| Astro Bot | |||
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| Gameplay & Story | Release Date | Pre-Order Guide and Bonuses | Review |
Astro Bot is PlayStation’s exclusive 3D adventure platformer that features Astro’s journey to rescue his fellow crewmates and fix up the mothership. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
Astro Bot Review Overview
What is Astro Bot?
Astro Bot is a 3D adventure platformer that features the PlayStation mascot, Astro, as he travels to different worlds in search of his lost crew members and to repair the PS5 mothership. It features numerous collectible items, from puzzle pieces to accessories for the other Astro Bots and even secret levels to discover and complete. The game also features numerous designs of Astro inspired by several IPs that have been on PlayStation over the years.
Astro Bot features:
⚫︎ 3D Adventure Platformer
⚫︎ Multiple Levels and Secrets to Find and Experience
⚫︎ Numerous Items to Collect
⚫︎ Different Astro Bot Designs Inspired By Other IPs
⚫︎ Simple and Fun Platforming
⚫︎ Unique Stage Gimmicks
For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Astro Bot’s gameplay and story.
 Astro Bot |
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 PlayStation |
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Astro Bot Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Simple and Fun Platforming Variety of Stage Gimmicks Callbacks to Older Sony IPs Best Use of DualSense Controls A Complete Package |
Maybe A Little Too Easy? |
Astro Bot Overall - 96/100
Astro Bot is, without a shadow of a doubt, this year’s best platforming game. Hell, it could even be a contender for Game of the Year (GOTY) because of how complete the game is as a whole package. The game is visually stunning, has great sound design, has simple yet fun gameplay, makes use of the exclusive PlayStation controls, and, most importantly, has a ton of content. Sony and Team ASOBI have knocked it out of the park with this game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this game is regarded as one of Sony’s best releases to date.
Astro Bot Story - 9/10
The story of the game isn’t all that compelling; however, the fact that it’s able to tell a story and make it understandable without a single line being spoken means something. The motivation of the game is to rescue the missing crew members of the now-broken PS5 mothership due to the damage caused by their nemesis. It’s nothing fancy, yet somehow it’s able to sneak in amazing interactions between the bots, and that just makes everything a lot better than I think it actually is.
Astro Bot Gameplay - 10/10
As a platformer, Astro Bot is definitely the best to come this year. 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. Not only that, the game also has unique gimmicks in each level, which make them fresh and interesting to play.
The amount of collectibles and secrets there are to discover is also staggering; it’s enough to keep you playing for hours on end and keeps achievement hunters busy. Lastly, the game even has a ton of gameplay callbacks to their older IPs which pulls the nostalgia strings perfectly.
Astro Bot Visuals - 10/10
Graphically, the game looks amazing. It looks absolutely stunning and perfect for a family-friendly platformer. The whole aesthetic and atmosphere of the game are enhanced by its distinct and recognizable designs. To add to this, the game’s callbacks to its older and other IPs by integrating character designs into Astro Bot are amazing as well, since they’re instantly recognizable the moment you see them. The animations are also a work of art since they took time to make unique interactions for the special bots.
Astro Bot Audio - 10/10
The game’s audio design is superb. Not only are all of the aspects amazing, from its catchy music and great sound effects, the game actually uses the controller’s speakers perfectly as well. There’s not much else to say about it except that it’s pretty much perfect for the game’s vibe and presentation.
Astro Bot Value for Money - 9/10
For $59.99, this is quite literally the best platformer out in the current year. There’s so much to collect, levels to conquer, and secrets to discover that it actually feels weird that it’s not charged at the normal AAA premium. They even announced that the game will be receiving free DLC in the near future. If there’s one thing to criticize, it’s the exclusivity and the need to buy a PS5 to experience this masterpiece. Everyone should be able to experience this kind of fun, as with the amount of games there are, it’s only a few games that really go the distance.
Astro Bot Review: Sony's Still Got It
Wow. This game is amazing.
It’s been quite a rough few weeks for Sony and PlayStation fans out there, and it’s great to know that it’s not all doom and gloom as Astro Bot is here to save the day. As a casual fan of platformers, Astro Bot blew me away and reminded me of the nostalgia and fun that is to be had with the genre. The last time to do this was Nintendo’s Super Mario Odyssey, which is a very high standard to beat or match in recent years. Needless to say, Astro Bot exceeded my expectations by being nearly perfect in almost every aspect of the game.
In terms of visuals, the game looks great. Everything looks aesthetically pleasing and fits right in the game’s world, not to mention the amazing Astro bot designs that reference numerous older IPs. Each of these designs is distinct and instantly recognizable from the characters they represent, which is amazing knowing that they’re only limited to a robotic mascot. In addition to this, the animations of the game are also works of art.
