Psychonauts 2 is a 2021 platform game created by Double Fine and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game was first announced during The Game Awards 2015 ceremony and was released on August 25, 2021, for PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It was later released on May 24, 2022, for Linux and macOS.
Like the first game, players control Raz, a young acrobat who trains to become a Psychonaut. Psychonauts are members of an international group that uses psychic powers to stop people who use their own psychic abilities for harmful purposes. In Psychonauts 2, the story continues after the events of a short virtual reality game called Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin (2017). The Psychonauts work to uncover who captured their leader and learn about the group’s origins and Raz’s family history. To solve the mystery, Raz enters imaginary worlds inside the minds of other characters to find clues. In these mindscapes, Raz uses new and returning psychic abilities to move through twisted environments and fight mental creatures.
The original Psychonauts game, released in 2005, received praise from critics but did not sell well and was considered a commercial failure for many years. Double Fine and the game’s director, Tim Schafer, wanted to make a sequel, but financial challenges delayed development. In 2011, Double Fine regained the rights to the Psychonauts series from Majesco Entertainment, allowing them to re-release the game on modern platforms. This re-release led to strong sales and increased interest in a sequel. To fund Psychonauts 2, Double Fine launched a crowdfunding campaign through Fig, raising nearly $4 million by early 2016. Initially, the game was to be published by Starbreeze Studios, but Starbreeze went bankrupt in 2018. In 2019, Microsoft acquired Double Fine as part of Xbox Game Studios and secured the publishing rights, allowing the game to be completed as planned.
After its release, Psychonauts 2 received mostly positive reviews from critics. Many praised its platforming, level design, visuals, writing, and tone. Some criticism focused on gameplay mechanics and boss battles.
Gameplay
Psychonauts 2 is a single-player platform game played from a third-person perspective. The player controls Razputin "Raz" Aquato, a 10-year-old boy who ran away from his circus acrobat family. Raz has strong psychic abilities that let him enter the minds of others. He is a new graduate of the Psychonauts, a group of psychic spies. Raz uses his acrobatic skills to move through game environments, such as running, jumping, climbing walls, and sliding along rails. However, he cannot swim because of a family curse. Raz learns to use psychic powers like fire control, levitation, and moving objects with his mind. Some abilities from the first game return, including "Mental Connection," which lets Raz attach to floating points. Up to four powers can be used at once, and players switch between them using a pop-up menu.
Each level of the game takes place inside the mind of a different character. Completing goals in these levels helps resolve the character’s psychological problems. The design of each level shows details about the character’s life and mental state. For example, one level is set in a mind affected by alcoholism, with beer bottles used as part of the environment. Another level takes place in a twisted mix of a casino and a hospital, reflecting a character’s gambling addiction. Enemies in the levels represent mental challenges. For example, "Censors" attack with stamps, "Flying Regrets" drop weights, and "Enablers" help other enemies. During fights, Raz uses his abilities, melee attacks, and dodging. If Raz falls or loses all his health, he restarts at a checkpoint. Some levels end with a boss battle.
When not playing through the main story, Raz can explore four different areas in the game world. He starts in the Motherlobe, a building that serves as the Psychonauts’ headquarters. Later, he can visit an open Quarry, a forested area called the Questionable Area, and a swamp known as Green Needle Gulch. Raz can talk to characters in these areas and complete side tasks, such as scavenger hunts. Players can revisit completed levels. Throughout the game, Raz collects items like Figments, Memory Vaults, and Nuggets of Wisdom. Some items, such as PSI Cards, improve Raz’s rank and unlock new abilities. In-game money can be used to buy Pins, which give helpful effects like extra health.
Synopsis
Psychonauts 2 takes place in a fictional world where psychic powers exist because of a special substance called Psitanium, which was brought to Earth by meteors. The Psychonauts are an international group that works to keep peace, studies the human mind, and creates technology based on psychic abilities.
In the game, the main character, Razputin "Raz" Aquato, is a young acrobat who admires the Psychonauts but is treated badly by his family because of his psychic powers. He runs away and joins Whispering Rock summer camp, where young Psychonauts are trained. At the camp, Raz helps stop a plan by Dr. Loboto and Coach Oleander to steal the brains of his friends and Psychonauts Sasha Nein and Milla Vodello. He also befriends Ford Cruller, the founder of the Psychonauts, and Lili Zanotto, the daughter of Truman Zanotto, the leader of the Psychonauts. Raz’s father, Augustus, later accepts Raz’s dream of becoming a Psychonaut and reveals that he has weak psychic powers. After saving Truman from Dr. Loboto, Raz joins Sasha, Milla, Coach, and Lili to rescue Truman.
