Psychonauts 2 Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Never Touch?"

[@hunglo9917]

“Psychonauts 2 is a classic platformer, and one of my favorite games in the last five years.” That’s all I needed to hear. The first game was brilliant and this sounds like it’s no different.

[@saklek4955]

Haha. Yep! Same here; that's all I needed.

[@harleysq]

yep, anyone who loved the first one already is good in my book

[@adriangoodman8901]

Ugh Ive never been so excited to play a game.... I can't wait any longer!?!?!

[@JaydevRaol]

Same 😃

[@lilcrow64]

Instantly paused the video and bought the game after that statement alone.

[@callmeivan2064]

I miss the era when games devs used to take risks, instead of formulaic design, remasters and remakes. I'm so happy Psychonauts 2 has kept the soul of the first. Definitely going to playing the day it releases.

[@amshermansen]

Ah yes - When they take risks and... abandon their games unfinished but on sale. Let's not forget that Double Fine completely left their customers high and dry with Spacebase DF-9. When they had more money than things to spend it on.

[@wkadalie]

Everytime they take risks, people aren't really open to them, for big games anyway. Look at Death Stranding as an example. Indies are the place to experiment.

[@tmage23]

You'll only really find that in indie games. The average AAA game development cost (both in time and money) is much too high to justify without knowing that you have a baked in audience. By the time a AAA developer tries something "new" it's usually after something has gotten popular enough among indie developers that it bubbles up through to the mainstream of gaming (kind of like every other form commercialized entertainment)

[@tmage23]

@@wkadalie Death Stranding would not have been made with Hideo Kojima''s name being attached to it.

[@Pridetoons]

Same Here I need to upgrade my PC.

[@NightmareBlade10]

This game definitely has a lot of style, and that's something that the current gaming industry has forgotten about as of late. You don't need ray tracing, 4k textures, and top notch graphics to make something that look beautiful, and more importantly, unique.

[@finnmarr-heenan2397]

I don’t understand why ppl push this narrative, sure triple A games suffer from this, but there are countless quality indie titles

[@monarchu]

breath of the wild proves that

[@roxqu]

Love the game, instant classic but there could be some work with lip sync and fix up texture pop in. Textures look a bit flat sometimes but most likely because of pop in issues. Overall 9/10 GOTY contender

[@samdixon3719]

AT this day and age, i respect developers with good games, they are rare

[@Kingeptacon]

@@finnmarr-heenan2397 I think he was referring to the current AAA market. Obviously there has always been quality, unique indies.

[@IkariMetalSlugger]

In an industry oversaturated with shooters, cinematic style action/adventure games that follow the same focused tested beats, open world games, etc., we need more games like these.

[@FlamespeedyAMV]

It sadly will probably never happen until those publishers go bankrupt and we can get gaming made by gamers again

[@1301407gl]

Well put your money where your mouth is

[@finnmarr-heenan2397]

So u only play big budget mainstream games? Because if not I don’t understand what your talking about . U realise there are countless unique and creative indie games in every genre

[@fraudhoward1409]

Check out A Hat in Time that game is one of the best 3d platformers I've ever played.

[@IkariMetalSlugger]

@@fraudhoward1409 I've played it and yeah that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Great, overlooked game.

[@p3wx4]

I wish more games followed this artstyle instead of chasing photo realism.

[@ChicoAzevedo]

Me too! The GAMEPLAY over graphics is so true to me. Not every game needs to mimic reality.

[@NeverSaySandwich1]

Going for a art style like this makes it much easier to reach a constant 60 FPS

[@Teopcigart]

Agreed. There are so many wild, crazy art styles we could pursue. But we want our games to look like real life for some reason?

[@digitalon01]

Me too, it also allows a game to more gracefully age visually. Take the OG Psychonauts game, it was released in 2005 and due to its art style still holds up visually very well, the only thing it could really needs to look nice today is a bump in resolution. Legend of Zelda Windwaker (which came out around the same time as Psychonauts) is also one of my favorite examples of an art style pretty much immortalizing a game.

[@kolo5141]

It's funny how the most popular game in the world has similar art style but poeple are criticizing this game.

[@Aaron-og1pg]

"Maybe other people hated it, I just don't give a shit": this 100% in today's game review climate. Great review as always Karak.

