Arriving September 6, 2024, Astro Bot is a direct sequel to Astro’s Playroom and looks to bring all its colorful platforming and more to a full-fledged game. Astro Bot is only confirmed for PS5 so far but so were a hoard of other PlayStation exclusives now available on PC. Sony has made a point of expanding its player base and sales by bringing franchises such as The Last of Us, God of War, Spider-Man, and more to the platform.

A few of them demanded a deft diving ability the backpack is meant to offer, but it doesn’t have the same accuracy of other abilities in the game, which led me to whiff on some sections in a way that was unique to this level. It was manageable, but if any secret levels–which tend to be some of the game’s hardest–also use this mechanic, I expect them to become some of the game’s few frustrations. Like any excellent platformer, Astro Bot’s movement feels responsive and trustworthy. Despite the game consistently giving you new ways to traverse its puzzling pathways, you’ll almost always feel like you have a good grip on clearing gaps, timing attacks on enemies, and dodging bosses with expertise. The camera caused a few rare instances of what felt like selling me out, but the game’s checkpoints are so numerous and the load times are virtually non-existent, such that this never became a pain point for me.

Luckily, none of the collectibles or Hidden Trophies in Astro Bot are missable, so even if you miss one of these things during your first playthrough, you can always go back to grab what you’re missing for that Platinum Trophy. Now Team Asobi has been given the chance to unleash all that expertise in playfulness on Astro Bot, a full-scale game that exists for its own ends rather than to serve a Sony marketing plan. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch. If you want to collect these yourself in your own game, check out our guide to all bot locations, or the 100% walkthrough. If you’re curious about some of the most obscure characters, we have a guide to 21 of the more tricky ones, with details on where you’ve seen them before.

A New Intergalactic Adventure

Astro Bot won multiple awards including Game of the Year at the Game Awards 2024, the 21st British Academy Games Awards, and the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. We also cranked up the number of baddies too with over 70 new types, including massive bosses at the end of each galaxy. Special mention to the deadly cobra queen Lady Venomara who appears in the trailer, waiting for you in her golden lair. Defeating each boss will uncover a wonderful secret but we don’t want to spoil that, so our lips are sealed😊. And for the brave ones of you craving even more challenge, the game comes packed with die-and-retry levels to test your reflexes. Astro Bot is a love letter to video games that sets a new standard in 3D platforming, with ridiculously creative stages and gorgeous visuals.

Jumping, hovering, punching, and spinning all feels spot on thanks to tight, responsive controls. The true test of any 3D platformer is whether it feels fun to simply move around, and Astro passes handily. It feels great to hop around each stage, and Astro is often augmented with new abilities, so we never felt like he needs more moves. These lovely gizmos are realized with a gift for tactility — for creating a toylike world you feel like you can reach out and touch, click, pop, squash, smash, crack, and squeeze — that is second only to Nintendo’s.

Astro Bot Odin’s Ravens Checklist

You can count the first-party PS5 games geared toward kids on one hand — and two of them are Astro Bot games. I feel like I’m always discovering something new in almost every level. With uncertainty surrounding the PS5’s price following the Xbox price increase, now’s a great time to buy one of these discounted PS5 Slim console bundles. G28 . was a formative gaming experience that changed my life. Its landscapes are sharp and alive with interactive details, and it seems like every pixel has been polished to perfection.

Not exactly my jam – but it would seem this, like other games before it, are fun to be had by anyone. That’s why many studios try to compensate by pouring money into those other areas. These games are a celebration of gaming – specifically PlayStation gaming.

I’m glad they just focused on utilizing the powers in each level as well as they did. The game is a 9.7 for me personally and i’m very much looking forward to the next game Team Asobi does. Team Asobi could go back to the tech demo days of the franchise’s past and showcase some new hardware, like the PSVR 2.

@MikeTastic_86 I never said it ruined their experience, just reduced their potential enjoyment. I just think people would enjoy the game more without this kind of hand-holding from day one. @get2sammyb @Quintumply Thanks for taking the time to make this guide. Not sure I’ll use it, unless I get really stuck trying to find something, but still appreciated.

This is because while Astro Bot is that celebration of PlayStation’s history, it’s also a visual graveyard of IP that will never again see the light of day, making their appearance absolutely sting. It’s great to see ASOBI showing this level of appreciation of what has come before, but it also shows Sony’s very apparent inability to leverage what built them up in the first place. Jigsaw pieces can also be discovered if you’re skilled and/or keen eyed, which eventually open up a variety of features that enrich the entire experience. There’s a safari you can unlock, too, allowing you to take pictures with the many animals found on the game.