I played this level just last night! At first I was like "Oh great, a time limit. I HATE time limits! They stress me out and stop the game from being any fun!". Then I screwed up and ran out of time and... nothing happened. I didn't die or have to start all over again. I can't think of a better metaphor for my tendency to get all worked up over nothing. Anxiety is a self-inflicted bitch.
i had the exact same experience lmao, i fucked up the final 5 minute level and i was so worried that id have to redo the whole thing but all u miss out on is a tag u can get later
@@iwakeupandboomimarat you can really get that tag later on? Last time I played I actually abused a trick to reset the timer by leaving and reentering Compton’s mind, because I thought that tag would stay locked permanently if I failed…
@@gabopr1365 Yep, you can come back later after beating the level and grab all the bonus prizes for free, along with anything else you missed. No more goat puppets yelling at you; now Compton is feeling better it's all quiet and relaxed in there. :D
Can we also just admire how well Raz has grown as a Psychonaut(or intern I should say) and asks for consent before entering Compton’s mind? It’s a nice little detail. He also makes sure Compton knows that it’s okay to take breaks before going into the next round. It’s really sweet!
Yes! The fact that Raz is so incredibly empathetic with all of the individuals whose minds he enters. Raz is one of my favorite protagonists in any game.
It's actually the point of Hollis' Hot Streak, after all. In a meta way it also reflects the change in attitudes the mental health field has started to undergo in the decades between Psychonauts 1 and 2. Everything about this series shows someone on the team is passionate about representing psychology as a healthy discipline.
@@BigKlingy In his defense, tackling the mind of Boyd would be daunting, even for a professional, and the psytanium is only making things worse. Not to mention he was working against the machinations of a more experienced Psychonaut. But yeah, Milkman Conspiracy is Raz’s lowest or second lowest point.
A fun(?) little detail is that you can see viking horns on the egg inside the Grulovian Drowned Egg, implying that the whole dish is supposed to be Helmut frozen in ice
as soon as Tincan called it the "Grulovian Drowned Egg" ("egg" commonly being used in the games to refer to brains) I gasped in sudden understanding. Compton blames himself for Helmut's defeat, and it's something you don't notice your first time playing....
Compton also reminded me of issues with excessive dependency and some level of learned helplessness. He's convinced that he can't do anything without Cassie until Raz is able to take that place as his "helper" and remind Compton that he IS capable of independence.
It should be noted that the concept of "learned helplessness" is actually outdated. Seligman himself revised it because later experiments have shown that helplessness is actually the default state, and self-efficacy is what's learned.
I honestly never knew the time limit wasn't really, which is kind of on point isn't it? An excellent analysis of a great and stressful level. I don't know psychology, but hearing someone with experience in the field give a discussion how well these levels are seemingly made. I kind of recognized some of the stuff you pointed out, the fear of judgement and social anxiety, but the stuff about the audience being happy to help because he was a celebrity and happy to get hurt for him... amazing.
I also think its interesting that a required ingredient for the drowned egg was the cutting onions, considering it was a tragedy that resulted in many loses, both for grulovians, and the Psychic 6, so it's an interesting metaphor for "this was a very sad and tragic event"
The goats may also be a reference to the Chimera. There's three "heads" that spit poison, and there's the whole goat theme. You also defeat them by overfeeding them, like how Bellerophon beats the Chimera by forcing pitch down the throat of the GOAT head. Bellerophon was known for being a Greek hero who accidentally killed a couple of people as well, like Compton and his family.
With vomit, I believe it can also resemble overwhelming doubt!! It is also goopy and purple, and heck, we even see Doubt enemy emerging from it! I think it suits Compton very well (Could've expressed more, but alas, my English is limited heh )
Fun fact: that weird vomit seems quite similar to the waste the Doubts leave around when they apear or jump around. So even if you don't see them much in the level, they are a clue towards Compton's troubles.
On top of your analogy of goats being picky eaters. It could also be a play on the phrase GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) to indicate that these 4 are the greatest Psychonauts whose opinion matters most to him.
Thanks for the video Honestly, I found Compton's mind to be the hardest to make sense of. I wouldn't know why I could easily make sense of the traumas and complexes from Bob's mind, but thanks to your video I hope I can start to develop an eye for those sort of triggers that people might have.
Alright, my memory might be wrong, but I think the fact that Ford's "product" being accompanied by censors is just as significant and personalized as Cassie's being accompanied by bees. Going back and doing the extra completionist stuff, I think I remember hearing Otto Mentalis saying something about Ford being a jerk, and we do know that as leader, he might have felt it his responsibility to "help" Compton keep it together. He might have been hypercritical, which wouldn't have helped the anxiety. Ford might have been an external censor. Again, that's a lot of mights, all based off of a backhanded comment from Otto Mentalis, who I personally think has some ego stuff going on to begin with, but I think its still interesting, taking a look at their dynamic. Loved the video!
I know this probably won't be seen but if I can ask that the next psychonauts character covered is Maligula. I personally would appreciate it, I resonate with part of the concept of her, and these videos have helped me to understand myself better.
One thing I am wondering is: why is it a cooking show? My guess is that this is the kind of inner termoil that Compton goes through every time it approaches dinner time and he constantly views his own cooking efforts under the hypothetical lense of his peers.
I guess the judges vomiting is technically an image about some potentionnal words they would throw at this guy (harsh words, insults, negative remarks, etc...).
So wait..the time limit was optional? Huh, I thought I sucked at the game but I managed to do all of them within the time limit without finding this out, albeit I also died on the second so the timer reset. Still, I find that mechanic both funny in hindsight because I didn't need to rush, and REALLY amazing because the level actually made me feel the same emotions Compton was feeling and I never considered that until this video and it makes perfect sense. God I love this game, I am glad I decided to just buy it finally and play it recently.
I like the fact that Raz is prone to making mistakes and it show that even tho in the game he is seen by us as great by older Psychonauts it is seemed that they would have done what he does different And maybe even better... I also like that the Psychonaut that believed in him the most in Psychonauts 1 one(Sasha) was the most disappointed in him after he messed up others mind
ok so, now that i think of it, this is gonna sound stupid but, imagine how easy therapy would be if we (highly trained personal) could enter other's mind? most people have trouble explaining their problems or even understanding themselves, some even push their true feeling deep within their mind, and entering there not only could be a nice way to understand them, but also help them of course, this could also have very high stakes, screwing up inside one's mind could be as bad as screwing up in a high level lobotomy proceedure, and it would be necessary to understand a bit of the pacient beforehand, like, just straight up entering their mind without knowing anything could highly raise the mistake rate. i dont know why, since this is a stupid idea, but if this form of treatment ever becomes a thing, i feel like in the place where they teach it *psychonauts* would be brought up a lot.
Just wanna say the Compton's mind is my favorite by playing I'm happy that you made this video ('cause I'm really bad in understanding metaphors and now I can know more)
My largest complaint about this level is theres no way to retry the challenges and this locks the rewards up untill after end game where they are just given freely
From a pure gameplay and player perspective this is my least favorite world. Same reason as Gloria's Theatre. Cassiopeia's mind is the best one as it has subplots in the mind like everyone's favorite The Milkman Conspiracy. But it also has more than on the surface. Her theme is not identity issues but coming to who you really are, as she says: Is it you with your friends? With your family? Or by yourself? Her idea of our personas or ways to interact with others becomes different versions of herself and this is shown by having almost like multiple mind levels in one. Bob's the same with each bottle having a different theme and approach, each being an emotionally significant time in his life. Bool's is really just one room. Not Cass's chinatown, Milkman's varied neighborhood and areas, Bonaparte's entire field of multiple locations and of course Helmut's psychedelic world where you go from a stage to taking a van to multiple locations just to enter other locations multiple times. Compared to an entire trip that could be a huge indie game project on their own, in just one mind. Bool's feel underwhelming. Doesn't help the first mind sets the standard by starting in one area, then just like in Oleander's course changes the entire surroundings from just entering one room. Then entering the mind again now you got a completely different theme and more to explore with the same gravity and theme changing in an instant. That's a tough act to follow.
the only real comment i can make is that dougen just needs a helping hand, he's literally just a little guy, like if he were to get his powers under control he'd grow up to be a perfectly normal kid.
