By Dean Moses
Game: Psychonauts 2
Platform: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Rating: T for teen
Cost: Free with Xbox Game Pass
Get ready to get psyched with Psychonauts 2, optimized for the Xbox Series X/S and free through Game Pass. Designed by Tim Schafer (creator of Grim Fandango, Brütal Legend, Broken Age) and developed by Double Fine, this funny and imaginative world follows Razputin “Raz” Aquato, a former acrobat training to become a Pyschnaut—an international psychic task force combating the forces of evil. As Raz masters his psychic abilities during his internship at the agency, he helps his instructors find Psychonaut Leader Truman Zanotto who has been missing for some time (and discover the truth behind his odd behavior) and other conspiracies.
Beautiful Animation
The seamless and imaginative design of this platform-adventure game captivates players as they are enraptured by the story’s content. The cinematic style and excellent voice acting provides hours of entertainment along with its funny, albeit weird, missions and continuous enigmatic brainteasers. Each level is filled with either bright psychedelic colors or artistic dark shades, creating an intricate and quirky platform game where Raz explores the inside of an individual’s brain while trying to unlock hidden secrets as well as figuring out how to help that specific character.
GamePlay
Psychonauts 2 does a great job introducing you to Raz’s powers, allowing you to solve puzzles with his newfound abilities, such as slowing down time, burning objects, or even levitating objects. With lessons from Sasha Nein the mental mentor, Milla Vodello the far out flight instructor, Otto Mentallis the brains of the operation, Agent Forsythe the seriously serious second in command, and other interns and instructors, you’re ready to take down the villains in this outing. Despite Agent Forsythe’s attempts to reel in Raz from acting as an agency for the psychic espionage organization, he finds himself caught in the midst of a plot to raise Maligula back from the dead. It’s up to you, if you want to stop these villainous and dastardly deeds.
Conclusion
As Raz, you will unravel the mysteries behind the secret mole in Psychonauts, what happened to Truman, and so much more through a hilarious and visually stunning adventure. Psychonauts is definitely the Spring Creek Sun’s game of the year on Xbox thus far—and it’s an added bonus that it’s free on Game Pass.
