On the heels of the launch of Psychonauts 2, plenty of newcomers to the series already have the game predownloaded on their preferred system of choice. After all, the game has had plenty of coverage over the past week or so as reviews have started being published, and an interview with Double Fine was featured prominently during today’s Xbox Showcase for Gamescom. The sequel to the mind-bending third-person platformer finally seems to be getting the spotlight it deserves, but it’s also possible that plenty of potential fans are skipping the original and diving headfirst into the sequel. With the constant gaming releases that happen in the latter half of the year, it makes sense that not everyone has the time to play all the games that came before new entries in the many franchises that are receiving follow-ups. For what it’s worth, Psychonauts 2 does include a refresher for those who either haven’t played the first or haven’t played it since its initial release over 16 years ago. While that refresher is all well and good, the original Psychonauts is absolutely worth playing before starting up its sequel when it releases this week. Understanding Psychonauts' Past biggest-august-releases Aside from being a fun platformer filled to the brim with fresh ideas and clever writing, Psychonauts also has an excellent story that’s best experienced first-hand. Sure, the recap in Psychonauts 2 hits all the major beats, however, there’s a huge difference between experiencing a game’s narrative personally and simply having it be retold. Plus, there are bound to be plenty of smaller details missing from the recap that truly give Psychonauts much of its charm and background. There will likely be nods to some of those omitted details in Psychonauts 2 that would go unnoticed and unappreciated if the player hasn’t experienced the original title. In Psychonauts 2, players once again follow the adventures of Razputin Aquato. However, instead of being the full-fledged Psychonaut that he was at the end of the first game, he’s nothing more than a lowly intern. His disappointment can only be truly understood if the player went on his previous journey with him as he showcased plenty of psionic skills that would make him a shoo-in for being a true Psychonaut. While not entirely necessary for understanding the plot of Psychonauts 2, Raz’s journey in the original Psychonauts really fleshes out the world that the sequel is set in, and can enhance the player’s appreciation for the events that take place in the sequel. Revisiting a Classic Title In addition to helping the player understand the in’s and out’s of the world of Psychonauts, the first game is an easily accessible classic that still holds up relatively well today. Obviously, some aspects of its design don’t work flawlessly (the Meat Circus level being at the top of the list of modern players’ grievances) but it still has a lot to offer and is only roughly 10 hours long for those looking to simply finish the story. Psychonauts is available on Xbox Game Pass, so it’s easily available for anyone who’s looking to give it a try. At the end of the day, the original game is a cult classic and, while Psychonauts 2 might end up being more commercially successful, it absolutely deserves its spot in gaming history and is worth revisiting. What’s more, Psychonauts’ age might really start to show if played immediately following Psychonauts 2 as the sequel will be modernizing plenty of the mechanics found in the first one. This means that those looking to revisit it might be turned off by its presentation when compared to its sequel. 1111 When No Man's Sky launched in 2016, not many people thought that the game would celebrate a release anniversary, and certainly not one after being supported for five years. However, 16 free updates later,and the once-hated and now beloved indie company Hello Games will soon be releasing the latest update: Frontiers. It might seem easy to dismiss Hello Games' continued support for No Man's Sky as the studio just doing its job. However, if the recent debacle with Cyberpunk 2077 has taught the industry anything, it's that reviving a game from death is not easy work and that the team behind No Man's Sky deserves all the praise that it has received. The announcement of Frontiers came on August 9th with a two-and-a-half-minute trailer, as seen below, highlighting different aspects of all the updates Hello Games has since released before simply ending on the logo for Frontiers. There is precious little information about Frontiers aside from what is in the trailer and Mr. Murray's PlayStation blog post in which he describes the forthcoming update as "a missing piece of the sci-fi fantasy that we’ve always wanted to add". What exactly Mr. Murray is alluding to is not entirely clear just yet, and with that, it's time to speculate! What's Next For No Man's Sky? Ever since the first event for No Man's Sky, Sean Murray has been adamant about crafting a game where a single screenshot could be the cover of an old Science Fiction novel. This shows given the fact that all the trophies and achievements for No Man's Sky are named after those sorts of books, and the goal has since been reached with the addition of photo mode and the building system. Further No Man's Sky updates have expanded biome diversity, added a full-length narrative, vehicles, and mechs, and much more. As such, fans may be wondering what else could Hello Games could add to the universe with nigh-endless things to do. As the name of the update may suggest: nothing. A frontier is something beyond what is already known and explored, so it seems unlikely that Frontiers will just expand any of the pre-existing systems in place (though it may do that in addition to its main attraction). Rather, it would be much more likely that No Man's Sky: Frontiers will do something completely out of left-field like the aforementioned Foundations update did with base-building. It is worth noting that the most recent game mode, Expeditions, shares a stylistic titling theme with Frontiers, as both invoke images of new ways to explore. Perhaps Frontiers will take Expeditions to the next level and introduce branching paths, choices, and a clear narrative with even more unique rewards to boot. This would bring No Man's Sky into more MMORPG territory, but it doesn't quite sound like that missing piece of the sci-fi fantasy that Murray alluded to earlier. Cityscapes In No Man's Sky no-mans-sky-frontiers-logo One thing that many fans have been asking for since launch is settlements that are populated with NPCs, as well as large cities in the style of Blade Runner that would make the universe feel truly alive. These settlements and cities could be visited by the player who will be able to interact NPCs and complete missions for any of the aliens and factions in the city. Not only that, but it would be an unprecedented change of visual pace from the sometimes tired biomes and desolate worlds present in No Man's Sky. While these have been considerably improved over the past five years, as with everything else, the surefire way to get people excited to explore planets again is to add procedural cities and towns. At this point, there are very few tropes that Sean Murray and Hello Games haven't covered, but one such trope that is sadly missing is the inclusion of sprawling and lived-in cities and towns. No Man's Sky has already done horror sci-fi with the Desolation and Abyss updates, it has downright mastered planetary exploration on a massive scale with the Pathfinder and Companions updates, and it has completed the novel-cover goal with the Visions and Prisms visual updates. All that remains is one final frontier for No Man's Sky to conquer: cities. 2222 Destiny 2's Season of the Lost has been out for less than a day, and it already presents many secrets that players will eventually have to unravel within the Dreaming City and the Shattered Realm. As part of this week's storyline, there is a quest called Tracing the Stars, which will grant players the respective Triumph when unlocking all of the Atlas Skews scattered around the Dreaming City in Destiny 2. Here is a quick guide on how to get them and where they are. Atlas Skew in Divalian - Rheasilvia Path, Lower Cliffside destiny 2 atlas skews vertical (8) (1) Following the order of the Atlas Skews in the Tracing the Stars quest, the first one is found in the Divalian Mists area of the Dreaming City. Players should take their Sparrow out and follow the path up until the cliffside to the north. The first Atlas Skew is found on a small rocky ledge that players might remember from the Small Gift Destiny 2 quest back in Forsaken. The jump can be tricky if players don't know the area, but the Atlas Skew will be right there once on the ledge. Atlas Skew in Divalian - Cimmerian Path, Central Cave destiny 2 atlas skews vertical (9) (1) Players should teleport back to the Divalian Mists landing, take their Sparrow out, and head straight for a small cave entrance. There might be some Hive enemies at the entrance, but once they're taken care of, the Atlas Skew will be waiting inside the cave. Atlas Skew in Drowned Bay Alcove This Atlas Skew is quite easy to find, as it is located within the Drowned Bay Lost Sector. Players should enter the Lost Sector behind the spawn at Divalian Mists and delve into the cave until they are on the beach. At that point, they should simply turn right and follow the foot of the hill until the Atlas Skew is revealed. Atlas Skew in Spine Oracle Orrery destiny 2 atlas skews vertical (5) (1) This Atlas Skew can be found near the Techeun, who takes Oracle Offerings at the top of the stairs in the building. Starting near the cliffside from the first Atlas Skew, players should face the mountain and head to their right, following the path. After a few jumps and a brief walk, players will get to the building, where they should take the right flight of stairs and climb up top. Atlas Skew in Distant Spine Island Tree From the Oracle, players should go right and follow the long path through a series of small islands. The last one will have an Atlas Skew waiting for players to grab it. This one is not difficult nor tricky to get, but rather it can take longer than others because of the long walk. To complete the quest and get the Triumph, players will have to head to the HELM and enter the quest area called Hollowed Coronation, following the steps.
Guides

