It’s crazy to think that PlayStation has already been around for 30 years. Throughout those decades, not only has it been the reason many people fell in love with gaming, but it has also introduced many gaming staples thanks to characters like Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, and even Knack.
Gaming has also changed significantly over the last 30 years. Still, throughout the decades, PlayStation has always been there, consistently impressive with its vast library of some of the world’s most popular and beloved gaming franchises, year after year and generation after generation.
So, when Astro’s Playroom was introduced in 2020 as a sort of exhibition of PlayStation history that gamers could play their way through, needless to say, it was a hit. But where Astro’s Playroom was like a museum, Astro Bot is a full-blown PlayStation theme park.
Astro’s latest adventure isn’t just a game; it’s a heartfelt love letter to PlayStation fans, packed with levels so vibrant and inventive, they feel as fresh as your first PS2 memory card save, and with a star-studded cast of PlayStation’s greatest hits, Astro Bot bursts onto the scene with more charm than Sackboy at a cosplay convention.
Just minutes in, I was blown away. If PlayStation wanted to flex what the PlayStation 5 can do, Astro Bot should’ve been the launch title, no question. Forget short experiences and tech demos; this is the real deal.
Astro Bot is also the ultimate showcase for the DualSense controller’s tricks. Triggers tighten in your fingers while rumbles dance through your thumbs, and the controller reacts to on-screen action like it’s trying to earn a platinum trophy itself.
It’s like Astro’s Playroom all over again, but with the settings cranked up to next-gen magic.
In terms of story, let’s say it’s light… it’s really light. The game starts with the player selecting one of three classic PlayStation memory cards.
From there, you’re launched into a scene aboard your PS5-shaped mothership. After an alien attack, your mothership crash-lands on a desert planet, and Astro is off on a galactic scavenger hunt to find its missing parts and crewmates.
But let’s be honest – Astro Bot isn’t a game you’re going to play for some deep, soul-crushing narrative. There are no apocalyptic stakes, intense family drama, or coming-of-age montages.
Instead, Astro Bot is about following our cheerful little robot buddy on his joyful adventures, free from the usual PlayStation Studios trend of impending doom and emotional turmoil. It’s a refreshing break in a world where Kratos is tackling fatherhood, and The Last of Us keeps breaking our hearts.
Regarding gameplay, most levels are as straightforward as a Crash Bandicoot sprint. Still, some go the extra mile like a well-hidden trophy, offering sandbox-style areas perfect for hunting down those elusive collectables.
You’ll even find extra levels tucked away like Easter eggs, with warp points hidden like treasure chests waiting to whisk you off to new spots in the Lost Galaxy. This clever structure ensures Astro Bot keeps the surprises coming for its roughly nine-hour adventure.
But the real showstoppers are the new powers Astro picks up along the way. His basic moves consist of jump, double jump, and hover, and all feel as polished as a shiny platinum trophy, perfectly balanced between floaty and tight. But the temporary abilities, unique to each level, crank the excitement up to PS5 launch hype levels.
The game is also filled to the brim with friendly faces to find – over 150 of them, in fact, as characters from PlayStation’s vast library have snuck into Astro’s world, cleverly disguised as other bots.
You’ve got your usual suspects like Lombaxes, tomb raiders, and a certain rapping dog, but the real treat is spotting the more obscure picks from PlayStation’s past. Mister Mosquito, anyone? He’s buzzing around, too, and so is Deacon St. John.
You never know where you’ll stumble upon these familiar faces either; one minute, you could explore the sprinkle-covered depths of Creamy Canyon, and the next, you can be confronted with everyone’s favourite ape catcher.
Those little moments of irony and slapstick humour keep Astro’s tone light, and from start to finish, it’s pure PlayStation delight.
Many PlayStation characters pop up as short, charming cameos, but a select few get the full spotlight treatment. I won’t spoil all the stars, but one has already been revealed: none other than Kratos himself.
In his segment, you wield his frost-charged Axe. It’s a total change of pace as you hurl the axe through the level, watching it boomerang back like it’s got a recall function straight out of God of War.
This is where Astro Bot hits that sweet spot between nostalgia and fresh ideas, blending iconic moments from PlayStation’s history with new twists.
It’s like getting to play bite-sized versions of these legendary games, with Astro borrowing their powers and setting off in levels that are love letters to classic PlayStation stories, all set to remixed heroic themes.
At the end of the day, it’s tough to find anything about Astro Bot that doesn’t work incredibly well. From start to finish, it delivers one of the most lighthearted, beautiful, and downright fun gaming experiences I’ve had in ages.
From the first DualSense trigger pull to the final trophy pop, Astro Bot had me grinning like a kid discovering gaming for the first time. Not since booting up my PS1 and hearing that glorious startup chime have I had this much pure, unfiltered fun on a PlayStation console.