[@wingedpartypanties]

That's is why this is the only reviewer I trust.

[@heroicgoo915]

@@wingedpartypanties I gotta admit this dude's 1 of 2 creator/reviewera whose opinions i trust still. Long may it last!!

[@xavierabii548]

@@wingedpartypanties Same here!

[@roxqu]

@@heroicgoo915 whos the second?

[@andremalerba5281]

@@roxqu for me it's Karak, Gman and Jake Baldino

[@NeverSaySandwich1]

This game looks a ton of fun and full of SOUL. Just like the first one

[@ACGreviews]

its ccrazy good

[@HappyMinds1]

Lovely game, only thing i found , it was far too easy. The first two thirds, mind blowingly good. The rest felt just like a walk through the park. Beautiful and probably game of the year, a difficulty setting would of been good.

[@randomguy6679]

@@HappyMinds1In fairness, the first game was pretty easy until the final level.

[@Kyodaiki]

I was really worried this game would either never come out, or be a colossal disappointment. So happy to hear it came out well!

[@hazzar7784]

Proof that Art-Style can beat, and age better, then Realism in my opinion. You put this game on my radar. I cant day one purchase, but I'll pick it up when I can, and In the mean while play through the first game. Picked it up a year ago for a Toonie.

[@wormerine8029]

Hopefully it will move on from being “best game no one bought” to being “best game no one bought, but played on Game Pass”. Looks superb. All that one could wish for from Psychonauts2.

[@Padawan333]

I have game pass but I still bought it...

[@xjaysonzx]

I'm playing it on GPX, but waiting for a physical edition to release to buy. Supposedly they're looking into it.

[@FreshTillDeath56]

The writing was the thing I was MOST concerned about going into this game. Tim was talking about how this story was going to be a little darker, and honestly, that made me more concerned than anything else. I'm so glad you love the writing. I'm totally getting this day 1. Thank you SO MUCH for the review.

[@cenciende9401]

Concerned? Did you not play the first game? There was plenty of darkness, it's his style.

[@Renzsu]

The writing is one of the best parts of this game, Tim really outdo himself with this one. It reminded me of the joys of playing Monkey Island as a kid. The imagination and world-building is all there.

[@rendedspace5606]

I've always loved that the censors look different depending on who's head you're in

[@JV-ll1cu]

I didn't even notice that

[@joshmclovin]

I've waited 16 years for this game, I can't wait to see what Tim and his team have finally brought to fruition with this sequel. Probably watch this review next week, just came by to help the algorithm with a comment and like. Keep it up Karak

[@TheRealMightyHokie]

I donated $100 to Fig for this game. Yet, I'm so happy that MS bought DoubleFine. THIS is the kind of game that Tim Schafer has always made when he is allowed to stay home and make a game instead of having to be out bringing in money. He's a major talent in an industry full of brilliant and talented people. I've always thought of Tim Schafer being the "light mirror" image of Ken Levine. Just powerhouse writers and creators who know how to make genre-defining games, given the time and budget. I'm very excited.

[@burningphoneix]

This is the kind of game Tim Schafer always made when a Publisher actually cracks the whip lol. He was notorious for being late on projects and overbudget.

[@GoodGuyNickPT]

Oh man, the firt game is one of my favorites of all time. I've been cautiously optimistic about this one but I did not pre-order, got disappointed way too many time recently. But I'm psyched it's good!

[@Avioto]

hehe...psyched

[@GoodGuyNickPT]

@@Avioto unintentional at first but then I went "I am haha-funny-man-thing"

[@stevorules1820]

It's on Gamepass if you have pc or xbox :) uou can pre install it now

[@monkey6207]

I thought it might be too much like new-spongebob, that it's just all 'random rainbows and crazy colors with no point'. But since the plot has a mystery it's luckily not like that, and the random parts are actually funny instead of just random.

[@dthomasfromnc]

I remember when Phsyconauts came out on PS2. My wife and I were in Iraq on deployment and we played that game beyond belief. So excited for the sequel. Glad it's on Gamepass. We're in for a treat. Thanks for the review.

