Six years ago, Nicolas Doucet’s Team Asobi, which was at the time one of the SIE Japan Studio teams, offered one of the best VR games ever released: Astro Bot Rescue Mission. A gem that makes wonderful use of virtual reality, in addition to being an excellent platform game full of inventive ideas, which allows it to exist since 2020 even without this technology. It is also in this way, in classic 3D and not in VR, that the license will return at the start of the school year on PS5. A future must-have for the console? We’ve already been able to put our hands on it and here are our first impressions.
It had leaked before its time, but the PS5 will be entitled to a new Astro Bot game by September 6, 2024. After Rescue Mission and Astro’s Playroom, which is downloadable for free with each PlayStation 5, Team Asobi has- Is she still coming up with ideas to offer a refreshing adventure?
Astro Bot is already one of our favorites of the year
Mistakenly considered a “demo”, Astro’s Playroom paved the way for future potential for the Astro Bot license, but without virtual reality. Instead, Team Asobi found a new toy: the DualSense. Four years after the release of the PS5, this free game is still the perfect showcase for this controller. Especially in the way of making players feel different materials. Can the next episode go even further?
At this level, it seems very close to Astro’s Playroom, and there is no doubt that it will still be THE game to demonstrate the strengths of the controller, but not only that. We can always notice the difference when our character walks on grass, water or harder ground and it’s amazing. And that’s not the only similarity. If you saw the trailer shown during State of Play, and you’ve completed the first two games, then you’ve probably noticed the many similarities.
There will still be an important tribute to the history of PlayStation with more than 150 heroes like Ratchet and Rivet, the character from Journey or even Kratos & Atreus, but in an Astro version, so more adorable than ever. We always want to take our time to observe the activities of these little beings, find them in charming and colorful environments, and save them in turn. Because one of the objectives is always to rescue several Astro mascots – by kicking their butts -, before moving on to the next painting, but we can still easily miss some if we just trace in line to the right. You absolutely have to explore and now you can even go underwater to collect hidden companions. The other common point of this episode is that we will find biomes already seen such as the construction site, but also certainly a lot of new things since there will be more than 80 levels spread over six galaxies.
Lots of new gadgets to have fun with
From a gameplay point of view, Astro Bot is still full of inventiveness with crazy gadgets that renew the experience within the same level. It’s an almost constant amazement like with the Barkster, which adds a bulldog on Astro’s back to perform a dash in the air and rush through enemies or even materials like metal and glass. The Twin-Frog Gloves give boxing gloves to our little robot, in order to deliver long-distance blows, cling to surfaces to swing and there is even a third use, but you might as well preserve the effect of surprise.
This power was also at the heart of a boss fight at the top against the octopus of Rescue Mission. Yes, it’s back, but it’s now associated with a seascape, and fortunately its patterns have been adjusted. Which means that there is no real feeling of repetition. An affordable confrontation, but rich thanks to its different phases, which was a walk in comparison to the die and retry levels. There, the challenge is completely different and you will have to have much better reflexes, and master Astro Bot as well as its ability to fly briefly in the air thanks to its thrusters. Because with every mistake, you are back to square one. Fortunately, the character’s responsiveness is still there. We struggled a bit with the two die and retry levels offered, but fortunately, we triumphed in the end. Our reputation was at stake. Finally, a final word on Kenny Young’s compositions, which are still as heady as ever, but which, for the moment, are not being renewed.
We’re waiting for Astro Bot… fully!
Astro Bot seems to concentrate all the elements and experience of the previous two games in order to offer an explosive cocktail. It’s still beautiful, fun and creative with a constant desire to surprise players. The new gadgets are the best proof of this, and we can’t wait to discover the next ones. In summary, we are faced with an accessible platformer, and more demanding for those who wish it, which has everything to be a real reference now that it is aimed at a wider audience. Including its mascot with its adorable design and personality. If the entire title is of the ilk of this demo, it will be one of the PS5 games of the year.