Psychology of Psychonauts | Strike City
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- Good day everyone!
Psychonauts 2 largely follows the story of the original Psychic 6. After the Battle of Grulovia, all were damaged in some form or another. Neither of them being the same.
The leader of them, Ford Crueller, has had his mind shattered into multiple parts. However, some vital information is held inside. Something that requires Raz to piece it all back together before this intelligence is learned.
In this episode of Psychology of Psychonauts, we will explore Strike City. Out in the bowling alley, the fractured part of Ford is disinfecting the bowling shoes. It has become a compulsion for him. Upon entering his mind, we find that this memory is tied to his first date with Lucrecia Mux. What does Strike City tell us about ford's mental and emotional state?
As always, free discussion is encouraged in the comments!
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Episode: Psychology of Psychonauts | Strike City
Music:
Casino Jazz by Pink Banana • Casino Jazz by Pink Ba...
Psychonauts 2 OST - Strike City • Psychonauts 2 OST - St...
Psychonauts 2 OST - Artifact Storage • Psychonauts 2 OST - Ar...
Psychonauts 2 OST - Helmut Uncorked • Psychonauts 2 OST - He...
Chernobylite OST - Prelude To Darkness Part Three • Prelude To Darkness Pa...
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Something I apreciate is how Raz isn't acting happy or anything when he reclaims those shards... Instead he feels sad and sorrow for Ford. It gives some character to Raz and shows that he can understand Ford's situation.
Isn't some genetic wahoo closer to the goal face, it truly looks like he understands this misfortune.
He looks remorseful and somewhat guilty, like he's questioning if he's doing the right thing
I really love this analogy: "even gutter balls return, eventualy"
I agree
Same here
That's a perfect analogy. And this is coming from someone who bowls strictly for fun.
Another thing: It's incredibly satisfying to see the alternate identities of Ford console him at the end of each level. It's almost like as Ford's psyche becomes more complete, he begins to cope with his trauma, represented by him essentially giving a pep talk to himself.
What really stood out to me about this was the choice of germs as sort of the representatives of hope and love. You explain the connection well, but it makes me think of the alchemic idea "in sterquiliniis invenitur" - "in filth it will be found". The idea that the things most precious will be found in whatever is most repulsive to us. One of Jung's favorite ideas, unsurprisingly.
You should Listen to Disturbed's The Light, that song has a very similar message.
It says a lot for how well made this game is that this level's mechanic of riding around on giant bowling balls *could* have been insanely hard and obnoxious, like a modern day version of Marble Madness operated solely with your feet. Instead it's tricky but never becomes outright hateful to play.
No joke I was nervous about that when I first played this. Not a fan of ball rolling games. I think because this one was a mixture of regular platforming and the ball rolling made it good. And it was only one level.
Perhaps something can be said that Ford's interpretation of traversing those memories is that it feels off-balance and difficult to navigate.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Oh yeah, my first thought was "oh NO". I think the fact that you can make the ball jump is part of what saved it, because you can use that to save yourself when you roll too close to the edge.
Something that I found interesting about this world is that while the other Giant Ford's, (the lighthouse and the robot) arent as lucid and fully aware of Raz's presence, Bowling Pin Ford is completely aware, and constantly telling you to keep out of his head. In comparison, the other two don't get antagonistic until you're already inside and about to take their mirror piece.
I think continuing the germs theme from the lice of Ford’s barber hair is interesting, since I think it represents a partof Ford trying to subconsciously rationalise how someone he loved could do such terrible things by wondering if her victims were terrible.
It gets stopped by the rest of him of course and the fact he stopped her, but its an interesting example of his tragedies that are relatively “stable” like for Milla the orphan’s deaths.
The conflict is there but even with his mind splintered he hasn’t wanted to focus so much on his love for Lucrezia he’s actively downplaying her acts.
Really good mental exploration of someone watching a loved one fall to villainy.
It wasn't mentioned in the video, but you can argue the spray can is also related to Maligula - A SPRAY is often associated with water, like a SPRAY of Water, or the ocean's SPRAY, and it clenses a city of "germs" which follows the motifs set up in Fords Follicles, where Grulovians are again depicted as something undesirable to be gotten rid off, in this case it's germs.
A fun fact about the level that only proves how much of an endless cycle of thoughts this is for Ford is that, when revisiting the level, all of the NPCs are alive again despite being sprayed. It's an endless loop of love, fear, regret, and clearing the board, only to start right back up as if nothing had happened. Just like how compulsively he tries to clean the shoes in the real world and never feeling like he's making any progress.