You Don’t Have to Play Psychonauts 1 Before 2 But You Should

You Don't Have to Play Psychonauts 1 Before 2, But You Should

You Don’t Have to Play Psychonauts 1 Before 2, But You Should

Following the launch of psychonauts, 2Many new fans of the series have the game already downloaded on their preferred systems. The game has received much media coverage in the last week as reviews began to appear and a Double Fine interview was published. Today’s Xbox Showcase at Gamescom. It seems that the sequel to the third-person platformer is finally getting the attention it deserves. However, many potential fans may be abandoning the original and jumping into the sequel.

It makes sense that not everyone can play all of the new games in the second half of the year due to the numerous gaming releases. Psychonauts 2 includes a refresher, which is useful for anyone who hasn’t yet played the original or hasn’t been to it in 16 years. Although it’s nice to have a refresher, the original Psychonauts game is well worth your time before starting its sequel.

Understanding Psychonauts’ Past

Psychonauts is a platformer that is filled with clever writing and fresh ideas. It also has a great story that can only be experienced in person. Although Psychonauts 2’s recap hits the main points, it’s important to understand the difference between actually experiencing the game’s story and having it retold. There will be many details that are missing from the recap that give Psychonauts its charm and history. If the player has not played the original title, there will be nods to some details left out in Psychonauts2.

Psychonauts 2 sees players again following the adventures of Razputin aquatic. He’s no longer the full-fledged Psychonaut he was at his first game. Instead, he’s a mere intern. The player must have been on Raz’s previous journey to understand his disappointment. He displayed many psionic abilities that would make him a strong candidate for becoming a true Psychonaut. Although it is not necessary to understand the plot of Psychonauts 2, Raz’s journey in the original Psychonauts gives a sense of the world. It enhances the player’s appreciation for what happens in the sequel.

Revisiting a Title

In addition to helping the player understand the in’s and out’s of the world of Psychonauts, the first game is an easily accessible classic that still holds up relatively well today. Obviously, some aspects of its design don’t work flawlessly (the Meat Circus level being at the top of the list of modern players’ grievances). However, it still has a lot to offer and is only roughly 10 hours long for those looking to finish the story.

You can get Psychonauts on Xbox Game Pass. This makes it easy for anyone to try it. Psychonauts is still a classic game. While Psychonauts 2 may be more successful commercially, it is well worth revisiting. Psychonauts 2 will modernize many of the original mechanics, making it more obvious that Psychonauts is getting old. Its presentation may turn off those who want to revisit it.

You Don’t Have to Play Psychonauts 1 Before 2 But You Should
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