Do you remember the little robot Astro Bot, on PlayStation consoles? After a thunderous return on September 6 on PS5 in a new software developed by Team Asobi and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the new adventures of the cute little robot have received the ultimate reward: the game was voted GOTY 2024 (Game Of The Year) at the Game Awards ceremony held on the night of December 12-13, 2024. We saw it as GOTY, and we weren't wrong...
Astro 's Playroom, offered to all PS5 owners at the console's launch, has already won over gamers. This time, Astro shines in a complete game, specially designed to make the most of the PS5's capabilities.
"Following the destruction of the PS5® mothership, ASTRO and its crew have been scattered across many galaxies. It's time for you to climb aboard ASTRO's trusty Dual Speeder and explore over 50 planets brimming with fun, danger and surprises. On this journey, you'll have the chance to take advantage of ASTRO's new powers, as well as reuniting with iconic heroes from the PlayStation universe!
Astro Bot 's gameplay is as rich as it is varied, with over 80 levels spread across 6 distinct galaxies. Each universe immerses players in the iconic history of PlayStation, revisiting its iconic heroes and legendary consoles, such as Kratos (God of War), Nathan Drake (Uncharted), Aloy (Horizon), Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) and LocoRoco. Team Asobi has made it a point of honor to make the game accessible, while offering incomparable gameplay depth thanks toAstro's 15 new abilities. These abilities are closely linked to the use of the DualSense controller, allowing full advantage to be taken of its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
In addition to its diversified gameplay, Astro Bot is distinguished by the richness of its universe. Players will have to face over 70 different types of enemy, as well as fearsome bosses such as the terrifying cobra queen Lady Venomara. For the first time, Astro is equipped with a speeder inspired by the PS5 controller, enabling it to move in style through the various galaxies.
Our review of Astro Bot :
Playtime: 100% complete
So, what's the value of this software based on the adventures of Sony's little robot... ? Let's face it, the game is a PlayStation version of Nintendo's Super Mario Galaxy franchise (the comparison is inevitable). But it differs in that it takes only the best and corrects the mistakes of the plumber's adventures... Starting with the difficulty level. Astro Bot is very accessible without being too easy. The levels are challenging, and finding all the bots and puzzle pieces becomes a real pleasure, even when replaying the levels. Some bonus levels (the PlayStation symbols) will give you more trouble, making you repeat the level a dozen times or more, but the game is well worth the effort.
As for the gampelay, although it's basically identical to Super Mario Galaxy, it's nonetheless more varied and complete. You'll have to navigate different planets, all themed (Egypt, underwater, space, jungle, etc.) while using different powers (one per level), which are quite varied and allow you to think a little more about solving puzzles, while using 100% of the Dualsense controller's functions. Vibration, breath, triggers... The gameplay makes extremely intelligent use of the controller's functionalities, making it fun and exciting to play. It's a real pleasure to discover all the facets of the gameplay (and they are numerous and very well thought-out), and if you're enjoying yourself, it's because the contract has been fulfilled.
Graphically speaking, the software is perfect in every way, very, very beautiful visually, with no lag or other problems. Everything flows smoothly, and the AD, though a little simple, is very well done. A flawless game? We didn't find any, but you might. Be that as it may, Sony' s got THE game of the autumn, perfect in every way (and don't think we didn't find something wrong with it...). Even the price (59.99 euros) is interesting... it may seem expensive to some, but given the quality of the game, it's not much to pay. What more can we say... ? You can go for it with your eyes closed.