[@dthomasfromnc]

@@Finsta1966 I really appreciate it

[@saltwagon2676]

I’m loving the music and sounds. Can’t wait to hear it on Dolby atmos.

[@butcherjsy8]

Can't wait to hear it on my £2.67 earphones!

[@saltwagon2676]

@@butcherjsy8 😂😂👍👍

[@olsonbryce777]

Music is great but there a lot of moments where the sound design is really empty

[@shawklan27]

Jesus the game's out already?! It's been so long since the sequel was announced to be a thing that I forgot that it was releasing this week. Nice surprise for me ngl

[@RoastedJustice]

Psychonauts 2 has the appeal of a larger scale AA game. Room to experiment without the risk of recouping a bloated development budget. The larger the budget, the safer your game usually is. It utilizes it's style well too. Not everything needs to be photorealistic since it can stifle artistic expression which this game has tons of!

[@fumochabalala6284]

Played the first one a month ago can't wait to get my hands on this one

[@Thirteen13551355]

Psychonauts does what Rift Apart didn't: be ambitious. I played through the entire Ratchet series prior to Rift Apart. After 2, it's the same game over and over and over. Rift Apart is the same, but doesn't reach the heights of 2 either. It's just all so safe. I haven't played Psychonauts yet, but friends keep recommending it. This video got me over the fence to buy the second one (I do own the first).

[@CaptainQtie]

this review was really great, didnt spend too long on the fluffy intro bits and spent just enough time on each thing, able to praise it in its strengths while recognizing its not so strengths. i speedrun the first psychonauts so im not a new fan and i am EXTREMELY biased lol, but even your rating system is awesome. this is the review i'll be sending to people if they ask me if they should play and why!

[@jarrettguma5522]

Playing thru the 1st one again in preparation, been 15 years since I last played it. I still love the game and it's still just as memorable. I cant wait to play the 2nd one after 15 years of waiting. Also i picked up the rhombus of ruin on steam for like $2 the other day, going to check that out too before I jump into #2

[@soulsynthesiscreations]

Holy shit, didn't expect that opener

[@titntin5178]

Thanks dude. Im definitely checking this out and im moved by the consistency of vision and style im seeing here. As an ex dev im full of admiration for what these guys have done. As always, your review is thorough, insightful and entertaining. Your enthusiasm for this one is compelling!

[@AbbreviatedReviews]

It's always nice to see unique creative visuals being the selling point of a new game. It's even better when there's a fun game to play along with it.

[@light819]

Ill be frank i had practically no hope that the sequel would be good, but its great to hear you enjoyed it

[@butcherjsy8]

I'm in that small club that followed the first games development and thoroughly enjoyed it on the original Xbox the day it came out (didn't understand the games lack of hype), so glad we're getting a sequel 16 years later to one of my fave games ever and that it hasn't lost any of the first games charms. Bravo Double Fine!

[@hemangchauhan2864]

If this doesn't sell well, I'll lose all hope on gaming community. Creative games should be supported, not the cookie cutter ones.

[@JV-ll1cu]

It's on Game Pass so that affect the sales too

[@Slodsworth]

The rugby ball shaped heads remind me of hey arnold

[@bobbob-cd9yl]

Most important thing in a game for me is if I can feel the LOVE the devs put in the game and true CHARACTER, main reason why I loved Fable and the origional Phyconaughts

[@italianwaffle5592]

Phyco? Is that an inside joke?

[@mediawatcher9225]

After so long, it’s awesome to hear that this is another masterpiece from doublefine productions after nearly 20 years!

[@xburk550]

Watched a few reviews today and I'm confused why they would omit mentioning the sound track and sound effects? Really appreciate the time and thought you put into this review. Can't wait to try this out on the 25th.

[@ScreamingIntoTheOvoid]

Big nostalgia feels watching this video. I really enjoyed the humour and inventiveness of the original (which see,s like forever ago). Looking forward to playing this.

[@JeighNeither]

I'm so f'ing happy to hear this is one of your favorites of the past 5 years. I put on the original from Xbox gamepass last night, & was surprised of how great it looks today. The quirky animation style actually keeps it from looking overly aged, but it was the immersion & the set pieces that really hit home. It's a work of art, & I can't wait to jump into the new game tomorrow. I'm only sad to hear that it's a little short, but that's expected from a platformer.

