If you recall, Astros Playroom was a demo game that came with your PS5, which was used as a tech demo for all the amazing features of the DualSense controller. It was a game that was so well received that it spawned a VR game and now we finally have a full-length title called “Astro Bot” that begs the question, why don’t they make more games like this?
In Astro Bot the PS5® mothership is attacked by ASTRO’s long-standing galactic nemesis crash landing and scattering the crew throughout the universe, it’s up to ASTRO to make things right by rescuing the stranded crew and rebuilding the mothership. It doesn’t waste any time getting you straight into the action and delivers one of the most perfect 3D platforming adventures to put up alongside the greats like Mario 64 (or Odyssey), Spyro or Rayman.
ASTRO has some brand-new power-ups from springy punches and rockets to a giant sponge! So you’ll see a very expanded universe from the one we glimpsed through Astros Playground. It’s a 3D action adventure that is such a wonderful throwback while at the same time being new and inventive and making full use of the hardware of the system.
The dual sense controller is hands down the best feature of the current generation of consoles and not enough games make full use of its capability so playing a game like Astro Bot enhances the device. There was even a limited edition Astrobot controller released for this game, but its purely looks and adds no extra features to the game.
The bots you unlock along the way are like a PlayStation’s greatest hits, so you’ll see a Crash Bandicoot, Ape Escape and even Solid Snake amongst others. Saving the bots brings such a nostalgic feeling when you can recognise where they are from and its fan service is done in exactly the right way. The highlight of the game is where you enter the “Hero Levels” and you get to play as the characters and enjoy special versions of Ape Escape or God of War, its an extra element that is way more fun than it should be.
Astro Bot is a brilliant platform adventure game with fun puzzles and brilliant nostalgia, at $110 it’s a little on the expensive side (although I’ve seen physical copies for as low as $89) for a game of this genre, but there are hours of fun in this family-friendly game that I genuinely feel we need more of in the world. It’s an instant Playstation classic. And scores a 9 out of 10.