I haven't watched this video yet, will it give spoilers for the rest of the game? This level is as far as I've gotten so far. EDIT: I've beaten the game now, on my way to 100%, thanks for nothing guys. EDIT 2: 100% completion lets goo
My interpretation of the whole picking ingredients out of the vomit thing in the boss battle was a sort of metaphor for helping Compton parse his friends' actual opinions of him. The vomit is all the bile and hatred Compton thinks they hold for him due to his failures, and the ingredients, hidden underneath the vomit, are what they actually think of him. Those happy ingredients are opinions and comments that are much more positive and useful to him, but they're masked by Compton's insecurities and his idea that he doesn't deserve straight praise or positivity.
A very small touch I loved is in one of Compton's memory vaults, the one where he kills the dogs by accident. I love how he only remembers the seemingly disappointed look on Cruller's face, but not what came out of the incident.
That’s the beauty of a game that takes place in the mind space of various characters, there’s literally dozens of potential and perfectly valid interpretations to what’s going on.
@@mackielunkey2205 I don't think Cruller and Compton knew each other before. I think Cruller heard of what happened and this was him recruiting him. You see Ford show up in all the other Psychic Six' memory vaults in a similar manner.
I'm not sure if you were already noted it implicitly, but it's cute to notice the BEES! cereal being "Part of a complete breakfast" and having such an insane calorie count. Compton understands that Cassie gives him energy and completes him, it's an extremely sweet little touch. :)
I LOVE this game's levels, and this one was one of my favourites. It's one of the shorter ones but it covers a lot with what it has. Also, what is it with the Boole family and being amazing? Compton and both his grandchildren are all huge favourites with the fanbase. Here's something I love about Psychonauts 2's new "common" enemies: you can learn a lot about the characters by which do and don't show up in their minds. Ford's mind is full of Regrets, the main villain has none outside of one segment representing an angry mob, the PSI King is almost entirely free of Doubts.... and Compton's mind (as far as I remember) has no Bad Ideas. This shows that he isn't the failure he fears he is. I completely agree about the time limit: the fact that it doesn't matter as much as it seems, but that you probably wouldn't know that on a first playthrough, is amazing symbolism for his anxiety. The sheer stress an on-screen timer causes has a lot of potential for symbolism. (Like, say, Pikmin 1's limited days enforcing the feeling of struggling to survive in an unfamiliar environment) Another thing I like about this level, though it's admittedly its least subtle symbolism, is the option to take a break to explore the level between each round, and the next round only starting at your own volition when you hit the button. Something I noticed about the visual style of the show is that, on top of the judges being puppets, the food audience also look artificial and the dishes you make are clearly fabric imitations and not real food. Everything's fake here, basically, and I wonder if that's indicative that Compton's fears are of his own mind's making. How I view the judges' vomiting is they're literal "bile-spewing critics". Finding the ingredients you need to defeat them within the vomit might represent Compton learning to find the good in other people's words amidst all the false negativity he attaches to them (represented by vomit and garbage). That's just my spur-of-the-moment theory though. Side note: I love Compton's comments at the end "this is why I usually get takeout", and the audience's cheesy sitcom laughter. Sometimes joking about your problems is a great coping mechanism, and the fact that he's confidant enough to do that at the end speaks volumes.
I hadn't thought of the mechanics as conveying finding the good in people's words. I think that's a really great and interesting interpretation and whether it was intended or not, I think it fits perfectly and gives me even more appreciation for this incredible level!
I kinda figured the reason the judges were goats was basically a pun on Goading with means to antagonize someone into action. It'd be fitting cuz the judges are in a way trying to force Compton into action after years of just hiding and avoiding but they're doing it in the most harmful way. If I read too much into the boss fight, I'd say it's how criticism only hurts if you view it as just an attack on you as a person rather than something to be picked apart and used to improve yourself. Yeah some people do mean to hurt you with words but some genuinely want to help you do better but social anxiety can make both people equally damaging. Also I'm pretty sure the place in the memory vault is supposed to be an animal testing lab, hence the terrible conditions and over abundance of different animals.
I didn't read it as being a testing lab since they were all dogs, but it's definitely a possibility!! And I think this interpretation of the boss fight is a really fantastic one that I hadn't considered so thanks for sharing and helping me to appreciate the level even more!
@@MusingsMuses There's also a few needles and a petri dish, which further hints at it. They're in the bottom corner of the first slide, by the rats, I believe
(Minor note: The Grulovian Drowned Egg being an egg is probably another joke related to the final antagonist. Just saying. Also, that egg thing in Oleander's mind really makes way more sense now, doesn't it?) There is another layer to Compton's mind that can only be seen by connecting it to another - naturally, it's Cassie's mind. Both stages seem to be thematically, narratively, and mechanically built to contrast each other. Compton's stage mechanics test your ability to multitask, making you engage with a variety of different mechanics at once. They take place in a self-contained hub that grows more complex, but is ultimately a single fixed space. It's also something you navigate more or less on your own until the end. Cassie's is a central hub with spokes that branch out in space, but all revolve around a single key mechanic - your Projection. You find new ways of applying that mechanic, which is having a companion that can do tasks for you. But while narratively the point is that Cassie, the ultimate multitasker, has trouble focusing and keeping herself together (literally), mechanically her stage is pretty focused. Isn't that interesting? The juxtapositions in play seem to revolve around Raz filling in things the two previously provided each other, their strengths complementing each other perfectly. When the team split, they both found themselves lacking that person who compensates for their greatest weakness, at the time they needed it the most, so they retreated into their fears and anxieties. Interestingly, Compton at first seems to think Cassie doesn't need him, and Cassie's projection room seems to portray Compton as the one who depends on her, but once their issues are resolved, they reach a sort of equilibrium through realizing that the opposite is sort of true to an extent - both of them need each other to bring out the best they can be. Equally interesting is the fact that a relationship so deep isn't portrayed as romantic in the same way Helmut and Bob's relationship is, as if to say - hey, a relationship can be just as intimate and significant as a romantic one without being one explicitly.
I really liked that Cassie and Compton were just really close friends too! You don't see a lot of man/woman relationships in fiction that aren't romantic. Though since he has grandkids that does make me wonder who his wife was/is, since it never comes up that I noticed.
I've had anxiety for years, and the "damned by faint praise" part was so relatable it made me wheeze with laughter. I can't even tell you how many times I've been "modest" because of my insecurities and refused to accept compliments. "Slightly better than a mouthful of nails" and "surprisingly acceptable" accompanied by gameshow fanfare is exactly how my every success used to feel. My own words were usually along the lines of "I didn't mess up as much as I could have" or "I didn't create a total disaster this time", accompanied with a half-hearted attempt at excitement or satisfaction, when the best I could do was relief that it's over. Therapy and medication has helped a lot since then.
I'm pretty sure the animals Compton was trying to save were animals that were being tested on, as you can see bottles and syringes on the bottom left of the slide. Also the animals all being dogs, monkeys, and mice/rats would make sense if they were being used as test animals.
Ran a quick google search out of morbid curiosity: Fun fact, the term “bees in the head” refers to someone that is restless and/or uneasy. Also the BEES! box art says “part of a complete mental breakdown” instead of “complete breakfast”
I love the fact that when you enter cassies mind and find those secret paper versions of the other psychic six compton is the most accurate it shows how well they knew each other
It honestly confused me why some people didn't understand the theme behind Compton's mind. Maybe it's easier to understand if one has experienced the same level of anxiety and low self worth...... *coughs I think your video sums up this level very well, and some things you've mentioned I haven't even thought about, like the whole "sacrifice" undertone and the probable reason behind the goat puppets. I just thought they were his favorite animal since they flock his mind after revisiting it 😅 One thing that I kinda felt when going through this level was a bit of self depreciation. Humor is given for Psychonauts, but knowing how this level was pretty much Compton's personal view on himself, I can't help but feel that the humorous parts were a bit too personal.
