Psychonauts 2 Sets a New Bar for Adventure Games | Best Games of 2021

With personality and charm seeping from every pore of its characters, levels, sound design, and even loading screens, a series of fantastically designed 3D platforming gauntlets succeed in shining a light on mental health through captivating writing, stellar platforming, and theming unlike anything seen since the first Psychonauts.

[darkrider]

Not really. It doesn't set a bar in any aspect, much less a platform game in 2021. It's a good platform, but setting the bar is a tottaly diferent thing. Maybe if they had more resources.

[Atom666]

It's going to win many GOTY awards, and rightfully so. It sets many bars. From art design, voice work, and just the sheer creativity of its levels' interplay with the mental health of the "hosts,", it is something very special.

I am assuming "more resources" was just some console war dig, but I would have loved to see what they would have accomplished with deeper pockets from the start.

As it is, they made one of the best platformers we've seen despite almost being another failed kickstarter.

[Orchard]

So if it didn’t set a bar in 2021 for platforming, what did?

It’s currently the highest rated platformer of the year, and one of the best reviewed games of the year overall too.

[darthv72]

dark will likely say Rift Apart is better. It's good... but I had more fun with Psychonauts 2 myself.

[mark_parch]

It definitely set the bar when combining so many elements together. Very few platformers have I ever played where the gameplay, art style, music, story, voice acting and world design are all at such a high level. It's actually very unique for a platformer as it deals with mental health issues and very well I might add, the only other platformer I've played that even comes close in that regard is the original psychonauts.

[HansyJ]

Maybe it’s just me but I started playing this game and I beat a few biomes but overall I kind of got bored of it and stop playing. The premise is interesting but overall I didn’t really care for the moment to moment gameplay.

[RedDevils]

I don't like the game as the media hype portrayed it, but it not that bad. If I were to rate it, I would give it a 7/10.

[slowgamer]

It was ok and good enough time but I think first one was much funnier and it was a big part of why I liked the first one. They didn't really nail the jokes or they toned it down on purpose.

[rlow1]

I played it and it trumped it predecessor by miles. Great humor, original art and funky levels. I enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it to anyone.

[CoNn3rB]

I finally caved in and got Gamepass for PC, if this game is on the PC pass I'll give it a go. I haven't played the first one though so wondering if I need to play that one before I pickup this one

[MadLad]

I recommend playing the original first; still a great game to this day.
Then play the sequel. It's a more refined experience, and you'll enjoy the little in-jokes and nods to the original game.

[CoNn3rB]

sounds good, I'll track down a copy

[Kurt Russell]

It's on sale at the moment, at least on xbox back compat. But in all honesty, you can go straight into this one without feeling like you're missing any experience.