izigame.me

Psychonauts is so wonderfully odd. Despite initially being an underselling game in the mid 2000s, it eventually gained cult status and critical acclaim as one of the hidden gems of the 6th generation.
To begin, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a likable cast of characters in a 3D platformer before. Each character feels nuanced and unique, with likable, while flawed, personalities. Psychonauts is so cerebral, so unlike anything else I’ve played, that I don’t know why no one else has taken notes from everything Double Fine is doing so right. Since the whole idea of the story revolves around brains, psykinetic powers and the like, the game has the freedom to basically put whatever the hell insane ideas they want in each mind you explore.
The story is the clear standout, pairing incredible character writing with some of the best comedy I’ve seen in games. Even after the recent 2010s surge of comedy driven games like The Stanley Parable and Henry Stickmin Collection, Psychonauts stands toe to toe with their comedic chops without using any sort of “meta” crutch AND still maintaining a genuinely fun gameplay style.
The atmosphere is also top notch, so many areas are still etched into my mind, from the Milkman’s mind to that little room in the camp store with the TV in it, each area feels so humanly crafted, so personal. This is a perfect example of why people say that mainstream games don’t have the soul that they used to. I don’t really agree with that point but when this much raw charm is exuded by a game almost 18 years old, I can see why people think this type of game is dead now. (in my opinion these types of games have shifted more to the indie landscape) Anyway, this is a long-winded way of saying that I felt very comfortable in these environments, they felt homely and intimate oddly. It really endeared me to the world and helped me to take my time with each mind.
As for the gameplay loop, you’re provided with a fair few interesting and engaging mechanics that slot quite plainly into the solutions for a good number of puzzles. The abilities are good fun, the balancing ball completely breaks the game in half and I love it. I’m fine with the ball because the platforming will often leave something to be desired. There are certainly some portions of the game that were near infuriating due to its’ jank, but the aforementioned ball was helpful in allowing some cheesy strats.
Overall Psychonauts is an exceedingly underrated experience and one I’m so glad I finally decided to crack into. Its’ cerebral storytelling, strong characters, snappy and hilarious writing and captivating level design make it a certified cream of the crop platformer that I would recommend to pretty much anyone with a sense of humor.