Psychonauts

Psychonauts is one of those games that you hear was awesome and think about trying some day but never seem to get around to it. I was like that too, but once I did try it I regretted not playing it sooner. While I am no fan of platformers in general Psychonauts was a true joy to play, a true gem of a game that transcends what it is to become something more. Though the controls were designed for a gamepad, I had no trouble playing it with a mouse and keyboard, and while the platforming sections can get quite hard I found the difficulty curve perfect, something I don't usually find. Combat is pretty straightforward, and while you have to keep reassigning the three psychic powers you want to be usable at a time (you can only have three powers assigned to the controls at any one time), it is quite easy to do and pauses the game while you do so. I'm not big on wanting to collect everything in the game, but seeking out the extra stuff in the game is quite fun, and ranking up your psychic powers can unlock alot of interesting stuff. The story, though clearly not intended to be taken seriously, is really good, the characters colourful, if you have ever played one of the old LucasArts point and click adventure games expect the same sort of story, jokes and absurdity (which is unsurprising considering it was made by one of the creators of Monkey Island, Tim Schafer). You will love the detail put into your fellow campers, and if you are like me you will be compelled to see all their conversations and what they get up to despite having no bearing on the plot or how it turns out (try using Clairvoyance on them once you get the power to see what they see you as!). Everything's not perfect of course (nothing ever is), there is a part early in the game where I found it fails to explain to new players how to use the inventory nor that the item they need is there, but that is more an issue with having things properly explained. Overall, a classic game that truly warrrants the title 'Good Old Game'. and if you are on the fence I would heartily recommend it.

The characters and dialogues are funny and unique, the level design (that fish city!), is innovative and FUN, and while it has 2005-level 3D graphics, they're used beautifully, so it doesn't look dated at all. Probably the ONLY fault I can think of in it is that some of the platforming isn't (mechanically) the best, which becomes more evident in the later, harder levels (aaaahhh....that meat circus). Even taking that into mind, I still can't recommend this game enough. PLAY IT!

The cliche of the boy that runs away to join the circus gets completely turned on its head for young Rasputin, because running away from his family circus is the only opportunity for Raz to be a part of the alumni of the Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp, for Raz's life long dream has been becoming a Psychonaut. And as Psychonauts, the game, shows from the very beginning, what is about start is not your average platforming game. The first few hours of this game will introduce you to the colorful cast of characters that populate the camp grounds, from the every-walk-of-(weird)-life campers to the downright bizarre (and slightly unstable) camp monitors. As you begin to explore this training camp for young psychic promises you are soon introduced to the main objective of every Psychonaut: to explore and unravel the mysteries of the human mind. And each mind that you get to explore is an exercise of imagination, dark humor and Tim Burton inspired bliss. And each new mind you enter will present you with play mechanics and environments unlike the previous one, each with a personality of its own, with a story to tell and a secret to discover. Each level is a rich canvas that has been painted with the tones of genius and madness and all the gradient in between Psychonauts represents something that goes beyond the standard,. The mind boggling amount of assets that the creators added into the game has made of it nearly impossible to encounter a level that looks remotely similar to the next and each level's play mechanics introduce an unique twist to the formula than no other platformer offers. On top of that add some of the best voice acting, hilarious writing, and zany character designs you'll ever encounter in a game and you got the melting pot that Psychonauts is. Every major Psychic ability you could imagine is included in the game and is represented with the same zany style and humor as the rest of the game. The platforming is not perfect but the level design more than make up for it, even if there are a couple of places where the camera doesn't seem to cooperate to offer the best view of the action, but these shorcomings are so minor in the grand scheme of what Psychonauts is that these should not deter the player from experiencing this game. Explaining or describing any of these level would be such a spoiler to the gamer that I will not do such disservice. Psychonauts is an essential experience that every gamer should try out, regardless of their stance on platforming games. The Milkman Conspiracy alone is worth the price of entry and is as a prime example as to why originality, humor, and a bit of bizarreness should be what pushes game development to a new level an not the technology it is running on. It is truly mind over matter.

Why they didn't market this better at the time is probably the single most commonly asked question in gaming. It is, quite simply, the best platformer ever to hit the PC (despite not actually being a "platformer" per say) and is, without doubt one of the most original, ingenuitive, and downright fun games ever released. Some of the levels - for those who have played it the 'Lungfishopolis' and 'Napoleon' levels come to mind - are without question the most brilliantly thought out I have ever seen in a game. The gameplay is fun, quick to pick up, and hits the right balance of challenging-without-being-frustrating. While the opening section (basically a tutorial section of sorts) can seem a bit repetitive, once the game gets going in earnest it is both compelling and addictive. Buy this and I guarantee you will replay it once or twice a year!

This game is a slice of sheer creative genius on the part of the good folks at Double Fine. It's quirky, but not incomprehensible; charming without inducing diabetes; challenging enough to engage without being obnoxiously hard; and it never, ever lacks for variety. The controls are fairly tight with few hiccups or difficulties, it's easy to pick up and play but challenging to wholly 100% it, and the game is always challenging you to find new ways of applying your character's abilities to deal with the insane environments you wind up in. Why are you still reading this? Go and get it already, for the sake of your sanity!