[@Sage_Of_Thyme_]

The first 5 seconds of this video gave me the biggest sigh of relief. So glad to hear the long development time was worth the wait. Wondering how the game preforms on PS4 tho.

[@samuelbarrett1082]

Anyone who hasn't played it yet, it played great for me on the PS4 pro. Definitely get it

[@sebastianesilva398]

Been playing basically non-stop since it came out and I'm kind of in awe of it for the polished gameplay, creativity and writing. Easy, easy contender for game of the year.

[@AndersFischer91]

Awesome review, Karak. Reviewed it in Danish and gave it a 10/10. Glad to see that you are also in love with this game. It deserves all this praise, really. Just a fantastic game, and as usual, you manage to cover so many of the player's emotions in a way I could not hope to do. Well done :)

[@p3wx4]

Karak's one of the best games of last 5 years? Buying it right away.

[@TreeckoJedi9]

This is the greatest game I have played this year. The humor and the explorative aspects haven't lost their touch!

[@icry547]

Playing it and loving it. Great review.

[@Grnvolpe]

I missed the original on PS2 when it came out and played it not too long ago and was very impressed with its creativity in story and level design. I'm apprehensive but looking forward to this sequel

[@brooklynstylee]

I love how this guy tells you what you need to hear about the game within the first 5 seconds..no beating around the bush.. it actually keeps me to watch the rest of the video unlike other youtubers who just drag it along and I just end up skipping everything

[@natec2466]

Wow im actually excited to try it now! what a glowing review, thanks karak

[@eatmanyzoos]

the lucas arts sampler pack was my childhood. tim seems like such a cool guy. im so glad he exists in this industry.

[@main_stream_media_is_a_joke]

Yes....... Finally we have someone who actually takes risks and creates magic. Thank you Tim Shaefer. Grim Fandango and now the 2 Psychonaut games are literally crazy high art of pc gaming.

[@bobbob-cd9yl]

14:16 why I love ACG and his reviews

[@mikeva3975]

Richard is my voice-acting coach and he's an amazing human. I still remember him coming to class or to private lessons with a bit of a hoarse voice after Psychonauts records. I cannot wait to play this and am really happy people seem to love it.

[@philrichjr]

Been hearing nothing but good news and I see there’s a 120fps option on Series X, so it looks like I’ll be dropping everything to get through this one again. Actually want to do a quick play through of the first. Truly an underrated gem

[@shaideyfresh1]

I really appreciate your reviews... you put a very dope spin on reviews 🤙

[@nediojon749]

I got this game and it brought me back to a time I'd just play the crap out of a game till I beat it like there were days where I'd get up do all my mundane stuff then I'd sit done and play and it would be 11pm-12am before I knew it the combat was ok as you said but the story and exploration had me going what's going to happen next and even making little theories of what was happening as I played. More games need the amount of love that they put into here nowadays.

[@pronobb8104]

First time Psychonaut player. Loved the game. Was substantially better than my expectations for it and ludicrously fun with constant humor.

[@adriank8792]

An instant classic. I am so happy. Double Fine is amazing

[@grimmSOL]

Love your reviews, Karak. You're the only reviewed I watch. I'm strapped for cash this month, due to medical expenses, and have been waiting 16 years for this game, being in love with not only this series, but 3D platformers, and always hoping for a sequel. May I have your review copy, please? Signed, of course. 😋

[@Marcus-ll2bt]

Literally got my hands on Psychonauts 2 this morning. Having never played the original, I must say this game oozes with charm. I love the core cast of characters and how well they gel together. The dialogue is witty and very original, definitely gave me a few laughs. The platforming is something else, this is Nintendo levels of smooth and intuitive, gives me Super Mario Odyssey vibes with just how well it handles and how varied it is. Only 4 hours in but I'm already in love with this IP.

