Getting psyched for Psychonauts 2 with Tim Schafer

First Psychonauts It was released almost 16 years ago, and we have shared many stories about this cult classic. Now with Psychonauts 2, We can continue the adventures of Raz! To celebrate the game’s release, we caught up with legendary game designer Tim Schafer, founder of Double Fine Productions and creator of several classic games, who shares more details about the incredible universe of Psychonauts 2, create games with humor and why exploring people’s minds is ready to tell stories.

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Q: For those who have never played the first PsychonautsHow would you describe the game?

TO: Psychonauts is an action-adventure platformer set largely within the human mind. You play a young acrobat with psychic powers named Raz, who runs away from his circus home in order to pursue his dream of becoming a psychonaut. Raz’s psychic powers include levitation, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and most importantly, the power to astrally project into the mental worlds of game characters.

Q: Humor has always been part of your creations and yet video games that make us laugh are quite rare. How difficult is it to make people laugh through games and how do you make it happen?

TO: I think games are naturally fun because players are inherently mischievous and like to act bad when given the freedom to do so. When a game reacts to that kind of behavior, the comedy seems natural. A lot of the people who work at Double Fine are simply fun by nature, and that makes its way into the game.

Q: The concept of exploring other people’s minds is fantastic, but it can seem quite overwhelming because anything is possible, how did you choose which minds we were going to explore?

TO: The mental world environment for Psychonauts 2 means that a level can be anything. Any artistic style, any place, the rules that we want. We narrow it down by choosing ideas that support the themes of the level and help you understand the mental world of the person in whose mind you are playing.

Q: Can we expect new powers for Raz? Can you give us some examples?

TO: Yes, in addition to the returning powers from the first game (PSI Punch, Levitation, Telekinesis, Pyrokinesis, PSI Blast, and Clairvoyance), Raz gains three new powers in this game. Time Bubble, which allows Raz to slow down objects and enemies in the world; Projection, with which you can summon an archetype from your unconscious mind to help you in battle and with puzzles; and Mental Connection, which allows Raz to connect with the ideas that float around him and approach them in a fun and dynamic way. You can also make connections in a person’s mind that can change their behavior, sometimes leading to unexpected results.

Q: In the first game, new game types were introduced throughout the story, is this something we can expect from the sequel?

TO: Yes! On Psychonauts 2 We explore the history of Raz’s family, as well as the history of the psychonauts and the mysterious connections between them. This places Raz in unexpected game scenarios, like the pages of a book or the backstage of an amusement park.

Q: The universe you created could have been explored with other means, why did you choose video games? What does this medium allow you to do that other media would not?

TO: Video games are exciting because they involve many other creative and technical disciplines. We collaborate with artists, animators, musicians, designers, as well as all kinds of engineers to make our game. And doing something that takes hours and hours to explore allows us to tell epic stories with a rhythm that you couldn’t do in a movie.

Q: What do you think of Xbox Game Pass as a player and as a developer?

TO: We are very excited to have Double Fine games on Xbox Game Pass because I think it will make a lot more people take a chance and discover a game like Psychonauts 2. All Double Fine games strive to be unique and a bit unexpected, and this can work against you when you sell a $ 70 box at a store. But if someone is an Xbox Game Pass member, there is no risk of trying. Psychonauts 2. It’s just a shock away!

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Thanks to Tim Schafer for taking the time to answer our questions. Psychonauts and Psychonauts 2 they are available to play today with Xbox Game Pass.