Three months ago, in June, during the PlayStation State of Play event, Sony announced a new PS5-exclusive platforming game called Astro Bot. The announcement was impressive, making Astro Bot one of the most anticipated games of the year, especially since no first-party PlayStation games were released in 2024. As a PlayStation fan, I was eagerly waiting for its launch!

Astro Bot builds on the free Astro’s Playroom, which showcased the PS5 DualSense controller. While Astro’s Playroom was a short demo, Astro Bot expands the experience fivefold. After completing the game, here’s my full review to help you decide if it’s worth buying. Let’s dive in!

Story and World

The story revolves around Astro, a character representing PlayStation as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Astro and his robot friends embark on a space mission aboard the PS5 spaceship. However, an alien attack causes the ship to crash on a mysterious planet, scattering its parts and the robots. Your mission is to rescue your friends and recover the lost ship parts across multiple galaxies.

The story is simple yet nostalgic, bringing back memories of PlayStation’s 30-year legacy. Players explore six unique galaxies, each with over 80 levels featuring varied themes like forests, deserts, beaches, and volcanoes.

Some levels are inspired by iconic PlayStation games like God of War and Uncharted. These levels not only have stunning designs but also evoke memories of classic PlayStation moments, enhancing the overall experience for fans.

You navigate between planets using the Dual Speeder, a spaceship modeled after the PS5 DualSense controller. On each planet, you’ll solve puzzles, rescue over 300 robots (150 of which are iconic PlayStation characters), and face challenges from over 70 enemy types and environmental obstacles. The game offers four difficulty levels, catering to both casual and hardcore players.

Each level ends with a boss fight. The game features more than 10 unique bosses, each requiring strategic use of tools and abilities to exploit their weaknesses. After completing levels, rescued robots return to the “Crash Site,” your hub for customizing Astro, the spaceship, and more.

The game takes around 10 hours to complete the main story, with 15-25 hours required for 100% completion. Future free content updates will extend the gameplay even further.

Gameplay

Astro Bot enhances the platforming mechanics introduced in Astro’s Playroom by adding 15 new abilities. These include shrinking to fit small spaces, using a monkey-inspired grappler to grab and throw objects, and turning into a metal ball to block attacks. Each tool adds variety and depth to the gameplay.

These tools are essential for boss battles, helping you exploit weaknesses as they appear during the fight. One standout example is using Kratos’ axe in a God of War-themed level, blending nostalgia with engaging gameplay.

Exploration is rewarding, with hidden secrets unlocking new hub content or secret levels, often more enjoyable than the main ones. This encourages thorough exploration of every level.

The gameplay in Astro Bot is among the most engaging platforming experiences. It’s so addictive that I completed most of the game in less than three days!

Graphics and Sound

Astro Bot features a vibrant, cartoon-like art style with realistic environmental details. Interactive elements like water, grass, and snow enhance the immersive visuals, making the world feel alive.

Sound design is equally impressive, with detailed audio for environmental elements and tools, as well as unique music tracks for each level, further drawing players into the world.

Final Thoughts

Astro Bot delivers a nostalgic, engaging experience with its fun story, beautiful world design, and addictive gameplay. It’s a must-play for PS5 owners and one of the best games of 2024.

Final Rating: 10/10