Psychonauts

The game by itself is very good. The lore, the free roam mechanic, the story, the secrets... But its an old game and it shows. The boss battles are shabby almost as if they werent fully completed. The mechanics and abilities are very thought out and are very well implemented in combat. The platforming is very well planned but some obstacles require some deep thinking since the game doesnt give you some specific guideline. You can always use bacon for agent Crullers help but sometimes you have to figure it out on your own. I recommend saving before going onto the elevator to the top of the asylum since the game locks you out from free roam after that point, I didnt do this and now I cant get the other achievements without starting a new game. But after 20hrs of gameplay I want to play it all over again. The game leaves you longing for more so I will definitely play tge sequel. Very much recommend!!

It's cute. It has great dialogue and a distinctive art style, but that's really it. Psychonauts is a great-looking, stylish game. The telekinesis movement is awesome, and I'd die for Mommy Mila. It took me like 18-20 hours to 100% the game with some tactical reloads. What it makes up for in style, it lacks in game design. Almost everything from a gameplay perspective falls flat. The level design is insanely bad, the difficulty feels frustrating for the wrong reasons due to how a lot of the enemies are just more annoying than challenging. It feels like it was designed by people who didn't fully understand how to make a satisfying third-person platformer. Collectibles are also really frustrating to obtain because of the rough level design, and even navigating the camp is a chore due to its awkward layout. It's probably one of the most overrated games I've played. Third-person platformers from the same era were significantly better, including games released four or five years earlier like the original Ratchet & Clank. Psychonauts has plenty of style and personality, but I don't think its gameplay is anything special, but definitely worth at least one playthrough if you are intrigued and its cheap enough to be worth the price of entry.

Psychonauts is such a great game because it’s genuinely different from anything else. The world is weird in the best way, and every level has its own style and ideas that make exploring feel exciting. I really loved how the game takes you inside different characters’ minds, because each one feels completely unique and tells you something about that character. The humor is also one of the best parts. The characters are memorable, the dialogue is funny, and there are so many small details that make the world feel alive. The platforming is fun, but what really makes Psychonauts special is its creativity and personality. It’s a game with a lot of heart, and even though it’s old, it still feels charming and original today.

Alright, first note, this game is listed as playable on the Steam Deck when it is unplayable, constant screen spinning and graphical glitches. I have played it on my Windows 11 laptop, decent specs which I will make available so you can compare. Psychonauts has one of the most unique casts of characters you can only find in a Tim Schafer game, the levels are all vastly different but with their own fun gimmicks, my top 3 levels are in order: 1. Black Velvetopia 2. Milkman Conspiracy 3. Waterloo World. My only real complaint is that the figments are sometimes unjustifiably hard to see or find, such as in Milla's Dance Party where the environment makes the figments blend in and make it impossible to see them normally. I know it's an old game but I would really like it if the figments were more visible by default or there was an option to make them more visible. I'm fairly sure this issue was fixed in the sequel, but a little update might do the game some justice In Conclusion. Psychonauts is a game I have owned many times, yet failed to finish, this time I actually locked in (I am now medicated), and completed the game. People said that the Meat Circus level was deeply unfair and buggy when I honestly didn't have many problems. If you utilize the bacon correctly Agent Cruller will give you the hints you need to complete a section, even the bosses. Use your abilities and items at the appropriate times and it'll be a breeze, the opening escort mission is a pain in my ass though lmao My rating for this game is an overall: 9/10.

Of course it's impossible to properly judge such a timeless classic. But having played it for the first time this year, I have to say that yes, it's a timeless classic for good reasons. It might have some rough corners here and there. It can feel very "rigid" due to how heavily it followed its script. But that enables it to have some of the most unique and interesting aspects I've ever seen in a game. It's a fun little game about some nerds who have to deal with each other in a super secret camp, while the protagonist is a circus boy who's really good at acrobatics and has to save the day. I mean, how cool is that by itself from the get-go? Platforming is a bit underwhelming at times, but that does not make the game any less interesting. The entire plot about the psyche, jungian school of psychology, the stupid gags between the kids, everything simply feels amazing and it's like you're constantly reading an interactable comic book, like the coolest one you could find as a kid. Some "mind worlds" can feel a bit repetitive in some spots, specially at the middle point of the game, but even those have their quirks, gags and this insanely creative uniqueness plastered all over. The entire subplot of each character and the reason each is the way they are is quite charming, and it's quite a brave thing to approach some quite dark plots in such a silly and quirky game. Feels like it's meant to be played as an adult. A lot of gags I'd never get if I were younger. But definitely a fun experience if I were to play this as a 12 year old. Anyway, that's enough from me. Go play it yourself to find out why I say so.

This game is broken on steam deck i spent hours trying to remap the controller bottoms and my camera seems to spin and pan no matter what i do , i wish i can refund even tho i spent less than 5$ on it but its too late i’ll just play it on ps2 emulator eventually

I regret not playing this sooner. This game is a masterpiece! Every level is so smartly developed to fit the characters its focusing on. Every level got me excited to learn about the new characters! I love this game and can't wait to finish it!