It’s been just under six years since the possibility of Psychonauts 2 was first floated by Tim Schafer and the good folks over at Double Fine Productions. At the time, it had already been ten years since the release of the original Psychonauts, so the studio’s renewed interest came as something of a surprise to many fans. While the game had ascended to cult classic at that point, there was still no guarantee that there were enough people willing to back a sequel.

Well, one fully-funded campaign and five years of development later,Psychonauts 2 is here at last, and it’s actually managing to meet expectations.Still, some may be wondering why and how such an initially obscure game made it into the mainstream consciousness. In part it’s because it was a solid adventure platformer, but it mostly has to do with the sheer amount of personality and silliness underpinning the game’s story and characters. So,in celebration of Psychonauts 2’s release,let’s take a look back at some of the most oddly-memorable moments from Raz’s first adventure.

“Bobby Zilch’s Foot, That’s What!”

(Video from YouTube channel:Denny Ayard)

Bobby Zilch is a minor character in almost every respect. He has almost no impact on the story; he has no character arc to speak of, and he’s also just plain irritating. For all his shortcomings and overall lack of presence, however, he still somehow manages to be a memorable character. Part of that has to do with his outrageous design (something Raz actually points out eventually), but it’s also because of one moment in the game where he actually manages to get one over on both Raz and the player. His little celebration dance was annoying at the time, but darn if wasn’t (and still is) all kinds of catchy!

“Let Us Never Speak of this Again”

(Video from YouTube channel:TJGamerGurl)

From the beginning of Psychonauts, Sasha Nein is portrayed as the cool and collected type. He always has the situation under control, and most of his time with Rasputin is spent training him in the concept. Sasha isn’t as perfect an example of control as he’d like to be though, so when Rasputin is able to cause an incredible mess in Sasha’s mind, the senior psychonaut has no parting words for the cadet. Another Sasha-type character would likely take advantage of such a teachable moment, but Agent Nein has simply just had enough for one day and it’s just too funny.

The Nightmare Prison in Milla’s Dance Party

(Video from YouTube channel:ThatNotSoAznKid)

Similar to Sasha Nein, Milla Vodello’s mind doesn’t fully match her outward demeanor. She comes off as a free-spirited young woman who’s always the life of the party, and her mental landscape does match this impression for the most part. It turns out, however, that this personality isn’t maintained without a considerable amount of effort on her part. Discovering her nightmare prison is perhaps both the most genuinely unsettling moment in Psychonauts and its best bit of characterization. Not only does Milla seem more human afterward, but so does everyone else inhabiting this goofy world.

“What Name is That, Oh Noble Lake Creature?”

(Video from YouTube channel:goodman314)

After spending at least a good hour stomping around a mental city and doing battle as an old-fashion Japanese kaiju, Raz is finally able to speak to the Hulking Lungfish of Lake Oblongata. Its archaic dialect speaks of a wise and ancient creature, one that now respects Raz and has deemed him worthy of using its honorable true name, and that name is…Linda.

(Video from YouTube channel:Nephalem4751)

There’s a difference between entering the mind of a maddened conspiracy theorist and actually understanding that one is in the mind of a maddened conspiracy theorist. For most players of Psychonauts, that moment arrives with their first encounter with the “Road Crew” in the mind of Boyd Cooper. The way they handle their red signs and haul in all non-crewmembers for interrogation almost leads one to believe that they’re not actually on the road crew at all. In all seriousness though, Psychonauts is a funny game, but this and really the entire “Milkman Conspiracy” level take it to a whole new dimension of absurdity. Perhaps that’s why so many Psychonauts players still make sure to keep their red stop signs handy.

These moments are by no means the only ones of their kind in the game, and they’re not even the funniest depending on who one asks. Rather, they are but a few examples of what makes Psychonauts special and why it eventually managed to attain a strong cult following in the years since its release. As for the sequel, it’s already off to a great start, but it’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not it has what it takes to make a similar impact. For the moment, those journeying through it should check out ourPsychonauts 2 Mental World guides.They’re an indispensable tool for those looking to find everything.