Astro Bot | Review Thread (95 OpenCritic)
Astro Bot | Review Thread (95 OpenCritic)
Game Information
Game Title: Astro Bot
Platforms:
- PlayStation 5 (Sep 6, 2024)
Trailers:
Developer: Asobi
Publisher: Sony
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 95 average - 100% recommended - 72 reviews
Critic Reviews
ACG - Jeremy Penter - Buy
Video Review - Quote not available
CGMagazine - Jordan Biordi - 10 / 10
ASTRO BOT is creative, inventive, insanely fun, and a true love letter to the legacy of the PlayStation.
COGconnected - Jaz Sagoo - 95 / 100
Astro Bot is a delightful adventure that blends original ideas with a solid platforming foundation, delivering an experience that has long been missing from the PlayStation Studios catalog.
Checkpoint Gaming - Luke Mitchell - 9 / 10
Astro Bot is not just another platformer; it's a vibrant celebration of PlayStation's storied history and a triumphant re-introduction to its newest mascot. Every world offers compelling gameplay that is elevated to the next level by the innovative use of the DualSense controller, and its heartwarming nods to the last 30 years of PlayStation ensure that the experience is charmingly nostalgic while still feeling refreshingly original. Astro Bot is whimsical, inventive and just feels downright fun to play. While Astro Bot's previous outings were impressive, this latest adventure solidifies him as a beloved character in his own right. They've truly done it. PlayStation has finally found the mascot it's always wanted.
ComingSoon.net - Tyler Treese - 10 / 10
Filled with brilliant small touches that will leave a smile on your face, Astro Bot is one of the best 3D platformers ever made and a true celebration of gaming.
Console Creatures - Luke Williams - Essential
Team ASOBI again perfectly demonstrates why they are a first-party PlayStation Studio with Astro Bot. While the DualSense implementation is lovely, Astro Bot delivers on its promise of something we rarely see: straightforward, linear games that don't promise the world but deliver an experience that's out-of-this-world, astronomical fun. Every time I zipped through its glorious galaxy, I was joyful and excited throughout the playthrough. It's rare to feel so much joy today, but that's precisely what Astro Bot has provided.
Daily Star - Tom Hutchison - 5 / 5
Excellent for for gamers of all ages and abilities.
Digital Chumps - Nathaniel Stevens - 9.5 / 10
Astro Bot from developer Team Asobi and Sony Interactive Entertainment is a wonderful entry into Astro’s bigger adventure possibilities. The game features creative levels, plenty of personality and positivity, and several reasons to replay it once the main adventure has concluded. While it could have a bit more variety with its common enemies, the bosses, and uniquely built levels deliver more entertainment and joyful meta than should legally be allowed. This is a great big beginning for what should be a long-lasting Sony mascot.
Digitec Magazine - Domagoj Belancic - German - 5 / 5
Astro Bot impresses with its ingenious level design, detailed visual presentation and flawless controls. The game lets me feel every step, every jump and every attack with haptic feedback, visual feedback and sound effects. No other game feels so damn satisfying to control.
The game is bursting with original ideas in its level design and creative power-ups that deserve their own games. This perfect platformer package is rounded off by a host of guest appearances from well-known gaming legends and levels inspired by iconic PlayStation games. Astro Bot is a love letter to PlayStation history and a must-play for anyone who owns a PS5.
Easy Allies - Michael Damiani - 10 / 10
Everything about Astro Bot is brimming with delight, polish, and creativity, elevating it to stand among the best platformers ever made.
Eurogamer - Christian Donlan - 5 / 5
Sony's glossy mascot gets an outing filled with imagination and loving craft.
GGRecon - Joshua Boyles - 5 / 5
If, like me, you’ve been waiting for Nintendo to deliver a new 3D Mario game for the best part of a decade, look no further - Team ASOBI has done it themselves. For those who own a PlayStation, consider Astro Bot an essential purchase.
Game Rant - Dalton Cooper - 5 / 5
Astro Bot from Team Asobi is a brilliant 3D platformer, one of the best PS5 exclusives, and an absolute joy to play from start to finish.
GameSpot - Mark Delaney - 9 / 10
Team Asobi cements itself as an essential PlayStation studio with an imaginative platformer for the ages.
Gameffine - Uphar Dutta - 100 / 100
Astro Bot is one of the best platformer games to have come out on the PlayStation platform. It outshines in terms of creativity and with every corner in the game having a secret is just pure joy. A great flow, captivating graphics and the endless homage to the franchise characters makes the game truly legendary.
GamesRadar+ - Matt Cabral - 5 / 5
Astro Bot doesn't just deliver on the promise and potential displayed in PS5 pack-in demo Astro's Playroom, but soars above and beyond to serve up a near-perfect platformer to rival – and possibly surpass – the best of Super Mario's Mushroom Kingdom romps.
