Developed By: Team ASOBI
Published By: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Reviewed On: PlayStation 5
Review Code Provided By: PlayStation Asia
Sometimes I sit back and wonder about how it’s essentially been almost four years since the PS5 launched. From the early cross-gen games due to the generational shift and COVID which pushed a lot of development back, few games have managed to harness the power of the PS5. One of the best surprises about getting a PS5 at launch was the preloaded Astro’s Playroom which blew my mind in how it perfectly showed off the new haptics & adaptive triggers aside from snappy loading and crisp graphics.
Thanks to PlayStation Asia, we were able to play Astro Bot early, and after 18 hours of experiencing everything the game offers, it was just such an amazing delight. Rest assured, after four years of fans asking for a full-fledged game, it has been worth the wait and then some.
Story
The main narrative in Astro Bot is a relatively simple one; a space alien has intercepted the PS5 mothership in space, damaged it and stolen its CPU causing the mothership to crash land and scatter all the bots across the galaxy. It is up to Astro to return all the bots to the mothership and slowly rebuild it so they can continue traversing the galaxy together.
It may sound paper thin but honestly, it never felt that way throughout my experience. Even though there is not one word of dialogue in the game, everything is conveyed sufficiently and focused primarily on the excellent gameplay experiences for each unique level presented. Working slowly through each galaxy (there are six) always felt very purposeful and heading back to the crash site and watching it slowly populate with rescued bots and also unlocking new gameplay elements always felt rewarding and fun.
Graphics, Sound Design, Performance
Where Astro Bot shines is in how tight the gameplay feels (which I will get to later) and also how almost every aspect of the presentation is immaculate. There are no graphical modes to choose from but running at what I assume to be 60 fps constantly looks crisp and gorgeous. The art style for each planet you land on in a galaxy looks to be inspired by various past and present PlayStation properties but with their distinct flavour. There is always something around the corner which feels familiar but new and it’s all such a joy to uncover.
Sound design is another strong point but with an added plus point. The soundtrack for Astro Bot is varied and filled with bops that I couldn’t just help sing along with or tap my foot to while playing. But what takes it to another level is how brilliantly the controller speakers are utilized. Blasting away to space on your Dual Speeder is accompanied by roaring jets, and walking on various terrains is accompanied by almost pitch-perfect sound effects. This coupled with the best-in-class haptic feedback (which to this day has never been topped in my opinion) just creates an incredibly immersive experience.
All of these aspects atop the amount of polish created a flawless experience with zero bugs.
Gameplay
Astro Bot’s core gameplay is reminiscent of Astro’s Playroom whereby you are tasked with rebuilding the PS5 Mothership and collecting all the lost bots. In total, there are 300 bots spread over 6 galaxies celebrating 30 years of PlayStation history with iconic characters stoking the nostalgia. There are also puzzle pieces to collect which will unlock buildings at the crash site each serving a different purpose. In these buildings, players can equip different skins for Astro, the Dual Speeder and also a mini zoo to take photos. The other one would be a gatcha machine to unlock those skins as well as accompanying items for those bots you have discovered.
When you are not at the crash site, players will be exploring the galaxy with a few preset planets that are unlocked with progression. Each planet has a very distinct identity and Astro will also get a new piece of equipment usable only on that planet like a rocket dog that can propel Astro forward or frog gloves so you can have extended punches.
The platforming and exploration are always a complete delight. Most of the locations you go to are so satisfyingly designed with a clear path of progression but hiding wonderful secrets. Tackling those pesky enemies trying to get in your way also feels like a puzzle in itself as most of the time I find myself punching, spinning & jumping lasering but it never feels frustrating.
There aren’t any difficulty options so most players should have no issues with progression but for those who want an extra level of challenge, you are in for a treat. Once you unlock the secret void stages these are like the hardest platforming challenges in the game which require you to finish them in one perfect run. I loved every minute of these stages as dying was only due to me going too fast, or too slow, or not swinging the camera around enough to correctly guess a jump distance. These are optional of course but should satisfy the more hardcore platforming players.
What I Loved About Astro Bot
- Platforming – I love platformers and for me, Astro Bot feels like a very tightly tuned and satisfying experience.
- Graphics & Sound Design – It looks amazing, the soundtrack is so good.
- Depth & Game Length – I platinumed the game at around 18 hours but it didn’t feel like it went by too slow or too fast. There was a lot to do and I loved every minute of it.
- Haptics, Adaptive Triggers & Controller Speakers – Astro Bot truly is the benchmark of how to fully utilize the Dual Sense for maximum immersion.
- Nostalgia – Maybe some will not enjoy it but I did. I loved just having a throwback of all the past games and characters I loved as long as I’ve bought into the PlayStation ecosystem.
What I Wished For
- For It to Never End – Don’t get me wrong, I do think Astro Bot’s length feels perfect. It never outstays it welcome and there is a lot of things to do. I just had so much fun with it that I really never wanted it to end.
I Am Astro-Bot~
I loved Astro’s Playroom when I first got my PS5 and now Astro Bot feels like a full circle moment that succeeded in its purpose to expand upon and celebrate 30 years of PlayStation history. From the moment I booted it up I was hooked to the end not because I was on a time crunch but because the entire game just felt so joyful and a delight to play. There is so much to discover and there are so many small touches here and there in each stage if you just look to embrace the spirit of adventure and exploration.
Everything came together perfectly and left me wanting more from the Astro Bot universe. I even loved the end credits as it cemented for me how much love and passion the whole development team poured into the game. Astro Bot is hands down (for me) one of the very best games of the year and I really can’t wait to see what Team ASOBI has got cooking next.