The "Doubt" enemy is depicted as purple goo. The goats vomit purple goo. Maybe Compton is overwhelmed with doubt when around others? Great video, lots to think about
I love how at the end of the game Nick (or Gristol Malik) is in custody while Dr Loboto is allowed to escape. End game dialog would suggest Gristol is still delusional. I dare say the capture of Gristol allowed Loboto to feel safe again, ans sasha had no real reason to interrogate him anymore. If they do a follow-up, I'd love to see a mentally healthy, fully functional Loboto!
@@prometheanrebel3838 he relocated his moral compass, and now he isn't in fearful servitude to Malik. He feels safe, and the end of Rombus of Ruin shows he is deeply regretful of his actions.
yknow, here's a random detail i caught: since ford and otto are judges, compton's right there and cassie isn't, that would mean the three other original psychonauts aren't mentioned. however, that conviently fits into how many cooking stations are there. this does seem a little far-fetched, but during one of the recipes involving the blender, compton tells raz that he "lost an *arm* in there once" and that "once a *goat* tastes human flesh, it changes the relationship" because of these two rather strange remarks, i do believe that at least the blender might be a metaphor for lucrecia. sure, there's three other cooking stations and only two remaining psychics in this case, but i thought that line had some deeper meaning to it.
Hi! Thank you so much for watching the video! Just so you know, there will be slight spoilers for the end of the game! Also, it’s been brought to my attention that it likely wasn’t an animal sanctuary like I mentioned but actually an animal testing facility! I didn’t notice some of the details in the memory vault (oops), but luckily it doesn’t really change any of the info in the video. Thanks to everyone for letting me know! :) Also, if you would like to avoid parts of the video that illustrate triggering imagery within the boss battle then you can skip scenes portraying this fight using these time stamps: 20:25 - 21:34!
My aunt has goats on her farm. She knew the myth of goats eating everything was a myth. However, she saw where it came from. Goats TASTE everything. They'll pick up wood, cans, burlap, anything they can fit between their teeth, and chew it for a few seconds. If it's not something they feel is good to eat? They just drop it. But it does give a photographer time enough to catch a goat gnawing on any random object.
my guess for the vomit food is that compton is realizing how capable he actually is. he CAN make something good out of a bad situation, just as he can make good food out of...goat...vomit. also something to consider. Boole's food is what defeats the bosses. nothing really gets better when raz cooks the food, because self esteem comes from the self, not from others.
I suspect the goat upchuck actually represents the toxicity of his internal critics, and getting ingredients is how you can sometimes find something worthwhile even in harsh self-criticism.
I don't think it was an animal sanctuary; judging by the animals there, dogs, rabbits, rats, and monkeys, as well as a needle left on the table, I think it was an animal testing facility
@@ThoughtBubbleYT You're welcome😁 Also, your analysis was really good! I didn't know about the goat thing, so that finally explained to me why the judges are goats
I suspect, that oryginal idea for Compton was senses overload, but than this idea for "moved" to Helmut "Psy King", so creators had to come up with something new for Compton. At first I thought, that TV cooking show didn't match his personalty, but your video shown, that it did quite well. I apecially like the line about all eyes judging his every move.
It's a pretty small detail, but Compton's TV in the Psychoisolation Chamber seems to be playing a cooking show. If that's his main source of external stimulus it makes sense his psyche would form around that.
another thing to note about the level's themes of judgement is the harshest judge of all is ourselves. like how all the judges are actually him the entire time. he was judging himself far too harshly that what gives anxiety its power. its one thing to not be on everyone's best side, exponentially worse if we're the ones driving the narrative of being judged as harshly as you said making even the most innocuous seem sharp and intense while draining our selves said energy being used for said narrative without even realizing the severe disadvantage
Psychonauts 2 does an outstanding job showcasing the subject of mental health, they really put care into the sequel and it shows. With you going into further detail within the minds of the Psychic 6 and elaborating on their mental worlds describing their conditions shows just how real they feel. I would absolutely love to see more videos that delve within the minds of the original Psychonauts!
Thanks again for the time stamps! I loved the analysis, as usual! I wanted to point out something I really appreciated in this game; it's how Raz ALWAYS ask permission before going into someone's head. I remember in your video about the Milkman Conspiracy level, you joked about Raz invading his privacy when entering his head without asking, so the fact that he now always asks is really something that matter.
Of course! Adding the time stamps was the least that I could do! And YES! I love the focus on consent that this game has as opposed to recklessly intruding on other people's minds.
Really cool analysis. I think the goats are there to play into the "goats will eat anything" stereotype, not the "goats are picky eaters" truth like you suggested. I mean, Truman's goat is even called Tincan Zanotto. It seems like Compton is mentally overstating how judgemental they are, when in reality they'll eagerly eat up whatever he's served.
Amazing video! Having had similar but not as extreme social anxieties, the meaning of this level stood out the most to me once I reached the end. I have to admit that one of my favorite images is when Bool holds up the dish confidently, finally working towards fighting back his anxieties, it almost brings me to happy tears every time. I also really love learning about psychology and look forward to your next videos!
14:50 about the time limit, I kept jumping in and out of the level to try to complete the first challenge as soon as possible, not realizing that I was probably acting just like Compton... I love this game
During my first playthrough of "Psychonauts 2", Compton's Cookoff instantly became one of my favorite levels due to how relatable it felt on account of my own struggles with intense anxiety and low self-esteem, the uplifting message at the end of Compton overcoming his fears, and how criminally catchy the music is (there are times when that "Family Feud"-esque music plays nonstop in my head for hours on end). When it comes to the idea of the next round of the cooking show not progressing until the player presses the button, I personally see it as representing a sense of procrastination. By playing on the player's desire to do a thorough sweep of the mind to get as much as they can as soon as possible, it reflects how a lot of people (myself included) deal with anxiety by busying themselves with various other tasks as a way of not having to deal with the source of the problem. One thing I'm a bit disappointed in is how Cassie wasn't one of the judges since he respected her as much as Ford, if not more (as seen by how the view that he's nothing without her is constantly brought up throughout the level), and how he only really started to go downhill once she left the Psychonauts, possibly signifying that Compton felt as though Cassie leaving was his fault and yet another failure to the list. Though what's ironic is how Compton feels as though Hollis is above him and his problems, yet as we see earlier in the game, she's constantly plagued with worries about the Psychonauts' funding. It goes to show how appearances can be deceiving.
Well, I definitely can’t argue with that. All I know is what my research told me and what some of my friends who own goats have told me. So it’s very possible that it might depend on the breed or something like that!
I think that the goats using barf as a weapon is representative of how harsh they are with their words! Thank You for asking! Great video by the way! I thought that it was very educational! Have a great rest of you day, a great rest of your week, and a great rest of your month! :D!
I feel like that makes a lot of sense! And you need to find the positive in the perceived negative! And of course, I love asking because when I do these videos I have little doubt that I miss SOMETHING because these levels are created with so much nuance and care, so I love to hear other people’s perspectives! Also, I hope you also have a fantastic rest of your day, a fantastic rest of your week, and why not even a fantastic rest of your month as well! :)
I'm so glad you made a video on the game! Ever since I finished it I've been watching a lot of discussion videos and such on it as I just can't let go of the game. It left such an impact on me and was most definitely worth the long wait!
thank you for your video. One my first play through I wasn't sure what comptons mind was supposed to represent. Some youtuber was suggesting it would also be a sensory overload or smth similar, but I always thought it was smth else. Besides the "voices" of the animals he wasn't overwhelmed by the other senses. So thank you for your video. I understand why I liked this level so much. It really portraits the this problem well. Hope you make more videos about psychonauts 2. Also the time limit having no effect makes much more sense now.
I think it's interesting that on the "BEES!" cereal, instead of Cassie we have...Otto. Being chased by the bees. I guess Compton must not be much of a fan of his...
