"Psychonauts 2" was announced in 2015 and was originally slated for release in 2019. After several delays and a bumpy ride when Microsoft acquired Double Fine Productions, it is now scheduled for release in late 2021.

The sequel will follow the original game and the subsequent VR-only chapter "Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin"; having seen a hands-off demo in 2019, fans of the series will no doubt be overjoyed to see Raz and the gang back.

While the original 2005 game was not a commercial success by any stretch of the imagination, Psychonauts has since earned cult classic status in the years since. Whether this platformer will resonate with players new to the series remains to be seen. But the unique art style and quirky characters may be enough to lure them in.

"Psychonauts 2" is still in production after missing a Q4 2019 release date and an updated 2020 release date. The game is currently slated for release this year, but no specific window is known yet.

Following Microsoft's acquisition, Double Fine founder and industry veteran Tim Schafer assured fans that the game will still be released on multiple platforms. The good news for Microsoft console owners is that the game will be optimized for the Xbox Series X|S, improving load times, responsiveness, visuals, and frame rate.

Since "Psychonauts 2" began as a Fig crowdfunded project, there have been a number of videos documenting the development process as well as a trailer; there are over 30 playlists on YouTube, but the main trailers are listed below.

The first official trailer was released in 2018 and explains the premise of the game well for beginners. The game's humor and art style are on full display, but if you're looking for actual gameplay, you're out of luck.

The first gameplay trailer will follow in 2019, and while it's not as plentiful a look as we'd like, it still shows off enough quirky level design, platforming, and combat to let players know what's in store.

The latest Psychonauts 2 trailer is Brain in a Jar, which, according to Fig's update, shows off a level that started out as an exploration of synesthesia. The concept has since evolved, and the level has taken a more psychedelic direction, drawing inspiration from "Peter Max-inspired Yellow Submarine, the work of Russian abstract artist Vasily Kandinsky, and even old cartoons like Looney Tunes The game is a new and exciting experience. The gameplay portion of the game also showcases Raz's new Time Bubble ability, which can slow down targets, whether they are moving platforms, hordes of enemies, or bosses.

"Psychonauts 2" is a platformer featuring an acrobat who has acquired psychic powers. As such, it is expected to be a fun twist that jazzes up the standard gameplay format of flying over objects.

Those who played the previous version, released in 2005, or the latest version, released in 2011, will know what to expect. Of course, "Psychonauts 2" offers new levels and new abilities, some of which can be seen in the trailer.

Double Fine has also added a new hub world within Psychonauts HQ for the sequel. From here, players can access new worlds within the minds of the characters. Raz can help guests by defeating their inner demons and, even more frightening, "unraveling their deep-seated emotional problems." It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

As for power, Raz has not yet perfected his previous PSI abilities and has some new ones. We do know that he has inherited some abilities from his previous work, which will be improved for the sequel. The badges on Raz's bag show the abilities he has unlocked. A closer look at the "Brain in a Jar" trailer shows five badges, plus three more badge slots for.

The screenshots show badges for PSI Blast (or marksmanship), Levitation, Pyrokinesis ability, and the new "Time Bubble" power. The badges have been slightly redesigned since the last one, so the other two in Raz's bag are probably candidates for telekinesis (hand icon) and clairvoyance (creepy eyes).

The official first trailer for Psychonauts 2 gives beginners an overview of the story. In a nutshell, the game is about 10-year-old Rasputin 'Raz' Aquato (a trained acrobat and psychic) who runs away from the circus to become a super spy.

The first game takes place at the Psychonauts training camp, and in Psychonauts 2, Raz becomes a full-fledged member of the organization. The Double Fine website has a basic plot synopsis:

"But this psychic superspy has a problem: he's not a psychic. But these psychic super spies have a problem. Their leader hasn't changed since he was kidnapped, and to make matters worse, there is a double agent lurking in their headquarters. Raz must use his powers to stop the mole before they can carry out their secret plan.

I'm not sure about Maligula, but they may be the ones who appeared at the end of the first trailer.

The official Xbox website does not specifically mention that "Psychonauts 2" will be released on PS5. However, the PS4 version will definitely be playable on PS5; after July 2020, all new PS4 titles submitted for certification must be compatible with PS5.

Double Fine has not indicated whether a PS5-optimized version of Psychonauts 2 will be available; we already know that the Xbox Series X/S will support an optimized version.

Psychonauts 2 may be a hit with fans of the series as well as gamers who have been exposed to Double Fine and Tim Schafer's games in the past. With a revamped gameplay and optimized for next-generation consoles, the sequel should provide fun for newcomers as well.

Given Microsoft's push to release new titles, "Psychonauts 2" will likely be available on Xbox Game Pass upon release. We do know that the title will be optimized for Microsoft's latest hardware, but it is unclear if the PS5-specific update will do the same.

Hopefully, Double Fine will capture some of the magic of the original title and inject a healthy dose of it into "Psychonauts 2."[20