Psychonauts 2 Review (DoctorLeft)
Psychonauts 2 is the type of sequel that greatly expands and elevates the ideas of its predecessor.
Visually the game has improved on a technical level, of course, but it still retains the same overall art style. There is a shift in focus between the first and second title. Environments are much bigger both in the overworld and within levels. There's also more obligatory verticality which is nice. The levitation ability has been nerfed which is welcomed because it makes platforming more engaging.
The first game was a blend of platformer and adventure game, while Psychonauts 2 is firmly a platformer. There is an expanded focus on combat with many more types of enemies as well as specific weaknesses for certain foes. Abilities are also upgradable in an order that you choose. They can allow customization in how you go about combat.
Story and plot take a focus, continuing off of the end of the first Psychonauts game and their VR-only adventure (I suggest you look up a playthrough if you don't have VR and want to be informed on the plot). Returning characters are present but not the focus with most of the screentime dedicated to introducing and developing the new characters we meet at Psychonauts headquarters. There's an engaging mystery, callbacks to the first game, and a couple key memorable moments between Raz and the characters from the first game he idolizes.
As for critiques I have there's one big gameplay one and one big story one, both spoiler free. The gameplay gripe I have is the pin system. It feels needlessly restrictive to have only three alterations to your abilities via pins active at a time. Some of these are just cosmetic and should not occupy a slot. Pins are also expensive so unless you spend time grinding for currency as well as prioritize the pins that generate extra income or earn discounts you won't have access to even half of the pins before the final levels. The story gripe is that specific characters are neglected and could have had more screen time. Returning characters have a lot to do at the start of the game but for most of the rest of the game they stand around in a way that feels quite static. The new characters like Raz's new piers are more dynamic but we don't get as much time to spend with them as I would like. There are also far fewer than the large cast of campers for the first game so there is a slight feeling that headquarters is somewhat underpopulated.
Despite small criticisms, it is an amazing fact that this game exists. After the financial failure the first was and the decade it took to get another game the fact that this game isn't a cash-grab or a pale retread but rather a shining examplre of how to make a sequel shows that there genuinely is a spark to this franchise that makes it unique. Psychonauts 2 delivers not just on the premise of being more Psychonauts but also a solid 3D platformer in this age of the genre's revival.