Question Of The Week [July 2nd 2025]

Q: What Is Your Favorite Game Of All Time?

A: I get this question all the time while streaming, and it’s never changed since 2005. Psychonauts. Made by Double Fine Productions and the mind of Tim Schafer, it’s about a boy named Raz at a psychic Summer Camp. All the kids are learning to be psychics and use their powers. The camp counselors are an eclectic group of oddballs and underneath the camp there is more to it than just a basic summer camping experience.

The reason it’s my favorite game of all time, is that it’s simply one of the most creative games I’ve ever experienced. As each level basically takes place in the mind and psyche of the counselor. They have their own hopes, dreams and fears, and those are manifested out into the level design. Take the first level, where you enter the mind of Coach Oleander, a general in the army. This level has turrets and bombings and jumping out of planes, all the while “figments” are floating around. Themed collectibles, along with sobbing clothing bags and travel chests called “emotional baggage”. Not only that, but the art direction and design not only is interesting, unique and odd… but it’s surreal, giving off a dreamlike quality to it.

As you progress through the game, every evolving story takes shape and each counselor's mind you enter into gives off a different theme and vibe. Be it a swinging 70’s party, or a Milk Man’s paranoid ideas of shadowy government figures watching his every move. Each level is crammed with the most insane, crazy and creative design choices all while being a wonderfully fun 3D platformer with collecting that doesn’t feel forced, but fun and enjoyable.

It ended on a cliffhanger and as the years went by, it seemed like we’d never get to find out what happened to Raz. But then Double Fine did the unthinkable… They made a semi-sequel that was only VR-based. It was exclusive to the PSVR at the time, but a year later it came to PCVR and it’s a blast. Really interesting use of some VR only mechanics. Then they officially announced a true sequel “Psychonauts 2” and it picks up right after the VR game. So technically it’s  trilogy of games: Psychnoauts, Psychonauts: In The Rhombus Of Ruin (The VR title) and then Psychonauts 2.