On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 60% approval rating and an average rating of 5.50/10 based on 35 reviews. The site's consensus states; "Although it can't hold a cleaver to the classic original, "Psycho II" succeeds well enough on its own merits to satisfy horror fans." Film critic Roger Ebert wrote that, while the film sustained the suspenseful atmosphere of the original and is better than the average slasher film, the film was too heavy on the plot and was too willing to cheat about its plot to be successful.