It’s been coming for a while, but this summer it’s finally here: Astro Bot got his own game. A full-fledged game, for a change, that fills the gap that PlayStation itself has so expertly dug in recent years. We got to play around on PlayStation for an hour with a curated piece of Astro Bot and yeah: “Sony’s Super Mario” looks great.
Astro Bot is and will continue to be a special skin for PlayStation. Among the massive squished insects and multiple endings to the world, this robot in particular stands out with a cheery note, which most PlayStation blockbusters no longer have. This generation values Hollywood-style action, deep stories and, let’s face it, simple fun.
Initially, the kid-friendly Astro was only allowed to try out the VR game, and later the robotic friend made a playable introduction to the console, as a sort of demo. With ‘Astro Bot Only’, the Asobi team is delivering a full-fledged traditional platformer for the first time – and that’s remarkably refreshing. Precisely because Sony has been so gloomy in recent years, it’s nice to see the cheerful mascot A place in the spotlight Can be obtained.
Exciting platforms and power-ups
It’s hard to keep a smile off your face while exploring Astro Bot. Almost everything in the game has a fun, welcoming vibe. Of course, we’re mainly talking about the cute robots themselves, but the first three levels also show promise. These aren’t giant open worlds, but the more linear checkboxes still encourage exploration and experimentation with the various power-ups, which often have their own theme.
It’s not easy to describe the feeling, but let’s just say: Astro Bot feels alive. Various robotic animals frolic happily and almost everything responds in some way to the player’s actions. One moment you’re beating up bad guys with extendable frog arms, the next you’re floating in a giant fish tank with energy that turns Astro into a hot air balloon.
The eyes of the world to some extent Cartoonish, but with as much charm and detail as you’d expect from the best animated films. This may not be a playable Pixar movie yet, but damn: Astro Bot is endlessly lifelike and likable. There’s a lot of love dripping from the diverse animation, numerous references, and colorful influences.
As we’ve come to expect from the Asobi team, everything looks great and runs (according to our first tests) at a fairly stable 60fps. Even in the parts with heavier or more complex physics, everything runs and feels like magic. This certainly benefits the more challenging levels, although we were only able to try two of them.
Many of the animations and experiences hit very close to home.
The touches draw you a little more into the world of Astro.
picture: Team Asobi / PlayStation
picture: Team Asobi / PlayStation
Advanced Course in Feeling DualSense
Aside from the visual aspect, Astro Bot is also very convincing in terms of sound and feel in particular. This also did not surprise anyone after Astro’s Playroom, but in Astro Bot, the DualSense is once again used very well. In the game world, the controller actually exists as a gyroscopically controlled plane for Astro, but the DualSense also communicates with Astro and its environment in other ways. For example, friends are saved at the console, which you can shake in all directions using the motion controls. If you move the DualSense up and down, you’ll see, hear and even feel the robots happily jumping up and down.
In addition to being incredibly cute, this also became a nice celebration after completing the more difficult challenge levels. I still had to work hard to save this flight robot, so of course this friend was allowed to happily jump on my touchpad – just to get the built-up tension off my arms.
This level of finishing isn’t just about saving robots. For example, if Astro is walking on a fragile glass panel, then Feel On the DualSense, you can also hear the clicking sound of your robot’s feet on a creaky surface. Many of the animations and experiences are very close to home. And yes, this sounds very clichéd, but the haptics certainly draw you into Astro’s world a little more. This tactile precision is what all PlayStation 5 games should secretly feel like.
Super Astro Boat Sunshine
With a compelling style and gameplay experience, Astro Bot seems capable of matching the fun of Super Mario. It remains to be seen if the full game can measure up to one of the best Marios games, but the first hour was certainly worth it. The joy platform does it anyway something It’s good if you always smile.
Especially with the standard Astro moveset and challenging levels, which float in the air, Astro Bot was often reminiscent of Super Mario Sunshine. This is largely due to Astro’s jetpack legs, which work in much the same way as Fludd’s water jet, but also a bit of a general atmosphere. As you dive into all sorts of cheerful platforming worlds, Astro Bot exudes something summery and sunny.
A cartoon like this that can be played on a Saturday morning seems like a great outing for PlayStation 5 gamers. Whether it’s the younger generation, or just seasoned gamers who want to go on a vacation – away from all the serious events or in-depth role-playing games. Astro Bot will delight you this summer with some carefree (but well-cared for) fun.
Astro Bot will be released on September 6, 2024 exclusively on PlayStation 5. In this hands-on, we played the game for about an hour, with three basic levels and two challenge levels at our disposal.
