Psychonauts

Psychonauts

Systems:

• Windows PC
• Xbox
• Xbox360
• PlayStation 2
• PlayStation 3
• Mac OSX
• Linux
• Releases:
  • Original Release: 2005

Publisher:

• Majesco Entertainment
• THQ (Europe)

Developer:

• Double Fine Productions
• Budcat Creations (PS2)

ESRB Rating:

• Teen (T)
• Reasoning:
  • Language
  • Cartoon Violence
  • Crude Humor

Psychonauts is a third-person action/adventure game with combat and platforming elements. It follows Raz, a psychic child who escaped the circus to become a Psychonaut, a psychic crusader for good. The game begins in a summer camp for young psychics, but the majority of the player's time is spent inside the minds of various characters. Raz uses his limited time to help others exercise their personal demons and uncover the sinister plot that is unfolding behind the cheery facade of the camp.

General Comments

The entire game is very cartoon-y. The violence isn’t graphic, neither are injuries. The aesthetic of the game appears as if it were made for children.

The main character's father is portrayed early on as prejudiced against psychics. Raz constantly mentions that his father wants him to deny who he is and be "normal". This could mirror homophobic or other prejudiced family environments for some players. Raz and his father eventually reconcile at the end of the game.

Animal Abuse

The lungfish is implied via slideshow and plot to be abused by Dr. Loboto. He implants mind control machines in her brain to make her kidnap children. The last level is filled with mangled rabbit enemies that cannot be avoided.

Animal Death

It is revealed at the end of the game that Oleander’s psychological problems stem from his father killing his pet bunny. Around the camp, several enemies are animals. This can be avoided by staying away from these animals (this can result in it being difficult to obtain some items). This is especially true during the night level.

Aquatic Violence

The main character, Raz, is cursed when it comes to water; he cannot be near water without a hand coming out and grabbing him to drag him underwater. One level has you fight completely underwater---the level precedes “Lungfishopolis” and begins right after you follow the glowing footprints into the lake.

Body Horror

The main villain steals brains from campers by making them sneeze them out. The brains are cartoonishly rendered. There are several scenes throughout the game of someone holding a brain.

The last level is filled with mangled rabbit enemies that cannot be avoided.

A sidequest involves Raz returning stolen brains. He picks them up with his hand, kisses them, and they shrink into his backpack. Again, brains are cartoonishly rendered.

Ford comes out of your ear when you use the bacon. This can be avoided by not using the bacon.

Brainwashing

The main villain literally takes out the brains of the campers. They are left with no brain and mindlessly wander around saying “TV”.

In the Milkman Conspiracy level it is revealed that the Milkman was brainwashed. This is revealed both in a Memory Vault and via dialogue. The Memory Vault is not required to be opened and all cutscenes with the Milkman are skipable.

Canines

There are anthropomorphic dogs in Black Velvetopia (Edgar's level). They are not aggressive and will not attack. They are painters that the Player Character must buy paintings from to progress.

Claustrophobia

During the underwater fight you are trapped in a bubble that you cannot leave without getting a “game over.” You fight within the bubble. Your perspective is high above the avatar.

Darkness

In the Milkman Conspiracy level, the Library level and the final boss require the player to be in complete darkness. The player is unable to see anything and must use psychic powers to navigate.

Depiction of War

The first level, Oleander's Basic Braining, is a war zone, including figments mimicking soldiers scattered throughout the level, explosions, barbed wire, etc.

Waterloo World depicts a game similar to Risk where "soldiers" (game pieces) are strategically placed on the board to capture territory.

Drowning

The main character, Raz, is cursed when it comes to water; he cannot be near water without a hand coming out and grabbing him to drag him underwater. It results in a game restart, with Raz pulling himself out of the water.

Electrocution

The "Game Over" animation when the Player Character dies appears to be Raz getting electrocuted. This includes buzzing electric sounds.

In Mila's Dance Party, there are certain areas that can electrocute the Player Character. These areas are apparent.

Some tanks in Lungfishopolis use electricity to attack.

In the Milkman Conspiracy level, the Player Character must side down telephone wires. The wires connect to poles that buzz and can electrocute the Player Character.

Emotional Abuse

Several characters deal with emotional abuse in their back stories. The Player Character gets verbally ripped into by a manifestation of his father and the manifestation tries to kill him.

The campers are not kind to each other. Many campers bully one another and use their psychic powers to change others' behavior. This can be avoided by not talking to people.

In Gloria's Theatre, we are privy to Gloria’s past emotional abuse and abandonment by her mother. It is acted out (poorly) by NPCs in a strange play that the player watches via cutscenes. The cutscenes are skippable.

Explosions

Explosions with fire and explosion noises happen in the first level on Oleander's training ground.

Cat enemies starting in “Sasha’s Shooting Gallery” and throughout the game will run up to you, start a countdown, and explode. The noise is about on par with dropping a large book on the floor. Only sparks come from the explosion, no fire.

Rat enemies in the Asylum level run up to you and explode on impact. The noise is on par with dropping a large book from very high. They are avoidable by killing them with ranged attacks, though sometimes can sneak up on you.

