Read the full Astro Bot review
Astro Bot is a gorgeous 3D platformer with a lovable protagonist, dozens of planets to explore, and a wide range of extremely satisfying mechanics to perfect. It requires patience, awareness, and advanced platforming skills, but resets are forgiving and failures cost nothing but time. The main character, Astro, is endlessly charming as he flies around the galaxy on a mission to rescue his 300 friends. Many of its friends embody characters from Sony’s library and the wider gaming world, and there are plenty of bots from Capcom, Konami, and Sega franchises.
Many of the planets Atom lands on have new mechanics, such as spring-loaded boxing gloves that look like a frog’s face, an octopus that inflates Atom like a balloon, a mouse backpack that lets Atom shrink at will, and a penguin-propelled swimming booster. has been introduced. , and a stopwatch that temporarily stops time. The stages are designed around these unique mechanics, and the variety on display is impressive.
Beyond pure cuteness, Astro Bot is beautiful. Its landscapes are vivid and come alive with interactive detail, making every pixel seem polished to perfection. But it’s the game’s physics that energizes everything. When Atom lands on top of a giant inflatable daisy, the material bends under his tiny feet, indenting with every step and wobble, making the entire scene appear to be completely constricted. When rain hits Astro’s umbrella hat, the sound is perfectly reflected on the DualSense, along with the feel of the raindrops on the grip. Astro Bot’s sound effects, haptics, graphics, and physics come together in perfect harmony to turn any surface into a playground. It’s magic.
Astro Bot feels like it was made for video game fans. It’s a skill-driven celebration of everything that makes this format memorable and fun, while also being a great introduction to the game’s language. With precise and responsive controls, adorable characters, and an exciting variety of mechanics and environments, Astro Bot is undoubtedly one of the best games Sony has ever produced. — Jessica Condit, Senior Reporter
