Astro Bot

I've been playing computer games since the Atari VCS back in 1978. Or actually, come to think of it, even Pong before that.

I've played so many different games over the years. Early platform games, flight sims, first person shooters, puzzle games, adventures.. You name it. And on so many, many different formats. Consoles, computers, handhelds...

One thing I've found is that as technology gets better, gameplay doesn't necessarily improve. It's easy to hide poor gameplay behind a load of bouncing music and eye candy graphics. I still find some of my favourite games to play are on much older platforms as once you learn to see through the hype and graphics.. some games are no more than a pretty face.

The puzzle solving of Raiders of the Lost Ark on the Atari VCS was a game changer in its day, which only really was surpassed when Tomb Raider came out for the original Playstation.

Donkey Kong was an excellent platform game that finally got beaten by Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega mega drive.

Doom was an excellent first person game on PC's which set the bar for every first person shooter afterwards.

And the cuteness and fun of the LEGO games is hard to beat.

When it comes to the Sony Playststion there have been a lot of hits and misses over the years, and as the consoles have gotten more powerful it's become harder to judge a game on its merits, without factoring in the changing world of gaming. 3d graphics, realistic sound effects, hyper realism. Despite all of these, many modern games just have no... soul, for want of a better word.

Then along comes Astro Bot.

I have played with the original Astro bot on the PS4 when I bought a VR headset, and back then I thought it was charming, cute and a lot of fun. But now, the full release has come along and they've managed to combine all the best parts of original old school great gameplay, with modern sounds and graphics.

Firstly, the soundtrack is excellent. It's modern music, but has a real 16 bit vibe to it. And that's really the first clue of what they've done here.

Sony have managed to take all that was inspiring from Super Mario, Tomb Raider, Sonic, Lego, and many others.. and roll them up into a very pretty, very playable adventure/problem solving/platform game.

Mix in the fact that there are so many nods to their earlier products and major game franchises and you get the feeling that Astro Bot really was written as a love letter from true gamers, to true gamers of all ages.

The gameplay just feels so instinctive, and the problem solving while not easy to master, just feels so familiar. Even controlling Astro Bot just seems to invoke some forgotten muscle memory inside me. The double jumps came naturally to me thanks to playing LEGO Star Wars. The puzzle solving came naturally after solving puzzles on so many puzzle games before, and all while being reminded of some of the best moments from Sonys PlayStation history.

I found myself able to approach new challenges like ascending the climbing walls and bouncing on trampolines as if I'd already been playing the game for years. Everything really does feel so familiar, like putting on your favourite pair of comfy pair of trainers.

There literally is no learning curve. You can turn it on, and the gameplay feels almost instinctive. That doesn't mean it's easy, it's not. But the challenges are welcoming, not frustrating.

The soundtrack is excellent as well, did I mention that?

I'm only a few hours in, and I've barely scratched the surface of how much gameplay there is. There is hours and hours of gameplay ahead. And even then, there will be many more hours of fun trying to re do some earlier levels to release those final bots in order to achieve perfection!

I really can't recommend this game enough. It's suitable for all ages, and really does have something for everyone.

This by far has to be one of the best purchases for the PS5, but then look at the ratings and other reviews if you don't believe me.

A game that every PS5 should have installed.

It has not been often for many years, but I have been hoping to see if we can get a platformer game. The one that would become the new video game icon. And this has given gaming's biggest achievements. Astro Bot is a gaming masterpiece that's in the ultimate definition of a love letter of the PlayStation games. Just as the robot has just gotten started with Astro's Playroom, this one takes PlayStation gaming to a whole new level. The story is wacky in the most memorable kind of way, the gameplay had a lot more that I really couldn't stop playing, the graphics are absolute top notch, the visuals are at their best especially for boss levels, and everything about it pays a wonderful tribute to the games from the past 30 years. If you're a gamer, this is the game you really need to play especially if you grew up with the old PlayStation consoles. I even think beginners of PlayStation gaming are really gonna get into it after playing this game. As much we enjoy indie horror games like Amanda The Adventurer, as much we enjoy online gaming like Rock Band Rivals, we really should get more of playforming game in today's gaming. To present of what gaming is truly made for. And this really made a difference. Congratulations Astro, you've not only become the next big thing for gaming, but also having this game become one of the greatest of all time.

Astro's Playroom is a game filled with so much love and attention to detail that it's an absolute joy to play. From the very first moment, you can feel the dedication of the developers to make every little corner of this game an experience. The levels are creatively designed, and the controls are incredibly smooth.

What's especially impressive is how the game plays with nostalgia while also showcasing the new features of the DualSense controller in innovative ways. It's a love letter to PlayStation's history and a must-play for any fan.

For me personally, Astro's Playroom is one of the best games I've ever played. It's not only a technical masterpiece but also a game that is just pure fun and constantly leaves you amazed.

When I first read that Astro Bot won Game of the year 2024, I was like: *Yeah right...Sony must've payed the academy a great amount of money for the title. I mean, how can a silly child-game get such a praise?*

Well... After spending a total playtime of around 60 hours in this game, I have to admit I was so wrong in every way. Cause this game is nothing but a masterpiece!!!

Here's why:

Astro Bot is more than just an undeniable original game, it's a clean work of art!

Every level is like one christmas present after another. It's full of breathtaking creativity, incredible variation of gameplay, nostalgia, amazing landscapes, astonishing graphics and last but not least: Astro may be small but without a doubt the biggest and most ADORABLE hero in the universe.

So, to anyone who haven't played this game yet: DO IT!

10/10.

This is the first game I have had an enormous amount of fun playing and discovering everything, and the creative levels and the funny little bots are so cute and adorable. This game feels like the first definitive game for the PS5, Astros playroom was a fun short Miles Morales length game but this is full length game and you can feel all the love and hard work that was put into this, I did not come across 1 single bug or glitch (That shouldn't be something i have to say but with how games come out now i guess that deserves to be mentioned) this is as polished as a classic Nintendo game where it doesn't need a day one patch or anymore updates but the fact Team Asobi is still adding more DLC to this game is great, so far all the speed run levels are still just as fun and thrilling to get a new high score. When I first bought this game I was worried that I had wasted $90 Canadian or that the game wasn't going to be worth it but I was happily proven wrong within the first few minutes of playing it. I don't see this as a "story" game but the one it showed off was cute, funny and great and Astro Bot is one of my favorite PlayStation icons now up there with Kratos, Cole, Jin and Ratchet and clank.

Basically this game is worth the $90 Canadian or the $70 American or whatever I without a doubt recommend this game to anybody who enjoys platformers and wants a fun classic game.