Other prizes include cosmetics for Astro himself and his Dual Speeder, letting you customise his look with some iconic outfits. You can also unlock the Safari Park, a special zone to hang out in, but it also gives you access to a simple Photo Mode, then usable throughout the game. Speaking of power-ups, our robo-hero makes use of numerous new toys throughout the game. Some appear more than others — the frog gloves, which let you hit enemies from afar and swing from poles, come back a few times, while some one-off mechanics are our favourites. One allows Astro to shrink in size, while another turns him into a sponge, able to soak up and then eject water.

Although the game contained the standard gameplay and stages (such as a fire and water level) that are expected of every platformer game, Team Asobi found a way to make these mainstays feel new and fresh. It was as if the developers asked themselves what typical elements were expected of a platformer, then found a way to organically incorporate them into the game. Sometimes, it’s with fantastic power-ups like the Time Stopper, which beautifully slows down time to let Astro Bot jump on platforms and evade obstacles. Other times, the layout of getting from Points A to B involved a vast spectacle for players to witness and interact with. Players guide Astro Bot through dynamic environments filled with moving platforms, enemies, and interactive objects.

It’s just as adorable as the little robot itself, but it’s probably out of stock everywhere. The story kicks off as Astro is sailing across the cosmos with hundreds of his buddies on their PS5 mothership, just enjoying their quant robot lives. That nirvana is thrown into disarray when a dastardly alien interrupts the party, stealing the mothership’s parts and scattering hundreds of bots across the universe.

Everything constantly moves around you, imbuing every level with life beyond the scraps you’ll engage in with the game’s enemies. Each level’s theme is brought to life with aesthetic assets and design ideas that strengthen their themes. Stranded in S8 following an attack from a googly-eyed alien, Astro’s mission is to repair their ship and rescue all 300 pals scattered across five main clusters of planets, each composed of individual levels. Naturally, the story is not the focus here, and yet I was so immersed in the 15-hour game that I beat it in two long sittings. It may be 2024’s most immersive game, and it achieves that without a line of dialogue.

Let’s Dance, Astro!

Generally speaking, it’s pretty easy breezy, but there are tougher challenges to find if that’s what you want. @rjejr I personally wouldn’t describe any of it as gimmicky; if I could compare it to anything, think of Super Mario Galaxy. Mario gets various power-ups throughout the game and often they only feature a couple of times — it’s like that. And it’s the same in terms of level design as well, just a huge level of variety that means certain motifs and mechanics are explored only once or twice. In my opinion, the variety and constant new ideas is a big part of what makes this game great, but it sounds as though that might not align with your taste.

Players

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.

Review Astro Bot (ps – One Of The Greatest Playstation Platformers Of All Time

And while there are many routes that platformers can take, the way Astro Bot celebrated the brand really helped prop it up as something special. While more of an extension of its previous titles than something all-new, it sounds like Team Asobi has cooked another stellar game. With over 80 stages and more than 15 power ups, players that wanted more of Astro’s Playroom will unlikely be dissatisfied.

We also cranked up the number of baddies too with over 70 new types, including massive bosses at the end of each galaxy. Special mention to the deadly cobra queen Lady Venomara who appears in the trailer, waiting for you in her golden lair. Defeating each boss will uncover a wonderful secret but we don’t want to spoil that, so our lips are sealed😊. And for the brave ones of you craving even more challenge, the game comes packed with die-and-retry levels to test your reflexes. Team Asobi has a special treat for Astro Bot players today, as a new update is available for download now, and this adds new levels and bots for free. Every stage in Astro Bot provides its own challenges, forcing players to think outside the box or make use of unique power-ups.