Double Fine release the first official Psychonauts 2 trailer

Psychonauts is a great game. I hope this will be good as well.

I also have a confession to make, I have still never played Psychonauts. Am I mad? Should I seriously set time aside to play it?

Good question. I have it, but never bothered to actually try it.

I'm surprised by how low-fidelity it looks. I've been watching their youtube videos and followed the development and thought it looked better in those. At least when it comes to the videos, perhaps not actual game play. It's like they took the old models and just put them in the new game engine. The lighting is beautiful, but the meshes/models are a bit 'meh'.

I also have a confession to make, I have still never played Psychonauts. Am I mad? Should I seriously set time aside to play it?

It's worth it for the milkman conspiracy alone.

I'm surprised by how low-fidelity it looks. I've been watching their youtube videos and followed the development and thought it looked better in those. At least when it comes to the videos, perhaps not actual game play. It's like they took the old models and just put them in the new game engine. The lighting is beautiful, but the meshes/models are a bit 'meh'.

I actually thought this was great, as it got me instantly hooked into the feeling I want to recelebrate with the sequel. But then again, I only played psychonauts after the linux release, so it always was retro to me. :D
After watching the video again, I really think some characters would actually lose character with higher resolution.
I just hope they don't mess up the camera with this one. :D


Last edited by const on 7 Dec 2018 at 11:32 am UTC

I hadn't played it either until it came out for Linux a few years back, and... well, it hasn't aged well. I can see its brilliance, and how it must have been a revelation at the time, but it's obvious that it's from the early days of doing this kind of game in 3D when people were still learning how to adapt. There are parts that are needlessly confusing, things it could really do without, and in the end, although - I'll stress this again - I did enjoy it a lot, I just gave up.

And that worries me a little about the sequel. It has the potential, like so many other sequels that have been a long time coming, to be a massive disappointment by either remaining so close to the original that it retains all the flaws long-time fans had forgotten about (or gloss over), or by updating it for modern sensibilities to the extent that they feel it's been “dumbed down”. There's a fine line to walk there, and it isn't easy.

I hope I'm wrong. As I say, I did like Psychonauts. I'm looking forward to more of it in a modern engine. But this is Double Fine we're talking about here. They've got quite the track record when it comes to let-downs.


Last edited by Dunc on 7 Dec 2018 at 11:36 am UTC

Psychonauts wasn't just some game from the early times. It was a seriously groundbreaking and revitalizing game in a 9 year old, thought to be totally explored genre (Mario 64 was 1996, Banjo Kazooie 1998, Psychonauts 2005). Basically every good 3rd person game from after it has some roots in it.

And it had it's flaws. There were numerous times I didn't know what to do (Had to use a walkthrough, as I really wanted to finish it). There were sadistic jump sequences and the camera could really get into the way. No doubt about it.
I totally agree the chances are amazing but there's risk it will be like yooka laylee :(
In a perfect world, they acquired some human resources from sucker punch to show them how to get the mechanics feel natural and the camera behave. For story telling, I can put some trust in double fine :)


Last edited by const on 7 Dec 2018 at 11:55 am UTC

Psychonauts have not aged well. I'd advice you to wait for the sequel, Liam.

I also have a confession to make, I have still never played Psychonauts. Am I mad? Should I seriously set time aside to play it?

Good question. I have it, but never bothered to actually try it.

Then you should play it.

TODAY!!!!

It's an amazing little gem.

Do it now! :)

Psychonauts have not aged well. I'd advice you to wait for the sequel, Liam.

I think you really need to enjoy it in context. Playing it just after replaying some earlier 3rd person platformers will instantly make you appreciate what they accomplished with it. It's an important piece of gaming history and still enjoyable as such.

I can't wait for this!
Psychonauts1 is great and considering both my kids are getting into open-world platformers, this is perfect!

I might have to contact humbleBundle because I can't activate my Psychonauts1 on steam so they can start playing that

I loved the first one. The aesthetics, the humour, the music, the levels design... It has flaws but it's also unique. The whole product is an unmistakeable Tim Schafer game. And that, to me, it's always good.

