patrickyoung
Probably a much fuller game now, but I burnt myself out in the beginning.
2022
Very stylized and entertaining game, but not my cup of tea. Played for less than a hour.
2021
Somehow, 17 years later, Double Fine was able to improve practically everything from the original Psychonauts in Psychonauts 2.
Playing both games within weeks of each other I believe really helped my experience with this game. From the original game to this sequel, there is no drop in quality and is everything I wanted to see more of in a follow up. The writing is just as witty and clever, channeling the energy of the original without missing a beat. Platforming is just as precise, if not better, with super creative level design and better controls. The combat has been overhauled with awesome enemy variety and an increased move-set for Raz.
While the game's ending is probably its weakest segment, it is a proper resolution to the story going back to the first game. It is climactic and bold, if not a bit cheesy and convenient, but where the first game's ending came and went, Psychonauts 2's finale is much more pronounced and exciting.
Will there be a Psychonauts 3? God, I hope so; if it comes out in 2040 I will certainly be here for it. However, if Psychonauts 2 really is the last entry in this short, charming franchise, then it certainly went out with a bang.
Playing both games within weeks of each other I believe really helped my experience with this game. From the original game to this sequel, there is no drop in quality and is everything I wanted to see more of in a follow up. The writing is just as witty and clever, channeling the energy of the original without missing a beat. Platforming is just as precise, if not better, with super creative level design and better controls. The combat has been overhauled with awesome enemy variety and an increased move-set for Raz.
While the game's ending is probably its weakest segment, it is a proper resolution to the story going back to the first game. It is climactic and bold, if not a bit cheesy and convenient, but where the first game's ending came and went, Psychonauts 2's finale is much more pronounced and exciting.
Will there be a Psychonauts 3? God, I hope so; if it comes out in 2040 I will certainly be here for it. However, if Psychonauts 2 really is the last entry in this short, charming franchise, then it certainly went out with a bang.
2005
Psychonauts was a game I've wanted to play for a long time. With the recent release of Psychonauts 2, it seemed like the perfect time to play through the original—and it did not disappoint.
Like the Sly Coopers and Ratchet & Clanks of the early 2000's, Psychonauts contextualizes its fun platforming through its narrative, and is arguably one of the finest examples of this. The mind-bending, psyche-exploring story allows for super imaginative level design as the protagonist Razputin jumps in and out of the minds of the game's other characters. Their personalities are reflected in each of the levels and the game tells much of its story just through these details. Razputin and his long list of abilities are fun to use, and he himself is a pleasure to control.
The only problem I had with the game is its ending, which feels rather anticlimactic compared to the rest of the game. I was hoping I was not at the game's finale, but sure enough, after beating what turned out to be an underwhelming final boss, I was left disappointed. Narratively, the ending works, but from a gameplay/narrative side, it does not satisfy.
Overall, this is now one of my favorite platformers of all time, and I cannot wait to jump back into this world in Psychonauts 2.
Like the Sly Coopers and Ratchet & Clanks of the early 2000's, Psychonauts contextualizes its fun platforming through its narrative, and is arguably one of the finest examples of this. The mind-bending, psyche-exploring story allows for super imaginative level design as the protagonist Razputin jumps in and out of the minds of the game's other characters. Their personalities are reflected in each of the levels and the game tells much of its story just through these details. Razputin and his long list of abilities are fun to use, and he himself is a pleasure to control.
The only problem I had with the game is its ending, which feels rather anticlimactic compared to the rest of the game. I was hoping I was not at the game's finale, but sure enough, after beating what turned out to be an underwhelming final boss, I was left disappointed. Narratively, the ending works, but from a gameplay/narrative side, it does not satisfy.
Overall, this is now one of my favorite platformers of all time, and I cannot wait to jump back into this world in Psychonauts 2.
2021
This review contains spoilers
12 Minutes is a generally solid yet sometimes frustrating game. The time-loop mechanic encourages the player to make different decisions, which is where the majority of my enjoyment came from. Many of my first loops were spent experimenting, seeing just how radical the story would become.
Progressing the story however at certain points feels tedious because the way the game communicates player progression is ambiguous at best. When some key information is discovered by the protagonist, his dialogue with the wife character changes to reflect that. In other cases though (especially towards the end of the game) where it should seem like the dialogue should advance, again, it does not. While I enjoyed the experimentation in the beginning, when it came to moving forward meaningfully, I was never quite certain whether a loop progressed my available options, and I think that is the game's key flaw.
As for the narrative itself, it kept me invested to the end, but I feel some of its major plot reveals get spoiled since they are tied to player decisions. For example, the final reveal of the nanny's name being Dahlia, which is the protagonist's mother's name, has this weight in the story like this monumental reveal. When I received the dialogue from the cop where he tries recollecting the nanny's name, I was like, "Oh, it's probably Dahlia, right?" However, I didn't have the baby clothes with me, so I had to do another loop to progress it, and so by the time I got to the reveal, it very anticlimactic.
12 Minutes is an ambitious, intriguing game that ultimately came and went for me. I don't have much interest in going back now that it's done, but I want to play more games like this because I think this is a genre brimming with potential.
2.5/5
Progressing the story however at certain points feels tedious because the way the game communicates player progression is ambiguous at best. When some key information is discovered by the protagonist, his dialogue with the wife character changes to reflect that. In other cases though (especially towards the end of the game) where it should seem like the dialogue should advance, again, it does not. While I enjoyed the experimentation in the beginning, when it came to moving forward meaningfully, I was never quite certain whether a loop progressed my available options, and I think that is the game's key flaw.
As for the narrative itself, it kept me invested to the end, but I feel some of its major plot reveals get spoiled since they are tied to player decisions. For example, the final reveal of the nanny's name being Dahlia, which is the protagonist's mother's name, has this weight in the story like this monumental reveal. When I received the dialogue from the cop where he tries recollecting the nanny's name, I was like, "Oh, it's probably Dahlia, right?" However, I didn't have the baby clothes with me, so I had to do another loop to progress it, and so by the time I got to the reveal, it very anticlimactic.
12 Minutes is an ambitious, intriguing game that ultimately came and went for me. I don't have much interest in going back now that it's done, but I want to play more games like this because I think this is a genre brimming with potential.
2.5/5