Our Minds Are Playing Tricks on Us: Hands-on with Psychonauts 2

On August 25, we’ll set off on one other cerebral journey with Raz in Psychonauts 2, the most recent imaginative recreation from legendary recreation designer, Tim Schafer (Grim Fandango, Damaged Age, Brutal Legend) and Double High quality Productions. Lately, the staff at Xbox Wire had an opportunity to dive in and play the primary few hours of the upcoming cinematic platformer to discover a few of its distinctive environments, get reacquainted with Raz’s iconic talents, and uncover they could have a unconscious phobia of tooth.

Will: So, let’s kick issues off by wanting again. Did both of you play the unique Psychonauts (shameless plug: play it now with Xbox Recreation Go!) when it got here out? I performed it approach again in 2005 on the unique Xbox and located it to be one of many funniest, most charming platformers of the era.

Jeff: I’ve been making an attempt to assume again to what I used to be doing in 2005; what was occurring in my life that led me to by no means play the unique Psychonauts? Recollections of that point are a blur of enjoying Jade Empire and listening to the “Kaiser Chiefs.” After a number of Bing searches I confirmed that sure, Psychonauts dropped only a week after that Bioware traditional, and, nicely, we didn’t have Xbox Recreation Go again then!

Mike: The unique Psychonauts continues to reside in my thoughts, like some form of emotional baggage, as one of many nice unique Xbox video games I by no means completed – I solely unlocked the primary handful of psychic powers however performed sufficient of the unique to grasp what was occurring at Whispering Rock Summer time Camp. The newsreel intro to Psychonauts 2 additionally helped refresh my reminiscence, virtually as if somebody took a Cobweb Duster to my mind…

Will: OK, so it appears like I’m the one Psychonauts veteran. That works out fairly nicely for this format!

Jeff: For what it’s value, the opening cutscene caught me up sufficiently in order that I really feel assured saying there’s nothing stopping you from leaping proper into the sport, even with no earlier data. And in case you do need to study the origins of Raz and his Psychonaut coworkers, Xbox Recreation Go members can all the time return to the primary Psychonauts. Talking of – was the unique recreation so dentally preoccupied?

Mike: Oh, man. The tooth! The tooth… That was fairly the opening stage, which was each extremely mesmerizing and ugly for me, in that I used to be enjoying a complete stage impressed by ‘60s Artwork Deco, but in addition unnerving with every squishy step I took alongside a tooth-filled gumline. Nonetheless, it was capturing quite a lot of what made the unique Psychonauts distinctive, in that every brainy expertise you performed by was a wildly totally different stage impressed by a wounded psyche. Additionally, by the tip of the primary stage, you basically have all of your core powers from the earlier recreation straight away, like Levitation, Telekinesis, and others. It was a really streamlined strategy to get you into the motion… of being an intern! How was your first day of sophistication?

Will: Yeah, I used to be glad that there wasn’t any synthetic barrier to getting your core powers from the primary recreation proper off the bat in Psychonauts 2. I believed for positive we’d get some form of “Raz misplaced his powers and now he has to recollect find out how to use them!” sequence, however as a substitute we simply bought a (very) fast tutorial on find out how to use stuff like melee assaults, PSI Blasts, and Pyrokinesis to take down the enemies we encountered within the toothy first stage. I dug the primary bit and was glad we got a brand-new space to discover in Psychonauts HQ.

Jeff: I actually loved how wandering round Psychonauts HQ allowed me to return to grips with Raz, whereas soaking in Psychonauts 2’s environment, which is extra summary and cleverer than something I’ve performed in current reminiscence. It’s each charming and ingenious how parts of your thoughts, equivalent to regrets, emotional baggage, or dangerous concepts are manifested as corporeal beings, usually enemies to dispatched in additional difficult methods than merely leaping on their heads.

Mike: One of many issues I’ve loved essentially the most to this point was mixing up my powers to fight enemies, like rolling round on my Levitation Ball and utilizing Telekinesis to seize objects to throw at their heads. Are there any strategies that you just’ve discovered to be tremendous helpful within the early going?

Will: Properly, it’s probably not a way per se, however I’ve been having fun with the addition of the Clairvoyance energy, which supplies the participant the power to leap into the top of an NPC (or perhaps a rat) to study extra in regards to the setting round them. I significantly love the best way that Raz is represented as a derpy cardboard cutout when he appears at himself by others’ eyes.

Jeff: Of all of the current video games I’ve been enjoying, I didn’t anticipate to be reminded of Scarlet Nexus! Earlier than leaving HQ, I discovered myself juggling Raz’s preliminary melee and PSI Blast assaults with a Telekinesis transfer that will make Yuiti and Kasane proud. I used to be even in a position to map it to the Proper Set off as my very own mind has made that connection since finishing Scarlet Nexus final week. I respect that each one these strategies are upgradeable at your discretion, making the hunt for the varied collectables helpful past fundamental achievement searching. 

Mike: I do know we’re only some brains into Psychonauts 2, however I actually just like the number of the degrees we’ve seen to this point. We’ve travelled by slimy gums and tooth, explored the hub world of The Motherlobe (and misplaced our garments), and hopped round on large poker chips on the Woman Luctopus On line casino, which wrapped up with an epic boss struggle with Woman Luctopus herself. I hope this broad number of worlds can sustain all through the remainder of the sport. Is there something you’ve seen to this point that has actually stood out for you?

Will: As you talked about above, the entire aesthetic is absolutely nice. You identified the Artwork Deco really feel, which is superior, however which is taken to the subsequent stage with some jazzy background tunes that really feel like they have been pulled proper from a swinging cocktail get together. As somebody who’s a sucker for collectables, I additionally actually respect that the improve system ties again into that so closely. I like all the time feeling like my borderline obsessive assortment truly advantages the abilities and magnificence of play I need to make use of.

Jeff: I discovered your entire library stage pleasant. A lot of the perfect materials on this stage (and the sport as an entire, from what I’ve performed) is non-obligatory. There’s a lot to discover, and from an enjoyment perspective, so many characters to talk with away from the golden path. Whereas I’m positive speedrunners will set data with Psychonauts 2 come the subsequent Video games Performed Fast, this an expertise you’re going to need to take your time with. Belief me, you don’t need to must cope with any further Regrets.

Psychonauts 2 launches August 25 for Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, and Home windows PC and can be accessible day one with Xbox Recreation Go. Psychonauts 2 will even help Sensible Supply, supplying you with the perfect accessible model on your Xbox console at no further value. Xbox Recreation Go members may prep their minds for this upcoming journey by testing the unique Psychonauts right this moment with their membership. We’ll have extra to share within the lead-up to the launch subsequent month, so maintain it tuned right here to Xbox Wire. Additionally, follow @DoubleFine on Twitter for much more information on Psychonauts 2 and their many different glorious video games.

Psychonauts

Double High quality Productions

☆☆☆☆☆
196

★★★★★

$9.99

This traditional motion/journey platformer from acclaimed builders Double High quality Productions follows the story of a younger psychic named Razputin. In his quest to affix the Psychonauts–an elite group of worldwide psychic secret brokers–he breaks into their secret coaching facility: Whispering Rock Psychic Summer time Camp. However that is no common psychic summer time camp! A mysterious villain has kidnapped Raz’s fellow campers and stolen their brains. Now he should use his psychic powers of Telekinesis, Levitation, and most of all his capability to venture himself into the minds of others–to seek out the unfastened noodles and maintain them from falling into the flawed fingers. Struggle psychological demons! Uncover hidden reminiscences! Type emotional baggage! Discover the improbable realm of the internal thoughts! Be part of the Psychonauts!