Astro Bot Review

While four years have passed since the start of the ninth generation, and given the new features of the PlayStation controller, it was expected that Sony would showcase the capabilities of the new console and its controller with a new version of Astro’s Playroom. This expectation has finally been met. Just days before the unveiling of the PS5 Pro, Sony has ended the wait with its new exclusive release, Astro Bot. Now, the question is whether this game can match or even surpass its predecessor in showcasing the hardware in the form of a game.

The story in Astro Bot is straightforward, so let’s delve into its narrative design. The plot revolves around the PlayStation 5 spaceship, which crashes following an alien attack, scattering its inhabitants, The Astros, across various corners of a fictional galaxy. The protagonist, one of these Astros, is tasked with rescuing his friends and recovering the parts of the PlayStation 5.

The narrative magic of Astro Bot begins here. Some of the Astros are characters from Sony’s exclusive titles, and the journey to save them is beautifully integrated into the gameplay, evoking fond memories of these characters. One of the highlights is the level design, which is tailored to specific characters, like Kratos from God of War or Nathan Drake from Uncharted. The inclusion of music from these titles in the robotic world of Astro Bot further enhances the storytelling. Without any dialogue, Astro Bot uses character design, level design, and background music to vividly portray the memories of gamers from the PS1 era to the present day. This historical narrative and homage to games extend beyond Sony’s exclusives, also referencing significant non-exclusive titles like Crash Bandicoot and Tomb Raider.

In essence, presenting such a narrative of the history of PlayStation and even video games in the form of a video game is a technical storytelling achievement rarely, if ever, seen in any title.

The gameplay and technical graphics of Astro Bot are other pillars of this exclusive masterpiece. As a dedicated Nintendo user, I can only compare Astro Bot to titles like Mario Galaxy and Mario Odyssey. This comparison alone shows how flawless the gameplay and technical graphics of this game are. To better understand this gameplay marvel, consider this example: Astro Bot’s gameplay is a blend of Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Wonder. The puzzle design, mechanics, and platforming throughout the game remind you of Mario Odyssey. The addition of a unique element in each level, such as time control or transforming into an indestructible metal ball, also brings to mind titles like Mario Wonder and It Takes Two, where you could progress with a new ability in each level.

Although Astro Bot doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking or “GOTY Worthy” in its gameplay, it serves as a good student of the video game industry, drawing inspiration from the creative features of major titles in its genre and creating new combinations that are executed perfectly.

What makes this gameplay a masterpiece is the game’s unique technical graphics. In many parts of the game, you deal with a plethora of fruits, balls, and various objects that the protagonist can interact with. The surprising part is that no matter how hard you try to spot frame drops amidst this chaos and rendering, you won’t see any.

Beyond all the aforementioned points, the main focus of Astro Bot is to showcase the hardware of the Dualsense controller within a game. The sound design, aided by the haptic engines in the Dualsense controller, helps you feel actions like jumping, hitting, running, and more while playing. Astro Bot, alongside all these features, has created a platform for Sony to potentially introduce a hardware product similar to Nintendo’s Amiibo in the near future. How much this potential will be utilized remains to be seen, but creating such a platform within a 15 to 20-hour game is practically a technical achievement for a platform holder.

The only minor flaw I noticed during this incredible experience occurred in the final level of the game. In 80% of the final stage, while you expect the game to provide a new feature for progression, the creativity suddenly stops. It’s as if you’ve entered the exam season of the game, with challenges being a combination of abilities experienced in previous stages. Although the game resolves this gap in the final 20% and surprises you, it happens a bit late, causing a slight disruption in the creative rhythm of the game, though it doesn’t significantly impact your overall experience.

In conclusion, Astro Bot, as a platformer game, has managed to become a serious contender for the Game of the Year title by drawing the right inspirations from major titles in this genre, adding a unique narrative design to revisit the history of video games, and implementing unique technical graphics.

Score: 99/100