Astro Bot
Developed by Team Asobi
Published by Sony
Played on Playstation 5
Published in 2024
The Skinny: Sony’s adorable robot mascot returns for more platforming and product placement.
Astro’s Playroom, a tiny 3D platformer included with the Playstation 5, was a delightful little nostalgia trip that served as both a tech demo and tutorial for the console and controller features. It also succeeded in giving Sony something it had been struggling with since the PSX: a mascot that can stand toe to toe with Mario and Sonic.
This 2024 follow up sees Astro and his fellow bots return with more levels, more hidden secrets, and of course, more Sony-branded nostalgia. While flying around in the PS5, which is also a spaceship, Astro and his crew are stopped and bullied by a giant, UFO-riding alien who steals the ship’s core and causes the ship to crash, scattering the bots.
The player sets off through five different solar systems, searching for missing bots and the parts of the PS5 space ship. Collecting plenty of of Sony IP along the way. A few of the bots in each level are special characters, dressed as characters from various Playstation games. As the player collects more bots, new areas open up to explore and rescue more characters, creating a satisfying gameplay loop and rewarding exploration.
The game is much more blatant of a toy commercial than a presentation like Nintendo’s Smash Bros, with hidden characters representing not just Playstation history but consoles, peripherals, and even third-party character cameos. And the thing is, Astro Bot as a concept shouldn’t work. It’s cloying corporate propaganda at its most shameless. But Astro Bot works. Even during the bonus levels after defeating each boss, in which Astro takes on the persona of a Playstation IP character such as Kratos or Nathan Drake and goes through a nostalgia-fueled themed bonus level. It doesn’t fall apart because these stages feel less like commercials than love letters.
Team Asobi has taken the magic that usually feels reserved for Mario and tapped into it by creating varied, surprising, and unique levels. Animations are cute and endearing without going too far. Level designs and puzzles are just challenging enough to not edge into controller-throwing frustration, and when a setback occurs, the game runs at such a pace that there is no pause in the action.
Astro’s design and move set is comfortable and easy to understand. The gimmick of each level, presented in the form of a robot animal companion, are more polished and responsive than in Astro’s Playroom, from a chicken that provided a rocket jump to a robot elephant that makes platforms, each adapt the same controls and don’t overstay their welcome. They’re easy to learn and rewarding to master.
In addition to hidden characters to find and rescue, there are numerous other collectibles: Puzzle pieces that open up new customization options at your base and a gachapon-style system that uses the coins you collect to give your rescued bots new accessories and animations. Even more hidden bots are locked behind bonus stages, some of which are hidden through secret exits, and others that can be discovered by flying around the map between levels, a few of which do reach that controller-chucking level of frustration towards the end, but are entirely optional.
Astro Bot is a platforming collection that shows off the power of the PS5 and provides a rewarding experience for 3D adventurers and Playstation fans alike. It’s a Playstation 5 exclusive, available on physical disc or from the Playstation digital store.
Hugh J. O'Donnell 