Quick Thoughts: Psychonauts 2

Of all the games from this past year, one of my happiest surprises is Psychonauts 2. A sequel to a game that came out in 2005 and still manages to recapture the whimsy and humor of the original. I guess if we're splitting hairs, technically Rhombus of Ruin, a VR only title, came out in 2018 and that picked up where Psychonauts left off and Psychonauts 2 comes immediately after that. Either way, Rhombus of Ruin wasn't like the original game and plays very differently as well, whereas Psychonauts 2 really does improve upon the original's formula.

Aside from the stellar writing from the Double Fine team, the art direction is top notch as well. Each world is wonderfully unique and over the top as the original. The game begins in a dentistry themed level, so they definitely start with the weird early on and keep that energy running. Characters new and old look great too and they're voiced by an amazing cast, many of returning from the first game.

Honestly, Psychonauts 2 is such a delight from beginning to end. It was definitely one of those games that I just couldn't put down and had to play just a little bit more. Even if you haven't played the original I would still recommend Psychonauts 2; it's just plain fun.