Playing video games is a great way to have fun and get away from the stresses of everyday life. For some, it’s a way to escape into a world of imagination and adventure. If you’re one of those people, then you’re probably familiar with the Psychonauts series of games. The first game was released in 2005 and the highly anticipated sequel, Psychonauts 2, is due out this year. While the game is highly anticipated, there are plenty of other great games like Psychonauts 2 to explore.
1. Portal 2
Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle-platformer from Valve. In this game, you’re pitted against a murderous artificial intelligence to make your way through a twisted, physics-based set of tests. Both Psychonauts 2 and Portal 2 are set in unique, surreal environments with challenging puzzles, but Portal 2 focuses more on puzzles in an open world and has a more sci-fi feel.
2. The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable is an interactive comedy adventure game. The game follows the story of Stanley, an office worker who’s trying to figure out why his office has suddenly become deserted. Like Psychonauts 2, this game is set in a surreal environment and is designed to be comical, but The Stanley Parable focuses more on story-telling and exploration than puzzles.
3. Journey
Journey is an exploration-based, storytelling-focused game from thatgamecompany. In this emotionally powerful experience, you take on the role of a mysterious figure making its way across a vast landscape. Both games experiment with surreal, dream-like visuals, but Journey is more focused on the emotional journey, with a focus on making meaningful connections with other players.
4. Inside
Inside is an atmospheric puzzle-platformer from Playdead. In this dark and mysterious game, you’re playing as a nameless young boy who must make his way through a dystopian world of dark forces, scientific experiments, and a mysterious underwater city. Like Psychonauts 2, Inside is set in a strange, dream-like environment, but the game focuses more on puzzles and story-telling than exploration.
5. Firewatch
Firewatch is a mystery adventure game from Campo Santo. In this game, you take on the role of a forest fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. This game focuses on exploration, puzzles, and storytelling, like Psychonauts 2, but it has a more realistic setting and more of a focus on character development and relationships.
6. Gone Home
Gone Home is an exploration-based adventure game from The Fullbright Company. In this game, you’re playing as a young woman who returns home to a strange, empty house. This game focuses on exploration and discovering the story, like Psychonauts 2, but it has a more realistic setting and a more immersive atmosphere.
7. Limbo
Limbo is a stark, atmospheric puzzle-platformer from Playdead. In this game, you play as a nameless boy who has ventured into the eerie world of Limbo. The game is similar to Psychonauts 2 in that it has a unique, dream-like environment, but Limbo focuses more on puzzles and platforming and less on exploration and storytelling.
8. Braid
Braid is an innovative puzzle-platformer from Jonathan Blow. In this game, you play as a man on a quest to rescue a princess from an evil time-manipulating monster. Both Psychonauts 2 and Braid are set in surreal, dream-like environments and feature unique puzzles, but Braid has a more narrative focus and a greater emphasis on platforming.
9. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is an exploration-focused adventure game from Mobius Digital. In this game, you’re an astronaut exploring a solar system filled with strange secrets and unusual discoveries. Both games feature exploration and puzzles, but Outer Wilds has a more science-fiction setting and a much larger world to explore.
10. Superliminal
Superliminal is a first-person puzzle game from Pillow Castle. In this game, you’re stuck in a surreal dream-world, manipulating perspectives to solve puzzles. Like Psychonauts 2, Superliminal features surreal visuals and creative puzzles, but the game has a stronger focus on optical illusions and perspective-based puzzles.
Overall, these games share similarities with Psychonauts 2, providing unique and creative experiences that explore surreal environments with story-telling, exploration, and puzzles. Each of these games offers something unique, so no matter what kind of experience you’re looking for, there’s something for everyone in this list. If you’re looking for games like Psychonauts 2, then these 10 titles are definitely worth exploring.