Astro Bot

For the longest time, I thought the reason I didn't enjoy video games was because I was getting older. Astro Bot showed me that it was the games that had been terrible in the past few years.

I haven't been this excited about playing and going back to a game since the PS2 era.

Astro Bot is currently my game of the decade. It is as good as everyone says, if not better.

The game is extremely well polished; I haven't seen a single bug so far. The levels are so diverse and engaging.

You can't help smiling multiple times every level. It's a nostalgia-driven thrill of a decade. The game box even has a poster, just like the old times.

What, at face value, seemed like just a freebie tech demo that came with every PS5, "Astro's Playroom" was WAY more than that, in that it was a surprisingly fully fleshed out and well balanced 3D platformer with fun levels, fun mechanics, and memorability from start to finish that, even 4 years after its release, is still one of the consoles most essentials. Sure, some could argue that some of the mechanics in that game drag on a smidge, and that the overall length of it is pretty small at about 5-7 hours to 100% completion, but it did everything it set out to do very well AND the game is free to everyone. While the adorable Astro Bot would first be seen in the beginning of the PS4 era with very basic hardware demos, "Astro's Playroom" really set the stage for the cute caped robot to hit the mainstream running, as it was the first substantial entry in the series to not be locked behind added hardware (like "Astro Bot: Rescue Mission" released 2 years prior, which I haven't played since I don't have a first gen PSVR or the funds to do so; my PS5 was expensive enough. 😞)

Nearly 4 years later, and we have this: simply called "Astro Bot", and when I say this is one of the greatest games of its kind that I've ever played, I'm not kidding. It took everything that worked with "Astro's Playroom" and not only expanded upon them tenfold, but also added so much creativity and heart from start to finish that makes the whole thing feel almost magical. Each level is thoughtfully designed and fun, and the way the game works with you finding other bots to rescue them, as well as looking for puzzle pieces and occasionally a secret world is all brilliant and well executed; thanks in large part to the aforementioned ample creativity. Same can be said for the extra levels. Whether it be tough, but fair obstacle courses or defeating enemies in a retro world or with a crumbling floor, they're all enjoyable to beat.

Speaking of ample creativity, the abilities in this game are all wonderful and, unlike in "Astro's Playroom", never outstay their welcome. In fact, there are times where I was surprised with absolute delight at some of them, and really enjoyed how they were utilized. To avoid spoilers for anyone who hasn't played this game yet, I won't say what the abilities are, but they're all so delightful and creative, with a few being pretty big standouts. That also translates to the boss battles, as they creatively rely on a specific ability and are all memorable and fun to take down; with the final boss of the game relying on multiple abilities.

This leads me to the fan service. "Astro's Playroom" already did a fantastic job including this with their collectible artifacts, with the artifacts being every PlayStation console and their accessories. There was also a few robots sprinkled in that reference some classic PlayStation IPs, and it was great to see. This game takes the latter and cranks it to near infinity, as not only do pretty much every major PlayStation IP ever get represented in some way from the robots you save throughout the game, but the game actively celebrates some of them as well with full blown after-boss levels themed after an entire IP; each with IP specific style gameplay that balances that and the regular Astro Bot gameplay perfectly. It's so great and actively showcases how great each IP is to fans and newcomers alike. I'm excited to see which IPs will be showcased next in the after-boss levels in the inevitable "Astro Bot 2" down the line.

Also, this games presentation is incredible. Consistently colorful, wonderfully detailed, visually diverse yet focused, and just a total treat across the board. The music is also incredible. Well themed, anthemic, funky, hooky, compositionally diverse, and memorable from start to finish, no matter which world you're in. And, just like in "Astro's Playroom", the attention to detail to every little thing is incredible and makes the game feel truly alive. I also love how the game uses space as its main theme, as you can travel to different nebulas via your controller shaped ship while going to different worlds within each nebula; or to the crash site that acts as the main hub world, but is so big and has so much to do, it feels like so much more than "just a hub world"; also has one of the best musical themes in the game.

Honestly, everything about this game is great. Even seemingly mundane things like repairing ship parts for your PS5 spaceship after getting them is immersive and engaging thanks to the games expert use of the PS5 DualSense controller. Some levels even have cute cutouts for Astro Bot to poke his head through, and it's always a treat to see. Everything about this game just works, and as a 3D platformer fan, this game really excites me about the future of gaming, as it is a perfect reminder that 3D platformers can not only still work in the 21st century, but can work VERY well. If you have a PS5, you need this game. It's as pure fun of a video game as one can get and one that celebrates PlayStation, as well as sets it up for a continuously wonderful future, as this games quality is nothing short of astronomical.

This is the first game I have had an enormous amount of fun playing and discovering everything, and the creative levels and the funny little bots are so cute and adorable. This game feels like the first definitive game for the PS5, Astros playroom was a fun short Miles Morales length game but this is full length game and you can feel all the love and hard work that was put into this, I did not come across 1 single bug or glitch (That shouldn't be something i have to say but with how games come out now i guess that deserves to be mentioned) this is as polished as a classic Nintendo game where it doesn't need a day one patch or anymore updates but the fact Team Asobi is still adding more DLC to this game is great, so far all the speed run levels are still just as fun and thrilling to get a new high score. When I first bought this game I was worried that I had wasted $90 Canadian or that the game wasn't going to be worth it but I was happily proven wrong within the first few minutes of playing it. I don't see this as a "story" game but the one it showed off was cute, funny and great and Astro Bot is one of my favorite PlayStation icons now up there with Kratos, Cole, Jin and Ratchet and clank.

Basically this game is worth the $90 Canadian or the $70 American or whatever I without a doubt recommend this game to anybody who enjoys platformers and wants a fun classic game.

When I first read that Astro Bot won Game of the year 2024, I was like: *Yeah right...Sony must've payed the academy a great amount of money for the title. I mean, how can a silly child-game get such a praise?*

Well... After spending a total playtime of around 60 hours in this game, I have to admit I was so wrong in every way. Cause this game is nothing but a masterpiece!!!

Here's why:

Astro Bot is more than just an undeniable original game, it's a clean work of art!

Every level is like one christmas present after another. It's full of breathtaking creativity, incredible variation of gameplay, nostalgia, amazing landscapes, astonishing graphics and last but not least: Astro may be small but without a doubt the biggest and most ADORABLE hero in the universe.

So, to anyone who haven't played this game yet: DO IT!

10/10.

I'll gladly let others dive into detailed reviews of the game, but just to briefly explain my personal rating - I'm giving it a solid 9/10, and the only reason it's not a perfect 10 is that multiplayer is missing, which would have added a whole new layer of fun and replayability. However, besides that small omission, this game is truly outstanding and easily stands toe-to-toe with Nintendo's iconic Super Mario 64 in terms of being a revolutionary 3D platformer. It's nothing short of a masterpiece, showcasing both technical and creative brilliance. The level design, gameplay mechanics, and overall experience are among the best I've seen in a long time. In fact, I'd confidently say it's one of the best games released in this entire decade. The sheer attention to detail, the fluidity of movement, and the engaging worlds make it a game that will stand the test of time.