You know, second chances can be fun. Here's a fun little story: back in 2018, I decided to try "Psychonauts" on the PlayStation 4 thanks to the then-recent announcement of "Psychonauts 2." However, I was struggling to enjoy myself with it, and I dropped the game later in the year. However, as we got closer to the release of "Psychonauts 2" (and the game started to look better and better), I kept feeling like the game deserved another chance. As a fan of platformers, I kept feeling like maybe I was missing something, or perhaps it was because the PlayStation 4 port was based on the PlayStation 2 port that was not as well-received as the original Xbox version. And sure enough, after receiving my Xbox Game Pass subscription...there was the Xbox version of the game staring me in the face, perhaps even enhanced by the Xbox Series X. I gave it a second chance, and I'm very glad I did because it's a great game.
"Psychonauts" is a platformer that's still loaded with unique and fun ideas that translate well in the finished product. The quirky, oddball story is very clever and enjoyable, and the characters are plenty of fun. The writing is loaded with plenty of weird humor that nevertheless lands excellently, and the visual design stretches the absurdity of the game as far as it can. The overall platforming gameplay is smooth and feels great even after so many years, and the addition of the psychic powers adds a nice flair to the gameplay. I also find the level design to be excellent, and in pretty much every level, it's very interesting to explore. The puzzles are also challenging, but once you get used to them, they’re very compelling.
It's certainly not perfect, and it does show a tiny bit of age in some areas. The game can get very grind-heavy at some points, notably as it moves further along, and some of the minor gameplay frustrations (largely in relation to controls) can add up, especially in the final level. Also, even on newer consoles, some technical hitches can mar an otherwise smooth experience.
Overall, the minimal flaws of "Psychonauts" are offset by the constantly fun and bizarre ideas that still play very well today. I'm glad I gave it another chance because this is a great game that I highly recommend to platformer fans. Fair warning, of course, preferably get it on Xbox and not PlayStation (largely because of the PlayStation's port), but either way, you'll have yourself a blast with this game.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"