This one hit a little hard. It's really sad when you associate something that used to make you happy with something painful. You want to hide away and never get hurt-like you said- but it's an empty way of going about things.
It's something I've been working on for years, letting myself be open again. Recovery isn't linear, but I have hope anyways.
Felt the same way you did about a girl I loved from LA. Every year i would visit her from the east coast. That was 9 years ago. The last time I've been to LA was about a month ago while flying to the Philippines.
Yup. One of the best games ever made, I think I can safely assume that. And this series on the psychology is equally as good. I'll admit, I played through and even took the time to get to max rank, but even still there are so many connections and story details that I completely missed. Thanks for making such well put-together content.
One of my top favorite franchises in gaming for sure!Honestly, even with this series I do I feel like I'm only scratching the surface. These could easily be an hour long each.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Hour long videos?! Don't tempt me with a good time! Lol.
In all seriousness though, I'd absolutely watch them if you made vids that long! 😁
The earliest memory I have burned into my mind is being maybe 3 years old, maybe a little less, and just standing in the living room of my childhood apartment next to the big green couch and looking out the window into the overcast sky
I have my first experience with Ocarina of Time burned into my brain. We hired a carpet cleaning company to come in and do all the bedrooms. I refused to remove my tv so I kept moving it around the room while he cleaned while playing Zelda. I was 5 or 6.
A few weeks ago I somehow contracted covid and for a few days lost my senses of smell & taste! It was horrible, like you said in your sensorium playthrough it was like a part of me was ripped from me. Ofcourse when I could start regaining them again I was so happy to enjoy the simple things in life.
Especially when I took the test and if came back negative!
I was tense but now I sense.
Hello!! At some point you should make an analysis series based on “Alice, madness returns”
There’s an Easter egg of Raz in one of the worlds! Also there’s just a lot of symbolism throughout I would love your take on.
I can’t wait to see what you think of the flea circus and how it compares to the meat circus from the first game calling back on the ideas of shared trauma through the lens of a family
You have the best psychological analyses of "Psychonauts" on CZcams, hands-down.
Well this video is a STRIKING watch lol.
Respect and keep up the epic work.
Rodan I swear if you make a pun on all the vids I will scream
Sorry drako. I told Rodan I expected a new pun for every video in these series.
@@drakofox1362 Don't threaten me with a Good Time hehe.
@@GamingUniversityUoG And i deliver as you wish my Dean lol.
Next is psi king I think, and I still think out of all the founders of the Psychonauts. I think his mind was the least affected by post traumatic stress disorder only on the grounds he only had a few moments before his brain was blown out of his body, and then put in a jar.
Sure, but he also has the trauma of complete and total isolation for a (subjective) 1000 years. Solitary confinement is considered torture for a reason
@@thecynicalone7655 technically he has to do more with the fear of being with a coma that has been with him, said his mind was based on plus, he never really understood anything into Raz had to go in
as someone who recently broke up with close friends, this hit a little hard
I'd like to point out that germs are wiped out when Raz enters the bowling pin head, and when he re-enters from the Collective Unconscious, he's confused by how the city still exists. Then he realizes that this is a new germ population, which will also be sanitized in a few minutes, and notes "the cycle continues."
After playing through the game, I could tease apart a number of the concepts you see and interact with. Know them from my own life. But this series has done a wonderful job exploring details and subtleties that can easily be missed.
But I'll admit to laughing out loud when going through the Tunnel of Love like a wrecking ball.
The brilliant part is that the good-bad mental link is the basis for maladaptive learning algorithms that lead to disorders such as adhd or ocd, hence the excessive cleaning habit
The thing that hits me hard for this is I saw a friend go through a bad breakup and she...she was just down for weeks (this was in highschool) and I told her even if you think of the bad times together try to focus on the good ones instead.
The Germs also had a positive mindset on the whole getting wiped out bit what do you think that means for Ford's mental state
For me at least, I find it's usually the bad memories that stick with us the longest. When I was a kid, I watched a bad alternate ending of an episode of Pillars of Freedom. Now, it's been over ten years since then and I still can't get that stupid scene out of my head. Ack! You made me think about it again! I can't remember most of my early childhood but I remember this? Why!?
I recently heard that people are pessimistic by nature, favoring negative emotions so we can think about how to improve what we did wrong to survive. Being an optimist is posible, but ironically, the biggest obstacle is our intelligence.
I think it's that bad memories usually have more to teach us. Bad memories where we clearly see what we did wrong and can make improvements are easier to let go of, it's the ones where there was nothing that you could do that play in your head again and again, trying to find an impossible solution.