As someone who A: loves phychonauts, B: Has been diagnosed with social anxiety (and kins Compton) and C: Has been really interested in learning about phycology in recent years, I love this video. Hope to see more phychonauts :D
Oh man what if it's actually his own inner turmoil with self confidence in regards to the reason they're goats? If the idea is that, the goats will eat anything, but in this situation, not even something that theoretically eats everything, something like that doesn't even like my dish? My dish must be "Truly Terrible," and it's just more pressure he puts on himself based on how he views the outside world.
it might not be intentional, but the first thing that came to mind when i noticed all his colleagues were represented by goats was the acronym goat, or greatest of all time, which could illustrate the high pedestal he puts his colleagues on, thinking they are more worthy of the praise he gets than he is
I suffer from a form of social phobia. Mostly in manifests in smaller places with a lot of people. Examples include: Train cars, cafeterias, and the like. I can absolutely agree that while in these situations I keep my head low, if I have to speak, I’m quiet, and will actively avoid these situations. It also doesn’t help that I’m a very introverted individual as well as being on the spectrum. These things I feel while in these situations that normal people find, well, normal, only get to be more and more of a problem. I push through because I must. As upsetting as it can get to be, for me, I simply just have to deal with it myself.
rewatching the grulovian drowned egg recipe made me realize an outspoken egg, boiled in hot water - lucrecia and the deluge and an unruly onion, who’s been sliced to pieces - ford and his shattered mind makes me wonder if the other recipes have a connection to characters
I think the purple bile is a representation of Compton's doubts in this final stage of the "show". Its the same color, consistency, and has the same effect as the slime from the Doubt enemies, so it could be his mind saying that, no matter how much he tries, he feels the others doubt him and/or his abilities, or that he doubts the intentions or meanings behind the Psychonauts words to him, particularly those he holds in high regard.
Compton's level spoke so much to me. I didn't even know about the timer thing, all I knew was I hate hate hate being timed in games and irl and I was scrambling just to put everything in order in time when it needed to. It all just meant pain to me, despite as you said that there wasn't any actual pressure or seriousness from the situation. In the past I've broken down so many times so that I might get help and make a stressful situation pass, but then I still couldn't deal with it on my own. I often want to cry for how *judgemental* I become of myself when I struggle to do basic things and feel pathetic that I can't just do them. I'm terrified a lot like this, and it's miserable 😖. Even worse when most people don't understand. I'm getting better at facing it all, but often when anything stressful starts to come up, I still want someone there to support me, even if it's just standing next to me as I do what I have to do. It's not fun 😔
I just realized... the first dish, the grulovian drowned egg... An outspoken egg and an Unruly Onion, this first dish actually clues you into the twist early, the outspoken and unruly representatives of Grulovia aren't just any protesters, they're specifically Marona and Lazarus... the egg having a female voice wasn't some coincidence...
Compton is probably my favourite out of the Psychic Six, if only because I suffer from social anxiety myself. He seems such a gentle, reserved man, that you can't help but to love him. I love how you interpreted the dishes as varying challenges Compton experienced in his working life. It leads to an interesting conclusion once you get the pork involved: It's apparently related to the butcher knife pig, who is a celebrity within the family... but will eventually have to slice it up. This might be a representation of Compton's feelings for his own family of psychics... who are on the edge of being sacrificed in duty, just like Helmut was, and on his behalf.
I just finished the game today and this was by far the most interesting video/article I came across! And even the comment section oh my gosh my mind is exploding by the creativity from the studio and all those people here. But what hits me the most? Thinking about my Ex-Girlfriend who has social anxieties. I understand it so much better now and would like to share it with her.. but rn isn't the right time I guess 😔 And some comments really well described the relationship between Compton and Cassie, that I just see her and me there urgh ;_; (even thought that I myself might have (had) excessive dependency) "hey, a relationship can be just as intimate and significant as a romantic one without being one explicitly." (from the comment section) I just hope that she and me might develop back to that.
Uh yes, psychosomatic symptoms... the thing that makes my entire body shut down and also makes it pretty much impossible for me to tell if I'm actually sick or broke my arm, or dislocated a shoulder or if my brain just decided that I have to be in excruciating pain, or just not be able to move... or remember things... or be extremely exhausted all the time and have everyone think that I'm a lazy liar. And have doctors ignore everything I have to say.
At first I didn’t know why Compton’s bowler derby had a keyhole in it. Then I figured it must be his version of Dogen’s tinfoil cap. He evidently didn’t wear it until after he decided to lock himself in psychoisolation.
I think the 1st and last dishes of the non double down portion, the grulovian drowned egg and the honey pepper pancake stacker, have significants to him, the grulovian drowned egg is obviously related to be the battle of grulovia, onions make you cry, like when the grulovian zar made life trouble, and plus could also basically cause a flood in large amounts, and could be the protestors, while the egg is the peasants that were oppressed to them and drowned anyway, and he called animals, which most lay eggs, and they got drowned by maligua, and the final dish is the honey pepper pancake stack, cause it’s both ford’s favorite dish, as he was the leader of the psychic six, while faun cruller was the leader and most rude of the judges, think he failed him, and it also relates to the bees that caused his anxiety attack, and is how he was going to find cassie, but is worried she won’t like him anymore.
something i dont see a lotta people talking about is the music choice. during the level, when cooking the meals for the judges, the music really got to my anxiety. it's loud, overwhelming, and stressed me out more the longer i spent time cooking. maybe its a personal experience but the music choice stood out a lot
My dude, with all due respect, I like your stuff, but it’s real cringey to ask people to subscribe and whatnot at the start of a video. We haven’t even seen your stuff yet.
One thing you never mentioned was, of all the combate encounters, compton has no bad ideas in his mind, which im pretty sure he's one of the few mind that lacks them, only other person i can think of who dosent have them is laboto.
It’s also important to note that the Booles are all experts at zoolepathy, which means they can talk directly to animals. Which is why all of the animals piling on him and there being too many bees made him freak out. All of the voices all at once overwhelmed him
another thing that i love ahout this level is how compton at one point says:"cassy would've made it sooner..." or something along those lines. this line hits me because it underlines just how much cassip pia was important to him, she cannot be replaced in his mind!
I played this level just last night! At first I was like "Oh great, a time limit. I HATE time limits! They stress me out and stop the game from being any fun!". Then I screwed up and ran out of time and... nothing happened. I didn't die or have to start all over again. I can't think of a better metaphor for my tendency to get all worked up over nothing. Anxiety is a self-inflicted bitch.
It really is
i had the exact same experience lmao, i fucked up the final 5 minute level and i was so worried that id have to redo the whole thing but all u miss out on is a tag u can get later
@@iwakeupandboomimarat you can really get that tag later on? Last time I played I actually abused a trick to reset the timer by leaving and reentering Compton’s mind, because I thought that tag would stay locked permanently if I failed…
@@gabopr1365 im p sure u can, i havent played that level in a while but i have all the baggage and i def didnt do it first try
@@gabopr1365 Yep, you can come back later after beating the level and grab all the bonus prizes for free, along with anything else you missed. No more goat puppets yelling at you; now Compton is feeling better it's all quiet and relaxed in there. :D
Can we also just admire how well Raz has grown as a Psychonaut(or intern I should say) and asks for consent before entering Compton’s mind? It’s a nice little detail. He also makes sure Compton knows that it’s okay to take breaks before going into the next round. It’s really sweet!
Yes! The fact that Raz is so incredibly empathetic with all of the individuals whose minds he enters. Raz is one of my favorite protagonists in any game.
It's a great contrast to the Milkman Conspiracy in the first game, where Raz, in his inexperience, inadvertently makes things worse.
It's actually the point of Hollis' Hot Streak, after all.
In a meta way it also reflects the change in attitudes the mental health field has started to undergo in the decades between Psychonauts 1 and 2. Everything about this series shows someone on the team is passionate about representing psychology as a healthy discipline.
Letting Compton take breaks between rounds is how you want to help people with social phobia. taking things one step at a time goes a long way.
@@BigKlingy In his defense, tackling the mind of Boyd would be daunting, even for a professional, and the psytanium is only making things worse. Not to mention he was working against the machinations of a more experienced Psychonaut.
But yeah, Milkman Conspiracy is Raz’s lowest or second lowest point.
A fun(?) little detail is that you can see viking horns on the egg inside the Grulovian Drowned Egg, implying that the whole dish is supposed to be Helmut frozen in ice
Oh my I see
oh you can barely see it
as soon as Tincan called it the "Grulovian Drowned Egg" ("egg" commonly being used in the games to refer to brains) I gasped in sudden understanding. Compton blames himself for Helmut's defeat, and it's something you don't notice your first time playing....
