Psychonauts

Console Gameworld

A solid, traditional platformer made extraordinary through immersive narrative, a whimsical setting, and sheer creativity.

BonusStage

Epitomizes everything that I love about gaming. Creativity, ingenuity, artistry, variety, innovation, passion and emotion -- Psychonauts was designed with all of these attributes, and with them it is one of the most satisfying gaming experiences from start to finish you’ll ever have.

My Gamer

A brainy winner, at once mindlessly entertaining and intelligently designed.

Jolt Online Gaming UK

Psychonauts is one of those games that truly stands out from the crowd. With its eclectic mix of styles and outstanding design, it’s likely to be remembered in the same kind of way we look back at games like Beyond Good and Evil.

Gamezilla!

If you wake up in your chair at home, having mysteriously forgotten the last half hour of your memory, but with a fresh copy of Psychonauts in hand, don’t question it. Just play and have fun.

Worth Playing

A small issue I had with the game is the replayability; while you can go back and clear out all areas, there is no real payoff for doing so. Even with these minor issues, Psychonauts definitely comes strongly recommended.

Play Magazine

This port's still brilliant, still mind-bending and (certainly) still Psychonauts. [Aug 2005, p.51]

GameZone

Psychonauts isn't merely a game to watch, or a game you don't want to miss. It's THE action/adventure to get.

PSM Magazine

The freshest game we've played since "Katamari Damacy." [Aug 2005, p.72]

Thunderbolt

The crazy visuals are almost worth the price of admission alone, but the decent gameplay and a great sense of humor also help.

1UP

Whatever travails Psychonauts endured throughout its development history, the end result is a gem. It's a brilliant debut for Double Fine, and here's hoping it's just the start of what we can expect to see from them.

Yahoo! Games

Weird, funny, immensely playable, and has that nigh-unclassifiable thing we can only call charm.

RewiredMind

Psychonauts isn’t for genre enthusiasts; Psychonauts is for anyone who’s ever looked at a game.

Armchair Empire

A trip through his cerebral mass would be an interesting journey, just to see where Schafer comes up with his characters and their quirky realms.

Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK

Hugely inventive, charming and funny. Psychonauts is a surprise hit and this year's star platformer. [Nov 2005, p.128]

Pelit (Finland)

A wildly imaginative platform adventure. Framerate and visibility issues are a bit of a letdown, though. [Mar 2006]

TotalGames.net

In the history of PS2 platformers, there has never been an example that positively drips character like Psychonauts does. In fact, you'd be hard pushed to find an example in any genre.

GameSpot

Holds up to the challenge of being a platformer on the PS2 by delivering an experience that ranks right up there with the best the system has to offer.

GamingTrend

This is one of the best platformers around and easily stands up to the best that Sony puts out every year. I’d love to see a sequel.

IGN

This is an inventive game that's a bit too easy and not quite as polished as it could have been. Sure, it's no 9.9, but it's still something I highly recommend to anyone who likes to be entertained.

Game Informer

Much of the world's luster, from the textures to the character models, is sadly diminished in this version. [Aug 2005, p.85]

Just Adventure

Creative mayhem, and is at times crazy fun to play.

GameCritics

Despite these issues, Psychonauts is a wonderfully strange platformer. The idea of perception being a reality in itself is the kind of thing I'd like to see future games explore further.

Gaming Target

The level design is really great (I love Lungfishopolis and like Adam, I refuse to say why because it's just that great). The gameplay, however, isn't as inviting.

PALGN

Most definitely one of the best platformers for quite some time, and another Tim Schafer success story, but the game is still a little lacklustre and prevents it from becoming the pick of the crop.

3DAvenue

People are crying out for new styles of gameplay, which Psychonauts delivers, but we have a feeling that even if we tell you to go out and buy or at least try, most people will find themselves tempted by a more mainstream title, which is a shame.

AceGamez

The uniquely quirky presentation, brilliantly conceived storyline, excellent cut scenes and tremendously varied gameplay all combine for a totally refreshing and fun game experience.

GameSpy

The team at Double Fine has managed to seamlessly combine sumptuous, mind-bending visuals and a downright funny script to create one of the most inventive games to hit the PS2.

G4 TV

The levels are fun, the gameplay is solid, and the puzzles and bosses require more than a bit of brain matter to figure out, resulting in a nice sense of accomplishment every time you reach a new milestone in Raz's adventure.

Edge Magazine

It isn’t any kind of reinvention, but a revitalisation, with a style so rich that it becomes an integral part of the game’s substance; Psychonauts breathes imagination and individuality as effortlessly as most games steal from one another. [July 2005, p.84]

GamerFeed

The humor may not be for everyone, and the game fares a little better on Xbox in terms of performance, but otherwise, Psychonauts is definitely insane on your brain.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

Despite technical annoyances and later-level frustrations, Psychonauts is an absolute joy to play. [Aug 2005, p.80]

games(TM)

It’s not revolutionary by any means, nor is it particularly long, but thanks to some clever creative control the game delivers a funny, engrossing and downright weird experience unlike most other platform adventures. [July 2005, p.104]