Psychonauts 2 includes characters from the first game, as well as the other founding members of the Psychonauts, called the Psychic Six: Otto Mentallis, the chief inventor who helps Sasha with new psychic tools; Compton Boole, who taught animals to communicate telepathically; Bob Zanotto, Truman’s uncle who can talk to plants; Helmut Fullbear, Bob’s husband who lost his body and lives in a jar, losing his senses; and Cassie O’Pia, an author who writes about the mind and has a condition called multiple personality disorder.
Other Psychonauts at their headquarters, the Motherlobe, include Hollis Forsythe, the Second Head of the Psychonauts; Nick Johnsmith, the only non-psychic member who works in the mailroom; and interns training to become agents. These interns include Samantha "Sam" Boole, who can talk to animals like her family; Adam Gette, who uses yo-yos as weapons and keeps the Psychonauts’ history; Morris Martinez, who uses a levitating wheelchair; Gisu Nerumen, who helps Otto with engineering and rides a levitating skateboard; Norma Natividad, who is good at manipulating others and can control fire; and Lizzie Natividad, Norma’s younger sister who controls ice and is often moody.
Raz’s family includes his mother, Donatella; his older siblings, Dion and Frazie; his younger siblings, Mirtala and Queepie; and their Nona, who is Augustus’s mother.
After capturing Dr. Loboto and finding Truman’s brain, Raz and the Psychonauts enter Loboto’s mind to find out who helped him. They discover a vision of Maligula, a cruel character who used water powers to destroy a country called Grulovia. Maligula was thought to be dead, but her followers, the Deluginists, tried to bring her back using magic. The Psychonauts suspect someone inside their group helped Loboto.
At the Motherlobe, Raz works as an intern under Nick and finds a key to a room at the Lady Luctopus Casino. During a training exercise, Raz convinces Hollis to let the interns join a mission, but he accidentally triggers Hollis’s gambling addiction and must fix the mistake. In the casino room, Raz finds evidence of the Deluginists and a note that names Lili as the double agent.
When Raz shows Lili the note, she denies it and runs away. Truman later tells Raz he is faking his coma and asks him to bring Ford Cruller to the Motherlobe to help him recover his split personalities, as Ford knows the truth about Maligula. Raz helps Ford reunite his personalities and learns that Maligula is actually Lucrecia "Lucy" Mux, Ford’s former lover and Raz’s grandaunt. Lucy created Maligula as a response to abuse, but the personality became uncontrollable, leading to the destruction of Grulovia. Ford used a device called the Astralathe to hide Maligula inside Lucy’s mind and make her believe she was someone else, while also altering memories of Augustus and himself.
Raz warns his family, but Ford explains that revealing the truth might cause them to attack Lucy and trigger Maligula again. Ford and Raz find Nona, who is showing signs of remembering her past as Lucy. Using the Astralathe, they plan to banish Maligula permanently. However, Truman is revealed to be Gristol Malik, the son of Grulovia’s former leader, who infiltrated the Psychonauts to revive Maligula and destroy the group.
When Maligula is awakened, she attacks Green Needle Gulch, but Raz, Lili, and Norma escape. Raz returns to his family, who help him fight Maligula with an acrobat technique. With the help of the interns, Raz and Nona combine their powers to seal Maligula away. After the battle, Nona is forgiven, Truman’s brain is restored, Gristol is imprisoned, Loboto escapes, and Raz and the interns become junior agents.
Development
Double Fine's first game as a company was Psychonauts, released in 2005. The game did not sell well but received high praise from critics for its characters and writing. It gained a group of dedicated fans. In the years after its release, fans and game reporters asked Tim Schafer, the CEO of Double Fine and main creative leader for the game, to make a sequel.
Schafer wanted to return to the Psychonauts series, as the company had planned larger stories for the characters during development. To create the sequel, Double Fine needed a publisher interested in the game. Schafer shared with publishers that the game had sold many copies through online stores and also had many copies shared illegally.
