Since its surprise announcement during the State of Play in June, the new Astro Bot for PS5 has captured the hearts of PS5 owners with the promise of an old-fashioned platformer, colorful, fun and able to exploit the controls like never before. Sony consoles. Before he showed himself in this new adventure, which will be available on September 6, the mascot had already given his best in 2018’s Astro Bot Rescue Mission on PSVR, and the short but intense Astro’s Playroom included on the PS5. Astro Bot is a journey through over 80 levels spread across 50 planets and six galaxies. The goal is to save more than 150 robots, some of which represent iconic characters from PlayStation’s thirty-year history, such as Kratos, Nathan Drake and Ratchet. Not only that: everything suggests that in this chapter there will be entire levels inspired by Sony classics, such as the one dedicated to God of War.
The celebration of PlayStation’s legacy, similar to that of Astro’s Playroom, feels like a throwback to previous console generations, when games like this weren’t so rare. Asobi’s new work appears after just 45 minutes of play as an immense platform title, well designed and with excellent level design. Each world explored offers new mechanics and challenges that keep the game fresh as you tackle the various obstacles found in Astro Bot. The game quickly teaches you various ways to approach challenges, and even with new concepts introduced, you never feel overwhelmed, offering constant satisfaction upon completing each subsequent level.
The boss featured in the preview version, a giant robotic octopus, is an example of stellar gameplay, offering a suitable challenge to everything learned in previous chapters, without ever burdening the player with more than they can handle. All accompanied by the presence of power-ups that offer the protagonist temporary abilities. The only two shown in the press demo were the frog legs that can move very large obstacles, or the shoulder mastiff that allows Astro Bot to launch himself into enemies with a devastating charge, but it’s easy to imagine that there were designed differently.
The magic of Astro Bot lies in the natural integration of the unique features of the DualSense, which make the experience fluid and engaging. Haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, motion sensor and integrated speaker enhance immersion without ever feeling artificial or invasive. Feeling the distinct sensation of sand underfoot, the tension of nocking an arrow, and the lightness of flight through movement make the game world tangibly immersive. From first impressions, Astro Bot is a game PlayStation needed this generation and one that finally demonstrates why the whole family can enjoy a PS5.
Generous checkpoints, numerous power-ups and responsive controls make it easy to pick up after an untimely death. But, as with modern Mario titles, there are plenty of challenges beyond completing levels, from fiendishly placed collectibles to optional rooms that require perfect timing and precision. If the rest of Astro Bot maintains this level of quality, it could turn out to be the PS5 exclusive of the year, something truly special. Above all, it’s an injection of lighthearted, mischievous fun that’s sorely missing in an era of triple-A games with multi-hundred-million budgets.
