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With the above said, here's a funny one for you all: Psychonauts 2 comes with 'Accessibility Options', meaning that handicapped people get options that allow them to play and enjoy the game.
'Fair enough,' one would think, as Psychonauts rarely went raw on the platforming elements (Meat Circus excluded) but some people have already stepped forth and proclaimed (especially in light of some reviews of the game emerging recently) that this feature was put in for the game journalists first and foremost, and any actual handicapped people second.
With the above said, here's a funny one for you all: Psychonauts 2 comes with 'Accessibility Options', meaning that handicapped people get options that allow them to play and enjoy the game.
With the above said, here's a funny one for you all: Psychonauts 2 comes with 'Accessibility Options', meaning that handicapped people get options that allow them to play and enjoy the game.
'Fair enough,' one would think, as Psychonauts rarely went raw on the platforming elements (Meat Circus excluded) but some people have already stepped forth and proclaimed (especially in light of some reviews of the game emerging recently) that this feature was put in for the game journalists first and foremost, and any actual handicapped people second.
Well, this is a bit disappointing for the disabled, I think. I mean, it probably comes across a bit demanding to want a new feature like that to be a slider as opposed to a button. But I can't imagine the disabled will be happy that. upon turning on the mode named after them, the game will just play itself...
While it's unclear whether the game itself will be woke, it's clear as day that the people making it are. This disclaimer screen pops up while the game is loading:
On a related point, Psychonauts 2 is already causing some serious butthurt... but it's among the console peasants, so who cares?
In case you do care - it's because PlayStation fanboys users are butthurt that they'll get a downgraded version of the game for their PS5 consoles, while X-Box users will be getting the full frills of the game.
Woke devs seem incapable of not inserting their politics into their games nowadays. That combined with the fact that the more woke you are, the less fun your game will most likely be. Tim Schafer used to make good games, lately it's been all crap.
I'm cautiously optimistic because I haven't seen anything too bad so far, but not holding my breath either.
While it's unclear whether the game itself will be woke, it's clear as day that the people making it are. This disclaimer screen pops up while the game is loading:
On a related point, Psychonauts 2 is already causing some serious butthurt... but it's among the console peasants, so who cares?
In case you do care - it's because PlayStation fanboys users are butthurt that they'll get a downgraded version of the game for their PS5 consoles, while X-Box users will be getting the full frills of the game.
I don't see problems with the disclaimer or developers as "woke", they are just want to be sure that the game they struggled so many years & spent so much money to make will not be cancelled in a moment by some Twitter tranny with somethingphobia.
While it's unclear whether the game itself will be woke, it's clear as day that the people making it are. This disclaimer screen pops up while the game is loading:
On a related point, Psychonauts 2 is already causing some serious butthurt... but it's among the console peasants, so who cares?
In case you do care - it's because PlayStation fanboys users are butthurt that they'll get a downgraded version of the game for their PS5 consoles, while X-Box users will be getting the full frills of the game.
I don't see problems with the disclaimer or developers as "woke", they are just want to be sure that the game they struggled so many years & spent so much money to make will not be cancelled in a moment by some Twitter tranny with somethingphobia.
Exactly. Showing an warning image like that costs nothing and has no effect on the quality of the game itself, while it shields them agains any idiot who flips out on twitter because of "muhh mental health problems".
While it's unclear whether the game itself will be woke, it's clear as day that the people making it are. This disclaimer screen pops up while the game is loading:
On a related point, Psychonauts 2 is already causing some serious butthurt... but it's among the console peasants, so who cares?
In case you do care - it's because PlayStation fanboys users are butthurt that they'll get a downgraded version of the game for their PS5 consoles, while X-Box users will be getting the full frills of the game.
I don't see problems with the disclaimer or developers as "woke", they are just want to be sure that the game they struggled so many years & spent so much money to make will not be cancelled in a moment by some Twitter tranny with somethingphobia.
