At first I was struggling to call Psychonauts a 3D platformer, as I feel it is more rooted in the adventure inspiration, but as I reached the end of the journey I could see why both halves are so important for the game to work.
Having said that, I still think the game shows its age and the platforming part suffers a bit. Especially at the start when I feel the narrative interrupts you from engaging in the platforming in more intrusive ways and at the end when you need the speed and precision but you feel the controls against you.
However the narrative shines. The characters, stories and worlds you explore make a whole that works better than just pointing the flaws of some mechanics or pacing. The creativity injected into the game by exploring these characters and worlds make it incredibly unique, in a way that even after all these years it is hard to find something similar.
At the end, Psychonauts is an amazing adventure game that uses platforming to emphasize its narrative in compelling ways and I could see why so many desired to see this series continue and I can share their passion.
Having said that, I still think the game shows its age and the platforming part suffers a bit. Especially at the start when I feel the narrative interrupts you from engaging in the platforming in more intrusive ways and at the end when you need the speed and precision but you feel the controls against you.
However the narrative shines. The characters, stories and worlds you explore make a whole that works better than just pointing the flaws of some mechanics or pacing. The creativity injected into the game by exploring these characters and worlds make it incredibly unique, in a way that even after all these years it is hard to find something similar.
At the end, Psychonauts is an amazing adventure game that uses platforming to emphasize its narrative in compelling ways and I could see why so many desired to see this series continue and I can share their passion.