#and watched a playthrough of my second favorite psychonauts level

[visterical]

fugo who I was not trying to draw but do love. I was trying to draw some risotto headcanons (or general headcanons that unfortunately I do not think the fandom would enjoy)

[hccupit]

Thank you for introducing me to Psychonauts. I don't have a computer and it isn't on switch, but I keep watching the playthroughs and I'm so excited but it's like child-like giddiness? Anyway, what's your favourite level in Psychonauts 1 and 2, and what do you think of Rhombus of Ruin?

:]]] awesome, i am always glad i could share my favorite games!

my favorite brains in 1 are the milkman conspiracy, and meat circus (its hard, notoriously so and all, but i think the challenge is usually fun and satisfying to beat). and in 2 is a very hard choice between bob's bottles, psi king's sensorium, and fatherland follies- though i haven't done a second playthrough yet because i've been working on animating.

bob's bottles is the level that hits closest because my partner has ptsd and i felt the interpretation of it was insanely smart and overall landed very close to home.

as for my thoughts on ror, it's ok,, i like the little bit of sasha and milla developments that they don't really get in the sequel, and the loboto backstory is amazing ofc, but overall not one i go back to rewatch really, as most of the game i don't really find any of the comedy lands. raz talking to himself gets kinda sad to listen to, hes trying so hard to be funny, and it is not working. it was fun when it first came out and i was just excited to have something new.

[paperpennies]

What have to be your favorite levels in the second game? How do you feel about the new characters? Any favorites in particular? (Also I know exactly how you feel, I LOVE this game too much so now I'm watching more playthroughs from streamers this time to see how they feel about the game :D)

Hope you have a nice day btw!!

Hi! 

Those are hard questions, actually! I like all the different levels for different reasons. They’re all so creative and unique; I don’t think I can pick just one. But some highlights that are coming to me now (cut bc spoilers, even though it’s tagged): 

I did really love Cassie’s level, especially the flashback section in the docks. It just has such a cool look and sound, even within the context of the level itself. And Bob’s Bottles is so sweet and sad, and I think it does an especially lovely, subtle job of expressing what he’s going through.

Ford’s levels are all super dark in a way that I feel like no other levels in either game match, which makes them very memorable. (Plus major props to the programmers on those bowling balls in Strike City, because that mechanic could have been ultra frustrating but instead it was really responsive and fun.) 

And Fatherland Follies it just *chef’s kiss* perfection. Totally unexpected and yet brings everything together in a way that makes it a super satisfying twist. THE best take on a villain monologue I’ve seen, maybe ever. Also it’s hilarious. It’s such a delight partially because the whole story leading up to it is getting increasingly bleak and frightening and confusing and you don’t know where it’s going to go- and then you get Fatherland Follies, and it’s like coming back home to everything Psychonauts was always meant to be. A++

Oh, and the real world areas are all amazing! Way more of it than I expected and just beautiful. The Questionable Area is just so good. 

As for characters, I think I enjoyed every new character! They all brought something to the table that made the game richer in some way. (None of them grabbed my heart and latched on like a koala the way Sasha and Milla did, but that’s fairly rare for me, anyway.) That being said, how can you not love Sam? And I really like the direction Tim went with Hollis. Psychonauts has always been great about giving you characters that you might expect to be one way, based on the surface things you know about them, and then giving them depth in unexpected places. And he’s not new, but...Raz is just the most precious boy. All I want for him is to have the happiest and best life. 

Thanks for asking me to ramble. I hope you have a nice day, too!  

[ccliffjumperr]

you should totally tell me all abt psychonauts since i still havent gotten into it im v busy but spill 👀

Well, spoilers ahead! But I would really, really recommend watching a lets play or all cutscene compilation of the games, one of the most fun parts is piecing together the story when you don't know everything. And maybe if you happen to be in my discord server, I can get another server playthrough to happen depending on if anyone who can stream it wants to play.

So spoilers under the cut.

I don't even know where to start!!!! This game has so, so much. The first and the second! I just finished watching Snapcube play through Bob's Bottles. Happy(?) to report that I still tear up. It's such a good level!!!

