We all have those special games that mean a lot to us- games that really stuck with us, were memorable, resonated emotionally, and absolutely deserved a sequel, but didn't sell well enough or were otherwise too weird to break out of obscurity. We got just one visit to that world and, though we treasure it, we can never explore beyond it. I'm so, so glad that Psychonauts didn't end up being one of those. All these years later, the game is still fresh in my mind, and jumping back in feels like I never left. It's an absolute joy to see this story continue, to explore new mental landscapes, and to revisit old characters and meet new ones just as compelling. The gameplay has changed very little from the first game, with the addition of new psi powers and enemies and smoother, more responsive controls, and it's still fun to explore and find all the collectibles- a task made easier this time around with the addition of simple checkmarks for areas you've cleaned out, so you can concentrate your search in the right place. The graphics are beautifully updated, with incredible attention to detail, and the plot remains faithful to the original while feeling like a natural progression and raising the stakes and tension. Best of all, it captures the mood of the original- that perfect mix of surreal, unpredictable weirdness and humor, with a deeper, darker, slightly disturbing side lurking beneath it all. It did have a few minor issues- maybe it's just me, but despite the areas being larger, the world felt somehow smaller and more limited. Maximum rank can only be achieved after absolutely everything has been discovered and the game has concluded, making the reward useless as there's no incentive to revisit old empty regions and no new battles to fight. And while there were some great emotional moments, none of them seemed to hit as hard as the original. But for a game to be this faithful to everything that made the original great after so long is just amazing. Worth every cent.

Just finished the game, and spent at least another hour just walking around its wonderful world just to see what each of the game's characters had to say about the grand adventure we just had. I loved playing Psychonauts 1 and I've been quietly following along with its sequel's development; you get some small glimpses of what the game would be like, but I wasn't prepared for how amazing it turned out to be! Much like its predecessor, Psychonauts 2 is a very unique game.. just calling it an adventure-platformer doesn't do it justice at all. The core platforming gameplay is solid and fun, for sure .. but its world, its characters, its story, art and music all just ooze personality and creativity. The game has tons of different characters, all memorable and likeable; I honestly can't think of one that I found plain boring or annoying. I only have a couple of minor niggles with the game. Swapping in and out your powers in the four available slots can be a little clunky in more intense fights; facial animations sometimes seem a little stiff .. and what's with Raz putting on and off his goggles in (what feels like) every cutscene? All in all, Psychonauts 2 was pure joy! If anything, you can't help but respect Double Fine for taking big risks like this: making a high production-value game that's weird and quirky and unique, over trying to fit in with the popular kids. I can't wait to see whatever they will cook up next! (.. speaking of which, I loved the cooking level that was clearly the result of one their Amnesia Fortnight prototype games :) )

Didn't expect to love it so much. Amazing world, characters, dialogue and level design. Made me laught so many times. Which is quite rare in gaming world. Combat could be better but when combined with everything else it's amazing package which I'm suprised i love so much as not a big fan of platformers.

First, for those who haven't played the first game and the VR game, be reassured: you don't need to play them before this one. Everything you need to know is reminded at the beginning of the game. This game is every bit as good as the first one, and even better in many aspects. * Visual style and art work: The visual style of the game is gorgeous, original, innovative and definitely not repetitive: the visual style of each level is truly unique. Characters design is also very nice, with some Tim Burtonesque vibe to it. The music is really good too, and the sound effects are appropriate. * Gameplay: Many innovative game styles, from grabbing/throwing objects to freezing time. Both combat and platforming have been improved over the first game. The game is well balanced: it can be challenging at times, but never frustrating (unlike the Meat-Circus in the first game). * Adventure and exploration: Most levels, as well as the "hub" areas, are very big, with many places to explore. Exploration is also rewarded: it can lead to shortcuts, to secret areas, and of course to hidden objects. The story is rich with some unexpected turns. Character development is interesting and brings new dimensions to characters. * Length If you rush it, you might finish it in about 12 hours. If you take the time to explore and find collectibles, it may take up to 30 hours to do everything. * Technical stability: No crash occurred during my 30 hours of play. If you're trying to reach places you're not supposed to, you might get stuck for a few seconds, but the player is "unstuck" (pushed out of where he was stuck) after a few seconds in almost every case. Nothing else to report (except maybe the "first prize" in Compton's kitchen that you can only get at the end of the game). My specs: AMD Ryzen 5, Nvidia GTX 1660, Windows 10. All in all, a great game that deserves to be played by anyone who enjoys action-adventure and puzzle-platforming games.

Aside all nostalgia related to the 1st game, P2 is excellent as it is by itself: - Gameplay is solid - level design is great - storytelling is really strong and compelling. - it is nice: art direction is kind of "gold age blizzard-esque" and innovative - it is not as short as I feared, the story goes all the way to conclusion with fully developped content So yeah, this game is well made and full of (good) ideas. Couldn't have asked for more, so yeah, 5/5