Psychonauts 2, developed by Double Fine Productions and published by Xbox Game Studios, is the sequel to 2005 cult classic Psychonauts. As a platformer like its prequel, Psychonauts 2 does a solid job of bringing back what made the original special while trying to breathe new life into a gaming genre that is often overshadowed by Nintendo games like Super Mario Odyssey. While Psychonauts 2 has the benefit of an experienced studio and the backing of Microsoft, tackling sensitive issues and difficult game design means the bar has been has been set high for this new brain-hopping adventure.
Psychonauts 2 sees players reprise the role of Razputin Aquato, a young circus performer turned fledgling psychonaut after his adventure in the series' first entry. The Psychonauts are a government agency dedicated to using psychic powers to defeat evildoers, and Raz, being both psychically gifted and an avid fan of True Psychic Tales, runs off to join the Psychonaut's training facility disguised as a summer camp. After foiling the plot of camp counsellor Coach Oleander and the evil Dr. Loboto, Raz is inducted into the Psychonauts and ends the first game by jetting off to a new mission.
Psychonauts 2 reveals that, as in real life, things are rarely so tidy. Raz has been inducted, in fact, into the Psychonauts' internship program and must work his way into becoming an official agent, all while working to uncover a mole within the organization and prevent the return of an evil psychic of great power. The narrative was consistently important and an impressive part of the original Psychonauts, which is why the Psychonauts games should be played in order, if possible, though Psychonauts 2 goes out of its way to make it easy for newcomers to quickly get to grips with the game's story.
Psychonauts 2 plays like a traditional action platformer with collectathon elements. Raz will run, jump, double jump, and use an arsenal of psychic powers to traverse a variety of fascinating worlds, both mental and physical. Gameplay focuses on platforming adventures first, but there is a stunning variety in gameplay elements that keep things fresh as players traverse stylistically different mindscapes.
Combat, which was never very inspiring in the first entry, has been given a boost, with a decent variety of enemies and upgradable moves with which to defeat them. From lassoing Bad Ideas to setting Censors on fire, combat holds its own. Alongside a variety of minigame-like features that shake up each mission's gameplay, there is a lot to do in Psychonauts 2. The collecting may not be as extensive as Banjo Kazooie and other games of that ilk, but between tracking down emotional baggage and finding every figment of imagination, there's reason to return to levels repeatedly all the same.
Visually, Psychonauts 2 is stunning, perhaps the best looking realization of the oddball Tim Burton-style art in a video game. Characters are expressive and animate wonderfully, and many of them present as unique shapes and colors, leading the world of Psychonauts 2 to feel vibrant and stylish while still feeling real. The visuals of Psychonauts 2 fits the game's themes, comedy, and writing perfectly, and the game's numerous cutscenes capture the imagination and feel like a well produced animated film.
Sound design, especially in character voice work, is similarly excellent. The chaotic tones of Dr. Loboto, the bubbly and caring Milla Vodello, and even Raz's chipper can-do attitude shine with exceptional acting. The music and sound effects are appropriate and serve to anchor character actions well. Though the music doesn't really stand out on its own, it complements the action nicely and never feels intrusive.
Narratively, Psychonauts is as much a treat as it is for the eyes. Given the seriousness of the topics approached by Psychonauts 2 (like mental illness and addiction, to name a few), the writing has a tough job in front of it. Thankfully, the way characters interact with each other and with the issues central to the game is handled well, and the levity of some moments flows nicely into the seriousness of others. It is a comedy game, but one with heart that manages to shine a light on mental issues without being overbearing or crude. That being said, Psychonauts 2 does address some serious topics, and while it is nice to see that Double Fine Productions actually consulted psychologists to accurately show mental health, players should understand from the outset that they are going to encounter serious topics that may be difficult for some.
Performance on Windows 10 was perfectly acceptable, with very few bugs to write home about. Though there might be some issues on consoles, with the Xbox Series X/S version outperforming the PlayStation 5, the Windows 10 Game Store version played for this review ran well. The few bugs that did arise were mostly inconsequential, like one instance of character dialogue persisting far beyond the room in which they were talking.
For the most part, Psychonauts 2 simply feels good. The camera controls well and Raz's platforming was tight enough that even some of the trickier platforming of later levels was doable with some practice. Swapping psychic powers on the fly was also streamlined, and allowed for some interesting decisions regarding combat. Enemies seem more susceptible to certain variations of psychic attacks, which lends itself well to experimentation in each level, something that the variety baked into the gameplay systems already encourages.
Player progression is tied in large part to their ability to collect items scattered throughout the different worlds. These items are used to buy badges that can help focus Raz's abilities to better fit a player's style, consumables like health-restoring lollypops and reviving candies, and to upgrade psychic powers with more powerful attacks or exploration options. It's a solid system that felt like a good measure of progress and a clear encouragement to dig into every corner. That doing so might result in extra comedy bits was a fun bonus.
Psychonauts 2 is a joy, both as a humorous narrative adventure and as a platforming collectathon. The characters and worlds are unique, with a memorable visual style supplemented by top-notch voice acting. Platforming and combat feel tight and responsive, the gameplay changes throughout each world are interesting and varied, and progression feels appropriate and encourages exploration. It's been a long time coming since Psychonauts originally appeared in 2005, but it seems like the wait was more than worth it. Psychonauts 2 is a must-play for anyone interested in what modern platformers can do and what a compelling comedy adventure looks like in 2021.
Psychonauts 2 will be released on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 4/5 on August 25. A digital PC code was provided to Screen Rant for the purposes of this review.