It’s easier to absorb messaging about your problems when the story isn’t confronting you directly, after all, but that’s just part of it.
This approach also makes Psychonauts 2’s ideas flexible. It's a very characteristic way of getting the idea across, but it works wonderfully. Being lectured about valuing yourself regardless of judgmental opinion pales in comparison to realizing your own hand was controlling the goat puppet that barfed on your self-confidence to begin with. Psychonauts 2’s more touching moments carry more weight than the longest pep talk, and it makes the issues more approachable as a result. It’s a welcome approach in place of tackling weighty topics head-on in a few ways. Psychonauts 2 has plenty of thoughts it wants to tell you, but it communicates them indirectly, with plenty of symbolism among the surrealism and humor. Underneath Only - more accurately, inside - is where Psychonauts 2’s biggest developments take place.ĭouble Fine wanted to emphasize empathy in its sequel, and it does, but in a subtle way. This is just what’s on the surface, though. One notable case that had me laughing out loud was like something out of a comedy, where a receptionist calls “hi!” in an increasingly desperate manner the longer you ignore her. There’s also a quieter and unexpected humor that pops up thanks to Psychonauts 2’s more dynamic world. It shares the quirky humor and wisecracks from its predecessor, though executes them more skillfully. Whatever the situation, Psychonauts 2 is hilarious. Loboto, I counted close to 10 unique scenarios as the pair grappled to break through the villain’s mental block before the dialogue started recycling.
#Psychonauts 2 review full#
Several of these are brief exchanges, but some are full conversations and experiences of their own. Motherlobe workers gossip about each other, for example, while the Psychonauts struggle dealing with their mentees on a daily basis.
Other scenes play out as ambiance for Raz to overhear. Psychonauts 2 includes a number of optional scenarios delving into side characters’ motivations and relationships or exist just to be wacky. It’s a rich world, even outside the main storyline. That’s what you’d expect from a sequel, but Double Fine doubled down on details in Psychonauts 2. The original is hardly light on narrative and character development, but the sequel expands on almost everything that gives the original its identity. If you didn’t, good luck maintaining that attitude for long. If you enjoyed Psychonauts’ story, the sequel is a real treat. There’s much more to it than that, of course. Raz’s story deftly balances several key strands, including the Aquato family history, Raz’s training as a fledgling Psychonaut, and the backgrounds of the organization’s troubled founders.Īll this revolves around Maligula, a rogue Psychic responsible for the drowning deaths of countless people, and her loyal Delugionists bent on reviving the watery fiend. Raz proved himself and rescued the Grand Head of the Psychonauts, and now it’s time to train at the Psychonaut headquarters, the Motherlobe - except none of his achievements count for anything, and he has to start as a lowly intern.
#Psychonauts 2 review series#
It starts a day after The Rhombus of Ruin events, with a handy recap if you’re new to the series or forgot some of its major beats. Psychonauts 2 Review: ESP-ecially Extraordinary It might suffer from a few of the genre’s usual low points, but Psychonauts 2 is an outstanding achievement in creativity.
Double Fine’s long-awaited sequel takes everything good from the 2005 original, magnifies it, and throws in dozens of improvements and wonderful designs, all with a sprinkling of thoughtful commentary on mental health for good measure.
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