Passing the Meat Circus level on Psychonauts

The level is really difficult, yes, but it's passable, here are some tips:

• Protecting Olly: Do not concentrate on the figments, wait until you get to the last teleportation point, just concentrate on protecting Olly. Don't use confusion bombs on the rabbit, just pick it up with TeleKinesis and wait until Olly arrives there. The sword throwers part, they always cough before throwing the sword, so synchronize with them.

• The Tunnel of Love: Go fast on the first part, where there are a few gaps ahead. On the second part, where there are a couple of 3-gap sets, go a little slower, but not too slow or you won't reach the other part. You will reach a tent.

• Before Entering The Tent: Now it is the time to go back and collect figments, cobwebs and whatever you want. After you do that, enter the tent.

• First Battle with the Butcher: Wear Levitation. The Butcher has this pattern: 1) Low slash (jump to evade it), 2) Lateral sweep (keep far away from him), 3) Floor smashing. When he smashes his blade, it will stick into the ground. Use this moment to jump over its arm and hit him in the head. Do that 3 times.

• The Big Top: This part is the real PITA. You really need to refine your platformer skills. There are two really annoying parts: when you get to the 3 ropes that are one over another, and the spiraling fence.

  • The 3 ropes: Notice that they are not completely parallel, but rather inclined. If you try to get the rope in its higher height, you will lose a precious extra second to lose the swing, try always to get it from its lower height, thus you manage to evade the bombs. You can also use invisibility here to evade the bombs as well. If you're already at rank 95, you won't have to worry about the bombs, they don't make you fall, and they only take a small amount of mental health, enough to regenerate it quickly.

  • The Spiraling Fence: This is the part I got stuck for a long time. I found that to pass this part I had to reach the left extreme of each fence, side jump to the left (do not go forward yet). After you jump to the left, quickly use levitation and go forward to reach the next fence. You will dominate it soon enough.

  • The stairs: If you're quick enough, you can reach the stairs and slide youself down all the way before the water reaches the stair. But if the water reaches the stair, you are still able to jump high enough with levitation and go up all the way. The water won't be a problem.

• Second battle with the butcher: The butcher is in flames, so you won't be able to touch him. Just use telekinesis on your fathers bombs and throw them at him.

• Final battle: Just run away when you're little, and smack him when you're big.

Hope that helps, I found this guide very useful: http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/922157-psychonauts/faqs/37113

In addition to the helpful advice given by chiguire, these Youtube videos might help with some of the trickier parts.

Butcher Battle (1):

Escort Oly:

The Big Top/ Acrobat Run:

Butcher Battle (2):

Good luck!

TIPS:

Big Top/Acrobat Run: After the 3 tightropes going up, there are 2 which you must cross in a V formation. Raz can jump between these ropes (towards the end near the meat platform) to save time and reduce the number of shots his father has time to throw.

Flaming Spiral Grates: It's a LOT easier to jump on top of the flaming grates, as shown in the above video. This should be quite easy by using a regular jump, no floating, if you are at the highest point on the current grate. Once on top, use levitation and bounce onto the meat platform with the father, you'll bounce really high. Float down to the highest grate in the series and use the balloon again to float across to the meat platform.

Flaming Hoops: Stop floating and stand still on the second last bubble generator. Turn on invisibility before floating back up through the final hoop - no more balloon popping missiles in the last stretch!

P.S. Tunnel of Love: Also seemed to just ignore all the smaller jumps towards the end by accelerating right through them?

The second fence in the spiral is the toughest unless you climb into the fire and double jump off the upper left. You'll only take a little damage, and it's damn near impossible to reach the third fence if you don't.