A fresh experience with imaginative levels, topnotch sound, fun gameplay and one of the best stories told in a game.
Gameplay -------------- ( 8 )
Graphics --------------- ( 8 )
Sound ------------------- (10)
Value -------------------- ( 7 )
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THE GOOD:
> Solid and fun platforming gameplay with variety and some new ideas, that manages to feel fresh until the end;
> Cool psychic powers that are fun to use;
> A fantastic use of colors that combines perfectly with the artistic level design, giving a distinctive look to the game, that reflects very well it's out-of-the-ordinary theme;
> First-rate voice work supported by an exquisitely written speech, really helps bringing the characters to life, each one with his own personality;
> Effective sound effects and high quality original soundtracks, are put to great use, creating an engrossing atmosphere in each area;
> One of the best stories ever told in a video-game, mainly because of it's surprisingly well developed and inspired characters.
THE BAD:
> The camera doesn't try to capture the best angle for each situation, so you have to be adjusting it all the time;
> In certain places there is a clear lack of polish;
> The game is somewhat easy to beat, it's not a long game (15-18 hours) and you probably won't want to replay it;
> In the PS2 version, the frame rate is less consistent and the character models are less detailed, when compared with the PC version;
> The loading times are longer in the PS2 version.
FINAL WORDS:
Overall, the game is more then just the sum of its individual parts, where everything works together to create something truly unique and nothing feel out of place. It doesn't try too reinvent the genre, but manages to deliver a fresh experience by providing many highly imaginative levels to explore and a wonderful story, full of funny moments and entertaining characters. It's very sad that this game won't get a sequel, because it really deserved it.
In my honest opinion, even being a Mario fan, "Psychonauts" is a better game than "Super Mario Sunshine", although it sold much less. Too bad it was never released on the Gamecube, because I think it would have really helped a great deal to increase the sales of the game, since, at least from my point of view, it seems that most gamers that like this kind of game are those who like to play Nintendo games (like me).