Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin

About Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin

Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is a first-person VR puzzle-platformer from Double Fine, released in 2017. It serves as a sequel bridge between the original Psychonauts and its 2019 follow-up. Playing as Raz, a young Psychonaut, you navigate surreal environments to rescue Truman Zanotto. The game blends quirky humor with VR mechanics, letting you physically reach and manipulate objects in 3D space. Designed for VR headsets like Oculus and PSVR, it emphasizes spatial puzzles and exploration. While brief, it’s a proof-of-concept for how Double Fine’s brand of creativity could adapt to virtual reality.

Gameplay

You spend most of your time solving physics-based puzzles using Raz’s psychic abilities. The core loop involves moving through abstract worlds, grabbing floating platforms, and aligning them to create paths. VR controls let you throw, rotate, and scale objects with your hands, making traversal feel tactile. Puzzles often require trial and error, like stacking blocks to reach a goal or reorienting a floating maze. Sessions are short, most levels take 5, 10 minutes. The lack of combat or dialogue keeps the focus on mechanics. While the VR integration is intuitive, some players report motion sickness due to teleportation movement.

What Players Think

The game holds a 73.5/100 on IGDB, with 17 user reviews. Community moods are split: 37% “Chill,” 29% “Fun,” and 23% “Confused.” Average playtime is 5.8 hours, with only 28% of players unlocking achievements. The rarest, “5th Paul,” sits at 4.5% completion. Critics praise its inventive VR design but note its brevity and lack of polish. One review called it “a fun tech demo,” while another said it “feels like a rejected Psychonauts level.” Players highlight the charm but often feel it’s overhyped for its short length.

PlayPile's Take

At $19.99 (25% off historical average), it’s a low-risk experiment worth trying if you own VR hardware. The 12 achievements add replay value, but only 4.5% unlock the hardest. It’s best for Psychonauts fans curious about VR or puzzle enthusiasts willing to overlook its flaws. Skip it if you prioritize substance over novelty. The game’s charm is niche, but its bold use of VR mechanics makes it memorable.

Storyline

At the end of Psychonauts, Raz is recognized as a great PSI Cadet and is asked to join his tutors as a fully fledged Psychonaut. But as Raz prepares to go home from camp with his father, news arrives that the Grand Head of the Psychonauts (and Lili's father) Truman Zanotto, has been kidnapped. The team, Raz and Lili included, fly off in the Psychonauts' jet to rescue him.