AstroBot Review
Playstation's pack-in title "Astro's Playroom" became the single best experience when PS5 launched in 2020, breathing new life into a sometimes disregarded genre in today's gaming landscape. This seemingly simple game is filled to the brim with callouts and references to Playstation’s 30+ year-long history; it's no wonder that it has become a platinum gem atop Playstation's storied catalog. Fast forward 4 years, and Team Asobi has cemented themselves among the upper echelon of developers with the release of "Astrobot". This game takes the ideas of the previous title to new levels by literally blasting it into space with added nostalgia factors and doubling down on the Dualsense’s haptic features, further ensuring it as one of Playstation's strongest and freshest IPs.
Astrobot begins with a callback to one of the debut adventures, having Astro's PS5 spaceship attacked by the green alien final boss from Rescue Mission. This encounter scatters all of Astro's friends and parts of his ship across the galaxy. With the help of Astro's new Dual Speeder, you are off to rescue all his companions and ship parts. You’ll find yourself exploring 6 galaxies and countless worlds, rescuing bots, collecting puzzle pieces, and discovering secrets along the way. Callouts from titles such as God of War, Uncharted, Ape Escape, Resident Evil, and my personal favorite Sly Cooper, as well as surprising titles like Arc the Lad and Flower, can be seen represented as bots in need of rescue. At the surface, these fun cameos help pay homage to the extensive catalog of Playstation, but some of them actually have their own dedicated worlds to play through.
The diversity of levels throughout the game with these special appearances doubles down on PlayStation centric nostalgia, calling back to some of the “greatest hits” from the past 30 years. One instance, Kratos bot, has been featured in many of the trailers, so we'll stick with him for an example. His level looks like it was pulled right from Ragnarok but given an AstroBot coat of paint. Deep bellowing vocals boom throughout the level, but with an upbeat, funky twist. Freya’s turtle house and Jörmugandr are both here, but as bots. I also hope you didn’t lose your skill in keeping an eye out for Odin’s ravens. The care and respect for the original IP doesn’t end with Easter eggs scattered about; you also gain the powers or tools from their respective worlds. The leviathan axe is here in all its glory and works similarly to how it does proper with its use in combat and in puzzles freezing platforms or gears.
Even a busy little bot deserves a break!
Continuing on the theme of the variety of these levels, which are a highlight in themselves with their fresh takes on thematic ideas. . From desserts and snowy tundras to vibrant beaches, there is always something new and fun scattered about to catch your eye. Team Asobi was able to make everything blend together and nothing really feel out of place. Running through a casino floating in space using a clock to slow down time, allowing you to platform across poker chips and darts feels just as normal as navigating through a graveyard and castle, illuminating your path with a large lightbulb in hand. No two levels feel exactly the same, but outside of the previously mentioned character levels, there weren't any that particularly stood out to me as THE level to showcase. That's due to each level succeeding at showcasing off a new tool, gameplay mechanic, or mastery. In years, I could easily see every level being somebody’s favorite. AstroBot also features a diverse soundtrack with over 80 songs featured. While catch and something I never grew tired of listening to, they didn’t really stand out as much as songs from Astro’s Playroom. (No bops like “I’m Your GPU” or “SSD” here.)
This wider lineup of worlds means Astro has to come equipped with a larger lineup of tools and gadgets to assist with combat and exploration. While not heavily combat-focused, there are more bosses than you’d expect. Basic moment-to-moment "fights" are still here but are more of a road bump unless being used to complete a puzzle afterwards. One of the new tools, a penguin that is strapped to Astros' back, helps you swim through water with ease. There are a handful of abilities that are used only a few times in the grand scheme of the game. Other tools, such as the frog gloves, which let you attach to sticky surfaces and grab onto enemies, or a rocket-propelled chicken to help you reach areas out of reach, show up in multiple levels. None of these new tools overstay their welcome; however, I would have liked to see some of the less common ones be implemented a bit more than they currently are.
Seeing me favorite characters show up unexpectedly never got old.
At first glance, the cover may give the appearance of another game designed specifically for children, which isn't totally out of line. However, in my experience, AstroBot goes beyond the seemingly simplistic childlike design and creates something that appeals to all ages. Whether you're a Playstation alumni with years of experience with these titles or want to test your platforming skills on some of AstroBot's hidden levels, you'll find enjoyment. There’s not really a difficulty curve in the main story as you progress. Personally, as I was playing through the main levels and started to feel myself getting too comfortable with the level of difficulty, I would venture off to the bonus levels and find myself rightfully humbled by the increased challenge they offered. I’ve already seen a community of people online form around these challenges and the best or fastest way to knock them down.
AstroBot is still a technical marvel in my eyes. Team Asobi doubled down on utilizing the features of the DuaSense to create a truly unique experience. Feeling individual grains of sand glide across your palms holding the controller. Feeling your triggers tighten up as you build up enough force to blast Astros Dual Speeder into space. Collecting a new bot that jumps into your controller and being able to shake them around, feeling them bounce off the walls of your controller. All of these can truly only be done with the PS5 hardware and always stopped me in my tracks to appreciate what the team has done. It’s something that really needs to be experienced to believe, and I wish more games took the time to use these features.
There are multiple photo opportunities scattered about Astro's 80 worlds
In a time where games are all too focused on getting the most money out of players and studios focusing on live service games, AstroBot is a breath of fresh air that helped me remember why I love games. I grew up with 3D Platformers, and seeing one release now with full marketing and support behind it felt wild but welcome. I hope the industry as a whole looks at the level of care and love that’s gone into AstroBot and expands into more unique ideas. AstroBot captures the idea of “fun” in games and makes it the centerpiece in everything it does and shows to the player. An 8-hour platformer that doesn’t have “Mario” tagged on it will go down as one of 2024’s best games. As I prepare to dive back in and roundup any remaining bots I missed on my first playthrough, I’m proud to announce that AstroBot is receiving BadlandsBackogs very first official 10/10!
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