Psychonauts 2 Review – The Jung and the restless

Few games were as imaginative as Psychonauts all the way back in 2005, or at least that’s the story I was told about a game I had close to zero knowledge about. Hit the fast-forward button on the VCR of time, throw in a VR game to bridge the gap, and here we are with a fresh sequel that has been years in the making, from a studio that now has the deep pockets of Microsoft to dip into. Psychonauts 2 might seem like a hard sell for anyone who missed out on Tim Schafer’s original vision for a wacky world of high-stakes mental espionage, but don’t let that dissuade you from experiencing a game that manages to pack your head full of mind-bending visuals, heart, charm, and a story about looking after that lump of grey matter housed inside your skull.

But here we are, six years after a successful crowdfunding campaign for the sequel kicked off, with no time wasted at all as Psychonauts 2 hits the ground running. Set directly after Rhombus of Ruin–and conveniently wrapped up with a flashback to get newcomers up to speed–Psychonaut cadet Razputin “Raz” Aquato is back in an adventure that explores the history of the Psychonauts and their greatest nemesis, Maligula.

Something’s up, and it looks like sinister forces are working to bring Maligula back from the dead, which would be incredibly not good for anyone with a pulse. Throw in a new cast of characters, Raz’s demotion to intern at the Psychonauts bureau, and psychedelic trips into the grey matter of other characters, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an adventure that makes solid use of its subject matter.

Psychonauts 2 builds on its heritage with the kind of imagination reserved for the mad scribblings of an LSD-and-notepad party, but stays grounded by its whimsical side taking time to breathe and impart a few life lessons along the way. As an interactive game, Psychonauts 2 has passable platforming and decent combat, which can all be mixed up as you experiment with Raz’s various psychokinetic skills to build a character who can mentally burn his way through obstacles, or chuck a nearby garbage can at a stray thought gone mad. That’s levitation, Holmes.

Like its predecessor, Psychonauts 2 is more focused on puzzles and spycraft than all-out psychic warfare. Every one of the game’s key areas is a marvel of imagination, combining a gentle learning curve for Raz’s powers to help unlock hidden collectibles and extras along the way. That alone makes for a great game, but what makes Psychonauts 2 truly memorable is how it combines these elements to create an experience that feels like a mid-1990s point ‘n click adventure game turned up to 11.

Speaking of the cast, Psychonauts 2 has no shortage of new and returning faces thrown into its mix. From Raz’s family of hydrophobic circus trapeze artists to fellow interns with a typical youthful mean streak, the game is packed with characters who feel more digitally fleshed out than ever before. Also, Jack Black cameos in the game, with Schafer having created the perfect role for the Tenacious D frontman and Brutal Legend roadie. No spoilers!

Every character is well-written, and spending time talking to this motley collection of oddballs between missions is an absolute hoot. This worldbuilding is worth diving into because when the narrative ball really gets rolling in Psychonauts 2, it’s a take-no-prisoners rush to the finish line that reminds players of how the past always catches up, dropping dramatic bombshells with a psychic blast radius that claims a few lives in the process.

Psychonauts 2 is a game that emphasizes the journey over the destination, throwing players deep into the psyches of other characters and presenting them with puzzles themed around the ideas of regret, failure, and healing. At its core, this is a game about grief and forgiveness, but told in a manner that never looks down on the player or anyone who regularly wrestles with their own personal demons. For a game with an art design that can be best described as “why did we store crates of flammable TNT in our paint warehouse?”, Psychonauts 2 delves into grey areas to remind you that even bad guys are bundles of complex thoughts and emotions crafted by their own past trauma.

All of these themes are explored via a massive cast and a story that has as many twists as a year’s worth of soap operas. This does have the potential to leave your head spinning when you hit the motherlobe of revelations, but it all makes for a compelling narrative no matter how weird things get.