Personally I would have gone in the order of Bowling -> Mail Room -> Barber because it tells the story of Maligula's fall from Cruller's perspective in a nice consistent start to finish but that's probably just me.
I've been waiting for this one because I've always struggled to figure out the symbolism behind this level. Thank you so much for the hard work.
Huh, the gutterball analogy sorta helps me feel better about my own nasty breakup.
One step at a time I suppose.
I’ve never been this early to a new video drop- but all I wanted to say is thank you :)
I truly appreciate having you as a creator, who puts a lot of time and effort into their videos while also entertaining us with educational topics + helping us understand a deeper perspective on games (not to mention, psychology itself!)
I hope you’re having a great start to 2023~
Can’t wait for more content !
Welcome to the early bird club! Thank you for this comment. My biggest hope is to leave a positive impact with these. In my own small way.
You know, I find it interesting how this level probably has the least immediately visible connection to the memories it represents. And how, out of all three representations of Ford, this one probably has the least relevance to the level, but he's also the only one who acknowledges what you're up to before you're actually pulling on his shard.
I just got that maybe even though ford still loved Lucy, with the symbolism of the aerosol can of him "ford" regulating his thoughts and feelings by destroying the germs, especially the one's with the messages reminding him of his love of the date & Lucy.
I love "Strike City" because of it's music 🎶🎵🎶🎵
I wish we had more minds to explore in Psychonauts 1-2. Campers, Interns, Raz family. I wish we had some development between Raz and Lilly, because the chemistry between them were stronger in first game. After all, I wish that Double Fine would make a Psychonauts Remake someday (remember that scene when in Ford mind we were at campfire, and it was so nostalgic - and I thought at that moment, how cool if the Psychonauts would look like this)
it makes my entire day watching your psychonauts analysis videos, even with how ive obsessed over these games you still seem to find little details and connections that i've missed! eagerly awaiting the completion of your series!
So if this level is to be taken at face value, this would mean *Ford* is Pinhead Larry and Raz is Dirty Dan. Glad to finally have that argument settled.
Thank you for making these! They are super interesting, and I can't wait for the next one!
I'm glad you enjoy them!
rather short, but i love these videos. keep it up.
Next one is going to be a lot beefier for sure.
Aw yiss, another Ford episode. And once again it was very enjoyable episode.
Another great analysis my friend. Really well researched and explained as always!
I enjoyed this section of the game!
It's the only marble rolling segment I've ever played. Absolutely worth it
Keep it up man love the work your doing here!
Very much appreciate it! Can't wait to produce more
i love these videos so much and get so happy when they show up on my home page. i really love how in depth some of the sillier aspects really are, things i brushed over for not understanding the meaning in the moment. i think strike city was the main one i totally missed the deeper points outside from the obvious bowling date, so i truly love all the explanations you give in this and the rest of your psychology of psychonauts vids. keep it up mate
When is your next Psychonauts video, G.U.? I really want to see your take on the concept of Synethesia and sensory deprivation!
I'm currently focusing on tons of Remedy content. But once this crunch is done I'll be heading back to Psiking Sensorium.
What a coincidence! I just finished this level yesterday. I wonder if you would do a video of Cruller's Correspondence level or even PSI King's sensory level as well?
Just wanted to say I love your content.
Thank you for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoy the series here.
Because of the orchestral theme, this level feels the most like psychonauts. Sadly due to the score many levels do not.
I need to sit down and focus on the soundtrack. Not something I've dived into yet.
Psy-King is next... I can already SENSE this is going to be a big deal. How long do I have to wait to see the band get back together?
I should probably go back and finishing collecting the collectibles.
Good luck with your collectithon!
Amazing work as always 😉😉😉🙂🙂🙂.
Thank you so much!
Man, how will the next one strike the audience, only time will tell.
Excellent work as alway!!
Thank you!
This was the first level I played.
My memories can be fuzzy at times
Next one is going to be fun since it's go to be psi Kong's I think the psychic six representing the senses they do makes sense
Going to be a fun one to write up considering how much they have packed into it.
Continuing from the representations of ford: whereas the lighthouse is a figure who can only watch, the bowling pin represents him getting knocked down after Lucy. But like the quote at the end the germs, and that one hit wonder song, they comeback eventually. I can’t wait for the next level, it’s gonna be fun to talk about.