[@AfroMozes]

It is all as you said man. One of the few games that kept me engaged and curious about the story and characters. Pacing has some dips here and there, but this is as close as it gets in participating in Animation Movie from Pixar, Dreamworks and the like. If you combine the powers, the combat can be fun, so if you're really good at multi-tasking and combo's, it can be enjoyable because of your powers. It is not God of War and Spider-man for sure, but still it is more fun to explore. Usually I would watch your reviews before I play a game, ... This one had me hooked from the beginning, and I never felt the necessit, need or itch to watch a review nor trailer. I was always missing a good script in games. It may not be for you if you are not into platforming or have grown out of it, but what is here is a solid art work, and if you like these feel-good animations but with more intelligent tongue'n'cheek humor and clever writing and some mature/shonen/coming of age themes, then you definitely should give Psychonauts 2 a big try. (Thanks for the likes)

[@jwstarx]

Gaming in recent years has been all about shooters, but the pros make their return with the platformers! After 16 years it seems that not all is forgotten or made irrelevant... Great review ACG!

[@fastica]

I watched this video with a big smile, it looks awesome. We need more games like this. Can’t freaking wait!

[@divinitymode9364]

Wonderful review. And wonderful that it turned out wonderful. I’ll just say it again…WONDERFUL!

[@ChickenBob70]

The fact that your voice went up an octave when you said “f***** fantastic “ kind of said it all. Great review.

[@Ashamedofmypast]

I'm so glad you liked it now im confident I will, 3 reliable reviewers were positive.

[@DarthValdus]

great to hear that it is good! thanks for your timely reviews ACG

[@krycisplays1575]

Loving this game so far, got about 19 episodes recorded, not sure how much longer I have, but everything you said about the game is true! Thanks for the great review as always!

[@fulanodetal9102]

The game got me on the first screen advising people on mental health issues. Then it just got better and better from there. I haven't played a game I enjoy every piece of in a long time. Even random dialogues feel meaningful and connected to the whole story. Amazing job!

[@kratos.8151]

I don’t think it needed that warning … I was expecting way worse from that message

[@serbstero4734]

ACG reviews hit different. One of the best in the biz.

[@DelanceyThrone]

I haven't watched one of your reviews in a long time because, well, you spoke too damn fast for me to keep up! Haha But this review I needed to see and you've reduced the tempo a little which makes your points and jokes more digestible, to me at least. I'm not sure if this was a conscious decision of yours or maybe just for this review, but I definitely think it makes it easier to follow. Keep up with the great work!

[@ACGreviews]

who knows people like different things but at least you got to see an AMAZING game man. Thats what matters. And thanks!

[@TheBatBro]

I was 5 when it came, oh how far games have come. Though I do miss when most games where finished completely without knowing "they could just patch it later......"

[@Drstrange3000]

This makes me so happy that this seems like a hit! I desperately miss these kinds of games and love how creative and out there they are. I hope this, Kena Bridge of Spirits and Eat bet and Clank bring back these kinds of games.

[@JeighNeither]

Apparently it's already a hit from presales & pre-installations on Gamepass. I'm definitely here for this, & Kena's BOS, but what is "Eat bet & Clank"? Is that a typo?

[@Glowbox3D]

One of the best platformers ever in my aged-opinion. Phenomenal on so many levels. Love me them Double Fine.

[@zankheal]

Half of the review, I already like this one. Great review as always!

[@HugePWFan]

You are hands down the best game reviewer on KZbin! I've been a fan of yours for a couple of years now and it's always a joy to watch your reviews, keep up the great work.

[@LyvGamer]

this game looks like a world from Tim Burton It reminds me a lot of night before Christmas It's weird in a very great way. These kids today want pixel perfect Is ratchet and clink kind of games And they don't appreciate other art styles. Great review I really hope players give this game a try

[@HeinSmit1]

Oh wow this is the first higher quality footage I've seen of the game, the trailers were all lower res or something, this looks absolutely incredible and reminds me of the older 3D platformers I used to play (the first game oddly enough I only played recently). Can't wait for launch day

[@AuspexAO]

If Ratchet and Clank is a great Pixar movie, Psychonauts 2 is a Studio Laika movie (Coraline/Kubo). Also: Parents holding newborn child "When does it start fulfilling all our unachieved ambitions." Yikes.

[@CarbyGuuGuu]

Yep, it definitely has that Laika style. PS Trolls kept comparing it to DreamWorks and it looks nothing like DreamWorks.

[@FountainsOfJonny]

It has been a very long time coming. I bet you're happy you can have the ability to review this.

