5/5 ★ – nldemo's review of ASTRO BOT.

Astro Bot is a perfect little platformer that any PS5 owner should be sure to play. It really shows off what the PS5 and the DualSense are capable of in every way you can imagine and then some. It is easily my favorite platformer from the last decade, far surpassing Mario Odyssey and dethroning Mario Wonder as the top seat. There are very few negatives to Astro Bot, so I’ll start there. The biggest downside I would say, is that the game does not support VR. I understand why (VR is a niche market, too many VR platforms, etc), but Astro Bot Rescue Mission for PSVR truly was like reliving playing Mario64 for the first time when you had only played 2d games before it. It was an eye opening, jaw dropping experience that redefined the limits of gaming, gave us the ability to move cameras and control a character in a 3d space. I am a firm believer that ABRM really did that for VR, and it’s a shame more people won’t experience that. Astro Bot is the 3rd Astro game, and has not changed TOO much over time. If you have not played Rescue Mission or Astro’s Playroom (it’s FREE), you should. If they decide to make a sequel to Astro Bot (and they ought to), then they should definitely try to branch off of the familiar but successful Astro formula. The only other downside to Astro Bot is that it includes motion controls, but you can toggle that off from the menu… problem solved! Onto the great ! Without giving away too much, Astro Bot has the best collectibles of any platformer - possibly any game ever. As a fan of playstation and video games in general, Astro Bot nails platforming while writing a love letter to all that came before it in the form of collectible bots. These bots include all sorts of beloved franchises, they are cute and they are tragically trapped in various ways… they really give the player an incentive to go and track down each one. Unlike the moons in Mario Odyssey, or stars, or music notes, or KONG letters. Perhaps the only downside to these collectibles are that they likely won’t be repeated in future games. Once collected, these bots go back to Astro’s home base of operations, which is much more than a museum, it is akin to a living zoo. You can further share your love with the bots by playing a gacha capsule game, and giving them accessories to interact with that really show off their individuality. Finally, after clearing the boss in a galaxy, you unlock a special bot and a themed world based on the game they came from. Some of these are as mainstream as you’d expect, and some are very unique. Astro Bot nails all sorts of ideas and never overstays its welcome. It showcases some of the best textures in gaming, from lava, to chrome, to glass, to gemstones. It has mesmerizingly gorgeous water, and you can go diving in and experience the beauty of the transitioned underwater music. The overall sound track feels mostly unchanged from the original, but it is still so good that it is not a concern. The sound design takes all those aforementioned textures and beautifully replicates what they would sound like, oftentimes coming out of the DualSense controller. Not to mention hearing audio feedback from Astro from the controller, or the other bots. Astro Bot is playful with powerups, utilizing different control schemes, and dishes them out sparingly so that you’re not looking for the same powerup every single level (e.g. Mario’s Tanuki, Cat Suit, or Elephant). The power ups themselves are unique and really expand Astro’s arsenal, with some hidden little features as well (try spinning with the frog arms!). Astro Bot provides levels that address any skill level, from basic (but still enjoyable) to expert platforming. It really does it all. I really don’t have much more to say. I give Astro Bot 5 bots out of 5. It is every bit deserving of every GotY nominee and award won in 2024. Don’t forget to wave to your little buddy! Personal HLTB: 18 hours (including additional content.. which is also FREE!)