellar accomplishment.
Review copy purchased.
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