I’d say your only potential hurdle is some of the challenges, as they can be quite tough, but broadly speaking the game is on the easy side. Thanks for the review, I really needed something positive after the bad day I had today. @RubyCarbuncle Oh I don’t doubt there’s an audience for VR, I just don’t see Sony alloting much time or resources to it for their new golden child (Asobi) with this sort of success on the vanilla console under their belts. Digital Foundry just dropped their Astrobot video, I haven’t had a chance to watch yet but I think the title says it all.
Everyone with a PS5 should get their hands on this game ASAP, and hopefully, Team Asobi gets to continue making masterpieces. One level allows you to explore a recognisably domestic world but you can drastically change size, bashing through doorways one minute and wriggling through a gap in the skirting board a minute later. Another lets you transform into an ultra-heavy version of Samus Aran’s morph ball thingy, and has brilliant stuff for you to do once you have.
Some of the cameo bots even have a direct impact on Astro Bot’s gameplay. Each galaxy concludes with a special level themed after a PlayStation game, with Astro taking on the abilities of the hero from that game. For example, there is a God of War level in Astro Bot where Astro gets his hands on the Leviathan Axe. The axe functions similarly to how it does in the actual God of War games, meaning Astro can use it as both a weapon and as a tool to freeze objects for puzzle-solving purposes. I won’t mention any of the other games that are given this kind of treatment in Astro Bot as part of the fun is getting to the end of the galaxy and seeing what’s next, but trust that each one of these stages is incredible.
Each level is designed with unique obstacles, hidden secrets, and creative mechanics that require precision and quick thinking. The game combines classic platforming elements with modern gameplay innovations, making every stage feel fresh and engaging. I don’t know if I’ve ever played a platformer before where I enjoyed literally every single boss fight and level, but I can confidently say that about Astro Bot.
Normally, a game like this would be quite a chore for players seeking to polish off all of its optional items to 100% completion, but Astro Bot offers a special tool that makes this process much faster and more enjoyable. There are over 300 bots to collect with 173 advertised as special bots, all dressed as characters from the PlayStation family past and present. Finding these bots felt like collecting Waddle Dees in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, but with nostalgic excitement every time a special bot is recognized. Every bot collected throughout the levels gets sent to a hub world called The Crash Site.
Astro, the robot captain of a mothership resembling the PlayStation 5 console, and his crew of Bots are exploring space when a green alien named Space Bully Nebulax attacks them and rips out the mothership’s CPU. An unconscious Astro and the mothership crash-land onto a desert planet while his crew and the mothership’s core systems are scattered across the universe. Young Holidaymaker is the fourth bot found in Balloon Breeze inspired by Boku in the Boku no Natsuyasumi video game series.
However, the way it presents itself and the way it integrates its older titles into the game make it a unique experience. Astro Bot is nothing short of a masterpiece, an ingenious platformer filled with vibrant worlds and ingenious design. It’s a game that oozes creativity, consistently delighting and surprising the player with new mechanics, gameplay twists, smart boss battles, and jaw-dropping set-piece moments. But past that, it’s also a grand celebration of PlayStation and video game history as a whole — the only game that’s been able to rival Super Smash Bros. in that regard.
Not sure I’ll use it, unless I get really stuck trying to find something, but still appreciated. This has been one of the few websites that’s given this game the coverage it deserves. I hope it is something Sony are going to do more of in the future. It means a family or friend can play on my profile and get cloud saves as well using one of the save slots. I was suprised how easily some of the collectibles are to miss.
Rising Heat Cameo Bots
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.
Creativity can be two things you sort of understand combined in a way you didn’t expect. The gimmicks introduced in the game are reminiscent of Super Mario Odyssey’s level design, where stages have a central gimmick that you have to work around. These could range from dashes, magnets, extendable arms, or anything of the sort. While some of these are repeated, these same gimmicks are mixed with more interesting overall level designs to keep things fresh. Speaking of the use of DualSense, the game uses all of the controller’s features to the max.
When you reach the branches, jump off and over to the disco ball. Hit the button to reveal the secret exit, which will unlock the Boxel Bust-Up level in the Lost Galaxy. You’ll find yourself in a hidden cave filled with diamonds and the giant disco ball. Run up to the ball and activate it to reveal the secret exit, which will unlock the Light Bulb Limbo level in the Lost Galaxy. Use your alligator-fist gloves to destroy all four torches on the wall.
There is a second set of Tripcaster wires in the clearing with the Tallneck. Irritate some ground-bound enemies into following you, then hop into or behind the square enclosure (yes, there’s enough space for you to stand between the wire and the rock). This should lure additional enemies into the wire, getting you the trophy. To collect HM88 in Astro Bot, you need to complete all main world levels in the Serpent Starway. After beating Chief Cawah in the Dude Raiding, you will recover the Mothership’s GPU.
What Are All Special Bots In Astro Bot? Cheeky Ape
Once you’ve beaten all 10 of the Lost Galaxy levels (although it’s currently unclear if you also need to get the 100% completion gold flag on these levels as well), a present will appear in the middle of the nebula. Fly over and activate the present to enter the Final Encore level, which has five bots and two puzzle pieces — just like the rest of the Lost Galaxy levels. Team Asobi has announced that five new levels are coming to Astro Bot as weekly drops, starting on Feb. 13. (That’s today!) As with previous additions to the Game of the Year winner, the new levels are free to download — and, of course, each comes with a new Special Bot to rescue. It’s hard to say what cute, robotic PlayStation characters could possibly top the twin Spider-Man bots from the Christmas level, but I’m excited to find out.
Astro Bot is easily the best game on the PS5 to date and a platformer that can proudly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with anything Mario has done. Astro Bot is a platformer adventure game released on September 6, 2024, for the PS5, serving as a sequel to Team Asobi’s Astro’s Playroom from 2020 and the third game in the series. Players take on the role of the lovable Astro Bot, embarking on a space-faring adventure through diverse environments, including waves of sandy beaches, lush jungles, and fiery volcanoes. Along the way, Astro gains new powers and transformations to aid in the journey. Released in celebration of PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, the game pays homage to the brand’s legacy by allowing players to find and reunite with over 150 iconic PlayStation characters.
This will take a total of 64 Puzzle Pieces, or four groups of 16. Music is an important part of pretty much every video game, but these titles take their soundtracks to a whole new level. The most refreshing thing about the PlayStation Bots is that they’re not used as often as one would expect.