GOTY 2021: #3 Psychonauts 2

Taking our bronze prize is Psychonauts 2, a sequel that we've been eagerly awaiting for 16 long years. After watching the Shenmue series return recently and struggle to recapture the magic of its predecessors, we had similar doubts regarding Psychonauts 2. These fears were only exasperated to by the fact the game was delayed on multiple occasions. Thankfully, though, Tim Schafer and co. pulled another winner out of the bag and managed to deliver a follow-up that was even superior to the cult classic original.

Acting as a direct follow up to the VR spin-off Rhombus of Ruin, the sequel follows Raz's first days as a newly recruited Psychonaut. It brought a smile to our face to hear the original voice cast reprise their roles all this time later and there are many great newcomers too. The most memorable of these was, of course, Jack Black, who plays as the singer in a psychedelic rock band. Black just steals the show in this role, and the original track he performs vocals on we've not been able to get out of our heads for a long time. The actor isn't the only A-list talent present, as Elijah Wood and James and Elyse Willems also lend their voices.

The combat system is one of the areas Psychoanuts 2 improved upon the most, as Raz's PSI powers have a more vital role. Instead of just spamming the same couple of attacks, players can slow foes down, set them on fire, and target them from a distance with projectiles. Each enemy has their own set of weaknesses too, which incentivises you to mix up your attacks to dish out the maximum amount of damage. Just like in an RPG, these abilities can be levelled up within the all-new skill tree system to have more potent effects.

There is also a more diverse range of enemies for you to unleash these new powers on and these are creatively inspired by different mental health conditions. Along with the usual censors, you'll find yourself squaring off against Panic Attacks that move in unpredictable patterns and Bad Ideas that toss exploding light bulbs towards you. There are even enemies known as Enablers that resemble cheerleaders and prevent other enemies from taking damage. Battles just feel really creative because it feels like you're taking on a character's personal struggles rather than just some faceless enemies.

Raz's adventure once again sees you explore several colourful worlds in the minds of its characters, and we were stunned by how original and creative each felt. The first level in the mind of the nefarious Dr. Loboto is themed around his profession as a dentist; we can't say we've explored too many levels in gaming inspired by good oral hygiene. Another standout plays out like a cooking show, and it tasks you with quickly making meals out of its audience members to serve up to three puppet judges.

Not only do these levels feel different aesthetically, but they also contain contrasting styles of gameplay. In a level set in the bowling alley, we had to ride on the top of a bowling ball inside a micro-sized world occupied by humanoid germs. Another of our favourites changed the game into a linear 2D platformer, and we had to scale our way across the pages of a book. The amount of ideas here is plentiful, and the core platforming never feels stale.

It's pretty amazing to think that Psychonauts 2 has helped elevate the series from a dusty overlooked classic to a true game of the year contender. Double Fine both corrected the flaws of the original and helped to expand upon its unique premise in many meaningful ways. The combat is much more diverse and engaging and its many creative mental worlds constantly shake up the core platforming. Hopefully this time we won't have to wait a further 16 years for Raz's next fully-fledged adventure.