[Terramax]

And this is one of the most amazing games I've played in a while. I haven't been this excited about a game since FFXI: online or Mario Sunshine.

I've just ordered the game from Amazon (cos there isn't a single copy of it in any of the 8 stores that sell PC games).

The graphics are amazing, even though I had to downgrade most of the effects, the story is original and funny, and the first 2 levels on the demo are well designed.

The only problem is the camera (i'm using a PS2 pad that I've connected to my pc) but that's it.

The demo is here, and I strongly advise everyone to play this if they haven't already.

http://www.gamershell.com/download_8864.shtml

[nordic_guy]

I think most people on here are aware of the game, but I love, love, love this game. Unfortunately, the PS2 port is pretty bad.

[Terramax]

That's why I've ordered for PC. i saw it a few times on PS2 but that's it.

Once my laptop sells on ebay it think I'll upgrade my pc to play this on maximum, it just looks so lush with all the effects on

[kuze]

I played the demo, and I have to admit I knew nothing about the game before I downloaded it - so I wasn't affected by the hype. The game has a unique style, thats for sure, and I loved the story, but I couldn't make myself finish it - I felt like I was playing Super Mario 64. On the other hand, that isn't necessarely a bad thing, and I'll definitely give the demo a second try.

[Starflux]

The game really starts to shine in its second half. So if you're still kinda doubting whether or not you should get it; this is a game that builds up steam a bit slowly in the beginning, but then really manages to surprise and enjoy at every turn once it gets rolling. And even if the gameplay isn't really your bag; the wonderful story and quirky writing are well worth discovering for their own sake.

[Naveed]

Originally Posted by Flux

The game really starts to shine in its second half. So if you're still kinda doubting whether or not you should get it; this is a game that builds up steam a bit slowly in the beginning, but then really manages to surprise and enjoy at every turn once it gets rolling. And even if the gameplay isn't really your bag; the wonderful story and quirky writing are well worth discovering for their own sake.

Agree completely, the second half of Psychonauts is pure brilliance.

[Dasilva]

Originally Posted by Naveed

Agree completely, the second half of Psychonauts is pure brilliance.

And for some reason people didnt buy it. Real shame.

[Rulzern]

Psychonauts is one of those very few games, where at the end, I just start a new game. Finished it 2 times in a row, and then a 3rd time just to get to rank 100.

Truly awesome game.

[trudysgarden]

Great game, best humor in a long time. I'm still stuck in the meat circus and probably will be there for life but I put this towards the top of my top 10 ever.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

The very, very satisfying ending cutscene upon completion of Meat Circuis is nothing short of seriously cute.

[Spiwak]

Was the PS2 version really that bad? That's the only one I played.

I'd gladly buy it for XBox and replay it, as it seems like come this fall I might actually have access to an XBox finally.

[nordic_guy]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

Was the PS2 version really that bad? That's the only one I played.

I'd gladly buy it for XBox and replay it, as it seems like come this fall I might actually have access to an XBox finally.

At least my copy was. I never played the Xbox or PC version, but the voices and sound effects were really bad in the PS2 version, there were sound delays all over the place, stuttering, and that sort of thing. Some areas also had a lot of slowdowns, and in addition to that, some of the cut scenes didn't play as they should have the first time around. I just got the feeling that the game was too much to handle for my poor PS2.

[lumi]

Originally Posted by Rulzern

Psychonauts is one of those very few games, where at the end, I just start a new game. Finished it 2 times in a row, and then a 3rd time just to get to rank 100.

I'm doing the same thing, playing it a second time in a row, this time collecting everything.

[MoriartyL]

I figure I should be part of the target audience for this game. I mean, I like Tim Schafer's style and I love platformers. So I download the demo, and guess what happens?

Originally Posted by Tim Schafer's masterpiece

---------------------------
Psychonauts Startup Problem
---------------------------
The DirectX has reported that your video card does not support pixel shader version 1.x.

The game requires support for pixel shader V1.0 or later in order to run properly.
---------------------------

That's right- it is not possible for me to play this game, and all because they wanted some fancy-shmancy graphics technique. I was able to run the Half-Life 2 demo, but this I can't? So no big deal, right?- I can just play it on Gamecube.. wait a minute...

[tabacco]

Originally Posted by MoriartyL

That's right- it is not possible for me to play this game, and all because they wanted some fancy-shmancy graphics technique. I was able to run the Half-Life 2 demo, but this I can't?

Half Life 2 - 2004
Psychonauts - 2005

Yeah, graphics change. Who'd have thought?

[MoriartyL]

Bleuugh. Half-Life 2 was known for its supposedly great graphics. This was not. Do you think it makes sense that I should have to upgrade my graphics card every year? See, what I don't understand is this: The advantage PCs have over consoles is that everyone has one. By forcing these upgrades, the developers have thrown out that advantage. These are supposedly intelligent people? Yes, I'm just bitter- I don't appreciate taking two and a half hours downloading something that's not going to work, and I really don't appreciate not being allowed to play a game everyone's raving about.

[insane_cobra]

You don't have to upgrade every year, every 3-4 years should keep you covered. Unless you always go for a low-end card (which are never intended for gaming), then you should be able to afford yearly upgrades.

And the advantage of PCs over consoles is not that everyone has one, a large percentage of those have never been intended for playing games.

[MoriartyL]

I cannot afford upgrades, and if I could I still wouldn't. I bought a graphics card a year or two ago, and I've used it barely at all. I'm using it now for The Sims 2, which as far as I'm concerned has very nice graphics. I play games on the GCN. But Psychonauts is not available for GCN for some reason.

And by the way, the only reason PCs don't have that advantage over consoles is because of this obsession with high-end graphics. Everyone does have a PC. If the people making games don't want to sell to them because their PCs can't produce graphics on par with a Pixar movie, that's their own stupidity, not the natural way of things.

[kuze]

Go to the official site and look at all the funny symbols at the bottom. Do you see the "The way it's meant to be played" symbol? That's the reason why the game runs just fine on a console that doesn't even have T&L, but requires pixelshader on your PC.

[insane_cobra]

I'm sorry, Mory, that's the way it is and the way it's always been. If games were made so that they could be played on every PC in the world, we still wouldn't have color graphics.

Yes, I'm exaggerating, but there's no place where the line can be drawn, there'll always be people with machines just below the minimun requirements wondering why they couldn't have been included as well.