Gaming Age - Benny Rose - 10 / 10
Astro Bot is well worth the price of admission and will be a great gaming option for all ages with the Holidays coming up quickly.
Gaming Nexus - Eric Hauter - 10 / 10
Team ASOBI came out swinging for the fences, expanding on the existing games in the series in every direction. Astro Bot is a delight in every sense of the word. A magnificent tour through Sony PlayStation's history, the franchise – and the Astro Bot character – has enough charm and chops to now launch forward as PlayStation's premier mascot-driven series. Stellar platforming, a mountain of secrets, and a never-ending sense of discovery and adventure, Astro Bot is a new classic. So. Much. Fun.
GamingBolt - Shubhankar Parijat - 9 / 10
Astro Bot is a wonderful love letter to all things PlayStation, and an exceptional platformer in its own right. If you own a PS5, you need to play this game.
GamingTrend - Jack Zustiak - 90 / 100
Astro Bot captures all of the strong points of a brand new puppy. It's cute, playful, and doggedly loyal to PlayStation's history. While it still has room to grow into its legs and sharpen its teeth, most missteps are easily forgiven. I mean, just look at it!
Geeks & Com - Marc-Antoine Bergeron Cote - French - 9 / 10
Quite simply, Astro Bot is a more complete experience than its predecessor, featuring all the key elements that made the franchise such a success. The developers at Team Asobi have come up with their biggest project to date, leaving us wanting more and more. Even after I'd finished the game 100%, I still wanted to play levels over and over again. Progression is addictive, and the art direction pays homage to the world of video games. Leaving aside the few problems of inaccuracy due to the genre, for me, the title is already a benchmark for 3D platform games!
God is a Geek - Lyle Pendle - 10 / 10
Astro Bot is a love letter to video games that sets a new standard in 3D platforming, with ridiculously creative stages and gorgeous visuals.
Hardcore Gamer - Michéal Murphy - 4.5 / 5
While enemies and themes could have used more variety, Astro Bot is a sure-fire Game of the Year contender and poised to be one of PlayStation 5's signature titles that's well deserving of said namesake.
IGN - Simon Cardy - 9 / 10
A very inventive platformer in its own right, Astro Bot is particularly special for anyone with a place in their heart for PlayStation.
IGN Italy - Francesco Destri - Italian - 9 / 10
Astro Bot is a very accessible and enjoyable 3D platform game, featuring gameplay full of great ideas, flawless controls, and solid graphics. It's hard not to fall in love with it, especially if you're new to the genre.
IGN Korea - Jieun Koo - Korean - 9 / 10
The general intention of the development was to focus on easier difficulty, even if you never played platformers. So when players expect an easy and average game, they will be positively surprised by how thoughtful the experience would be. The intensity of details in the DualSense's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers allow some of the most dynamic gaming experiences ever. The players will be in for a ride for the 30 plus years of PlayStation titles and the console legacy, which were naturally blended within its gameplay.
IGN Spain - Estrella Gómez - Spanish - 10 / 10
Astro is back stronger than ever. Team Asobi has created a game that not only celebrates the history of PlayStation, but also the very existence of the fans. Astro Bot is a platformer that, despite always following the same thread, manages to constantly surprise the player and awaken a multitude of different emotions.
Impulsegamer - Andrew Paul - 4.5 / 5
However as an arcade game, Astro Bot ticks all the right boxes and really challenges the medium but in a good way with its crazy mechanics, sturdy controls and next-gen experience, particularly with the DualSense Controller.
Kakuchopurei - Alleef Ashaari - 90 / 100
Team Asobi's Astro Bot is proof and evidence that the best 3D platformers are timeless and will always be fun when they're well-made with passion and love, and that's exactly what Astro Bot is. If you're a long-time PlayStation fan who's been with the brand since the original PS1 days, there's no way Astro Bot won't make you relive your best nostalgic memories and make you feel like a kid again, in all the best ways.
Kotaku - Moises Taveras - Unscored
For what it is, though, Astro Bot is incredible, and that is worth celebrating here and now. I just can’t help walking away from the experience with a bittersweet taste in my mouth and a hope that someday soon, we don’t have to look to gaming’s past for the best bits of it all.
Nerdburglars - Dan Hastings - 8.5 / 10
Astro Bot on PS5 is a delightful expansion of everything fans loved about Astro's Playroom, offering more levels, power-ups, and impressive DualSense features. The game showcases stunning visuals that fully utilize the PS5's hardware, making each level a visual spectacle. With sharp controls and creative level designs, Astro Bot provides a fun, polished platforming experience that’s both accessible and engaging for players of all ages. If you enjoyed the original, this game is a must-play.
