I hope you’ve had a chance to dive into the sandy chaos of Dubai with November’s TA Playlist pick, Spec Ops: The Line. As we wrap up the month, it’s time to reveal the game that topped the December 2024 TA Playlist poll.
This December, we decided to revisit the highlights of 2024, and each team member nominated a game or two they believed deserved another moment in the spotlight. ManicMetalhead put forward the energetic 2017 run-and-gun platformer, Cuphead, along with the open-world "ShARk-PG," Maneater. Meanwhile, BetaSigX20 went with the 2023 survival horror sequel, Alan Wake 2, and ChewieOnIce suggested the 2021 action-adventure, Psychonauts 2. It was a nail-biter all the way to the end, but ultimately, the crown for the final TA Playlist game of 2024 goes to Psychonauts 2!
Developed by Double Fine and released by Xbox Game Studios in 2021, Psychonauts 2 hit the shelves a whopping 16 years after the first installment debuted in 2005. We follow Razputin “Raz” Aquato, who’s finally living his dream as part of the international psychic espionage organization, the Psychonauts. However, all is not well. The group’s leader hasn’t been himself since his kidnapping ordeal, and a mole lurks among them. Players guide Raz through a captivating and hilarious journey through the minds of various characters to thwart a deadly psychic adversary.
The TA Community rates Psychonauts 2 with an impressive 4.48 out of 5.00 stars. With nearly 178,000 players diving into the game, about 9% (over 16,000 players) have managed to complete it entirely. For those planning to unlock all 57 achievements, you’re looking at an estimated 25-30 hours of gameplay, though CitrineWorm138’s walkthrough might help speed things up. The game is readily available on all tiers of Xbox Game Pass.
This poll was one of the most competitive in recent memory, with Psychonauts 2 and Alan Wake 2 in a constant tug-of-war for the lead, never separated by more than a handful of votes. Meanwhile, Maneater and Cuphead remained steady in third and fourth positions, not quite enough to challenge the leaders:
External image from Imgur displayed here
As usual, you can snag your TA Playlist badge by unlocking any achievement in Psychonauts 2 during December or by leaving a thoughtful comment in the Spoiler or Spoiler-Free threads set to go live on December 1.
A quick update regarding forum participation: We’ve tweaked how we award badges for forum engagement. Previously, this was an automated process, which didn’t give our moderators enough time to sift through for "badge-only" posts. Now, we’ll be processing badges manually after reviewing posts to ensure they add value to the discussion. So, if you’re participating solely through forum posts, it might take a bit longer for your badge to appear. Rest assured, as long as your post is deemed substantive, your badge will show up within a couple of days.
Thanks to everyone for stepping up your game in creating meaningful dialogue. TA Playlist thrives on these discussions, and we appreciate your continued participation each month!