Compton's Cookoff: Social Anxiety was never this fun
This comment wins.
in a nutshell prize goes to this comment
I wish the ram it down thing was replayable
@@gabopr1365 Me too, buddy. Me too.
Compton also reminded me of issues with excessive dependency and some level of learned helplessness. He's convinced that he can't do anything without Cassie until Raz is able to take that place as his "helper" and remind Compton that he IS capable of independence.
Luckily to get the contents of the final box you can just go back into the mind after you beat it and you can pick the contents up with no issue!
It should be noted that the concept of "learned helplessness" is actually outdated. Seligman himself revised it because later experiments have shown that helplessness is actually the default state, and self-efficacy is what's learned.
I honestly never knew the time limit wasn't really, which is kind of on point isn't it?
An excellent analysis of a great and stressful level. I don't know psychology, but hearing someone with experience in the field give a discussion how well these levels are seemingly made. I kind of recognized some of the stuff you pointed out, the fear of judgement and social anxiety, but the stuff about the audience being happy to help because he was a celebrity and happy to get hurt for him... amazing.
I honestly decided that I had to do this video the moment I saw that the time limit doesn't matter.
I also think its interesting that a required ingredient for the drowned egg was the cutting onions, considering it was a tragedy that resulted in many loses, both for grulovians, and the Psychic 6, so it's an interesting metaphor for "this was a very sad and tragic event"
The goats may also be a reference to the Chimera. There's three "heads" that spit poison, and there's the whole goat theme. You also defeat them by overfeeding them, like how Bellerophon beats the Chimera by forcing pitch down the throat of the GOAT head. Bellerophon was known for being a Greek hero who accidentally killed a couple of people as well, like Compton and his family.
The fact that you can see its his arms in the puppets from the very beginning! This game is truly incredible with its details!!!
With vomit, I believe it can also resemble overwhelming doubt!! It is also goopy and purple, and heck, we even see Doubt enemy emerging from it! I think it suits Compton very well
(Could've expressed more, but alas, my English is limited heh )
Fun fact: that weird vomit seems quite similar to the waste the Doubts leave around when they apear or jump around. So even if you don't see them much in the level, they are a clue towards Compton's troubles.
Its kind of a shame this game didnt win any awards in TGA 2021. This game was an incredibly rare 10/10 for me
On top of your analogy of goats being picky eaters. It could also be a play on the phrase GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) to indicate that these 4 are the greatest Psychonauts whose opinion matters most to him.
This was great I'm gonna need more of these
Does anyone else see the huge coincidence that Compton's level involves cooking and he also takes place as a mouth later on
Thanks for the analysis. While I got more or less what the mental worlds represent, this one was indeed a little bit of a puzzle for me.
Thanks for the video
Honestly, I found Compton's mind to be the hardest to make sense of. I wouldn't know why I could easily make sense of the traumas and complexes from Bob's mind, but thanks to your video I hope I can start to develop an eye for those sort of triggers that people might have.
The "goats eat everything" meme comes from the fact that they eat a lot of weeds like sandburrs. They're great gardeners.
Alright, my memory might be wrong, but I think the fact that Ford's "product" being accompanied by censors is just as significant and personalized as Cassie's being accompanied by bees. Going back and doing the extra completionist stuff, I think I remember hearing Otto Mentalis saying something about Ford being a jerk, and we do know that as leader, he might have felt it his responsibility to "help" Compton keep it together. He might have been hypercritical, which wouldn't have helped the anxiety. Ford might have been an external censor. Again, that's a lot of mights, all based off of a backhanded comment from Otto Mentalis, who I personally think has some ego stuff going on to begin with, but I think its still interesting, taking a look at their dynamic. Loved the video!
I know this probably won't be seen but if I can ask that the next psychonauts character covered is Maligula. I personally would appreciate it, I resonate with part of the concept of her, and these videos have helped me to understand myself better.
One thing I am wondering is: why is it a cooking show? My guess is that this is the kind of inner termoil that Compton goes through every time it approaches dinner time and he constantly views his own cooking efforts under the hypothetical lense of his peers.
His little joke about usually getting takeout seems to support this.
Loved this video! Would love more on the series.
I don’t want to promise anything but I’m definitely planning on making more videos on Psychonauts at some point!
I guess the judges vomiting is technically an image about some potentionnal words they would throw at this guy (harsh words, insults, negative remarks, etc...).
So wait..the time limit was optional? Huh, I thought I sucked at the game but I managed to do all of them within the time limit without finding this out, albeit I also died on the second so the timer reset. Still, I find that mechanic both funny in hindsight because I didn't need to rush, and REALLY amazing because the level actually made me feel the same emotions Compton was feeling and I never considered that until this video and it makes perfect sense. God I love this game, I am glad I decided to just buy it finally and play it recently.
I like the fact that Raz is prone to making mistakes and it show that even tho in the game he is seen by us as great by older Psychonauts it is seemed that they would have done what he does different
And maybe even better...
I also like that the Psychonaut that believed in him the most in Psychonauts 1 one(Sasha) was the most disappointed in him after he messed up others mind
ok so, now that i think of it, this is gonna sound stupid but, imagine how easy therapy would be if we (highly trained personal) could enter other's mind?
most people have trouble explaining their problems or even understanding themselves, some even push their true feeling deep within their mind, and entering there not only could be a nice way to understand them, but also help them
of course, this could also have very high stakes, screwing up inside one's mind could be as bad as screwing up in a high level lobotomy proceedure, and it would be necessary to understand a bit of the pacient beforehand, like, just straight up entering their mind without knowing anything could highly raise the mistake rate.
i dont know why, since this is a stupid idea, but if this form of treatment ever becomes a thing, i feel like in the place where they teach it *psychonauts* would be brought up a lot.
Yesss yessss do them all
Just wanna say the Compton's mind is my favorite by playing
I'm happy that you made this video ('cause I'm really bad in understanding metaphors and now I can know more)
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
There's also the fact that we don't find any Bad Ideas in this mind, Compton isn't half as big a failure as he thinks.
My largest complaint about this level is theres no way to retry the challenges and this locks the rewards up untill after end game where they are just given freely
My head canon is Otto is the only member of the team who bothered with actual therapy.
Please do all the mind scapes
this is kinda inappropriate but I absolutely love these goat hand-puppet avatars
I just kinda realized something.
Compton is dogans and sam's grandfather.
Who did he have kids with, and where is she?
more psyconauts please
*SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN A MOUTHFULL OF NAILS!!!!*
🙆👏🎉👏🎊👏👏🎉🙆👏🎉🙆🎊👏👏🙆
Please cover the other minds too
From a pure gameplay and player perspective this is my least favorite world. Same reason as Gloria's Theatre.
Cassiopeia's mind is the best one as it has subplots in the mind like everyone's favorite The Milkman Conspiracy. But it also has more than on the surface.
Her theme is not identity issues but coming to who you really are, as she says: Is it you with your friends? With your family? Or by yourself?
Her idea of our personas or ways to interact with others becomes different versions of herself and this is shown by having almost like multiple mind levels in one.
Bob's the same with each bottle having a different theme and approach, each being an emotionally significant time in his life.
Bool's is really just one room. Not Cass's chinatown, Milkman's varied neighborhood and areas, Bonaparte's entire field of multiple locations and of course Helmut's psychedelic world where you go from a stage to taking a van to multiple locations just to enter other locations multiple times.
Compared to an entire trip that could be a huge indie game project on their own, in just one mind.
Bool's feel underwhelming.
Doesn't help the first mind sets the standard by starting in one area, then just like in Oleander's course changes the entire surroundings from just entering one room.
Then entering the mind again now you got a completely different theme and more to explore with the same gravity and theme changing in an instant.
That's a tough act to follow.
Hey wait, if the judges were hand puppets, then where was the third one? I mean he only has two hands
the only real comment i can make is that dougen just needs a helping hand, he's literally just a little guy, like if he were to get his powers under control he'd grow up to be a perfectly normal kid.
Can you do Bob zennetto next
I don't have a defined schedule or anything but I might cover Bob's mind at some point!
want an animal that'll eat literally anything? whitetail deer is that animal
the background gameplay…
Wait we didn't have to finish in time?