New Game Network - Alex Varankou - 84 / 100
As an entertaining, accessible, and polished 3D platformer, Astro Bot offers plenty of variety in both visuals and gameplay, delivering a lively space adventure with plenty of PlayStation references.
Nexus Hub - Ryan Pretorius - 9 / 10
Astro Bot is an absolute must-play - Team Asobi delivers one of the most wildly creative and enjoyable PS5 games to date, packed with charm, sincerity and outstanding game design.
One More Game - Chris Garcia - 10 / 10
PlayStation has once again worked its magic, delivering a confident GOTY contender and one of the best experiences this year. Despite its simplicity, the game is supremely fun, and perhaps the highest compliment I can give is that you’ll play through the entire game with a smile on your face. Astro Bot proves that games do not need extremely bloated budgets and development times to succeed when you are laser-focused on fun and quality.
PlayStation Universe - John-Paul Jones - 10 / 10
An obscenely polished and soul-affirming triumph from every angle, Astro Bot isn't just an unabashed celebration of all things PlayStation, it's a deeply passionate celebration of everything you could and should love about a video game. There are no microtransactions, no season passes and no busywork padding - just precisely engineered 3D platforming with an overabundance of joy on offer. Astro Bot is a big, warm hug of a videogame that also happens to be not just one of the best platform games ever made, but one of the best PS5 games ever made, too. Team Asobi, please never stop making these games.
Press Start - Kieron Verbrugge - 9 / 10
Astro Bot is an easy pick for one of the year's best, if not the PS5's as a whole. The first fully-spec'd adventure might not move the needle forward for 3D platformers, but it's a triumphant effort from Team Asobi that stands toe-to-toe with some of the best in the genre. It's full of joy and surprise, and presented with an astonishing level of detail and tactility and packed to the rafters with reverence for PlayStation history.
Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 10 / 10
Astro Bot is a stunning 3D platformer, and easily among the best games in PS5's library. It fully delivers on the promise of Astro's Playroom, building on the rock solid core of tight controls and inventive gameplay and turning everything up to 11. With tons to see and do, almost endless fresh ideas, innovative use of the DualSense's features, and truly charming presentation, it's a confident and cohesive experience that players of all ages will love. To top it all off, it's a perfect game to celebrate PlayStation's 30th anniversary, reflecting on the myriad series that made the platform what it is today.
Rectify Gaming - Henry - 9.5 / 10
Team ASOBI did an outstanding job with Astro Bot, a delightful yet playful platformer that is sure to capture the hearts of many gamers and one that I found difficult to put down once I started playing. Its innovative use of the DualSense controller, stunning visual design, engaging audio, and charming narrative make it pure bliss to play and most definitely give Nintendo a run for their money!
Shacknews - TJ Denzer - 10 / 10
Astro Bot is a charming and cheeky nod to a lot of PlayStation history and a powerful demonstration of PS5 hardware, but more than anything, it's just a ridiculously good game.
Sirus Gaming - Lexuzze Tablante - 10 / 10
Astro Bot not only drives you back down memory lane, but it successfully captures your heart by bringing your beloved franchises into one, big adorable package that brings a lot of experiences back from the depths of our core memory. Astro Bot is lovable, charming, and most importantly, an incredible game.
TechRaptor - Andrew Stretch - 9.5 / 10
Astro Bot is a must-play title for anyone yearning for a classic 90s platformer and collect-a-thon. With vibrant levels and additional challenges, this game will be a blast for those of all skill levels. Fans of PlayStation since the PS1 will adore all of the references packed in.
TheGamer - Stacey Henley - 5 / 5
You tend to start writing lines in your head when compiling a review, and one that stuck with me early was to call Astro Bot 'the best platformer since Super Mario Odyssey'. Then I played a little more and started to think 'maybe it's better'.
TheSixthAxis - Nic Bunce - 10 / 10
Just as with Playroom, Astro Bot is a game that absolutely celebrates all things PlayStation, aimed at anyone and everyone who loves this console and the games that have made it what it is. Whether you're an old timer or a young kid with their first console - or better yet, a combination of the two - the are dozens of hours of fun to be mined here. It's a fun, easy-going romp through PlayStation history, and absolutely impossible to play without a smile plastered to your face.
Astro Bot is a phenomenal 3D platformer that elevates the PlayStation 5 experience with its charm, creativity, and engaging level design. From vibrant worlds to clever nods to PlayStation classics, every moment feels like a celebration of gaming. This is one adventure you won't want to miss—a true gem among PlayStation's recent offerings.