They look smooth and flow well, and it’s worthy to note that the bots’ special animations representing their respective characters also add so much to the character representation in the game. Moving on to the audio design of the game, everything from its music, sound effects, and what not is superb. They fit in perfectly with the game’s vibe and atmosphere, which is really hard to find a fault as it even uses the DualSense speakers impeccably.
Speaking of the use of DualSense, the game uses all of the controller’s features to the max. It adds so much to the in-game experience that this game might actually be the perfect demo to showcase what a PS5 and DualSense can do. The use of adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and gyro controls makes the game perfect for the console.
On the topic of gameplay, Astro Bot is quite simple. It’s not all that different from other platformers out in the market right now, yet it’s able to stand out from the rest with its fun and unique gimmicks, amazing level design, and amount of content. When comparing the game to something like Super Mario Odyssey, you could even say that Astro Bot may have taken a lot of inspiration from the Nintendo exclusive. However, the way it presents itself and the way it integrates its older titles into the game make it a unique experience.
The fact is that the game is both easy to learn and play, yet it’s able to be entertaining with the sheer amount of things to collect and discover. While exploring a certain level in the first world, I came across a portal of sorts that actually led me to unlock a few of the game’s secret levels. This made me wonder just how many levels there actually are in the game.
All in all, Astro Bot is definitely one of 2024’s best games, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were considered to be the year’s best. If there were anything to criticize about the game, it may just be the game’s difficulty and its exclusivity. While the former may be alleviated with its already announced free DLC challenge levels and speedrun mode, the latter may be something that might not be addressed. Everyone should be able to play this masterpiece, but maybe the PS5 should actually get more games to play.
Pros of Astro Bot
| Things Astro Bot Got Right |
|---|
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Simple and Fun Platforming Variety of Stage Gimmicks Callbacks to Older Sony IPs Best Use of DualSense Features A Complete Package |
Simple and Fun Platforming
Astro Bot is a very simple and easy-to-learn game to play. It only really has a few universal mechanics to learn, and most of the game will have you interact with the stage gimmicks for the most part. Where it shines is the game’s level designs, unique gimmicks, and usage of everything the PS5 has to offer.
Variety of Stage Gimmicks
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.
Callbacks to Older Sony IPs
Astro Bot pulls out all the stops when it comes to referencing older titles in the game. Not only are the character designs perfect for distinguishing the bots, but these are also apparent in some gameplay segments. One example is the game’s callback to Ape Escape where you’ll be chasing the apes around the map the way you would in the original game. Other than these gameplay examples, the special bots in the game also have unique and special animations that you can unlock in the game’s Gacha Lab, which adds even more personality to the already amazing-looking models.
Best Use of DualSense Features
Astro Bot might be the best game out right now to make use of the DualSense special features. The use of haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and gyro controls makes the game’s simple mechanics shine even more as it adds so much to the gameplay. Not only this, but the game even makes use of the controller’s speakers to make the game even more immersive.
A Complete Package
To put it simply, Astro Bot is quite literally a complete package. Each aspect of the game is superb and should be taken as the gold standard of how to release a game. The stunning visuals, great sound design, interesting story, and amazing gameplay round out a near perfect release of a game.
Cons of Astro Bot
| Things That Astro Bot Can Improve |
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Maybe A Little Too Easy? |
Maybe A Little Too Easy?
This is more of a nitpick, mainly because the game is actually catered to everyone. The game is simple, and some might think that it’s way too easy to play the game. If anything, the game might be a little too easy to play, as its intended target audience is anyone that’s able to launch the game. As the game will have even more challenges and a new speedrun mode to be included for free, this might not even be a con when it does release eventually.
Is Astro Bot Worth It?
Absolutely! Everyone With a PS5 Should Play This Masterpiece!
Astro Bot is quite literally this year’s best game yet, and it being a single-player platformer makes it all the more special. It checks all the boxes of being a complete package with its visuals, story, value, audio design, and most importantly, gameplay. The game is worth every dollar that it costs, and everyone that owns a PS5 should look to try this game out. Hopefully this game convinces Sony to revive their older IPs and even look to create more amazing single player experiences such as this.
| Platform | |||||
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| PlayStation |
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| $59.99 | |||||
Astro Bot FAQ
How many Bots are there to collect in Astro Bot?
The game has a total of 300 bots to collect and find throughout the game.
Will Astro Bot be ported to PC?
As of writing, there is no information regarding the game receiving a PC version. However, we may infer that there is a possibility that the game will head to PC in a few years, similar to their other first-party titles.
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Astro Bot Product Information
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| Title | ASTRO BOT |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 6, 2024 |
| Developer | Team Asobi |
| Publisher | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Supported Platforms | PS5 |
| Genre | Adventure, Platformer |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | E |
| Official Website | Astro Bot Website |
