You don't have to go far to come across creative genius Tim Schafer's name on this site, as the man has yet to put a major foot wrong, and it's titles like this that show just how overflowing his mind is with unique ideas and quirky, alternative-comic style stories and scenarios. The titular Psychonauts are a team of psychokinetic campfire-loving military cadets who your character of Rasputin (or Raz) desperately wants to be one of, going so far as to break into their training grounds in the hope that he'll be able to get taught their ways. That's where the game starts anyway, the adventure itself takes you far away from these humble beginnings and directly into the minds of the characters around you - which is where the unique worlds that comprise the campaign come from. It's all a work of genius, as with Raz you'll find yourself tackling elements of peoples' psyches alongside layouts that are based off an individual's personality or any number of character-traits. The opening level is a bombed-out cityscape you must traverse like an obstacle course due to being inside the mind of slave-driving Coach Oleander for example, but the overall appeal of Psychonauts goes far beyond just the characters and into every aspect of every level, and even tiny things like the bouncy, over-animated Pixarian way Raz himself moves through the environment. What was the last title you played on your PS2? Are there any hidden gems you think deserve a mention? Let us know in the comments!