Like I know that everyone loves this level, but it's for a good reason! There's so many layers! The bottles not only match the whole island theme (and it's an island because of how alone Bob is) but also it's because he's an alcoholic but ALSO it's because he bottles up his feelings and memories.

And the Sensorium... oh I still have wonderful memories of playing that for the first time. My friend Reven and I were staying up super late to play Psychonauts 2, and the only things I knew about it was the brain in a jar level, so as soon as I heard about getting Nick a brain, I was on my way to Otto's lab asap. I didn't even get the gadgets from Otto, I was too distracted! I missed a lot of dialogue. But anyway, when I went into that level, I really did have no idea who it was. I was just wandering around with my little buddy Psi King, taking in all the beautiful sights. Eventually I was convinced that this brain belonged to "that guy with the beard from the psychic 7" because of all the figments of him. And that he seemed to match the aesthetic the place had going on.

So I was very surprised when Psi King started to sing and then turned into Helmut. I grabbed my friend's arm and went "it's the viking guy!!! it's the viking guy!!". I didn't expect to like that character, but as soon as I saw him it was favorite character at first sight. I fell in love instantly. His design is so good. It was like. 4 am. When we got to his memories, it took me so, so long to figure out that the senses were his friends. Even when Dr. Touch directly got called Otto. It did click when he was talking about Bob though. To quote Reven, "the only reason they didn't kiss was because he's a fucking ear". We went to bed around 6 am and I could not stop thinking about Helmut Fullbear.

I can't think about Helmut and Bob for too long without getting sad, or angry. Both of their lives were ruined because Ford was like "whoopsie!! I fucked up and forgot!". I don't forgive him for what he did, but he is still my friend. Bob and Helmut lost so much time together. Twenty years... (or thirty years. I know they say 20 but it makes a lot more sense if it was 30 years). And when Helmut gets back? Bob is old, and he's been drinking for years. How much time does he have left? Ten years? Twenty years? And with Helmut, did the hyperice stop him from aging? Maybe, but would it still be like he had aged normally? Like he still looks the same, but physically he's in his 60s. Is it better to lose twenty years of your life and die "early", or is it better to still have those years but you're living them without your husband? These two make me sad. And it didn't have to happen if Ford had just not forgotten. Or labeled the jar. Or Otto investigated this random brain he found more. If Ford had just TOLD PEOPLE. Ok now I'm angry at Ford again haha. He fucked up. Didn't even say "I'm sorry." I mean at least he knows he fucked up and he regrets it and he tells Raz this, but come on. At least say I'm sorry.

Now I'm just going off on hypothetical scenarios, but if Ford apologizes to Bob, Bob would get angry and yell at him. But that doesn't make anything better. It doesn't even make Bob feel better. Having someone to direct his anger at should have helped, right? Part of him wanted Ford to argue back, to stop standing there quietly, but that was selfish of him to think. There was nothing left to be done. Ford knew he had done something wrong. He knew it was his fault. And he had apologized. Yelling at him wouldn't change anything.

I was gonna talk about all of Psychonauts but I ended up just talking about Bob and Helmut again. Whoops! I really, really like them. I wish I could replay the Sensorium right now. Ok but to talk about something other than those two!!! My top five favorite characters are Helmut, Bob, Cassie, Lizzie, and Mirtala. Yes, I know Mirtala does like. nothing. I don't care. I think she's neat. I also think Cassie is neat. She still wants things to go back to how they were before. I mean, who doesn't? But that won't happen. However, that isn't going to stop her from trying to trying to spend time with her friends again!

I've found myself talking about Helmut again. He is my friend. I mean, he does call Raz his friend as the Mote of Light, which I think is nice. And now, Raz is kind of like a nephew to him! Also I love the idea of him mentoring Frazie when she becomes an intern. I think that's really good.

I don't know how to end things so um. Ending! Yeah. Now I kinda want to write something about Psychonauts. I have ideas, I just don't really know where to start. Maybe one day...