No matter how much of a cult status the original Psychonauts holds, releasing a direct sequel more than 16 years later was always going to be a daunting prospect. Thank god Double Fine didn’t cave to those fears then because Psychonauts 2 is another game with creativity up the wazoo. Raz returns to work out who the double agent residing in the Motherlobe is, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg in a story that begins just moments after the culmination of PSVR title Rhombus of Ruin.
Those familiar with the two predecessors will know what’s up: Raz has special powers he can use to move about the environment or employ during combat. All unique to one another, it’s the set pieces and wonderful locations the protagonist visits that really elevate those abilities to the next level. In a similar vein to It Takes Two, Double Fine isn’t interested in repeating ideas ad nauseam.
With a strong art style to boot, the game is simply a delight. The young and charismatic personality of Raz shines through in cutscenes and dialogue trees, while the quirks of the supporting cast make them just as memorable. It almost feels like more than one and a half decades haven’t actually passed between the original game and this sequel. The humour continues to be on point and characters don’t feel out of place. They’re all timeless if you will.
As the level design synergises with the theming of any particular area, Psychonauts 2 refuses to let your smile turn upside down. Even its controls feel responsive and correct despite the number of abilities you have at your fingertips at any one time. A truly special game more than 16 years in the making, Psychonauts 2 goes above and beyond, setting a new standard for 3D action platformers.
You can read our full Psychonauts 2 PS4 review here.
Push Square's Game of the Year list is primarily decided by an internal staff vote. Our community Game of the Year poll is also taken into account. Feel free to agree or disagree with our list in the comments section below!
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Comments 25
I should really play this on my laptop as soon as possible. I actually loved the first one despite the slightly aging mechanics and that horrific final level!
I probably never will play it.
@Alduin Part 3 is going to be an Xbox exclusive
@Alduin Yeah, this is one acquisition I can understand. Double Fine always have had loads of ambition and not always the resources to follow through. Basically they need a sugar daddy. As long as Microsoft don’t interfere too much then they’ll be golden.
Definitely my personal GOTY. 16 year wait and it somehow exceeded my expectations.
Haven't played the first one so didn't bother playing this one on gamepass, from what I've seen of it though via trailers and gameplay it looked like the average 3D platformer
@lolwhatno It’s just a Doom clone. Bit of a joke a game that works on my fridge makes the top 10.
I have only played it at a friends but it is a great game that lives up to the superb original (despite the horrible meat last level!) .. I would have bought it Day 1 as a physical but will wait until it’s budget to dl digital...sigh
Not really a fan of cutesy platformers (and I understand that the themes are a little darker and more surreal here than normally figure in the genre) but out of curiosity I picked up the original and this, so I’ll try it at some point.
Of all the amazing games I got to play this year, none have had the staying power of this one. It will live long in my memory and is my personal game of the year.
@lolwhatno it's quite a good platformer, but if you were to buy it, you should probably buy number 1 first which is also available on the PlayStation store.
It's been sitting in the backlog since it went on sale during the Black Friday PSN sale. I plan on starting it after I finish Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart & Astro's Playroom. Though kinda weird it's PS4 only game but it still looks pretty great graphically. The art direction & aesthetic is top notch....it really should've won for that at the Game Awards.
I never played the first game and decided to just jump into this game. Had a blast. It's a ton of fun with a lot of heart.
Meh. Won't ever play it unless it hits Plus, which is very unlikely. So no opinion.
I'll definitely play it at some point. Wasn't that long ago I played the first one and it was enjoyable despite it being a bit dated!
Definitely my top game this year, it captures the spirit of old adventure games but keeps things modern with wild imagination and decent 3D action platforming. It's not going to compete with something like Mario Odyssey in pure gameplay but the whole package is phenomenal.
For me, I’d say this was my third favorite 3D action platformer this year, which is a testament for how good the genre is. I do feel the game is really fun and the story and message is great, but I do feel the game has been slightly overrated, in part for the first game’s cult status. I’m glad that it’s so successful though because games like this succeeding means great things for the future of gaming. I am planning on replaying it once my Series S comes in the mail too.
A superb game and one of my top 3 games of the year. It may not have the Pixar polish of Ratchet and Clank, but it has more to say and a longer staying power than it. In a day and age when 3d platformers aren't the powerhouse they used to be, and when everyone raves about Astrobot I'm still surprised this isn't higher.
@pip_muzz There’s a major difference between Psychonauts and Astro Bot though, the publisher 😛
I'm waiting for it to come down a bit in price but I definitely want to play it, it looks very good and it's not usual stuff.
I never played number 1 till after I played 2 , amazing games ,made me a fan and I'll definitely be watching and waiting for a sequal
Anyone who hasn't tried it should it just might grab you like it did me , played it day one and couldn't put it down
Mechanically, it's decent but the platforming could be tighter. The level design, the art style and its characters and the way they work together are first rate. It's probably my favourite game of the year
Despite being a big platformer fan, this release just doesn't interest me at all. Didn't particularly enjoy the original, and the art-style is as ugly as ever.
@Alduin got a series s recently so I guess that will have to do
Incredible game and my single player GOTY, with only It Takes Two beating it. I do need to finish Halo Infinite though.
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