Review: Astro Bot is Fun, Rewarding, Nostalgic

Back in 2016, Team Asobi launched The Playroom VR for PlayStation VR. In it, we were introduced to Astro Bot, who was a modified version of the robot from the game's "Robot Rampage." Following his positive reception, he led his own VR title, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, and most notably, Astro's Playroom. The latter entries launched the little robot into PlayStation stardom as both a lovable protagonist and potential PlayStation mascot.

In May during the last PlayStation State of Play, the showcase ended with the revealof the series' first full-length title, Astro Bot. Now set to headline his own title, the stage was set on the adventurous Astro Bot to not only deliver the fun of previous titles but to make it bigger, better and bolder. Fortunately, the wait is over and it's looking quite grand for Team ASOBI and their wonder bot.

(Somewhat) Uncharted Territory

The story of Astro Bot takes place after the events of Astro’s Playroom. Astro and their character-costumed bot friends are intercepted by an Alien (the final boss of Astro Bot Rescue Mission), which destroys the PlayStation mothership. Stranded on a deserted planet with only a DualSpeeder (a PlayStation 5 controller) and your platforming skills, you’ll chart to various planets to find your lost crew, beat up bosses and rebuild your mothership.

Much like Astro's Playroom, the gameplay in Astro Bot remains the same. It’s your standard platformer, so you can jump in without having to relearn mechanics. You can jump, hover with your laser feet, attack, and returning from Astro Bot Rescue Mission, swim. Accessibility features like visual hints, gyro-control and bigger icons are included to further the comfortability of players, making it welcoming to newcomers of platforming and gaming in general. Don't mistake Astro Bot's simplicity as anything but, though. Precision timing, careful landing and steadied focus are necessary in order to conquer some of the difficult levels. Yes, despite the cute chibi robot and colorful atmosphere, the game can put up quite the challenge. Still, a majority of the levels are easy to medium difficulty and can be completed within 5-10 minutes, depending on if you go for collectibles.

There's a lot of familiarity between Astro Bot and its predecessor. It very much feels like a bigger sequel to the 2020 PS5 title, with emphasis on 'bigger.' Instead of a few worlds, the game has over fifty planets to explore and about ten hours of content. They may not feel as expansive as the ones seen in Astro's Playroom, but there's a lot more variety. Much of that variety, aside from the graphics, comes from the abilities Astro can acquire. For example, getting the Giant Sponge ability will allow Astro to soak up water and turn into a hulking watery giant that can stomp and dose enemies. It adds a lot of enjoyment and spice to levels, especially when the abilities have different uses that make collecting puzzle pieces and lost Bots fun. The amount of new abilities do happen in the beginning and some only appear once or twice, but they make a big impression when they do, as the levels cater to them.

Putting the Play in PlayStation

If Astro Bot was a hot air balloon, nostalgia would be the fire that lifts it up. The game is chockful of references, cameos and Easter Eggs for players to catch and enjoy. As someone who grew up with a PlayStation 2 and came back with PlayStation 4 and 5, I was filled with delight by some of the appearances. Astro Bot does not play around with references, as even long-forgotten games get a spotlight on them. If you've been a longtime fan of PlayStation, this title is, by far, the most extensively-nostalgic exclusive in PlayStation history (moreso than PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale).

There are some levels where you play as Heros, and while I won't go into depth about each one, they are a joy to play, especially for fans of said series. They feel authentic to what they are paying homage to, almost like you're playing the original game itself. Yet it still feels rooted in Astro Bot with the mechanical designs and toy-like quality to things. Even to non-fans or newcomers, the sections are great representations and honestly awesome incentives to play them.

Despite the grand flux of nostalgia, Astro Bot still feels like its own entity. Not every minute of the title is loaded, like Astro's Playroom at times felt like. Astro makes friends and enemies with those in their respected franchise and it doesn't feel out of place at all. Plus, it maintains the same indelible charm the original titles had in their design and delivery. At times, though, I did get flashbacks to Super Mario Galaxy and Kingdom Hearts, which is not a bad thing whatsoever given how hard it can be to achieve that free-flowing feeling it had.

DualSensory Overload

From the beginning of Astro Bot, you'll immediately notice just how gorgeous the worlds and graphics look. On presentation alone, it's one of the best-looking games on the PlayStation 5. Of course, that's to be expected from a first-party studio, but it's still stunning. The metallic textures and interactive elements like leaves from tall trees, confetti from party cannons and even drops of water are also impressive. I'd be lying if I didn't say I found myself running around a random pile of foliage and watching it twist and turn in the air. There's a lot of immersion in the game due in part to that, but also the DualSense controller. Just like in Astro's Playroom, the controller responds to just about every element on screen. You can feel the weight of your jumps, the sound of your steps and the impact of each ability you use. It's not as showy as it was in the previous entry, but it feels much more incorporated into the game.

The music, done by series composer Kenneth C.M Young, is just as vibrant and vivacious as the worlds themselves. Kenneth manages to blend a variety of genres and give them a bumping technobeat. It's futuristic yet modern, much like Astro Bot itself. Furthermore, it adds even more immersion to the already well-established worlds and something to jam out to as you leap from platform to platform. This especially feels true in boss battles, where the music coincides with the bombastic action between you and your beastly foes.

The world design in Astro Bot is as inspired and lively as it ever was. While some reuse themes or settings, there's still a lot of variety in them. They truly feel alive, whether it's the enemies exploring the landscapes, the snow crunching on your pointed feet or the ever-moving environment. Astro Bot truly shines when there's an influx of those elements, like with one world involving a singing tree (yes, I said a singing tree). My one irk with the world design is, while there are a good amount of enemies, many of them feel overused. Sometimes, it can feel like you're only facing one or two types of foes per level, which can feel rather repetitive, especially in the latter half.

Astro Bot is one of those rare gems in that you want to explore every nook and cranny it has to offer. From collecting puzzle pieces, finding vortexes to secret worlds or finding lost Bots, there are a great many things to do. The best part is that they are a joy to find and it feels rewarding to see your actions rewarded in the Crash Site. It's incentivized to get those collectives for both nostalgia and customization purposes, but they don't feel like a chore.

Closing Comments:

Team ASOBI has yet again cracked the code of delivering an experience that's fun, rewarding and nostalgic all at the same time. With nostalgic callbacks, vibrant worlds and welcoming gameplay, there's truly something for everyone in Astro Bot. It's a bite-sized adventure that packs a punch of color and charm that satisfies fans of old and new. While enemies and themes could have used more variety, Astro Bot is a sure-fire Game of the Year contender and poised to be one of PlayStation 5's signature titles that's well deserving of said namesake.