A New Action Platformer Gold Standard — ‘Psychonauts 2’ Reviewed
by Tito W. James
Summary
Pyschonauts 2 makes massive graphical and gameplay improvements while maintaining the creativity and fun of the first game. Players are introduced to a new cast of characters you’ll quickly fall in love with. Whether your new to the world of Pyschonauts or a long time fan, this is the game for you.
Overall
9/10
When Razputin Aquato, trained acrobat and powerful young psychic, finally realizes his dream of joining the Psychonauts … he finds not all is well with the once-renowned spy organization. Their leader is comatose and a mole lurks within the ranks. That’s to say nothing of the fanatical forces working to revive Maligula, a deceased psychic murderer! It’s up to Raz to train his mind and unravel a tangle of plots could very well purge the world into chaos.
Psychonauts 2 is the long awaited sequel to the cult-favorite game Psychonauts. In this new game, players will get to explore Psychonauts headquarters and dive into the minds of colorful characters to solve mysteries and defeat Maligula.
THE BAD
I noticed a couple of graphical glitches which could possibly be fixed in a patch. The loading times for individual levels aren’t as bad as the first game, but it does disrupt the pace.
THE GOOD
Pyschonauts 2 makes massive graphical and gameplay improvements while maintaining the creativity and fun of the first game. Players are introduced to a new cast of characters you’ll quickly fall in love with. The new hub-world offers plenty of room to explore and NPC interaction. Tim Schafer’s writing shines in the witty dialogue, but also a story expressed via gameplay. When Raz gains the ability to use Clairvoyance and see the world from another characters perspectives, players get to see how they perceive Raz with hilarious results.
Raz’s array of acrobatic moves and psychic abilities never felt smoother. There’s a joy to be had in using combinations of psy-powers to turn enemies attacks upon themselves. The brain-levels are plentiful and every character and environment looks stunning. The boss battles have increased to titanic proportions and make great use of the improved combat.
THE VERDICT
Pyschonauts 2 is a triumphant sequel that’s sure to appeal to fans old and new. The characters, gameplay, and story blend seamlessly together. The unique world and aesthetic created within it proves that there’s still plenty of creative juice in colorful, stylized, action platform games.
Psychonauts 2 is available now on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Mac, PS4, and PS5 with backwards compatibility.
