We hope you managed to dive into the sands of Dubai with us for the November TA Playlist featuring Spec Ops: The Line. As the month wraps up, it’s time to reveal which game came out on top in the December 2024 TA Playlist poll.
For our December lineup, we revisited all the Playlists of 2024. Each team member got to choose one or two games they believed deserved a shot at Playlist fame once more. ManicMetalhead championed the fast-paced 2017 platformer Cuphead and the open-world aquatic adventure, Maneater, humorously dubbed a “ShARk-PG.” BetaSigX20 went with the spine-chilling 2023 sequel, Alan Wake 2. Meanwhile, ChewieOnIce opted for the 2021 action-adventure hit, Psychonauts 2. The race was neck-and-neck the whole way, but the game poised to round off 2024 as our final TA Playlist pick is… Psychonauts 2!
Double Fine developed and Xbox Game Studios released Psychonauts 2 in 2021, bringing it out a whole 16 years after the original game charmed audiences back in 2005. The story follows Razputin “Raz” Aquato, a skilled acrobat with impressive psychic abilities, who fulfills his dream by joining the prestigious international psychic agency known as the Psychonauts. But trouble’s brewing—after their leader’s bizarre behavior following a rescue from kidnappers and rumors of a mole within their ranks, these psychic sleuths could use all the help they can get. Psychonauts 2 delivers a thrilling blend of danger, excitement, and comedy as Raz ventures into the minds of allies and adversaries, all while unraveling a plot against them.
Considered a fan favorite, Psychonauts 2 has earned a remarkable 4.48/5.00 rating from the TA community. Out of nearly 178,000 gamers tracking their play, about 9% (just over 16,000 players) have achieved full completion. It takes an estimated 25-30 hours to earn all 57 achievements, but the walkthrough by CitrineWorm138 might just help you finish a bit faster. Plus, it’s available on all Xbox Game Pass tiers, making it accessible to more players.
This poll was one of the closest we’ve seen in quite some time, with Psychonauts 2 and Alan Wake 2 constantly neck-and-neck, swapping leads with not much more than a vote or two apart. Maneater and Cuphead held onto third and fourth places, though neither managed to challenge the top contenders.
Remember, you can snag your TA Playlist badge by unlocking any achievement in Psychonauts 2 in December or by adding a meaningful comment to the Spoiler and Spoiler-Free threads that kick off on December 1.
Speaking of the forums, we’ve tweaked how we handle awarding participation badges. Previously, it was an automatic process on a regular schedule, but it didn’t give moderators enough time to weed out those “badge-only” posts. From now on, badges are awarded manually after we ensure the posts are substantive, so if you’re relying solely on forum posts for your badge, there might be a slight delay. Rest assured, provided your posts are meaningful, you’ll get your badge within a day or two.
Thanks to these changes, we’ve seen a big drop in “badge-only” submissions. We truly appreciate everyone who invests time in adding thoughtful insights about each month’s game. TA Playlist thrives on these discussions, and we’re grateful for your consistent participation!
