The setting for the game is a Summer camp for misfit kids with psychic talents, and the story revolves around the central character Razputin - or Raz, as he prefers to be called. Raz has run away from an unhappy home situation to join the cadets at the Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp, in the hopes of joining the elite ranks of the Psychonauts: super-cool, top secret government agents.

Under the watchful (mind's) eye of the camp coach, Oleander, Raz and his fellow cadets undergo a boot camp-style 'Basic Braining' course to learn the ropes, both physical and psychic. Swinging, dodging, balancing, sliding and leaping, plus laying down the hurt with psychic blasts and pyrokinesis - all essential skills a cadet needs to master on the road to becoming a fully fledged Psychonaut. Further key training with renowned agents Milla Vodello & Sasha Nein arms Raz with more advanced psychic skills, which he will need to solve the deepening mystery surrounding Camp Whispering Rock.

Play takes place in over a dozen locations, both in the 'real' world and in the minds of other characters: what you'll find inside some folks' heads ranges from fanciful to frightening, to just plain weird. Because each level is so different from the others, it provides an element of variety that should ensure gamers do not become bored too quickly.

Throughout his journey Raz collects useful items which serve to improve his ranking, replenish his mental health (hit points), assist him in his adventure, or simply to use as currency at the camp store. Some of these are difficult to reach and require gamers to use their own grey matter.

Adults will appreciate the humourous touches scattered through the game: sorting the emotional baggage, dusting away mental cobwebs and collecting figments of the imagination, to mention a few examples. As Raz rises in rank he obtains more psychic abilities, such as levitation, clairvoyance, and telekinesis. You'll discover there are several ways to reach that elusive PSI challenge marker, or to teach that personal demon a lesson.

An HUD appears whenever Raz picks up an item, giving you at-a-glance information as to his mental health, cadet rank, wealth etc. You can also call up a menu to display inventory, items found/needed, unlocked material, Raz' journal, and even a map showing where to go next, should you get stuck.

While it is classifed as an adventure, Psychonauts is more of a platform game with adventure and puzzle-solving elements, and was originally intended as a console-only title. This is reflected in the awkward-to-use keyboard and mouse control system on the PC. A gamepad is easier by far, and if you have one, we recommend you use it. We tested the game on two PCs: minimum spec. and a faster-than-recommended machine. Needless to say, there was no contest. While the game will run on the minimum specifications listed on the pack, it chugs along like a vintage car on the motorway - even with all the video options dialled way down.

The graphics are an absolute delight to behold. The backgrounds are cartoonish, colourful and beautifully drawn, as are the characters. As well as the standard in-game graphics you'll be treated to a mixture of black and white "memories" slide shows, unlockable concept art, and very different settings for each level (mental world) in the game. The voice talent is well suited to the characters: from the belligerent camp bully to the blustering coach, to the cocky central character, it's all good. Likewise, the music is a very good fit for the game and shifts to suit the on-screen situation. You won't find it grating on your eardrums - even after many hours of play.

The story behind Psychonauts unfolds at a steady and manageable pace, and there's an eclectic and interesting mixture of characters to meet. Endless lives make the game more appealing to younger players, who might otherwise find it too difficult. With content and humour that appeals to both young and old gamers alike, this is one game we can happily recommend to all, however it is probably best suited to the consoles. If you are buying the PC version you may wish to consider using a gamepad.