Fuck.
I compten broke into a testing lab not sanctuary
I haven't watched this video yet, will it give spoilers for the rest of the game? This level is as far as I've gotten so far.
EDIT: I've beaten the game now, on my way to 100%, thanks for nothing guys.
EDIT 2: 100% completion lets goo
My interpretation of the whole picking ingredients out of the vomit thing in the boss battle was a sort of metaphor for helping Compton parse his friends' actual opinions of him. The vomit is all the bile and hatred Compton thinks they hold for him due to his failures, and the ingredients, hidden underneath the vomit, are what they actually think of him. Those happy ingredients are opinions and comments that are much more positive and useful to him, but they're masked by Compton's insecurities and his idea that he doesn't deserve straight praise or positivity.
Never in my life I thought I would see a non-medical analysis on vomit until now
Also great analysis!
A very small touch I loved is in one of Compton's memory vaults, the one where he kills the dogs by accident. I love how he only remembers the seemingly disappointed look on Cruller's face, but not what came out of the incident.
That’s the beauty of a game that takes place in the mind space of various characters, there’s literally dozens of potential and perfectly valid interpretations to what’s going on.
@@mackielunkey2205 I don't think Cruller and Compton knew each other before. I think Cruller heard of what happened and this was him recruiting him. You see Ford show up in all the other Psychic Six' memory vaults in a similar manner.
So okay, then I would love to see your interpretation of why you needed to lob the food into an already overstuffed judge to make him explode.
I'm not sure if you were already noted it implicitly, but it's cute to notice the BEES! cereal being "Part of a complete breakfast" and having such an insane calorie count. Compton understands that Cassie gives him energy and completes him, it's an extremely sweet little touch. :)
This comment made me smile til another pointed out the box said "part of a complete breakdown" :c
I LOVE this game's levels, and this one was one of my favourites. It's one of the shorter ones but it covers a lot with what it has. Also, what is it with the Boole family and being amazing? Compton and both his grandchildren are all huge favourites with the fanbase.
Here's something I love about Psychonauts 2's new "common" enemies: you can learn a lot about the characters by which do and don't show up in their minds. Ford's mind is full of Regrets, the main villain has none outside of one segment representing an angry mob, the PSI King is almost entirely free of Doubts.... and Compton's mind (as far as I remember) has no Bad Ideas. This shows that he isn't the failure he fears he is.
I completely agree about the time limit: the fact that it doesn't matter as much as it seems, but that you probably wouldn't know that on a first playthrough, is amazing symbolism for his anxiety. The sheer stress an on-screen timer causes has a lot of potential for symbolism. (Like, say, Pikmin 1's limited days enforcing the feeling of struggling to survive in an unfamiliar environment)
Another thing I like about this level, though it's admittedly its least subtle symbolism, is the option to take a break to explore the level between each round, and the next round only starting at your own volition when you hit the button.
Something I noticed about the visual style of the show is that, on top of the judges being puppets, the food audience also look artificial and the dishes you make are clearly fabric imitations and not real food. Everything's fake here, basically, and I wonder if that's indicative that Compton's fears are of his own mind's making.
How I view the judges' vomiting is they're literal "bile-spewing critics". Finding the ingredients you need to defeat them within the vomit might represent Compton learning to find the good in other people's words amidst all the false negativity he attaches to them (represented by vomit and garbage). That's just my spur-of-the-moment theory though.
Side note: I love Compton's comments at the end "this is why I usually get takeout", and the audience's cheesy sitcom laughter. Sometimes joking about your problems is a great coping mechanism, and the fact that he's confidant enough to do that at the end speaks volumes.
I hadn't thought of the mechanics as conveying finding the good in people's words. I think that's a really great and interesting interpretation and whether it was intended or not, I think it fits perfectly and gives me even more appreciation for this incredible level!
...And sometimes it's a horrible coping mechanism. Life, am I right.
I kinda figured the reason the judges were goats was basically a pun on Goading with means to antagonize someone into action. It'd be fitting cuz the judges are in a way trying to force Compton into action after years of just hiding and avoiding but they're doing it in the most harmful way. If I read too much into the boss fight, I'd say it's how criticism only hurts if you view it as just an attack on you as a person rather than something to be picked apart and used to improve yourself. Yeah some people do mean to hurt you with words but some genuinely want to help you do better but social anxiety can make both people equally damaging.
Also I'm pretty sure the place in the memory vault is supposed to be an animal testing lab, hence the terrible conditions and over abundance of different animals.
I didn't read it as being a testing lab since they were all dogs, but it's definitely a possibility!! And I think this interpretation of the boss fight is a really fantastic one that I hadn't considered so thanks for sharing and helping me to appreciate the level even more!
@@ThoughtBubbleYT in the first “slide” you can see a bunch on rats on the table and when all the animals swarm Compton you can see a monkey
@@MusingsMuses There's also a few needles and a petri dish, which further hints at it. They're in the bottom corner of the first slide, by the rats, I believe
(Minor note: The Grulovian Drowned Egg being an egg is probably another joke related to the final antagonist. Just saying. Also, that egg thing in Oleander's mind really makes way more sense now, doesn't it?)
There is another layer to Compton's mind that can only be seen by connecting it to another - naturally, it's Cassie's mind. Both stages seem to be thematically, narratively, and mechanically built to contrast each other.
Compton's stage mechanics test your ability to multitask, making you engage with a variety of different mechanics at once. They take place in a self-contained hub that grows more complex, but is ultimately a single fixed space. It's also something you navigate more or less on your own until the end.
Cassie's is a central hub with spokes that branch out in space, but all revolve around a single key mechanic - your Projection. You find new ways of applying that mechanic, which is having a companion that can do tasks for you. But while narratively the point is that Cassie, the ultimate multitasker, has trouble focusing and keeping herself together (literally), mechanically her stage is pretty focused.
Isn't that interesting? The juxtapositions in play seem to revolve around Raz filling in things the two previously provided each other, their strengths complementing each other perfectly. When the team split, they both found themselves lacking that person who compensates for their greatest weakness, at the time they needed it the most, so they retreated into their fears and anxieties.
Interestingly, Compton at first seems to think Cassie doesn't need him, and Cassie's projection room seems to portray Compton as the one who depends on her, but once their issues are resolved, they reach a sort of equilibrium through realizing that the opposite is sort of true to an extent - both of them need each other to bring out the best they can be.
Equally interesting is the fact that a relationship so deep isn't portrayed as romantic in the same way Helmut and Bob's relationship is, as if to say - hey, a relationship can be just as intimate and significant as a romantic one without being one explicitly.
I really liked that Cassie and Compton were just really close friends too! You don't see a lot of man/woman relationships in fiction that aren't romantic. Though since he has grandkids that does make me wonder who his wife was/is, since it never comes up that I noticed.
I've had anxiety for years, and the "damned by faint praise" part was so relatable it made me wheeze with laughter. I can't even tell you how many times I've been "modest" because of my insecurities and refused to accept compliments. "Slightly better than a mouthful of nails" and "surprisingly acceptable" accompanied by gameshow fanfare is exactly how my every success used to feel. My own words were usually along the lines of "I didn't mess up as much as I could have" or "I didn't create a total disaster this time", accompanied with a half-hearted attempt at excitement or satisfaction, when the best I could do was relief that it's over. Therapy and medication has helped a lot since then.
Good lord I do this constantly
I'm pretty sure the animals Compton was trying to save were animals that were being tested on, as you can see bottles and syringes on the bottom left of the slide. Also the animals all being dogs, monkeys, and mice/rats would make sense if they were being used as test animals.
Yes! I think you're right, I definitely missed that. Luckily it doesn't change much of anything about the rest of the mind!
Ran a quick google search out of morbid curiosity:
Fun fact, the term “bees in the head” refers to someone that is restless and/or uneasy.
Also the BEES! box art says “part of a complete mental breakdown” instead of “complete breakfast”
I love the fact that when you enter cassies mind and find those secret paper versions of the other psychic six compton is the most accurate it shows how well they knew each other
It honestly confused me why some people didn't understand the theme behind Compton's mind. Maybe it's easier to understand if one has experienced the same level of anxiety and low self worth......
