Psychonauts is the incredibly long-awaited, long-in-development game from Tim Schafer. I read somewhere that it's somewhat inappropriate to credit a game to just one person, but if you're familiar with Tim's previous work then it's really quite obvious that there's no other developer out there who could make a game like this. Pscyhonauts is ambitious in every sense of the word - but most importantly, it's FUN. Also, it's hilarious. The first thing you'll notice when you load the game is the incredible attention to detail. Even the process of starting a new game requires more than a simple press of the "Start" button - and it's at that moment when you figure out what you have to do that you realize that you are in for a gaming experience that's unlike anything you'd ever had before. The opening of the game in particular is incredibly charming - I had a smile on my face while I was CREATING A NEW PROFILE. While the game has all the superficial elements of a platformer - a likeable, plucky hero, lots of running and jumping, etc. - it does show its adventure-game roots. Every character you run into has a story to tell, and unlike most games, these are stories that are worth hearing. I might go as far to say that this game features the best voice acting I've ever heard - every voice fits the character design, and the dialogue itself is top-notch. You will find yourself laughing out loud quite often during this game, especially if you take the time to explore every nook and cranny - there are TONS of hidden easter eggs and other assorted goodies. The running and jumping elements of the game - all of which are delightfully animated - are complimented by a wide assortment of psychic powers with which you can dispatch your foes. From levitation to telekinesis, clarivoyance to pyrotechnics - you will have to use all of these abilities at some point in the game, and some of them - levitation in particular - are just fun to use in general. Where the game really stands out are the environments you explore. The vast majority of platformers all tend to feature the same levels - a jungle level, a lava level, an ice level, a cart level, etc. Not so in Psychonauts. There are two different planes of reality you'll be exploring, for one thing. The real world environments are huge, rich with detail and occasionally mess with the laws of physics, and the mental worlds are - pardon the phrase - completely insane. The clearest example of this is the "Milkman" level, which occurs roughly halfway through the game - this level has already achieved a certain level of infamy, as it is truly unlike anything you've ever seen. What's truly refreshing about the game is how each area you explore is completely unique - from a gameplay persepctive, you won't ever feel like you're doing the same old thing at any point, and the environments are so rich with detail that you'll likely spend a lot of your time simply wandering around and exploring. Again, there are tons of hidden secrets to be found, and they all help to rank up your character. Ultimately, I can't recommend this game enough. It's beautiful, it's funny, it's certainly easy enough to learn - but most of all, it's the most fun I've had playing a game in a really long time.
Remember summer camp? Getting up early, counselors pushing you to do things you didn't wanna do, coping with annoying kids, catching pneumonia... all the time thinking "Man, I wish summer camp was cool". Well, tough l... Read Full Review
By Chris_Potter | Review Date: Oct 06, 2006 | XBOX
Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp, a place I thought I’d go only once and then leave and never come back. Nothing could be further from the reality. Truth is from the first time I saw the intro sequence I fell in love ... Read Full Review