UnGeek - Nicolo Manaloto - 9 / 10
Using Astro’s Playroom as a template, Team Asobi delivered a bigger and better 3D platformer with Astro Bot. This latest series entry features creative levels and mechanics that are a joy to play. And while it’s accessible to players of all skill levels, it has enough challenges to satisfy platforming experts. To top it all off, it’s an excellent tribute to PlayStation’s various iconic and lesser-known characters.
Even if Astro Bot doesn’t seem like the type of game that you’d play, it’s very much worth playing given the sheer fun that you can have with its creative platforming gameplay. As such, Astro Bot has the makings of PlayStation’s next big franchise.
VGC - Jordan Middler - 5 / 5
Astro Bot isn't simply an enjoyable platformer with some nostalgia tying it together; it's a generationally impressive entry in the genre that understands PlayStation at an atomic level. The sheer level of joy the game produces makes it impossible to compare it to anything other than Mario's very best adventure. Astro is no longer a vector through which to reference PlayStation icons; he is a PlayStation icon.
VideoGamer - Tom Bardwell - 9 / 10
Astro Bot is special, a beaming reminder that bright, unfettered play is a truly wonderful thing.
WellPlayed - Adam Ryan - 9 / 10
Astro Bot is a wonderfully entertaining and diverse platformer that throws new ideas at you at an incredible rate, topped with stunning visuals and an injection of PlayStation nostalgia.
Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus - 9 / 10
The highest praise I can give Astro Bot is that it genuinely feels like PlayStation has its own Mario now. The gameplay, creativity and charm are competing with Nintendo's powerhouse with wonderful level design and engaging gameplay from start to finish. Only the relatively short runtime is a potential negative, and even that feels like a minor complaint. If you're a longtime PlayStation fan looking for a rush of nostalgia, a parent looking for a good game for their kids, or you just want a darn fun platformer, Astro Bot is a must-play.
XGN.nl - Rox van der Helm - Dutch - 8.5 / 10
If you love PlayStation and its franchises, you will absolutely love this game. The levels are unique, and you will have a smile on your face the entire game. What a brilliant experience.
ZTGD - Ken McKown - 10 / 10
This game brings me more joy than I expected, and it will be at the top of my favorite games of the year.
These reviews are insane. I expected Astro Bot to be a fun platformer ala Sackboy's Adventure, but the reviews claim it rivals Mario and is a fantastic game all around.
23I'm so happy. The game just seems like good old-fashioned fun
9
I can't imagine this one getting a PC release, so I'll probably never play it, but I do love seeing a good 3D platformer being released. And a console mascot 3D platformer? Feels like we're in an earlier console generation here.
16The free one bundled with PS5's was incredible. It was short and to the point. Fast-paced and full of a variety of beautiful environments. Not overwhelming with any extra content or tons of moves. There are tons of fun easter eggs while also showing you the entire history of every Sony product that ever existed. From the looks of it, this will just expand upon that which is perfect. It was a glorified demo that showed off every new feature the controller had.
5I don’t know what support for the DualSense is like on PC but the game seems to rely on gyro and haptic triggers for some features. I’ve only played the first few levels but I image the rest of them being this way too. For the controls alone I’d say it makes it less likely to be on PC (but they managed it with Returnal so who knows).
2
I just played this for about an hour, and it’s VERY GOOD.
It’s just FUN. Remember when games were fun?
6Me and my kid played it for a little while earlier and it’s so good in it’s simplicity. I can’t wait to go back and play more. But it also me instantly wonder why Sony haven’t got Asobi to do a new Ape Escape.
1I was thinking that as I played, too. I was joyful.
So many games these days are so heavy it’s so refreshing to have a game that’s happy as hell. I love RE2s and Elden Rings but effff they’re stressful/hard and sometimes feel like work. It is so refreshing to punch out a giant gorilla with my rocket dog friend while there’s some upbeat music playing.
Also who doesn’t love some great Halloween stages?
1In fact I've played plenty of other fun games that released this year.
0
Downloaded this last night. Just waiting on the countdown ticker to hit 0.
5Sony: We made this slop called Concord, go enjoy it
Also Sony: this
5The free one was the first game my kid was able to pick up and learn how to play games on. He was 4 at the time, and it was such a simple game that he was able to figure out the controls enough to play. He is almost 8 now and told him this was coming last week, and he was super excited. As much as I wanted him to enjoy video games, he really doesn't play or care about too many, so it will be cool to see him enjoy it
4I hope it sells it well. Maybe its just me but I don't see a big overlap between Platformer Fans and PS5 owners.
3The game might be fun, but I'm not paying €70 for a 10 hours game. Let alone €80 for a deluxe edition.
1Can't wait to play this in two years when Sony lets me, as long as it doesn't require some kind of DRM like a PSN login.
-2