Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin Reviews
Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is everything you know and love about the series except with a different perspective. It retains the humor and style while successfully adding a new type of gameplay.
Even if our first follow-up to one of the most legendary games ever made is a more relatively small-scale PlayStation VR game, Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is still an absolute treat indeed, and a must-play for anyone who owns the peripheral.
Trying something slightly different while waiting for the true sequel, Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is a delightful VR puzzle game that does a great job reacquainting players with the charming and creative cast of Psychonauts.
It feels dirty to say “no” to new Psychonauts, but Rhombus of Ruin is a half-baked attempt at wrapping up the first game’s cliffhanger bundled with some monotonous gameplay and too little content for the asking price.
Seeing the world from Raz’s perspective is great and something anyone with a PSVR headset should jump into. It feels very much like the original Psychonauts but updated for 2017. The environment is colorful and inventive, taking place mostly in the ‘real’ world with some minor detours for mindscapes. The sound design is excellent too, working well with the headset to form an immersive environment.
With Psychonauts 2 currently scheduled for release in 2018, Psychonauts: In the Rhombus of Ruin is the perfect way for long-time fans to revisit old friends, and for series newcomers to meet the gang in preparation for it.
The quirky characters and outlandish locations are just begging to be explored with the kind of immersiveness that VR offers, but Rhombus of Ruin isn't that game. If anything, it's a game that makes me want to finally check out Psychonauts itself, but that's due as much to what this game fails to deliver as to what it succeeds in.
Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is a noble effort by Double Fine to give Psychonauts fans something to whet their appetite until the actual sequel comes out. Their attempt was misguided. Most of the game is hopping from host to host with a little puzzle here or there, of which none are ever challenging. With PSVR having a small install base and the steep pricing model for the game, it's not likely anyone will be getting sucked into Rhombus of Ruin. Just wait for the sequel.
Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is by no means a bad game. However, the long bouts of downtime and lack of compelling puzzles can make for a dull and sometimes disappointing ride.
Considering Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is around the £15 mark, there is a great level of polish to it. If you are a fan of the original Psychonauts and just want to see some of the characters again and what they look like in virtual reality, then it’s definitely worth checking out. If you’re new to the series then don’t worry, there’s still a lot of fun to be had. It sets up the upcoming sequel well for both the newcomers and the series veterans, whilst also setting the standard it will need to hit fairly high.
From the mind of Tim Schafer and his team at Double Fine, a funny, charming VR Adventure. If you happen to have a Playstation VR,love Psychonauts, and are also going to play Psychonauts 2, then don't skip this game.
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I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, it was witty, it presented a challenge and – most importantly for a VR title – is comfortable to play. For owners of PlayStation VR looking to justify their headset purchase and an enjoyable game, look no further than this.
I should know better at this point than to doubt the talent of Double Fine and Tim Schafer, as within minutes of slipping on my PlayStation VR headset to play The Rhombus of Ruin, it all came flooding back to me.
Although it's a very brief experience, I enjoyed my time with Psychonauts in The Rhombus of Ruin. The game has a good sense of humor, some interesting puzzles, and it made me excited for the prospects of what a fully-fledged point-and-click adventure game could be like in virtual reality.