Ingenious
I just created a Giant Bomb account and the first thing I wanted to do was write a review for a game that I loved. Without hesitation I thought of Psychonauts. Not only is it one of my favorite games of all time, it is also one of the most underrated. It presents a hilarious, inventive, unique take on the possible scope of a video game to create something that is above all else, ridiculously fun.
That's what ultimately matters in a video game. Is it fun? Psychonauts is just plain fun from start to finish. It has a unique style of play where each "level" takes place in someone's mind that you (Razputin AKA Raz) can enter and play through. Raz has the ability as a Psychonaut to travel into people's psyche and interact with their minds. The game itself takes place in a summer camp for these psychic prodigies. These campgrounds are the locale for any action that takes place outside of someone's mind. This is where you can find a wide variety of collectibles, talk to hilariously awkward and strange campers, and even purchase useful and sometimes necessary items at a shop using arrowheads as currency. The entire camp is divided into areas that you can unlock as you progress through the story. It serves as a nice change of pace between the extremely wacky levels that exist in someone's mind. Between the cognitive missions themselves and the constant search for collectibles in the real world, there is always fun to be had in Psychonauts.
The bulk of the gameplay occurs in these mind levels that you enter when you invade someone's mind using your psychic powers. The brilliant idea of having levels play out in the mind gave the developers infinite freedom of imagination and creativity which both shine through when you play the game. The levels are simply ridiculous but in a fun and engaging way. They can be so over-the-top outrageous that you find yourself playing for hours straight. The levels range from a physics-defying suburb in the mind of a milkman, to an entire level played out on a game board in the mind of an unlikely relative of Napoleon Bonaparte. The level design is fantastic with each level as unique and entertaining as the next.
As you travel throughout these ridiculous subconscious worlds, you have several interesting gameplay mechanics at your disposal. This is a traditional platformer and, as such, it does have traditional platformer mechanics. There will be plenty of jumping, climbing, and avoiding obstacles. However you also have a wide variety of psychic powers to unleash when need be. These include, telekinesis, levitation, invisibility, pyrokinesis, clairvoyance, psi shield, psi blast, and confusion. These are fun to unlock and are upgradeable as well. You'll find yourself using them a lot, as each comes into play at some point in the game.
Combined with ingenious level design, great gameplay mechanics, and a witty, well-written story, Psychonauts is a game that simply cannot be passed on. It is a shame it is so underrated and underappreciated. This is not a game you can get bored with easily. Let me rephrase that. This is not a game you can get bored with. Ever.
