Was there any specific reason given as to why Raz isn’t able to use Shield and Invisibility in Psychonauts 2?
My headcanon is that using those abilities causes the user to become more isolated and solipsistic, hence why we see the coach using the shield in the lungfish mind.
Maybe that’s why we don’t see anyone using them in PN2? Because those are the kinds of abilities only found in younger psi-cadets who aren’t well adjusted yet? And becoming a full fledged psychonaut means making more connections with other minds, branching out, exposing vulnerabilities and in general Not self isolating?
So as you mature, you naturally lose the ability to do those things. If you’re well adjusted and making connections with lots of other minds.
In PN1 it’s noted that Raz has extremely strong mental defenses by the coach and his dad. By allowing others past his outer shell and defeating his trauma, he changes as a person. Notably no longer engaging in animal cruelty.
I’m interested to hear your thoughts on this theory. Or to blow it out of the water with whatever canon I missed haha
I personally feel like the concept of losing psychic abilities like that seems like it'd be a disservice to the utility shields and invisibility would have out in the field for psychic agents
plus I thiiiiiiink the reason Raz can't use those abilities in game is because interns are only allowed to use powers they have in their little approved merit badges
which, to be fair, Raz does have those merit badges
so it's a little in-universe confusing
but like, I've been trying to think of a response to this and coming up flat so that's what you get, oops
anyways, last thought, even though I THINK it's just the lighting here, the first few times I saw this cutscene
I thought Raz was using invisibility (I think also the transparency to see all of him gives the impression). in a situation where he's already doing a Bad Thing. so I think he still has the abilities he's just not allowed to use them and beyond this point is a good little boy about it