| The Milkman Conspiracy | |
|---|---|
| Psychonauts location | |
 The Milkman Conspiracy level | |
| First appearance | Psychonauts |
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"The Milkman Conspiracy" is a level in the 2005 video game Psychonauts. It is a world that takes place in the mind of Boyd Cooper, a paranoid security guard of an asylum, which the protagonist Raz explores. The area has unusual gravity, causing Raz to be pulled towards different roads when he is near and walking at unusual angles. Multiple games have been compared to this level, including Jazzpunk, We Happy Few, and Super Mario Galaxy.
The game's director, Tim Schafer, was responsible for the level concept and its dialogue. He decided to create a conspiracy-based level around "I am the milkman, my milk is delicious," a phrase made up by a staff member at Double Fine. Schafer found fascination with conspiracy theorists, trying to create comedy with mental illness without punching down at those with mental illnesses. Art director Scott Campbell wanted to emphasize the paranoia Boyd experiences, accomplishing this by adding G-Men and the feeling of being watched to the level. Concept artist Peter Chan depicted roads twisting in the sky, wanting to reflect how Boyd's logic and reason were twisted. Erik Robson, who handled game design, designed the level to resemble a traditional adventure game, having players collect items to solve puzzles.
"The Milkman Conspiracy" has been generally well-received, becoming a Psychonauts fan favorite. Game Revolution and The Escapist writers praised it as one of the best platform levels in gaming, while author Daniel Hardcastle called it one of the best areas in video games. Its world design was praised by Eurogamer staff, which felt it is what made the level stand out so much. It has received attention for its depiction of mental health, with author Alice Brumby discussing how Boyd's mind is the most "disordered" among Psychonauts' cast.