*coughs
I think your video sums up this level very well, and some things you've mentioned I haven't even thought about, like the whole "sacrifice" undertone and the probable reason behind the goat puppets. I just thought they were his favorite animal since they flock his mind after revisiting it 😅
One thing that I kinda felt when going through this level was a bit of self depreciation. Humor is given for Psychonauts, but knowing how this level was pretty much Compton's personal view on himself, I can't help but feel that the humorous parts were a bit too personal.
Oooo, I hadn't even thought about the deprecation. That's a super interesting take on it.
The "Doubt" enemy is depicted as purple goo. The goats vomit purple goo. Maybe Compton is overwhelmed with doubt when around others?
Great video, lots to think about
Precisely!
My thoughts also!
I like the detail that you can see the Compton's sleeves and hands under the hand puppets before its revealed that this was all Compton doing this.
Yes!! I think it’s such an interesting piece of foreshadowing straight from the get-go!!
I love how at the end of the game Nick (or Gristol Malik) is in custody while Dr Loboto is allowed to escape. End game dialog would suggest Gristol is still delusional. I dare say the capture of Gristol allowed Loboto to feel safe again, ans sasha had no real reason to interrogate him anymore. If they do a follow-up, I'd love to see a mentally healthy, fully functional Loboto!
I feel like to do that, they'd have to reverse the damage Loboto's parents did to him.
@@prometheanrebel3838 he relocated his moral compass, and now he isn't in fearful servitude to Malik. He feels safe, and the end of Rombus of Ruin shows he is deeply regretful of his actions.
Loboto: normal dentist! Because what kind of employer wouldn't offer a dental plan?
yknow, here's a random detail i caught: since ford and otto are judges, compton's right there and cassie isn't, that would mean the three other original psychonauts aren't mentioned. however, that conviently fits into how many cooking stations are there.
this does seem a little far-fetched, but during one of the recipes involving the blender, compton tells raz that he "lost an *arm* in there once" and that "once a *goat* tastes human flesh, it changes the relationship"
because of these two rather strange remarks, i do believe that at least the blender might be a metaphor for lucrecia. sure, there's three other cooking stations and only two remaining psychics in this case, but i thought that line had some deeper meaning to it.
Perhaps.
Hi! Thank you so much for watching the video! Just so you know, there will be slight spoilers for the end of the game! Also, it’s been brought to my attention that it likely wasn’t an animal sanctuary like I mentioned but actually an animal testing facility! I didn’t notice some of the details in the memory vault (oops), but luckily it doesn’t really change any of the info in the video. Thanks to everyone for letting me know! :)
Also, if you would like to avoid parts of the video that illustrate triggering imagery within the boss battle then you can skip scenes portraying this fight using these time stamps: 20:25 - 21:34!
My aunt has goats on her farm. She knew the myth of goats eating everything was a myth. However, she saw where it came from.
Goats TASTE everything. They'll pick up wood, cans, burlap, anything they can fit between their teeth, and chew it for a few seconds. If it's not something they feel is good to eat? They just drop it.
But it does give a photographer time enough to catch a goat gnawing on any random object.
So it makes even more sense for them to be cooking show judges!
my guess for the vomit food is that compton is realizing how capable he actually is.
he CAN make something good out of a bad situation, just as he can make good food out of...goat...vomit.
also something to consider. Boole's food is what defeats the bosses.
nothing really gets better when raz cooks the food, because self esteem comes from the self, not from others.
I suspect the goat upchuck actually represents the toxicity of his internal critics, and getting ingredients is how you can sometimes find something worthwhile even in harsh self-criticism.
I don't think it was an animal sanctuary; judging by the animals there, dogs, rabbits, rats, and monkeys, as well as a needle left on the table, I think it was an animal testing facility
You’re definitely right! I guess I didn’t look at the image closely enough. Thanks for letting me know!
@@ThoughtBubbleYT You're welcome😁 Also, your analysis was really good! I didn't know about the goat thing, so that finally explained to me why the judges are goats
I suspect, that oryginal idea for Compton was senses overload, but than this idea for "moved" to Helmut "Psy King", so creators had to come up with something new for Compton.
At first I thought, that TV cooking show didn't match his personalty, but your video shown, that it did quite well. I apecially like the line about all eyes judging his every move.
It's a pretty small detail, but Compton's TV in the Psychoisolation Chamber seems to be playing a cooking show. If that's his main source of external stimulus it makes sense his psyche would form around that.
I hadn't notice this. That's a really good catch!
another thing to note about the level's themes of judgement is the harshest judge of all is ourselves. like how all the judges are actually him the entire time. he was judging himself far too harshly that what gives anxiety its power. its one thing to not be on everyone's best side, exponentially worse if we're the ones driving the narrative of being judged as harshly as you said making even the most innocuous seem sharp and intense while draining our selves said energy being used for said narrative without even realizing the severe disadvantage
True, I also noticed that when you beat one of the goats, the hand controlling them is actually Compton's own hand.
Psychonauts 2 does an outstanding job showcasing the subject of mental health, they really put care into the sequel and it shows.
With you going into further detail within the minds of the Psychic 6 and elaborating on their mental worlds describing their conditions shows just how real they feel.
I would absolutely love to see more videos that delve within the minds of the original Psychonauts!
I don't have any immediate plans, but I definitely would love to cover more of the minds from Psychonauts 2 at some point!
Thanks again for the time stamps! I loved the analysis, as usual!
I wanted to point out something I really appreciated in this game; it's how Raz ALWAYS ask permission before going into someone's head. I remember in your video about the Milkman Conspiracy level, you joked about Raz invading his privacy when entering his head without asking, so the fact that he now always asks is really something that matter.
Of course! Adding the time stamps was the least that I could do! And YES! I love the focus on consent that this game has as opposed to recklessly intruding on other people's minds.
Really cool analysis. I think the goats are there to play into the "goats will eat anything" stereotype, not the "goats are picky eaters" truth like you suggested. I mean, Truman's goat is even called Tincan Zanotto. It seems like Compton is mentally overstating how judgemental they are, when in reality they'll eagerly eat up whatever he's served.
Amazing video! Having had similar but not as extreme social anxieties, the meaning of this level stood out the most to me once I reached the end. I have to admit that one of my favorite images is when Bool holds up the dish confidently, finally working towards fighting back his anxieties, it almost brings me to happy tears every time. I also really love learning about psychology and look forward to your next videos!
Thank you so much! With my new job stabilizing a bit, I'm hoping to post a bit more consistently!
"animal sanctuary" I don't think that's what that is at all. Looks like animal testing facility to me.
14:50 about the time limit, I kept jumping in and out of the level to try to complete the first challenge as soon as possible, not realizing that I was probably acting just like Compton... I love this game
During my first playthrough of "Psychonauts 2", Compton's Cookoff instantly became one of my favorite levels due to how relatable it felt on account of my own struggles with intense anxiety and low self-esteem, the uplifting message at the end of Compton overcoming his fears, and how criminally catchy the music is (there are times when that "Family Feud"-esque music plays nonstop in my head for hours on end).
When it comes to the idea of the next round of the cooking show not progressing until the player presses the button, I personally see it as representing a sense of procrastination. By playing on the player's desire to do a thorough sweep of the mind to get as much as they can as soon as possible, it reflects how a lot of people (myself included) deal with anxiety by busying themselves with various other tasks as a way of not having to deal with the source of the problem.
One thing I'm a bit disappointed in is how Cassie wasn't one of the judges since he respected her as much as Ford, if not more (as seen by how the view that he's nothing without her is constantly brought up throughout the level), and how he only really started to go downhill once she left the Psychonauts, possibly signifying that Compton felt as though Cassie leaving was his fault and yet another failure to the list.
Though what's ironic is how Compton feels as though Hollis is above him and his problems, yet as we see earlier in the game, she's constantly plagued with worries about the Psychonauts' funding. It goes to show how appearances can be deceiving.
I call bullshit on the goat fact. I have two, and they eat plastic, glass, and metal for the hell of it. I've seen the effers eat LIVE LIZARDS.
Well, I definitely can’t argue with that. All I know is what my research told me and what some of my friends who own goats have told me. So it’s very possible that it might depend on the breed or something like that!