Exactly. Showing an warning image like that costs nothing and has no effect on the quality of the game itself, while it shields them agains any idiot who flips out on twitter because of "muhh mental health problems".
Microsoft has some of the most intrusive, cancer, rage-inducing DRM in the industry on the game pass app, but then they also release Psychonauts 2 and Wasteland 3 on GOG. I don't get it. Why not just make it easy for everyone to play and mod your games if you're going to release them DRM-free anyway? Or maybe they thought these games wouldn't sell well and wanted to get as many sales as possible?
Microsoft has some of the most intrusive, cancer, rage-inducing DRM in the industry on the game pass app, but then they also release Psychonauts 2 and Wasteland 3 on GOG. I don't get it. Why not just make it easy for everyone to play and mod your games if you're going to release them DRM-free anyway? Or maybe they thought these games wouldn't sell well and wanted to get as many sales as possible?
Microsoft has some of the most intrusive, cancer, rage-inducing DRM in the industry on the game pass app, but then they also release Psychonauts 2 and Wasteland 3 on GOG. I don't get it. Why not just make it easy for everyone to play and mod your games if you're going to release them DRM-free anyway? Or maybe they thought these games wouldn't sell well and wanted to get as many sales as possible?
In light of the imminent arrival of Psychonauts 2, I fired up the original for the first time in many years to refresh my memory, and for better comparisons with the sequel.
First obstacle was getting it to run. The 'official' versions available all work fine, except they're geared towards computer systems 16+ years ago - Psychonauts 1 only requires a Windows 98 OS with 256 MB of RAM to run (but Windows XP and 512 MB is recommended).
Fortunately there are two patches out there: An unofficial 1.05-patch, and the Widescreen Patch. The Widescreen Patch speaks for itself, allowing for the most basic of display upgrades to the game, but the 1.05-patch is a bit more mysterious, as I've yet to find any patch notes related to it. I'm fairly certain it 'upgrades' the audio drivers, though the downside of that is that the game is now unstable, and has crashed numerous times on me now, but only during level transitions. The game saving before crashing (so that no progress is lost) is the exception rather than the norm, so I'm unsure whether this is a viable upgrade or not. Anyway, I chanced upon a 'Repack'-release online which had both patches installed, so I used that and saved myself the headache of manually installing the patches (I actually own both the U.S. and European retail-releases of the game, as well as owning the game digitally on Steam and GOG, so I think I'm allowed to conduct a little piracy to save myself from time and bother).
By far the biggest fault I can put on the game are the controls - for the longest time they were actively resisting me, until I disabled 'Smart Camera' and 'Altitude Dampening' in the Options, after they only mildly resisted me. I'm too old to use a console controller, and I've come up with some bizarre keyboard+mouse schematic that keeps me going for now, but any super-fancy platforming is gonna take a couple of tries. Fortunately Psychonauts is very forgiving in its gameplay - previously only the final level gave people any serious trouble, but official patches toned that down recently so it's more fair, but still with a few rough edges. Otherwise you'd have to be handicapped/retarded/a game journalist to have trouble getting through this game.
Graphics-wise I'm spotting two problems: Low-res textures and a short view distance. This game can offer some beautiful vantage points which would allow you to see almost everything in a given area. But technological limitations means the draw distance is painfully short. The best example of this is the parking lot - check for when the basketball net appears and you'll know what I mean.
With all that aside, we can look at the good parts - and there are TONS of those. Psychonauts is of the rare ilk of games that gets better the further you progress in it - the first level is a literal warzone (meh), the second one a minimalist cube with spring-action scenery (interesting), the third level a plot-related amalgamated corridor of various elements, and the fourth level a giant pinball-themed dance club, complete with a race track (Ooh!). And the levels after that get even stranger and cooler, to the point that there's never a dull moment, and nothing feels rehashed or overdone.
