We all could use a real good time right about now. Thankfully, one such PS5 exclusive 3D platformer has answered the call in the form of "Astro Bot". Don't be fooled by the fact that this is actually the third game in the "Astro Bot" series, after the PSVR exclusive "Astro Bot: Rescue Mission" (2018) and the free pre-installed PS5 launch title "Astro's Playroom" (2020). This experience stands alone on its own to those unfamiliar with the franchise. And frankly, out of all three games, this is easily the best bang for the buck.
If both "Astro Bot: Rescue Mission" and "Astro's Playroom" were well executed tech demos demonstrating the power and capabilities of their respective systems and headsets, then "Astro Bot" is the complete main course that provides the best value for consumers. Many of the positive aspects from the previous installments are still present here with more extra content to chew on. Even with free DLC on the horizon, there is plenty of gameplay to enjoy within the 60 to 80 levels you'll discover.
Narrative wise, it's pretty straightforward for the platforming genre. You play as the main titular hero Astro Bot, who's the leader of a group of small robots on board a spaceship that's really a PS5. It's attacked by an alien who then proceeds to steal its CPU, causing the ship to explode and scatter its inhabitants. The primary goal of the player as Astro is to rescue the other robots and find the parts to put the mothership back together. All this while fending off the alien's minions, of course. Self-explanatory plot.
But dear reader, you know as well as I do that you're here for gameplay more than anything else. And on that front, "Astro Bot" excels with its intended purpose. What you're doing in the gameplay is also self-explanatory. Collecting coins and puzzle pieces, punching your foes, rescuing other robots, jumping over obstacles, and using special abilities for each level such as boosting or floating. Occasionally, you'll visit your homeworld and check up on the characters you've collected. You can also unlock costumes, cosmetics and other such goodies to personalize the homeworld.
Now I hear you ask, what does "Astro Bot" do differently from the rest of the platforming genre? This is the part where mere words won't do justice. The best way of explaining how "Astro Bot" stands apart from its peers lies in the experience it provides. What we have with "Astro Bot" is an affectionate love letter to PlayStation and its most famous characters/games within. You even get to play variations on some of these games, namely "God of War" and "Uncharted", within this game. The special moves and attacks you obtain in said levels are a blast to play with.
Some gamers, including myself, may not recognize a few games being referenced and that's okay. The game is littered with Easter eggs galore that you won't mind. It's a pleasure just to explore all the worlds and find any other robot, puzzle piece or secret portal you missed before. The progression system is easy to follow and keep track of. Once you succeed through a level once, you can get this bird to help you find anything you missed. Backtracking and repeating a level is rewarding because the help system is supremely useful.
Like "Astro's Playroom" before it, "Astro Bot" proudly demonstrates the full potential the DualSense controller is capable of exerting. When I see the little robots inside the controller onscreen, but then feel and hear them on the controller in my literal hands, that's the kind of interactive immersion I cherish unconditionally. It's one way of literally forming a connection with your gaming controller and/or console. More than anything else, what sets "Astro Bot" apart is its sheer amount of joy and happiness found within its gameplay.
Games like this prove that robots can have soul and cheeriness to spare just like humans do. Every robot you rescue is happy to see you based on their crescent shaped blue eyes. They're ecstatic even when you're beating them up, because of course they're that easygoing. The design of these robots reminds me of EVE from "WALL-E" (2008). That's obviously a compliment. The love and passion of this game's developers is felt frequently in every stage of this roughly 20 hour campaign. Because of this, "Astro Bot" is a perfect PS5 game for kids.
The pantomime nature of the game makes it easy for any type of gamer to jump into the experience with no difficulty. The cutesy graphics have refined polish and plenty of detail to them that they truly feel like next-generation visuals across the board. The soundtrack has more than one catchy tune you'll be humming to even when you're doing other tasks. This game retains select visual and audio assets from the previous entries and utilizes them further with the new additions seamlessly.
The controls are smooth and tight across the board, even in the game's motion sensing levels and portions. Any faults you can find are nitpicks at worst. There are a few tougher levels that could have used more dynamic checkpoints after you fail them 50 times in a row. That is easily forgivable however when the rest of the game puts a big smile on my face. If you're a PS5 owner, regardless of your age, you owe it to yourself to have "Astro Bot" as part of your library.
Final Verdict: *10/10* *CRITIC'S CHOICE*
Comentarios