Game of the year and precisely no one and no thing on this planet can convince me otherwise.
You are undeniably correct.
I think that the goats using barf as a weapon is representative of how harsh they are with their words! Thank You for asking! Great video by the way! I thought that it was very educational! Have a great rest of you day, a great rest of your week, and a great rest of your month! :D!
I feel like that makes a lot of sense! And you need to find the positive in the perceived negative! And of course, I love asking because when I do these videos I have little doubt that I miss SOMETHING because these levels are created with so much nuance and care, so I love to hear other people’s perspectives!
Also, I hope you also have a fantastic rest of your day, a fantastic rest of your week, and why not even a fantastic rest of your month as well! :)
Thank You! :D!
I'm so glad you made a video on the game! Ever since I finished it I've been watching a lot of discussion videos and such on it as I just can't let go of the game. It left such an impact on me and was most definitely worth the long wait!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
thank you for your video. One my first play through I wasn't sure what comptons mind was supposed to represent. Some youtuber was suggesting it would also be a sensory overload or smth similar, but I always thought it was smth else. Besides the "voices" of the animals he wasn't overwhelmed by the other senses. So thank you for your video. I understand why I liked this level so much. It really portraits the this problem well. Hope you make more videos about psychonauts 2.
Also the time limit having no effect makes much more sense now.
Of course! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. This is such a fun and interesting level and I think that it represents these anxieties so incredibly well.
True. That's what distinguishes his level from PSI King's in the end - one is sensory, and the other is social, even if they seem similar.
I think it's interesting that on the "BEES!" cereal, instead of Cassie we have...Otto. Being chased by the bees. I guess Compton must not be much of a fan of his...
As someone who A: loves phychonauts, B: Has been diagnosed with social anxiety (and kins Compton) and C: Has been really interested in learning about phycology in recent years,
I love this video. Hope to see more phychonauts :D
Oh man what if it's actually his own inner turmoil with self confidence in regards to the reason they're goats? If the idea is that, the goats will eat anything, but in this situation, not even something that theoretically eats everything, something like that doesn't even like my dish? My dish must be "Truly Terrible," and it's just more pressure he puts on himself based on how he views the outside world.
it might not be intentional, but the first thing that came to mind when i noticed all his colleagues were represented by goats was the acronym goat, or greatest of all time, which could illustrate the high pedestal he puts his colleagues on, thinking they are more worthy of the praise he gets than he is
the detail about goats being picky eaters is so genius! please, you have to do more! id love a video on Bob's Bottles so much
Did no one mention that "Ram" it Down is a pun based on the word for a male goat?
I suffer from a form of social phobia. Mostly in manifests in smaller places with a lot of people. Examples include: Train cars, cafeterias, and the like. I can absolutely agree that while in these situations I keep my head low, if I have to speak, I’m quiet, and will actively avoid these situations. It also doesn’t help that I’m a very introverted individual as well as being on the spectrum. These things I feel while in these situations that normal people find, well, normal, only get to be more and more of a problem. I push through because I must. As upsetting as it can get to be, for me, I simply just have to deal with it myself.
rewatching the grulovian drowned egg recipe made me realize
an outspoken egg, boiled in hot water - lucrecia and the deluge
and
an unruly onion, who’s been sliced to pieces - ford and his shattered mind
makes me wonder if the other recipes have a connection to characters
I think the purple bile is a representation of Compton's doubts in this final stage of the "show". Its the same color, consistency, and has the same effect as the slime from the Doubt enemies, so it could be his mind saying that, no matter how much he tries, he feels the others doubt him and/or his abilities, or that he doubts the intentions or meanings behind the Psychonauts words to him, particularly those he holds in high regard.
Compton's level spoke so much to me. I didn't even know about the timer thing, all I knew was I hate hate hate being timed in games and irl and I was scrambling just to put everything in order in time when it needed to. It all just meant pain to me, despite as you said that there wasn't any actual pressure or seriousness from the situation. In the past I've broken down so many times so that I might get help and make a stressful situation pass, but then I still couldn't deal with it on my own. I often want to cry for how *judgemental* I become of myself when I struggle to do basic things and feel pathetic that I can't just do them. I'm terrified a lot like this, and it's miserable 😖. Even worse when most people don't understand. I'm getting better at facing it all, but often when anything stressful starts to come up, I still want someone there to support me, even if it's just standing next to me as I do what I have to do. It's not fun 😔
I just realized... the first dish, the grulovian drowned egg... An outspoken egg and an Unruly Onion, this first dish actually clues you into the twist early, the outspoken and unruly representatives of Grulovia aren't just any protesters, they're specifically Marona and Lazarus... the egg having a female voice wasn't some coincidence...
Furthermore, on a rewatch: The Unruly Onion being sliced into pieces could be representative of Maligula's contempt and blame for Lazarus.
Compton is probably my favourite out of the Psychic Six, if only because I suffer from social anxiety myself. He seems such a gentle, reserved man, that you can't help but to love him.
I love how you interpreted the dishes as varying challenges Compton experienced in his working life. It leads to an interesting conclusion once you get the pork involved: It's apparently related to the butcher knife pig, who is a celebrity within the family... but will eventually have to slice it up. This might be a representation of Compton's feelings for his own family of psychics... who are on the edge of being sacrificed in duty, just like Helmut was, and on his behalf.
I just finished the game today and this was by far the most interesting video/article I came across! And even the comment section oh my gosh my mind is exploding by the creativity from the studio and all those people here.
But what hits me the most? Thinking about my Ex-Girlfriend who has social anxieties. I understand it so much better now and would like to share it with her.. but rn isn't the right time I guess 😔
And some comments really well described the relationship between Compton and Cassie, that I just see her and me there urgh ;_;
(even thought that I myself might have (had) excessive dependency)
"hey, a relationship can be just as intimate and significant as a romantic one without being one explicitly." (from the comment section)
I just hope that she and me might develop back to that.
Uh yes, psychosomatic symptoms... the thing that makes my entire body shut down and also makes it pretty much impossible for me to tell if I'm actually sick or broke my arm, or dislocated a shoulder or if my brain just decided that I have to be in excruciating pain, or just not be able to move... or remember things... or be extremely exhausted all the time and have everyone think that I'm a lazy liar. And have doctors ignore everything I have to say.
At first I didn’t know why Compton’s bowler derby had a keyhole in it. Then I figured it must be his version of Dogen’s tinfoil cap. He evidently didn’t wear it until after he decided to lock himself in psychoisolation.
I think the 1st and last dishes of the non double down portion, the grulovian drowned egg and the honey pepper pancake stacker, have significants to him, the grulovian drowned egg is obviously related to be the battle of grulovia, onions make you cry, like when the grulovian zar made life trouble, and plus could also basically cause a flood in large amounts, and could be the protestors, while the egg is the peasants that were oppressed to them and drowned anyway, and he called animals, which most lay eggs, and they got drowned by maligua, and the final dish is the honey pepper pancake stack, cause it’s both ford’s favorite dish, as he was the leader of the psychic six, while faun cruller was the leader and most rude of the judges, think he failed him, and it also relates to the bees that caused his anxiety attack, and is how he was going to find cassie, but is worried she won’t like him anymore.
something i dont see a lotta people talking about is the music choice. during the level, when cooking the meals for the judges, the music really got to my anxiety. it's loud, overwhelming, and stressed me out more the longer i spent time cooking.
maybe its a personal experience but the music choice stood out a lot
My dude, with all due respect, I like your stuff, but it’s real cringey to ask people to subscribe and whatnot at the start of a video. We haven’t even seen your stuff yet.
One thing you never mentioned was, of all the combate encounters, compton has no bad ideas in his mind, which im pretty sure he's one of the few mind that lacks them, only other person i can think of who dosent have them is laboto.
It’s also important to note that the Booles are all experts at zoolepathy, which means they can talk directly to animals. Which is why all of the animals piling on him and there being too many bees made him freak out. All of the voices all at once overwhelmed him
another thing that i love ahout this level is how compton at one point says:"cassy would've made it sooner..." or something along those lines. this line hits me because it underlines just how much cassip pia was important to him, she cannot be replaced in his mind!