Astro Bot Review

Mascot platform games have been a staple of my gaming life for as long as I can remember. I’ve played and loved everything from Crash Bandicoot to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, all the way to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and that’s just including titles available on PlayStation consoles! Which, funnily enough, is rather apt for this review, as Astro Bot is not only a new platformer for Sony’s PlayStation 5 but also a love letter to the many games throughout PlayStation’s five generations!

Having already played through — and thoroughly enjoyed — both Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Astro's Playroom, is developer Team Asobi’s first fully-fledged, non-VR title a smash hit? Or, does it focus too much on nostalgia and less on fun gameplay?

After the bot's spaceship (which is just a PlayStation 5 with eyes and engines, arguably a better-looking ship than a console) crash lands in the desert, and its occupants are scattered amongst the stars thanks to the interference of a rather cartoonishly evil alien, it’s up to Astro to repair the ship and rescue the lost Bots. This desert area acts as the hub, which you’ll return to frequently in order to return lost parts of the ship, find satellites to unlock new levels, or just say hello to the Bots you’ve rescued on your journey. And with around half of the over 300 Bots representing various characters from across 30 years of PlayStation titles, each with their own unique animations and characteristics, I spent far too much time wandering around to see what each one did. There are some very familiar faces, including Kratos and Solid Snake, as well as some lesser-known ones, such as Taneo and Kutaro, but each one has been given the love and attention from Team Asobi that their respective games deserve.

The game flows from exploring various levels, returning to the hub area to deliver your rescued companions, exploring whatever new features or areas have been uncovered, then heading back out to the next set of levels. It’s a simple premise, as many platformers are, but that doesn’t make it any less engaging and gave me a wonderful sense of progression as new things unlocked, and more Bots were found wandering around the hub world.

The entire presentation of Astro Bot is, in a word, flawless. The whole thing from start to finish is an absolute joy to look at and is so packed full of cute, quirky little details, unique environments, and adorable animations that I found myself grinning from ear to ear constantly. There’s no dialogue found here, but the subtle movements, expressions, and beeps and whirs of Astro, other Bots, and enemies do a surprisingly great job of conveying emotion. It’s also worth mentioning the sound design here, as not only does the soundtrack feature some genuinely brilliant songs (some that are still stuck in my head), but the sound effects are just as impressive.

Games that don’t go for full realism are often the ones that you can look back on in years to come and marvel at how well they still hold up. Astro Bot is absolutely going to be one of those games; the entire thing just looks so crisp thanks to its consistent art direction. Not only that, but it never once dropped frames, running at a silky smooth 60 fps at all times.

It’s mechanically fantastic, as well. Platformers can live or die depending on how well they control. Astro Bot feels tight and responsive, meaning any mistimed jumps resulting in a fall were always my own fault, and it was always fun to jump around looking for secrets. It makes great use of the DualSense controller, too, something that so many games fail to capitalise on. The subtle vibrations when pushing against walls to find a hidden switch, or the change in intensity when Astro goes from running across grass to hard surfaces, it literally feels great to play. Just be sure to keep your charging cable handy, because this game will quickly run through your controller’s battery!

Each Galaxy consists of five or so levels, with a boss level (which are very well-designed and just the right level of challenge), as well as a PlayStation mascot-themed one after defeating said boss. There are also shorter levels, such as combat challenges or ones that will put your platforming skills to the test as you race to the finish line to rescue a unique Bot. The platform challenges can be tricky, but they’re short enough that if you do fail, it’s not exactly a huge amount of time wasted.

As for the main levels, though, these are all incredibly fun and varied enough that it never felt like I was retreading old levels with a slightly different layout. Whether you’re clambering around scaffolding in “Construction Derby”, or saving a giant robot in “Free Big Brother!”, the sheer amount of variety in the environments makes this one fun trip across the cosmos.

Whilst each level will have you jumping, hovering, and beating up enemies, many of them change up the gameplay with power-ups. The Mouse Suit will let you shrink down in size, for example, whereas the Sponge ability allows you to soak up water and become a giant. They’re all used to progress through the levels they’re found in, and each one is so unique and augment Astro’s relatively limited abilities in a way that makes it genuinely exciting when you come across a new power-up for the first time.

On top of this, there are the aforementioned mascot-themed levels. At the end of each Galaxy, you’re given the abilities of one of PlayStation’s stalwart characters. Using Kratos’ Leviathan Axe to freeze obstacles and enemies alike felt oddly similar to actually playing God of War (just with less boy and more bot) or running around capturing apes that made me yearn for a new Ape Escape game, these are great homages to some equally fantastic titles.

From beginning to end, Astro Bot is a charming, stunning platformer that looks gorgeous and plays flawlessly. Brilliantly designed levels, incredibly responsive platforming, and an absurdly charming cast of characters make this one of the best 3D platformers I’ve ever played. This is a game that everyone can enjoy no matter their age, and is easily my personal game of the year.