Game Review - Psychonauts

Psychonauts was released on April 2005 for the PC, Xbox and PS2. Designed by Tim Schaffer previously known for his work in LucasArts's classics: Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle and Grim Fandango.

This is one of the best game I have played, it's essentially a platform game with some few elements of adventure, the protagonist is Raz, a likable quick-witted kid with psychic powers that arrives to a Summer-camp like Boot-camp for training psychic kids (or Psychonauts, hence the name). He must solve a conspiracy on which several members of the camp are having their brains removed by a deranged mad scientist.

The character designs looks like a more colorful and psychedelic version of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride or his short film Vincent. Characters with candy-cotton shaped hair, big dumbo-like ears, or with looks like distant cousins of the Jim Henson's Muppet's Show all interact with Raz with their own distinct and well crafted personalities.

The game allows exploration of the camp at will, although some areas become only accessible when the player completes certain levels, progression of the game is linear in most parts. As Raz advances though the plot he unlocks several psychic powers that all become useful for defeating opponents or advancing through obstacles, some times you can try new powers on old opponents and watch their hilarious reactions, for example the "Men in Black" alike "Censors's" reaction to the pyrokinesis is priceless.

Level progression goes by completing the levels inside the minds of people (or animals), this is where Psychonauts shines the most in my opinion: level design is crafted in way that each level is completely unique stylistically and requires different approaches in gameplay, one level is on the mind of a care-free party-going instructor of the camp, as one could expect her mind is shaped like an ongoing dance party with disco inspirations, another level is the mind of an analytical, cold logic professor and the game presents his mind shaped as a cube that reconfigures each time you make progress, one level looks like a black velvet paint portray of Hispanic culture! (trust me: it looks good), bonuses on those levels can be completed by collecting figments of imagination, sorting emotional baggage (watching this happenning never gets old), and cracking vaults of memory.

The game has also lot of details and subplots rewarding exploring players, the mechanics of the game also allow to find hidden items that will allow to unlock psychic powers earlier in the game.

Gameplay looks like typical 3D platforming, some levels are linear in the obstacle course others are like a world you get to explore and solve adventure-like puzzles, or a combination of both. In most cases you will unlock a different psychic power that will become most useful in that particular level. The obstacles although some are intimidating they are not that difficult and are very funny to watch, some bosses require figuring out their weakness, there are cases in which it's easy and others not so, at any case sometimes the game hints you of that via the "mentor on mind" plot device.

Audio is fine, music fills the mood on each level thus enhancing play experience.

I really enjoyed this game and I didn't want it to finish since each level was a feast to the eyes and mind, too bad that this game performed worse than expected in the market, probably with a little more promotion it would have been different, because reception was quite good. Also, the ending hints of a sequel but I see difficult that that come to be.

Psychonauts is available for the PS2, XBox (it recently has been added to the list of compatible games for the Xbox 360), and PC (retail or available via Steam or GameTap service).

If you get a chance to get your hands in it do it, you won't regret it.

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