Are you a fan of good games in particular very interesting and original platforming games? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions than a recently released game entitled Psychonauts is just want the doctor ordered. This game has to be one of the most original platform games that I have played in quite a long time. Read on to find out what makes this game tick and why you should rush out and pick up a copy for yourself.

The background and story for this game is very interesting. It starts off at a children’s summer camp that trains the next generation of psychic soldiers known as the Psychonauts. Players will take on the role of Raz, a powerful new student who dreams of becoming a Psychonaut. While he is just starting his training, many of his classmates start to disappear. Soon it is discovered that a crazy scientist is after the children’s powerful brains for some malicious purpose. It is up to Raz to stop this person using his special mental powers. Are you up to the challenge?

The controls for this game are really easy to pick up on. You will need to learn how to jump, double jump, swing on pipes, balance yourself on ropes, slide and jump down rails, and do many other tasks that are common in games of this nature. As players progress through the game they will obtain powers that will help them defeat various enemies on their quest. Here is just a sample of some of the mind powers he obtains: Telekinesis, Invisibility, Pyrokinesis (set things on fire), Clairvoyance (see through the eyes of others), as well as many other powers that will be a blast to use.

Like all platforming games there will be some item collecting that you must do. Psychonauts form of currency is a PSItanium arrowheads that can be found all throughout the level. If players see the ground glowing with purple energy all they have to do is go beside it and unearth the arrowhead. Not only that but you can collect the brains of fellow students and turn them in to increase your health. This is only a taste of the different items that you will collect in the game that will benefit Raz later on in the game if you accomplish this.

A very important thing in this game is leveling up, because the higher you level the more powers you can obtain. Luckily there are several different ways to level up, or as it is called in this game, obtain a higher rank. If players collect enough PSI cards they will be able to increase their rank by one point. If you find a PSI Challenge market it will increase it as well. There is an on going scavenger hunt; if you complete it you can get a maximum of an eight rank boost. When you are in the “mental worlds” you can collect figments of the minds imagination, and once you collect 100 points you can level up one rank.

Psychonauts is a great looking game. Everything in this game is highly detailed from the character models to all of the environments that players will go through during their adventure. The best thing about this game is the variety of minds (environments) that the players will eventually go into. All of these minds look completely different from one another, from war torn brain of the camp counselor to a psychedelic mind of a fellow camp student. There are so many different areas to explore that are completely different from one another, players will never find anything mundane here. The animation for the characters looks very nice and has a good flow throughout the entire game.

The voice acting for this game is top notch and to make things better the dialog is hilarious and informative at the same time. All of the voices and the characters that they are associated with fit this game atmosphere perfectly. The music and sound effects also really compliment the game. If you have a Dolby Digital setup then you will want to hook up your Xbox to it so you will be able to hear the great music selection that this game has to offer. You will not regret it.

Psychonauts is rated T for Teen. It supports 480p HDTV as well as in game Dolby Digital.

Gameplay: 9.0
Psychonauts is a blast to play and it will only takes a few minutes to get adjusted on how to play this game. There will be various challenges for players to overcome, but it is nothing that will completely get you frustrated.

Graphics: 9.3
Psychonauts is a really nice looking Xbox game. I really liked the entire “zany” theme the game had going for it and it works. One of the best things about this game is that all of the different levels are completely different from one another so you will never feel like you are going through the same level twice.

Sound: 9.2
The game has a great dialog and voice acting that compliments it. The music is really nice and fits this Psychonauts theme.

Difficulty: Medium
The game can get challenging in later levels, but it is nothing that more experienced gamers can overcome with a little trial and error mixed with some patience.

Concept: 9.0
Psychonauts is a really great game and the entire premise is something that is rarely, if ever, seen currently. The entire focus and story of the game is zany and addictive, making you want to collect all of the little things in each level to get that next level up to get various powers.

Overall: 9.2
Psychonauts is a really great game that you should have in your Xbox collection. The storyline is unique, the graphics are great, and the dialog is many times down right hilarious. You will find many hours of enjoyment in this game and will not want to stop until you see the final credits go across the screen.