In Waterloo World, there are cannon enemies that shoot at the Player Character. They make explosion sounds.

Fire

Raz has a pyrokinesis power that sets enemies on fire. During nighttime in the camp, there are puma enemies that can set you on fire. These can be avoided by

The Milkman uses milk-molotov cocktails that are on fire. The final level also has enemies that will throw molotov cocktails at the player. There is also a vault in this level that shows the Milkman burning down a building. This vault is not required to be opened in the game. At the end of the level this is commented on.

A secret room in Mila’s dance party shows via slideshow children burning to death in a fire. To avoid, don’t go in the room. If you approach the secret room, Mila will tell you not to go into it.

Forced Implantation

The Lungfish is forcibly implanted with mind-control modules. This is not shown on screen but the after-effects are shown.

Ghosts

In the final level Raz’s dad interrupts the level by pressing into the level with a ghost-like presence, moaning Rasuptin’s name. While not considered a ghost by game standards, it evokes ghost-like imagery.

Guns

Giant boat guns are depicted in Oleander’s Traning area (1st level).

The range attack Mind Blast has a gun-shot sound, is a projectile attack. It is required to complete some levels.

In the Milkman Conspiracy, there is a sniper at the library that will shoot at the Player Character.

In Waterloo World, there are cannon enemies that shoot at the Player Character.

Heights

All levels contain some platforming elements that require you to jump from platform to platform going higher and higher. You can look down in most levels and you can easily fall. Levels that are particularly high are Mila's Dance Party, The Milkman Conspiracy, and Gloria's Theater.

To gain certain items in the game, Raz has to climb trees, tall rocks, get up on roofs.

Milkman Conspiracy takes place over open air and plays with perspective to make it look like you’re falling as you jump from area to area.

Jump Scares

Occasionally Rat enemies in the Asylum level will drop down on you. You can hear them coming, but sometimes they surprise you. This does not appear to be a jump scare mechanic, rather it is the enemies glitching slightly.

Kidnapping

The main villain kidnaps children and teachers at the camp to steal their brains.

Medical Malpractice

The main villain is a deranged dentist who uses pepper to make kids sneeze their brains out (literally).

Mental Health Institutions

An entire level of the game takes place in a rundown mental asylum. You explore the patients’ minds in-game and help them through their mental problems.

Mind Control

The Lungfish is mind-controlled via implants in her head to kidnap children. She breaks out of the mind control later in the plot.

Mutilation

Bunnies are put through a meat grinder. Not very graphic, cartoonishly rendered.

Mutilated bunny enemies appear in the final level.

The final boss is the result of two other bosses falling into a meat grinder and getting mixed together. The actual mixing is not shown on screen.

Offensive Language

Raz occasionally says “See you in Hell”, generally against animal enemies.

Parental Abandonment

In Gloria’s level the player watches via cutscene Gloria’s abandonment by hter mother at a terrible school. Gloria never sees her mother again. It is also implied that her father abandoned her too. Cutscenes are skippable. Raz talks about feeling shunned by his father.

Psychological Trauma

There is a room in Mila’s Dance Party that shows Mila’s psychological trauma. The room can be easily avoided (if you approach it Mila will tell you not to go in it) but it is required for 100% completion of the game. In the Asylum the player enters the minds of several psychologically disturbed inmates. The psychosis (as presented in-game) are: Gloria, delusions; Milkman, psychosis; Edgar: anger management; Fred, MPD. The disorders are cartoonish and stereotyped. The player eventually cures them via gameplay

Rats/Rodents

In the Asylum level there are rat enemies. They are cartoonishly rendered and are technically robots. They make squeaking and running sounds.

Reptiles

There is a turtle that talks towards the end of the game, after completing the asylum level. He is cartoonishly rendered.

Slavery

Shegor, the dentist’s assistant, is technically his slave (working for him for no pay). No mention of slavery is made, though she is mistreated.

Suicide

It is revealed in Gloria’s level that Gloria’s mother committed suicide. In the main game the suicide is only alluded to, however in the Memory Vault in the catwalks it is explicitly shown. This vault is not required to be opened to complete the game.

Supernatural Evil

Raz’s impression of his father, i.e. a demoic depiction. Final boss is demonic with a deep voice and malformed body.

Undead/Zombies

Mangled, cartoon-y rabbit enemies are undead rabbits.

Unreality

Multiple levels within the game take place within Non-player Characters' minds. The line between the mental world and the physical world is never crossed and it is easy to tell what is in the real world and in the mental world. However, when in a character's mind, the characters and figments of the mind appear real to the player and can still harm the Player Character.

Vehicular Trauma

In the level "Oleander's Basic Braining" there are crashed planes throughout the level. There are also sounds of planes falling out of the sky and crashing. There is a boss in the game that is a brain in a tank. The Player Character must partially destroy the tank to progress.

Violence Against Children

Children (campers) are kidnapped by a dentist who wants to steal their brains. They are released without brains. The Player Character is a child and can be harmed.

Weapons

Giant boat guns are depicted in Oleander’s Training area (1st level). Knife throwers exist in the last level that will throw knife projectiles at the player.

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