Astro Bot | PS5 Review

I’ve traditionally been more of an Xbox fan over Sony. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those jerks who dogs on the other guy. I’ve owned every PlayStation console and enjoyed them for their exclusives. After playing Astro Bot, I realized I was a bigger fan of PlayStation than I realized. This love letter to Sony’s console platform is simply astounding and one of the few games from this year that I would consider a “must play”. Not only is it stunningly beautiful, but it consistently put a smile on my face and left me constantly wanting more.

Aliens Exist

Much like most games in the 3D platformer genre, Astro Bot doesn’t have a super in-depth story. Does it need one? I would argue “no”. Literally every other aspect of the game is beyond charming, and I don’t come to this kind of game looking for a rich narrative. With that said, there is a purpose behind navigating the galaxy. In Astro Bot‘s third game, he and a crew of 300 other adorable robots are traveling through the universe in their space ship that happens to look an awful lot like a PS5. A goofy, green alien attacks you, strips the ship of its primary components, and causes all of your companions to fly in different directions. You find yourself waking up alone with nothing but a DualSense controller as your vehicle. Thus begins your mission to rescue the other bots and find the necessary parts for your ship in order to get going on your next adventure.

What transpires is, quite literally, the best platforming experience I’ve played since Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii. Honestly, this might even surpass that title, which happens to be my favorite Mario game that doesn’t have “RPG” in the title. Yes, you read that correctly. Astro Bot is better than any Mario game I’ve played. It’s truly something special.

In true platformer fashion, you’ll work your way through various galaxies, each with its own set of themed levels. Your goal is to find your missing friends as well as other secrets to open bonus stages to find even more. At the end of each galaxy, you’ll face a boss that’s guarding one of the missing pieces to your ship. It might all seem like traditional fare for the genre, but everything from the level design, music, visuals, and sense of humor are highly polished to a perfect sheen.

All the Small Things

The previous two Astro Bot games paid homage to PlayStation hardware in a big way. There’s some of that here as well, but the focus this time is more on characters from games in the PlayStation library. When you rescue one of your bots, he/she may resemble a familiar face. Part of the fun is that these characters are not exactly spelled out for you by name. You’re given a small hint in a single line of text, and it’s genuinely exciting when you connect the dots and recognize a game from your past. These bots make their way to your hub world when rescued, where they hang out in the open to see them whenever you like. You can even unlock bonus items for them, which turns the entire environment into a world of playful PlayStation characters doing what they do in their respective games. It’s beyond charming and makes revisiting your hub world an absolute delight.

I haven’t played a game that looks and sounds as good as Astro Bot since Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. It’s pretty interesting that the two best-looking games on the PS5 aren’t going for realism, don’t you think? I can’t stress enough just how incredible this game looks. There are moments that feel like the devs are showing off the power of the PS5 in a subtle way. One particular level put me in a room filled with multi-colored jewels rolling around all over the place. It was a glorious sight, and I never experienced a single shred of slowdown. It’s impressive what Team ASOBI has put together, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.

Finally, if Astro Bot‘s soundtrack isn’t considered for best soundtrack this year, I believe that’s a travesty. Games don’t have catchy theme music as often anymore, and the one that plays throughout this game is instantly memorable. And it never feels repetitive. Each variation of the theme shines in its respective galaxy and fits perfectly with each motif that is thrown at you. The whistle-y western version from the hub world, in particular, stands out.

What’s My Age Again?

I’m not done yet. There’s so much goodness to talk about here, so I have a few more thoughts.

Boss fights have been lackluster in games as of late. They might be huge set pieces full of rich narrative and voice acting, but the novelty of the boss fight has been lost to “shoot the glowy bits”. This is not the case in Astro Bot, where each fight feels incredibly well-thought out and ridiculously fun to play. Most have you use the various power-ups you discover during the game, and it’s refreshing to hearken back to the good old days of ingenious boss fights that aren’t overly difficult but make you feel accomplished when you’re done.

And your reward for defeating those bosses? Boy, are you in for a treat when you do that. Before traveling to the next galaxy, a bonus level appears, and these are the true chef’s kiss in this already near-perfect title. I don’t want to spoil the experience for you, because the surprise is simply too good. I will say that you’ll be thrown back to games from the past (both recent and way back). I could not stop smiling during these sections. They’re not only a blast to play, but overflowing with joyful cleverness that just keeps going and going.

On top of all of this, there are so many secrets to be found throughout Astro Bot‘s journey. They’re never incredibly hard to find, but the rewards of bonus stages extends the life of the game and makes it nearly impossible to put down. Even the super challenging stages are a blast and satisfying to complete. This is the first platinum trophy I’ve earned in quite a while.

Astro Bot Final Verdict

If you’ve haven’t been able to tell from my gushing above, I’m absolutely enamored with Astro Bot. It takes a lot to put a smile on my face these days, and this title succeeded on numerous occasions to do just that. My most anticipated game is officially whatever the inevitable sequel to this game is. Sadly, it’s too far away, and that makes me sad. The only real issue I have is with the DLC, which has absolutely no knock on the base game. Time trials? Really guys? At least they’re free, because I’m not speedrunning levels, no matter how good they are.

Don’t hesitate for even a second to pick up this title. This is one of the best titles I’ve ever played on my PS5, and that’s not hyperbole. It proves that games don’t need to strive for realism to be solid, and it remembers what really makes games good in the first place: fun. You’d be hard-pressed to find a game that is enjoyable from start to finish. It’s that good.

To hear me talk more about Astro Bot, be sure to listen to our September 12th, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 58:18 time stamp.

This review is based on a purchased copy of Astro Bot on PlayStation 5. As of this writing, it is exclusive to that platform.