Psychonauts 2 is an action-adventure 3d platformer that was released in the year 2021 by Double Fine Productions. An action-adventure game is normally a fast paced, epic, and storyful game with elements that enhance the intensity of the action you partake in. A 3d (3 dimensional) platformer is a type of game where the player character jumps from one surface to the next with a variety of ways to get there. These two genres collide with a product that has as much merit and enjoyment as Psychonauts 2. 

Like most sequels to games, Psychonauts 2 explains what happened in the first game so newcomers can catch-up with the series so far. The simple premise is that you are a 10-year-old boy who works as an intern for the Psychonauts, a group of psychic superspies that have a goal of ridding the world from evil psychic influence. After the effects of the first game, they find out that the villain of the first game, Dr. Loboto, was working for someone else on the inside. Your job is to find out who the mole is and save the world (again). To achieve this goal, you must enlist the aid of other psychics to complete certain areas that you couldn’t otherwise, like getting help from a plant expert psychic to clear vines from an important zone or a bee expert to deal with a similar problem with the local insects.

However, team ups aren’t the main medium of progression. Throughout the game you will obtain and use psychic powers that aid in combat and platforming. For instance, the ability “Psi-shot” lets you fire a piece of psychokinesis at either enemies for ranged damage or at certain walls to break them mid-air for platforming. The nine abilities that you obtain throughout the game can be equally effective in combat and in platforming and all of them are fun to use. The only exception of usefulness is the ability “Clairvoyance”. This ability allows you to see through the eyes of others. The first game uses this ability to acquire access codes and use security cameras to see in the dark whilst the second game only makes it useful with one enemy and one enemy alone. 

On the topic of enemies, there are plenty to fight against. From the flying, weight-carrying “Regrets” to the rapid-moving “panic attacks”, the enemies all beautifully depict the issues one would find in their mind. The reason for this is because the minds of others is where the game’s levels take place. Once you help the person with their problems whilst in the mindscape, they will aid in your quest in some way. All of the game’s levels range from at the least an “eh” to at the most considered “Woah!” with some levels having such an impact that can shape how you see levels and worlds in other games.

On a whole, Psychonauts is a unique game that any gamer should try or complete.