After Double Fine successfully developed and published smaller games, like Costume Quest and Iron Brigade, Schafer felt more confident about making a sequel. He knew it would not stop them from creating new games. However, publishers still refused the idea. Some said the concept was too creative or not well-known. Others offered deals that did not match the scale Double Fine planned for the game.
In February 2012, Markus Persson, then owner of Mojang, publicly offered to fund a sequel through Twitter. Later that day, a Double Fine representative said Persson and Schafer were discussing the idea. Persson estimated the cost of the sequel would be about $18 million, much higher than expected. He warned fans not to get too excited about the funding possibility. Persson and Schafer met at the Game Developers Conference in March 2012, but no plans for funding were made. In February 2013, Persson said he was no longer trying to fund the sequel, as he did not have time to learn enough about making an $18 million deal. He noted others had offered to help.
At the 2015 Game Awards, Schafer announced Double Fine would make Psychonauts 2 using a crowdfunding campaign through Fig. The company aimed to raise $3.3 million, about one-third of the total development costs. This would be added to money from Double Fine and a third-party investor. Schafer said this approach, using money from many investors instead of one publisher, was similar to how movies are funded. He also said crowdfunding could reduce risks by showing public interest in the game.
Soon after the Psychonauts 2 campaign began, Double Fine announced a publisher-funded VR game called Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin for PlayStation VR. The game is a smaller, standalone chapter that connects the original game and its sequel. It features Raz and other psychonauts rescuing Truman Zanotto, tying into the ending of Psychonauts.
During the campaign, Schafer confirmed that many team members from the original game would return, including Erik Wolpaw as the writer, Peter Chan and Scott Campbell as artists, and Peter McConnell as the composer. 2 Player Productions, a video company that had worked with Double Fine on Broken Age, would also document the creation of Psychonauts 2. Double Fine planned to use Unreal Engine 4 to develop the sequel, saving time and money compared to creating a custom engine.
The campaign reached its funding goal five days before its 38-day deadline. A total of $3,829,024 was raised from 24,109 backers, with about 48% coming from investors instead of reward-based options. Some funds were delayed due to approval from the Security and Exchange Commission for unaccredited investors. Fig covered development costs during this time. The issue was resolved by September 2016.
In February 2016, Zak McClendon, who had worked as a design director at 2K Marin and Harmonix, was hired as lead designer for Psychonauts 2.
In February 2017, Starbreeze Studios invested $8 million to help digitally publish the game across all platforms. They would recoup the investment by taking 85% of profits until the cost was recovered, then 60% beyond that. The investment only affected distribution, as Double Fine kept control of the game's development and intellectual property.
Double Fine originally planned to release the game in 2018 but announced in December 2017 that delays would push the release to at least 2019. The game's first full trailer was shown at The Game Awards 2018 in December 2018. At this time, the game was in its alpha stage.
By June 2019, Double Fine was acquired by Microsoft as part of Xbox Game Studios. Microsoft bought the publishing rights for $13.2 million. Despite the sale, Double Fine said the game would still be released on all previously announced platforms. The acquisition allowed Double Fine to repay Fig investors earlier and increase revenue-based returns from 70% to 85%. Schafer said in a 2020 interview that before the acquisition, the team had to remove boss fights due to lack of funds but later added them back.
In July 2019, Double Fine delayed the game's release to 2020 to ensure quality. In July 2020, the release was pushed to 2021 to include an Xbox Series X-optimized version. A release date was officially announced at E3 2021. Double Fine announced on Twitter that the game had gone gold on August 6, 2021. On August 23, 2021, the macOS and Linux versions were delayed to an unannounced future date. Both versions were eventually released on May 24
Reception
Game critics said Psychonauts 2 was a successful sequel that was worth the long wait. Most reviews were "generally favorable" according to Metacritic, and the Xbox One version received "universal acclaim." Critics praised the story and character writing for being deep, funny, and handling serious topics with care. The game was also praised for its thoughtful and kind treatment of mental health issues.
The creativity in level design and the colorful art style were widely appreciated. However, some critics pointed out that the combat, boss fights, and upgrade systems had weaknesses. Pure Xbox called the game one of the best in 2021 and among the "greatest sequels ever made." Ars Technica said it was a strong contender for Game of the Year and called it "one of the best video games [they had] ever played." GamesRadar and The Guardian said it stood out in the platforming genre, while The Daily Telegraph called it a "straight-up classic." GameSpot called it an "astonishing achievement" and Double Fine's greatest work.
