Honestly, I was skeptical. I remember sitting there in 2020, booting up my brand-new console, and playing Astro's Playroom. It was a freebie. A tech demo. It was charming, sure, but I didn't think a full-sized game could sustain that kind of "magic" for fifteen hours. I was wrong. Astro Bot on PlayStation 5 isn't just a platformer; it’s a relentless, high-speed delivery system for dopamine.
It’s rare to find a game that feels this finished. In an era of buggy day-one patches and "live service" slogs, Team Asobi released something that feels like it was polished with a fine-tooth comb. Every jump, every punch, and every single grain of sand under Astro’s feet feels intentional. It’s a 10/10. No caveats.
The DualSense is Actually the Main Character
Most developers use the DualSense controller as a glorified rumble pack. Maybe the triggers get a bit stiff when you’re out of stamina, or the speaker chirps when you pick up a coin. In Astro Bot, the controller is a living thing.
You’ve got to feel it to get it.
When Astro walks on metal, you feel the sharp, "clink-clink" in your palms. When he splashes through water, the haptics go soft and wavy. It sounds like marketing fluff, but it’s actually the secret sauce. There’s a specific level where you turn into a giant sponge. You soak up water, become heavy, and the adaptive triggers resist your touch as you squeeze the water out to clear paths. It’s tactile. It’s physical. Basically, it’s a toy.
Physics That Actually Matter
It isn't just about the vibration. The game is packed with physics-driven "stuff." You’ll walk into a room filled with 500 loose basketballs or thousands of fallen leaves, and the PS5 just handles it. Most games would hide that behind a cutscene. Here, you just run through it.
- The Monkey Power-up: You use the triggers to grip ledges, feeling the tension of the climb.
- The Bulldog Dash: A literal jetpack on your back that "kicks" through the controller.
- The Time-Freeze: Slows down the chaotic physics so you can hop across moving debris.
A Massive Love Letter to Your Childhood
If you grew up with a PlayStation, this game is going to make you emotional. You’re not just saving generic robots; you’re rescuing "VIP Bots" that are dressed as iconic characters. I found myself grinning like an idiot when I spotted a tiny robot Kratos sitting on a boat, or a little Nathan Drake dangling from a ledge.
There are over 150 of these cameos.
The coolest part? They aren't just static statues. Once you rescue them and they head back to the Crash Site (the game’s hub world), you can interact with them. Punch the Crash Bandicoot bot and he does his signature spin. Hit the Metal Gear bot and he hides under a cardboard box. It’s a deep dive into 30 years of gaming history without feeling like a boring museum.
📖 Related: How Blue Prince Item Combos Actually Work (And Why You’re Probably Doing It Wrong)
Those Special "Hero" Levels
Every now and then, the game stops being a traditional platformer and turns into a tribute act. There’s a God of War level where you literally get Kratos’ Leviathan Axe. You throw it, it sticks into things, and you recall it with the Triangle button—complete with the exact same haptic "thunk" from the main God of War games.
They did the same for Ape Escape, Horizon Zero Dawn, and even LocoRoco. These aren't just skins; they change the fundamental mechanics of the level. It’s bold. Most studios would save those ideas for a sequel, but Team Asobi just throws them at you every few hours.
Is It Too Easy? (The Difficulty Myth)
A lot of people look at the colorful art style and assume this is a "kids' game."
Don't be fooled.
✨ Don't miss: Why Resident Evil Franchise Games Still Scare the Hell Out of Us After 30 Years
While the main path through the galaxies is pretty forgiving, the optional "Lost Galaxy" levels and the Triangle/Square/Circle/Cross challenge stages are brutal. I’m talking "one-hit-and-you’re-dead" obstacle courses that require frame-perfect jumping. Some of these took me 30 tries. The beauty is that the respawn is instant. You die, you’re back at the start in half a second. No loading screens. No "Game Over" fluff. Just pure, unadulterated "try again."
Why This Matters for the Future of PS5
There's been a lot of talk about how games are getting too big and too expensive. Astro Bot was made by a relatively small team of about 60 people. It’s proof that you don't need a thousand developers and a $300 million budget to make the best game of the year.
It’s also a reminder of what makes the PlayStation 5 special. It isn't just the 4K graphics; it’s the way the hardware interacts with the player. When you play this, you realize how much potential other developers are leaving on the table. Why doesn't every game use the haptics like this?
Real-World Success
By early 2025, the game had already cleared 2 million copies sold. For a platformer that isn't named Mario, that’s huge. It even swept the 2024 awards season, taking home Game of the Year at multiple outlets because it focused on one thing: fun. No microtransactions. No battle passes. Just a disc and a dream.
Actionable Tips for New Players
If you’re just starting your journey with Astro, here’s how to get the most out of it:
- Don’t Rush the Hub: Spend time at the Crash Site. As you rescue more bots, they help you reach new areas. It’s basically a giant physics playground that evolves as you play.
- Listen to Your Controller: Many secrets are hidden behind "soft" walls. If you run Astro’s hand along a wall and the controller starts vibrating differently, stop. There’s a hidden room there.
- Use the Gatcha Machine: The coins you find in levels are for the Gatcha Lab. This is where you unlock the "animations" for your VIP bots. Watching the Resident Evil bots react to a green herb is worth every cent.
- Look Up: Team Asobi loves verticality. If a path seems too simple, there’s almost always a hidden platform or a disguised wire above your head.
Astro Bot is a rare masterpiece. It’s the kind of game you show to people who don't play video games to explain why you love the hobby. It's pure, it’s polished, and it’s arguably the best reason to own a PlayStation 5 right now.
To get started, make sure your DualSense is fully charged—you’re going to need that haptic battery life—and dive into the Gorilla Nebula first to get a feel for the rhythm of the puzzles.
Next Steps for Your PS5 Setup:
- Check your controller settings to ensure "Haptic Feedback" and "Adaptive Triggers" are set to Strong for the full experience.
- If you haven't played it yet, go back and finish Astro's Playroom (pre-installed on your console) to unlock four "special bots" that carry over into the main game.