Best Video Game Art Direction of 2021
Winner: Psychonauts 2
Editor in Chief Ed McGlone: There’s a lot to love about Psychonauts 2: the music, platforming, story, characters, and more. What fuels all of that though and brings it all to life are the visuals that are embedded deep in the series’ DNA ever since the first game.
The world of Psychonauts is already fantastical and silly, but most of both games (including Psychonauts 2) take place within the minds of troubled individuals. There are absolutely no limits, then, to the creativity of the game’s levels and the developers fully leverage this advantage.
The result is a game that is filled with bright colors, wacky characters, and environments bursting with personality whether it’s a casino-themed hospital or an eerie harbor filled with mites. It’s not just the game’s levels either, though. The hub worlds too, although more slightly grounded in alt-futuristic realism, are awe-inspiring. They are beautiful, sprawling areas that also have nooks and crannies to explore. The woodland Questionable Area, for example, is a gorgeous tranquil forest-like area that’s easy to wrap your head around but is still infused with the crazy antics that fill the world of Psychonauts 2.
The entire game is filled with areas that were clearly crafted with so much love and attention, that they are a feast for the eyes. Without this passion for the game’s art style, Psychonauts 2 wouldn’t be nearly as memorable or as special as it is.
