Psychonauts 2 is a game that isn’t afraid to return to the roots of 3D platformers. The original was beloved for its quirky sense of humour, varied level design, and nuanced story. The sequel does not leave that legacy hanging. Fans were drawn in by familiar faces and stayed to experience everything they loved about the first game all over again.
A number of well-known actors worked on Psychonauts 2 behind the scenes. Since it’s the job of any good voice actor to make you forget that the character isn’t real, some of them aren’t as recognizable as others. Read on to hear about the actors you probably know who voiced characters in Psychonauts 2.
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Travis Willingham as Skeleton Patients
Remember the skeleton patients in Hollis’ mind? Several of them – EKG Patient, Creepy Patient, and Old Patient – were voiced by Travis Willingham!
Willingham is perhaps best known for his role on Critical Role, a web show where a group play D&D live on camera. However, he’s been a voice actor for some time. His credits include Roy Mustang in Fullmetal Alchemist, Knuckles the Echidna in a number of Sonic: The Hedgehog video games and television shows, and Portgas D. Ace in One Piece. These skeletons in Psychonauts 2 are definitely a more modest role in Willingham’s career, but it’s a pleasant surprise for his fans nonetheless!
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Nick Tate as Compton Boole
Compton Boole is one of the people who originally founded the Psychonauts. He has severe anxiety and, when he is overwhelmed, unintentionally blows things up with his mind. If you played the original Psychonauts game, that might sound familiar! That would be because his grandson, Dogen Boole, appeared at Whispering Rock Summer Camp with the same ability.
Boole is played by the well-known actor Nick Tate, as well as Dr. Potts (a character in Hollis’ mind).
Tate’s most famous role is as Alan Carter in Space: 1999 (a science fiction show from the 1970s). Some fans might recognize him as the Noodler from Hook (a Peter Pan retelling from 1991). Over his many years as an actor, he’s been involved in a number of popular franchises, including Star Trek, The X-Files, Lost, and even video games like Escape From Monkey Island and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire.
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Kimberly Brooks as Hollis Forsythe
Though you may not recognize Kimberly Brooks’ voice, you should undoubtedly recognize her voice. That’s because she’s been working as a voice actress for video games since the 1990s!
Brooks’ best-known credits in television and gaming include Ashley Williams from Mass Effect, Barbara Gordon in the Batman: Arkham games, Daisy Fitzroy in BioShock Infinite, and Princess Allura in Voltron: Legendary Defender.
In Psychonauts 2, Brooks plays one of the main characters: Hollis Forsythe, the Second Head of the Psychonauts. She also takes up the role of several side characters, like HQ Admin Susan and the Bread and Pork in Compton Boole’s mind.
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Elijah Wood as Nick Johnsmith
Opinion differs on whether or not you should be able to notice this voice actor right away. Some players recognized Elijah Wood as Nick Johnsmith, a mailroom worker and main character of Psychonauts 2, while others only caught on in retrospect.
Wood is undoubtedly best known for his role as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. He’s worked hard not to be type-cast, though. When he’s not visiting other people’s islands in Animal Crossing, he’s playing characters such as Bill Hagmaier in No Man of God or Norval Greenwood in Come to Daddy.
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Audrey Wasilewski as Nona Aquato
Nona Aquato, who plays a surprisingly large role in the story of Psychonauts 2, is played by Audrey Wasilewski. Nona is a sweet woman, but is decrepit from age, with squinting eyes, grey hair, and a rounded back. Nothing like Wasilewski! However, the voice acting is entirely convincing.
Wasilewski is an actress as well as a producer, and she’s had guest roles on a number of shows. The most famous of these are probably Mad Men, Big Love, and Friends. Her video game credits are shorter, but still include prominent titles like Fallout 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Disney’s Tarzan.
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Piotr Michael as Otto
Otto Mentalis is a master inventor and engineer, as well as a close friend to Ford Cruller. In Psychonauts 2, this cooky genius is voiced by Piotr Michael.
Michael’s excellent range has led him to a number of voice-acting roles in popular content. A few recent examples include WandaVision (a television series on DisneyPlus), Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (a recent installment in the Call of Duty video game series) and Soul (a Disney film). As a result, Michael was also called upon for several other small roles in Psychonauts 2, like the Tooth Fairy, the Hippo Pot, and HQ Admin Evan.
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Jack Black as Helmut Fullbear
Of course, it’s impossible to forget about Jack Black. He’s known for a number of things, depending on who you ask, but they include Kung Fu Panda, School of Rock, and the upcoming Borderlands film.
Black played Helmut Fullbear, a musician and psychic who was thought to be dead for 20 years. Fullbear also experiences synesthesia, a rare medical condition where having one sensory experience leads to another sensory experience involuntarily. For example, he might hear a name and instantly see a particular colour that he associates with the name. This condition allowed Black and the creators of Psychonauts to have a lot of fun with the levels that take place inside Fullbear’s mind.
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