It is crazy to think that this game came out 16 years after the first one. Double Fine managed to bring back the soul and spirit of the first game and make a bigger, better and truly wonderful sequel. It was obvious that this was made by people who poured love and care into it.
The premise is similar to the original. There’s a mystery to uncover and our hero Raz must travel into the minds of certain people to find clues and unravel this plot. But this time the story is bigger and the stakes are much higher and more personal for Raz. It's such a well-crafted story with beautiful and emotional moments.
Each level takes place inside the psyche of such character. I love how the level design visualizes the character’s personality, their history and psychological issues. The more we explore their minds the more we discover how they are connected to the overarching mystery, but also learn their life stories. Everyone is fighting their own battles and we get the opportunity to support them overcome their traumas and help them fight their demons…both figuratively and literally. The game touch upon some sensitive subjects and does a great job correlating it to the gameplay.
Some of the fan-favourite characters return and new ones are introduced as well. Between each level, you can freeroam the world and talk with these comical yet relatable characters. One of my favourite things to do is using the power ‘Clairvoyance’ on them to see through their eyes and look at how they see me.
Speaking of powers, all the psychic powers from the original come back, with improved mechanics. Plus some new powers are added as well. It was so fun using these to traverse, solve puzzles and of cause for combat. They took advantage of the current gen to polish the gameplay and graphics while staying true to their iconic art style.
If you haven’t played the first game I really recommend starting from there. These games were such a fun unique experience.
Rate: 10/10