[@larkan511]

Great review as always. As you stated towards the beginning, this art style will rub people the wrong way and I'm one of those people, but it's good to know for those that enjoy this style they're in for a good time.

[@megalomaniacalHalide]

I think the industry needs more success stories like this to say, 'What microtransactions? we just made a great game, we didn't need to exploit or trick our players. We can still make art.'

[@ScaredyZ4Walls]

Just a few hours in but so far its beyond expectations!! Very well written

[@jim1550]

Looks like it has drawn inspiration from Grim fandango and Ren and Stimpy Veediots!

[@CarbyGuuGuu]

Grim Fandango and Psychonauts share the same director: Tim Schafer

[@classofhumour5425]

It's also available on PS4

[@FhargaZ]

3:57 Unlimited power!!! 😋; not a fan of platform games but this one looks pretty good and fun.

[@waelse1]

Replaying the original now which is fun, will have to grab this too.

[@Archivist42]

Very excited for this one, to get this and Ratchet in the same year is such a treat.

[@FelisImpurrator]

The PS2 renaissance seems to be in full swing. Now I'm just waiting for Sly and Spyro to get back on their feet.

[@dennizforce]

Already pre-loaded it and now I'm even more ready after watching your great review

[@noelatcheson4174]

Only played the first Psychonauts recently for the first time and absolutely loved it. Cannot wait for this tomorrow. And also more reasons I love Game Pass. Great review man, as always. Keep up the stellar work.

[@id104335409]

Right in the first seconds! Straight up telling us you love the game. pretty sure this game would look AWESOME when the mods come in. Some shading changes, make it look like pastel or clay or cartoon, add in that HDR and lighting effects. Modders can make it look like a different game.

[@BruceCampbell0886]

I fell in love with Tim Schafer ever since I first booted up Day of the Tentacle in 1993.

[@zanemagers7465]

Absolutely loving this so far. I beat the first one in anticipation and loved that as well! Thanks for another quality review Karak!

[@Fraxxxi]

Four seconds in and I have heard all I wanted to hear and seen as much as I wanted to see - thank you *so* much for giving me exactly what I needed right at the very start so I don't have to sit through ten minutes of "I don't want to see this, I want to experience it!" before I could learn whether or not to pull the trigger on this. Psychonauts is my favorite game of all time so far (and I've been gaming since 1988), and I was so dreadfully worried the sequel might not live up to its legacy.

[@thivolanmoodley8800]

Thanks again for the "no-BS-in-depth-you-know-why-youre-here" review Karak!

[@jro3299]

I'm so happy this turned out well.

[@sirvick]

Love your work, man. Kudos from Brazil!

[@GUIDE_Nico]

Thank you for the review. I got a good laugh from the.. ''were you even born when the first one came out ''

[@burnzybhoy9110]

Thanks for the review ACG as always any doubts i may have had are now put to bed, i may wait for a sale though but thats purely because steam always has new sales on.

[@jacobb5484]

Its on gamepass so that's a decent deal if you aren't going for 100%.

[@flcl7154]

"Fuc-ken Fantastic" nerver heard him say something so positive

[@Pridetoons]

Nice review ACG, I wish more Video Games were this Experimental and had this level of Polish like Psychonauts.

[@justgoosing9662]

Platformers killing it this year. Can't wait to play this tomorrow:)

[@me1648]

This game hands down was truly a amazing game. Love to story, characters/voice actors, levels, locations and so much more. The only thing they should add is a map and a manual save system as I have missed one missable achievement and can’t be bothered to do the story again just to get it.

[@samuelbarrett1082]

Fyi, missable achievements like figments usually move somewhere else after you return. If you're talking about the cooking level, visit again after you beat the last boss.

[@me1648]

@@samuelbarrett1082 no it was for the achievement duck, duck goose

[@adamheeley285]

I still own my copy of xbox psychonatus, that thing might be buried with me...Along with Fable 2.

[@samedge9877]

Excited to get my copy and play it soon myself. Based on this review and the little bit of video that I've seen(trying to get into it with no spoiler or massive preconceptions) this looks like this will deliver on the promise of it. Now if only Lorne Lanning could get the Oddworld series back on track....