There were however a few occasions in the game where I found that something Raz or somebody else said caught me by surprise with how much I needed to hear it. Not quite in a profound sense like a heavier, more serious game might, but instead in a fun and unexpected way. A load off my mindĭespite its cartoon appearance and witty humour, Psychonauts 2 has given me new ways to think about what goes on inside my head. ![]() However the Emotional Baggage and Memory Vaults felt the most relatable in terms of what we may all experience at one time or another in the real world. There are plenty of other things for Raz to find throughout Psychonauts 2, including Figments, Nuggets of Wisdom, Half a Brains, and more. Once you've cracked the vault, players will see a slide-show made up of a character’s memories which typically give more context to their state of mind – most of the time, these vaults feature some kind of tragic event that gives reason to why said character is troubled. ![]() Once spotted by Raz, these four-legged combination locks run away and require Raz to catch up to them before using PSI-punch to open them. For me, it almost takes away the stigma of the term "emotional baggage" because all I can picture is a hat box crying inside my head.Īnother collectible worth uncovering are the Memory Vaults. Although not as deep as some of the other mental metaphors found throughout Psychonauts 2, I still love the idea of our minds containing literal baggage. The aim of this collectible is to reunite the tag to its suitable baggage to cheer it up again. The studio also tied other mental health concepts into the collectibles that are found throughout the game, helping to encourage exploration beyond the critical path and Raz to take a break from battling inner-demons of the mind he enters.Īs he explores a mental realm, Raz will come across Emotional Baggage – bags that are dotted around the world and are all upset due to missing their luggage tags. Collect your thoughtsĭouble Fine didn't just leverage negative energies to help liven up Psychonauts 2's combat. Of course, it’s not that easy to eradicate them most of the time in real-life, but the thought is enough to make me smile in a potentially tough situation and can sometimes make them feel easier to deal with. Now, if I ever feel doubts or regrets sneaking their way in where they don't belong, I just imagine I've got the power of Pyrokinesis or PSI-blast to take them out. After Doubts there's Regrets, which "can weigh you down", Bad Ideas, that "can blow up in your face", Panic Attacks, that "come out of nowhere", Enablers who "support negative thoughts", and Bad Moods which cloud Raz's vision and require him to "find the source" to defeat it.Īgain, although these brain-themed enemies were created to fit in with Psychonauts 2's overall concept, having them made tangible in the game has caused me to think about them differently whenever they arise in my own mind. Throughout the rest of the game, Raz will also encounter several other enemies in the same manner, which all have ties to real world feelings. ![]() When confronted with that first Doubt, players are presented with a short explanation which in this case reads: "Doubts: Can hold you back" before you quickly realise that this is meant in both the literal and figurative sense as the gooey monsters can slow Raz down if he steps in their slime trail. ![]() Loboto isn't sure that he’s done the right thing following his kidnapping of Psychonauts head Truman Zanotto. Not only is it a slimy creature, but also an inclination that Dr. Loboto's tooth-filled nightmare, Raz will find his first Doubt. With each enemy getting its own introduction that features a subtle nod towards the actual negative feeling it's based on.įor example, whilst traversing Dr. Along his travels, Raz will come across combat opportunities involving Doubts, Regrets, Panic Attacks, Bad Moods, and more. The mental metaphors in Psychonauts 2 don't end there though, as the enemies Raz encounters on his mental road trip act as a constant reminder that you’re exploring somebody's mind. "If I ever feel doubts or regrets sneaking their way in where they don't belong, I just imagine I've got the power of Pyrokinesis to take them out"
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