Critics widely praised the quality of the story. They appreciated how it mixed sharp humor with well-paced storytelling and handled complex themes with care. Ars Technica said the writing "shines in every dimension." Gaming Bolt praised the writing's charm and humor, even with deeper themes. Polygon and The Telegraph noted that the game's themes were more mature than the original. Eurogamer highlighted the game's exploration of consequences and the ethics of invading someone's mind without permission. Reviewers mentioned that this idea appeared in an early level where the main character, Raz, changes another character's mind and must deal with the results. Gaming Bolt said Raz was a strong, well-written lead character. The supporting cast was praised by IGN as a sign of strong writing. Video Games Chronicle (VGC) said the characters Horvitz and Black stood out. Ars Technica called the performances "pitch-perfect." Kotaku noted the cast's unique traits, supported by strong writing and acting. Hardcore Gamer said the interns were given smaller roles later in the story and criticized the pacing of the final act.
The story's ability to balance mental health themes with warmth, humor, and sensitivity was praised. Game Informer said the portrayal of mental health was artistic and Pure Xbox called it the game's "most incredible achievement." The Guardian said the portrayal was not perfect but was unpredictable. Gaming Bolt said the mix of serious themes with humor worked well. Eurogamer said the portrayal was both playful and sophisticated. Hardcore Gamer said the game explored themes more deeply than the original. VGC said the themes were handled with "immense care" and avoided clichés. Kotaku noted the game's exploration of the human condition and its "challenging, painful, wonderful complexity." Gaming Bolt said the game offered a hopeful message despite its serious themes. Ars Technica and Kotaku praised the way the secondary antagonist, Gristol Malik, was humanized. Polygon said the late-game allegory about a "tragic eastern European state" relied on outdated ideas.
The game's vibrant colors, original art, and creative level design were praised. Critics used words like "creative," "imaginative," "colorful," and "inventive" to describe the design. Influences included the works of Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, Sigmund Freud, and Pixar. Game Informer praised the aesthetics, and Pure Xbox called the architecture and character models "beautifully designed." Critics noted that each level had a unique style, and The Guardian, Kotaku, and Polygon said the levels avoided typical themes like ice, lava, or deserts. GameSpot said each level's art reflected the character's mental state. The Telegraph said the shifting story and gameplay were "delightfully disorientating." VGC said the levels would be among the best in platform gaming. Game Informer noted some outdated textures, and IGN said facial animations were stiff and some levels repeated structures. Hardcore Gamer and EGM said none of the levels matched the original's best, such as the "Milkman Conspiracy" level. The music was praised as "top-notch," "exuberant," and "incredible." GameSpot said the music helped connect different areas. Game Informer and Gaming Bolt said the music improved each level's presentation. Eurogamer highlighted the cooking show level's soundtrack as some of the game's best music.
Some reviewers said combat was a weakness, while others said it improved on the original. Descriptions of combat ranged from "dated" to "clunky." A common complaint was that players could only use four abilities at once, which made switching abilities disruptive. The Telegraph said the game lacked the "pixel perfect precision" of Ratchet and Clank. Ars Technica said long attack animations slowed down gameplay. Gaming Bolt and Pure Xbox said Raz's attacks felt weak. Hardcore Gamer praised the combat's intensity and pacing. Kotaku said combat felt like "mini-puzzles" that required mastering Raz's abilities. They said the need to switch abilities helped immersion and called the gameplay "responsive and smooth." Some said the original's poor controls were improved, with better control of Raz's movements. Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) said platforming was modern but that combat was only functional. Ars Technica had trouble with jumps and ledges. Game Informer and IGN said some jump distances were tricky but overall gameplay was satisfactory. GameSpot and EGM said some boss fights were repetitive. VGC said unavoidable attacks and few checkpoints were frustrating. GamesRadar said boss fights lacked creativity, and Eurogamer said "rickety execution" slightly reduced their fun.
Reviewers praised the game's side content but had mixed opinions about the upgrade systems. Gaming Bolt said the hub world was fun to explore and had no gap between the main story and side content. GamesRadar praised the world's visuals and story vignettes. IGN said the design felt like the original game's "folksy feel." Hardcore Gamer said the world was large and full of secrets. Kotaku said the strong writing made them want to learn more about the supporting cast, and VGC said side missions helped these characters shine. GameSpot said the game's natural intrigue encouraged exploration.