My favourite is Bob being Audie O because helmut loves both Bob and music and 3 guess what the most important sense in music is
I noticed that you changed the thumbnails for the psychology of psychonauts videos of the first game. I think that the original thumbnails are very charming and nostalgic, but ofcourse do what you like, the videos are enjoyable anyways :D
I'm working on changing then little by little. Sadly I got to play the YT clickability game with the thumbnails
Endelig, another episode of even cooler therapist's!
4:52 or memory's of a past friendship that turn sour when the betrayal that ended it comes
In Cassie's mind, her friends lie far above her Library. In a private section where they are remembered as the caricatures she saw them as. Not unlike how fullbear saw everyone has a type of sensory input.
I think the one mental world of Fords mine and I'm interested in seeing you talk about is the last one mostly it's just so creepy especially with the casket sharks! I'm curious if there's any symbolic relationship between the caskets being living sharks.
Love the channel and looking forward to the post office level.
4:00 Yup this memory definitely details the time Lucy used her powers for cheating at bowling. 😜😜😜
Shh don't tell anyone lol. She can win a league and no one would know except ford.
i'm losing my mind waiting the next Psychonauts video
I'm sorry. We have one being edited as we speak. But I have been wanting to get through the entire documentary double fine released first. Already found some good clues in it.
so excited for the next episode. your videos are lovely
Strange fact strike city/first day takes place in a shoe and while Ford is cleaning a shoe
"Truman" demands Raz FIX Ford, but the way I see it, these personalities aren't the problem. The problem is that Ford so badly ran from what they protected him from that the selves could not communicate. Even the others know why they're there and they speak truths Ford could only remember with everyone together. A lot of folks with DID are perfectly fine as they are, but running from the "consequences" of those selves doesn't benefit anyone, either.
Great job
I appreciate it!
Strike City looks like the inside of my nose lol
Oh my lol
I think your videos are more fascinating than Psychonauts 2 actually was :/ Once the novelty of a sequel that we thought was never possible FINALLY arriving after 16 years wore off... I 100%-ed the game and ultimately felt underwhelmed.
The first Psychonauts is one of my Top 5 favorites. A rare game I willingly go back to again and again just because I find it still to be so fun, endearing and mentally stimulating, as I feel I still learn new things and insights each time I play. And each time, I feel satisfied.
Now while Psychonauts 2 can still reveal fresh insights with subsequent playthroughs, I don't seem to possess any desire to play it again. And that's nagged at me for a while now. What makes it feel so underwhelming for me?
... I think the answer is, while being graphically and musically superior to the original game, Psychonauts 2 just doesn't feel as fun to play due to the levels themselves falling short of the iconic levels from the first game.
Think about levels like Lungfishopolis, The Milkman Conspiracy, Black Velvetopia, Waterloo World, etc. They all felt fairly open and/or full of branching pathways with secrets to discover. Even Whispering Rock felt alive given that, as the story progressed, you could find characters changing and shifting to different locations, making the world feel alive and organic.
But in Psychonauts 2... not much changes in the world outside of the mental world. The Motherlobe doesn't experience nearly as drastic of world-changing action such as when all the campers disappeared from Whispering Rock.
And the majority of the mental worlds just... feel like hallways. Hollis' levels feel like hallways. Loboto's. Ford's. None of them feel as open as Lungfishopolis or Waterloo World were, and none of them get as memorably warped as the Milkman Conspiracy did. Psi King's level is super colorful, yes, but it's not warped and looping to the memorable degree that Boyd's mind was.
And as much as some people want to rave about Bob's Bottles, all you ultimately do is sail around a small little sea and get funneled down into, yep, you guessed it... more hallways. All culminating in a giant altar to Bob embracing a life of sin.
And the entire game then ultimately culminates in a... It's A Small World-esque ride level? Another hallway? No tricky platforming up an MC Escher-meets-Tim Burton asylum tower? No psychologically and emotionally relatable level like the Meat Circus with more tricky platforming? It's as if all the exaggerated complaints about the Meat Circus being too difficult caused Double Fine to create one of the most neutered final levels in any video game.
Your videos prove there's still plenty of thoughtfulness to be mined from Psychonauts 2... I just wish it were more like the first game: A game that was thoughtful AND fun to play.
when's the next psychology video?
I finally finished the script about 5 minutes ago. Recording tomorrow and it will be in editing by wednesday. Hopefully early next week.
Memory live in the Desire of the Heart, even if they didn't exist. Ha ha
it makes my entire day watching your psychonauts analysis videos, even with how ive obsessed over these games you still seem to find little details and connections that i've missed! eagerly awaiting the completion of your series!