Psychonauts Review

Brain Damage

Psychonauts is one of the most eclectic games that has ever been released. Tim Schafer, the tripster behind Grim Fandago, is the man behind the art direction of Psychonauts. The landscapes, the terrain and the entire games feel are miles ahead in terms of imagination and gameplay than any of the recent crop of recycled titles.

The psychonauts are an elite bunch of mind warriors. The game begins at Whispering Rocks Psychic Summer Camp. Young odd shaped creatures are being trained by Coach Oleander, who has two eyes of varying colours. Raz aka Rasputin, is a runaway who has infiltrated the ranks of Oleander’s clandestine introductory session. Seeing the psychic potential that Raz possesses, Oleander decides to train him to become the ultimate weapon of mind destruction, a Psychonaut. Having just a few days before his parents come to pick him up, Raz wants to make the best of what’s there and turn his grey matter into a robust machine capable of wreaking havoc on the evil forces bent on dominating the world and enslaving mankind for eternity.

The Pupil Dilated

What ensues would make Timothy Leary pale. Before becoming a psychonaut, Raz must traverse the minds and infiltrate the “emotional baggage”, repressed memories and hidden truths about people. Schafer’s exercise in trippery yields enough of ideas to keep your brain adrift. Emotional baggage, is literally a baggage with two eyes that sweat tears. Repressed memories are a metal case that dances around until you crack them open. As players continue, they get to gather points by collecting “figments of imagination” in dreamland and ancient Indian arrows in the camp’s perimeter, which culminate into psychic powers to be used in further levels.

Psychonauts seems inspired in parts from the groundbreaking genre defining Mario. It pays homage to Miyamoto’s beloved character with the use of “the flag” which Raz must climb at the end of every level to save the game. It also has the underground tunnel system much like mario, which acts like a teleporter to transport you across the game’s vast terrain.

The games controls are standard platform fair. The fighting system is a sensitive combination of random button mashing. The camera angles are slightly cumbersome during certain levels, but on the whole give great aesthetic value to the already blooming terrain.

Alice Unchained

The game’s graphics aren’t half as innovative as the game is, but this fact is easily overshadowed by the overall quality of production. The voice acting, the sounds, the indepth character design, the flamboyant artwork, each and every part of the game will mesmerize you. The game if followed linearly is short, but give yourself enough time explore the world of whispering rocks, and you can see the large scope of the game. The levels are large and wide spread. Inspite of this, the game’s engine is fairly smooth, and levels load with minimum ado. The scripting of sequences and dialogues is humorous, even the engine rendered as well as animated cut scenes do well to immerse you completely in the world, a few flights above reality.

Psychonauts is a must play. It is one of those few games which pinch your senses and dig the needle in deeper.