Psychonauts

Psychonauts is the best platform game ever to grace the Xbox.

The production values of Psychonauts are the icing on the cake. As already noted, the game is always visually appealing, but it excels in its audio too. The voice acting is consistently believable and of high quality. The music changes as often as Raz jumps a mind and it includes everything from flamenco guitar in Black Velvetopolis (don’t ask) to the 1812 Overture in the mind of a patient with a Napoleon complex. Sound effects that accompany Raz’s action are also first-rate.

Taken as a whole package, Psychonauts is the best platform game ever to grace the Xbox. The combination of solid gameplay and a clever and intelligently written story make this a game that must be experienced to be fully appreciated. My greatest fear is that since it is not an established franchise or has some lame license hung on it, gamers will never buy it and give it a chance. Gamers who don’t try it will miss one great game, while the adventurous gamer who takes a chance and gives Psychonauts a play through will count it as an unforgettable game with production qualities that are some of the best of the year.