As good, if not better than the original.

It's a miracle that this game even exists, and it's an even bigger miracle that it turned out to be as good as it is. Despite helping crowdfund it, I didn't have high expectations for a sequel releasing 16 years after the original. I was just hoping it would be decent enough to not tarnish the reputation of the first one. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a worthy sequel and a great game in its own right. The returning characters still feel like themselves, and it avoids the common traps that crowdfunded projects and delayed sequels typically fall prey to. It doesn't retread the original game or load up on fan service. It's an actual sequel that furthers the story in a faithful fashion. I have seen some complaints that the the humor has lost its cynical edge. I am not sure whether that is due to Erik Wolpaw not co-writing this one, or just because the devs who did return are 16 years older now. Whatever cynical edge may have been lost, however, has been made up for in heart. The shift in tone works well with the story, as the setting shifts from the kid-centric summer camp to the more adult-oriented setting of Psychonauts HQ. The story is very well-written and still loaded with humor mixed in with darker moments. Plot developments felt properly foreshadowed but not too obvious. The story has a satisfying conclusion, and if this is the final game, it ends in a good place. The gameplay is a lot smoother than the first game, and overall the game is a lot easier. The item puzzle elements are largely gone, and there is no longer a massive difficulty spike late in the game. My only real complaints are very minor. I wish the game allowed manual saves so you could go back and re-play specific levels. I also wish there was an option to turn off the hints Raz gives you when the game thinks you're stuck. It was annoying to be exploring or collecting items, only to have Raz tell me exactly what to do to advance the plot, and then start repeating it over and over.

I was so ready to love this game. The original Psychonauts is one of my all time favourite games, but I'm afraid this secuel falls short. My main complaint about the game is how lackluster and repetitive the mind delving missions are - which is pretty terrible considering that it should be the definitive highlights of this game series! For each mind you are tasked with performing 3 nearly identical tasks in a row, and then you are finished. Did I mention this is the case for each mind? EACH AND EVERY MIND! It just feels like a chore and has caused me to uninstall the game now for the second time. I can't be bothered to finish it. Some of the minds are pretty great, while others are not. The story is decent enough and one of the reasons why I stuck with it for as long as I did. The old cast is great and the new cast is meh... Especially the other kids are very boring. Lastly: there is too little bacon in this game!

Psychonauts 2 is a sequel that takes the ideas and concepts of the original to a whole new level. Most of your abilities from the first game make it to the sequel (although they aren’t immediately available) with some new ones thrown into the mix. All of them can now be upgraded with special points you earn by increasing your rank, and are even further diversified via a new system of purchasable pins that add additional minor effects. They can be equipped (3 at a time) and swapped at any moment. Your abilities absolutely can be fully upgraded by 100%ing the game. There are other minor hit or miss type of changes – the canoe controls are now what you had expected them to be before actually using it in the first game; you will get a warning before you can’t go back to certain areas (which, by the way, will once again be accessible after you complete the main story); there’s no lives counter, and you can’t save the game manually anymore. The control scheme is a little different. You can remap it to your liking, even to mostly resemble the original game. The game runs very smoothly and must have undergone insane testing, as during my playthrough there were instances where it seemed that I was stuck in geometry, but I was always able to get out. The strongest part of the game is its plot. Set just a few days after the original, the sequel picks up somewhat bonkers rules, characters, and plot points established in the first game, and actually properly builds up and expands on those elements. The result is a surprisingly mature, personal, heartfelt yet at the same time funny and upbeat story. I once again needed a guide to find a couple of collectible items, but most of the game can be completed without it. As a matter of fact, you can now see which collectibles you found in each segment of a level! This is a proper sequel, one that has heart and soul, and is likely to become one of your core gaming memories.

After over 15 years we finally get a PN sequel, and let me tell you, it's like not a week had gone by. That speaks volumes of the quality of the first game and the commitment of the devs to the second. The artstyle is colorful, cartoonish and a little bit dismorphic. Exactly the same as before, but in higher resolution, with better effects, animations and lighting, Music is fantastic, a great company during exploration and fitting for each level, the Psi King stage has my favorite music in the game, audio design is excellent too with a cast of VA on par. Level design is imaginative, with the mind dives beign once again a highlith of the game, they integrate very each character's story, revealing their backstory not only throw the narration, but throw the scenary itself, I think Bob's mind is probably the best example of this. Control are tight and responisve, most of the platforming is pretty straightforward, but If you want to be a completionist you will have to get creative some times to get all those sweet collectibles. Story doesn't lag behind, picking right where the first game ended, Raz is now thrown into a new conspiracy, with a whole new cast of characters, including Raz' family. And let me tell you, I think is adorable see Raz' father embracing his psychic powers. I thought I saw the plot twist coming from a mile away, but then realized I was only half right. All is not perfect story wise there are some plot points that are dubious, but they don't detract from the experience imo. I encountered no bugs, no glitches, no crashes, and microsttuter only 3 times in 27 hours of paytime. Overall, I loved this game, I am ashamed I waited so long to play it, but honestly, I was afraid they would have messed it up, that's what I get for avoiding spoilers for almost 3 years. This is an expertly crafted game that has everything I could have ever wanted from a Psychonauts sequel. I juust hope we don't have to wait another 15 years for the next one.