The audio aspects are top-notch. Both the music and voice-acting are essentially faultless. A brilliant, diverse and very fitting soundtrack plays in the background and yet never encroaches on the gameplay. That, combined with a talented set of voice actors, makes Psychonauts a feast for the ears, though I have to point out that the unofficial patch may make certain SFX way too loud. (People might be pleased to hear that all of the original voice actors return for the sequel, plus a few welcome additions.)
But the creme de la creme, the absolute high point of the game, are the characters and the writing. Along with Raz, the staff and the antagonists, there is a cast of 20 children who are staying at the Whispering Rock summer camp, and the sheer length gone to make them into deep, relatable characters is nothing short of phenomenal. Observation alone can often reveal what personality each child contains, but their last names also tell a tale. The chattermouth who tells nonsensical stories has the last name of Tripe. The bossy girlfriend has the apt last name of Doom. There's a child at Whispering Rock for everyone to relate to, or loathe, or feel indifferent about. And here's where the sheer brilliance of the writing starts to set in; although the game stars a child and most of the cast are children, the game is dealing with some seriously adult themes. Severe mental issues are aptly abound in this game, but that's not all; two of the children are in a suicide pact, we get to see the weakling bully victim become the bully, and the infamous 'burning orphanage'-scene will haunt people for the rest of their days. Everyone in the game has their personal demons to deal with, and you get to not only watch them, but smack most of them around. It's an experience only a video game could possibly convey. The writing also encourages players to experiment with everything - the game gives you a feather so you can tickle everyone, and later on you get a turtle to show to everyone. Then you can also try out every Psi-power you have on everyone, for some interesting results. There are some truly memorable lines in this game, but some may require some extreme experimentation to hear them. (One rarely cited example; break things around Edgar while he's still chained up in his room, especially the paintcans on the floor.)
Overall? This is one of the best games of the 2000s, and a personal favorite of mine, probably ranking in my Top Ten Games of All Time. It's not a (game) mechanically intricate game, but a conceptually intricate game. Those are few and far between. I feel grateful for having had the chance to play this game, that's how good it is.
Finally, here's another fan's take on the game:
# In Raz's memory vault where he runs away on the circus, he's given a pamphlet for Whispering Rock by a Mysterious Person. Who is that? It's not Oleander, the moustache is too twirled and he's tall. Something to keep an eye on in the sequel?
# In the Milkman Conspiracy, there were at least two instances where Raz was ambushed by some fire-themed monster (yes, I know where it's first seen) and dragged down somewhere, leading to a mini boss-fight. What was the connection of this to everything? Did this have something to do with Boyd burning down the workplace that fired him?
# Has anyone ever tried to pin down in what era Psychonauts takes place? It's not that easy to pin down, but close to 1980 isn't out of the picture.
First obstacle was getting it to run. The 'official' versions available all work fine, except they're geared towards computer systems 16+ years ago - Psychonauts 1 only requires a Windows 98 OS with 256 MB of RAM to run (but Windows XP and 512 MB is recommended).
Fortunately there are two patches out there: An unofficial 1.05-patch, and the Widescreen Patch.
It's not a (game) mechanically intricate game, but a conceptually intricate game. Those are few and far between. I feel grateful for having had the chance to play this game, that's how good it is.
As for the meat circus I simply haven't noticed any difference, beat it first try, I guess I've played the game too many times and became used to its controls quirks.
Once you reach the Meat Circus you now have infinite lives, I'm 95% certain this was NOT the case in vanilla Psychonauts, and losing all lives forced you to redo the Meat Circus from the start.
Another part dealt with the 'Circus Tent', where the water level would constantly rise and never be forcefully reset after restarting from a checkpoint. Meaning that you had to make consistently good progress from the beginning in that bit in order to have a chance to complete it. (That was the biggest improvement IMO.)
I'm also 95% certain that they just cut out a chunk out of the circus tent-part, I remember replaying the game after they fixed it and going "Hey, what happened to that segment of the level?"
