When Psychonauts 2 releases in August 2021, it will have been over 15 years since the original game's release. That's a long time to remember plot lines, which is especially important as this sequel carries on the narrative not only from the first game, but from the 2017 VR sequel as well. Here are a few things players should remember from the earlier games as they begin the sequel.
The journey to Psychonauts 2 has been a long one. Despite ending on a cliffhanger, development on a sequel to Psychonauts stalled for years. It wasn't until 2015 that Double Fine announced a crowdfunding campaign to help pay for development costs. After successfully funding the game, Double Fine ended up delaying the release of Psychonauts 2 multiple times. Eventually, Double Fine was acquired by Microsoft; Double Fine CEO Tim Schaefer revealed later that this was an extra boon for Psychonauts 2, as multiple bosses that had been cut for cost reasons were added back in after additional funding from Microsoft. When Psychonauts 2 launches, it will be a Day One release on Xbox Game Pass.
In the original Psychonauts, players control Raz, a young kid who ran away from the circus to take part in a summer camp for kids training to become Psychonauts, a group of secret agents who have psychic powers. While at the camp, Raz uncovers a conspiracy to harvest the brains from both the children and the camp teachers to power weapons. This conspiracy is revealed to be led by none other than Coach Oleander, one of the camp mentors, with assistance from Dr. Loboto. Raz defeated Dr. Loboto, who falls off the tower he was using as base. Raz then eventually confronts Coach Oleander, using his psychic powers to enter the coach's mind and help him work through the emotional trauma that led him to evil. With the kidnapped victims rescued and Coach Oleander reformed, Raz is offered a place in the Psychonauts. Shortly thereafter, the camp receives word that the head of the Psychonauts (and the father to Raz's girlfriend Lili), Truman Zanotto has been kidnapped.
What Happened in the Psychonauts VR Game
The 2017 VR game Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin picks up shortly after the end of Psychonauts, with Raz, Lili, and camp teachers Milla, Sasha, and Oleander on a jet heading to Zanotto's rescue. After tracking down Zanotto to a secret lair, Raz uncovers Zanotto's kidnapper was none other than Dr. Loboto. After Raz psychically helps Dr. Loboto confront his emotional demons, Dr. Loboto decides to self-destruct the facility. Raz, Lili, Milla, Sasha, Oleander, and Zanotto successfully escape the exploding base and begin heading to Psychonauts headquarters, with Raz realizing at the game's end that Dr. Loboto has stowed away on board in one of the overhead bins.
Psychonauts 2 will begin with Raz and the rest of the crew arriving at Psychonauts headquarters after successfully rescuing Zanotto. But Raz will get only a short break, because an old foe of the Psychonauts appears to be threatening to destroy the organization once and for all.
Psychonauts 2 releases on August 25th, 2021, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 via Backwards Compatability, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, and Windows 10 PC.