The fun factor is unparalleled for a game of this genre, despite it’s obvious simplicity. The biggest thing to take away from the game is how well it uses the DualSense to its advantage. The usage of the controller’s haptic feedback, gyro controls, and adaptive triggers makes the game a way better experience.
We’re eager to see how Team Asobi expands the gameplay this time around. While Astro Bot is on the shorter side than most other games, with the main campaign running only around 12 hours, this is still an experience that players shouldn’t rush through. The levels throughout Astro Bot are some of the best platforming in all of gaming; players should take as long as they need to take it all in.
The sheer number of boss fights throughout Astro Bot is exciting, but each boss battle’s energetic song is what really brings their encounters to life. The music for the boss fights raises the thrill levels to the max, with guitar and violin strings joining together in beautiful chaos. Adrenaline pumps through the veins as players dodge attacks and find these bosses’ weak points, all to the tune of some of the best video game music heard in a long time.
What could have been a 30-second moment turned into a 20-minute one as I gleefully interacted with every detail I could, just as a kid might. Outside of bosses and minibosses, there initially doesn’t appear to be a great range in enemy types. Sure, some are coated in different colours of paint or dressed to fit in with their surroundings, but they are all vanquished via the same few fundamental jump and hit combos. Later on, though, the design book opens up and introduces some of my favourite foes. These include an anthropomorphic playing card that flings a hand of clubs and spades your way, which you can then jump on to make your way towards the enemy to deal a killing blow of your own.
If you’re curious about some of the most obscure characters, we have a guide to 21 of the more tricky ones, with details on where you’ve seen them before. However, those future Astro Bot games may be in a bit of a tough spot. As of now, the direction Team Asobi has in mind for this franchise is not entirely clear. This game served as a celebration of the brand and was built around repairing a PlayStation 5. While the studio could just do that again, it would risk coming off as repetitive.
Ps5 Games Are Up To 50% Off During Playstation’s Days Of Play 2025 Sale
If you liked Playroom overall, though, you’ll definitely like this. I just watched the ACG review on YT and this game looks phenomenal, lots of things that remind me of the Mario games and lets be honest, there is not a better platformer out there to take notes from. Also the advantages or lets say unique features this game has over the Mario series are way better graphics and for Playstation gamers all the Bots that remind you of well known games.
Tentacle System (43 Bots, 16 Puzzle Pieces & 2 Warps)
This is a grand re-opening for Astro Bot, and it surely marks the start of what is destined to be a beloved series shooting for the moon. Spending coins in the game’s shop unlocks dioramas, ship paints, and costumes for Astro, even some based on unexpected series such as Bloodborne and Gravity Rush. The dioramas are especially fun, as they turn all your collected bots into animated statues, like one that shows Nathan Drake playing a game called Dude Raider on his couch. Even the most serious of characters are turned into caricatures, like a scene you can create in which The Last of Us’ Joel goes to throw a brick, but it slips out of his hand and bonks him on the head. All of the 169 cameo bots fill in the would-be barren desert sands like a virtual shelf of Funko Pops.
Meant to mimic a dolphin-like dive ability, the controls used for this one never feel as intuitive as those for other abilities. In this level, I found it unusually tricky, albeit not exactly difficult, to collect all the secrets. It was manageable, but if any secret levels–which tend to be some of the game’s hardest–also use this mechanic, I expect them to become some of the game’s few frustrations. Like its predecessor, Astro Bot is a love letter to PlayStation–not just its current make-up, either, but its illustrious history.
Once you have unlocked Crash Bandicoot Special Bot and its unique cosmetic from the Gatcha Lab (Protective Spirit), find Crash at your Crash site. To unlock the Royally Stuck trophy you need to first collect The Prince Special Bot (aka Katamari Damacy) on Downsize Surprise world in the Tentacle System. The next step is to unlock the Rolling Star Gatcha Collectible from the Gatcha Lab. Look for Kratos Bot and Thor Bot near the bridge that leads to the Jungle Temple at your Crash Site (northwest of the crashed Mothership). Kratos Bot will hit Thor with his axe, freezing him into a cube!
This extends to the level’s unique Bots, which are all God of War characters with additional quirks and inside jokes that fans will get. It seems odd to say I don’t want to spoil a game that effectively has no story, but some of the game’s best secrets really must be discovered with your own eyes. These special levels arrive toward the end of each galaxy’s main mission path and bestow to you a bundle of themed bots as well as yet another cool new mechanic not to be seen ever again in the game. Its soundtrack–already an array of bubbly earworms–reimagines familiar overtures from other games.
For $40, and w/ 3 of us each playing it separately for 12 hours, it’s just about worth it. If that was how live service games worked, Astro Bot would’ve been IT for me and my family. I wasn’t really a big fan of Astro Bot compared to everyone else(I had a much better time with Playroom)but this level nailed it. It honestly was a bit disappointing to me its a really high quality game but it didn’t capture the magic of Playroom for me outside of a few levels.
Astro Bot has to be one of the most unique platformers in years and that’s saying something since 2023 was all about Super Mario Bros. What makes levels unique can partly be thanked to the power-ups which come in a variety of styles. For example, in boss battles, players can get hearts that act like extra lives. Those PlayStation-themed levels we mentioned are some of the highlights, too. After defeating each boss — each one a fun fight, by the way — you’ll meet an iconic Sony character, such as Kratos, and they’ll open a new stage based on not only their worlds, but their mechanics.
@Darude84 I would say, regardless of age, if you have any interest in 3D platformers at all, I can’t recommend this highly enough. I’ve already got this installed and just waiting for tomorrow. This is the first PS exclusive I’ve been excited to play for a couple of years as I absolutely loved the PSVR game and the free PS5 game. Find out about the different Astro Bot game editions, pre-order content, and the game’s supported languages and accessibility features. Innovation in audio and physics make for an all-around good gaming experience. And when it all collides, you are presented with some of the best moments the game has to offer.
I’m not a trophy hunter and usually just move on after it gets grindy. That being said, I will buy this for sure, but I won’t spend a penny over £30. But oh it’s fine in Ark because it fits the cave people putting things together. [ HM88 ]Why do devs have so little imagination is the kind of question i find myself asking a lot these days. I can’t even say hey this Sega Rally like Indie should have more to it. Because the audience of players are too nostalgically stupid to care.
Astro Bot’s Formula May Struggle To Work A Second Time
Like Team Asobi’s previous games, Astro Bot revolves around a community of tiny white robots. Following the events of Astro’s Playroom, they are attacked by the evil green alien that served as the final boss of Rescue Mission, destroying their PS5 spaceship and scattering them across the cosmos. After acquiring his DualSense controller ship, Astro has to travel to various galaxies and rescue the bots. Airtight platforming and level design give Astro Bot a strong foundation, but its real secret sauce is its toy-like appeal. If you talk to a parent who has played a game with their child, you’ll likely hear them outline how differently kids and adults interact with games. While adults tend to barrel forward with a focus on the end goal, kids are more likely to interact with as much as they can, picking up on more subtle animation details.