Psychonauts have not aged well. I'd advice you to wait for the sequel, Liam.

I think you really need to enjoy it in context. Playing it just after replaying some earlier 3rd person platformers will instantly make you appreciate what they accomplished with it. It's an important piece of gaming history and still enjoyable as such.

A good game - as in a game worth playing - needs no context/excuse. I've always been of the opinion that if one have to make excuses to defend* playing it, then it's not worth playing. And Psychonauts really have not aged well. Very low polygon graphics, loads of visual and mechanical glitches, horrible camera, horrible controls, bad scripting, it is a game that deserves to remembered through rose tinted glasses.

* excuses like "it's good for;
- being so old..."
- so few developers..."
- having no funds..."
- being their first game..."
- being free..."

It might be nostalgia that's making me biased, but except for maybe for maybe one level near the end, it's still very fun to play (first played it when it was initially released on Windows). And for that level, I created a steam controller configuration that exploits the levitation power so you can basically float up indefinitely to help avoid the some precarious platforming falls.

I love the first game and still enjoy playing it every now and then. I'm super excited about the sequel! :D

Looks like more of the same.

Good.

I'm cautiously optimistic considering Double Fine's current track record for games since they became an independent studio has been surprisingly poor.

Perhaps this time they can wow audiences rather than blame them for their own shortcomings

Psychonauts have not aged well. I'd advice you to wait for the sequel, Liam.

I think you really need to enjoy it in context. Playing it just after replaying some earlier 3rd person platformers will instantly make you appreciate what they accomplished with it. It's an important piece of gaming history and still enjoyable as such.

A good game - as in a game worth playing - needs no context/excuse. I've always been of the opinion that if one have to make excuses to defend* playing it, then it's not worth playing. And Psychonauts really have not aged well. Very low polygon graphics, loads of visual and mechanical glitches, horrible camera, horrible controls, bad scripting, it is a game that deserves to remembered through rose tinted glasses.

* excuses like "it's good for;
- being so old..."
- so few developers..."
- having no funds..."
- being their first game..."
- being free..."

Why should a game have no context? For me, computer games can be art. Psychonauts is art. You can't completely appreciate art without context.
Damn, 90 % of the jokes I remember won't work without the target knowing a little context.

You are pretty much alone with your opinion and from my point of view, you are damn wrong.

Psychonauts have not aged well. I'd advice you to wait for the sequel, Liam.

I think you really need to enjoy it in context. Playing it just after replaying some earlier 3rd person platformers will instantly make you appreciate what they accomplished with it. It's an important piece of gaming history and still enjoyable as such.

A good game - as in a game worth playing - needs no context/excuse. I've always been of the opinion that if one have to make excuses to defend* playing it, then it's not worth playing. And Psychonauts really have not aged well. Very low polygon graphics, loads of visual and mechanical glitches, horrible camera, horrible controls, bad scripting, it is a game that deserves to remembered through rose tinted glasses.

* excuses like "it's good for;
- being so old..."
- so few developers..."
- having no funds..."
- being their first game..."
- being free..."

Why should a game have no context? For me, computer games can be art. Psychonauts is art. You can't completely appreciate art without context.
Damn, 90 % of the jokes I remember won't work without the target knowing a little context.

You are pretty much alone with your opinion and from my point of view, you are damn wrong.

Context is important, but not necessarily when you're asking "Is it fun to play in [current year]".

Pong is a very important game, when taken into context. The original Dragon Warrior is, too. They were both achievements of their time, and quite important. In context. But that doesn't make either of them any fun from a modern standpoint. Indeed, both are pretty damn tedious for anything more than a short session. And don't even get me started on the incessent grind that is Pokémon Blue.

Context, in this case, does mean you can appreciate the achievement it was at the time. But the question of "Can I have fun if I play this right now, before the sequel comes out?" doesn't rely on it.

In my opinion Psychonauts' charm and innovative design easily offset its quirks. The new game being a very direct sequel is as good a reason as any to (re)visit the original.

Maybe not for full price if you're not sure, but it regularly goes for 90% off at itch.io, GOG, Steam and Humble.