Honestly, it’s rare for a game to just be fun anymore. Most big releases feel like chores. You’ve got your massive open worlds filled with icons, your battle passes, and your "live service" elements that try to drain your wallet every Tuesday. Then there’s Astro Bot on PS5. It’s different. It feels like a fever dream from the 90s, but with technology that makes your hands feel things you didn't know a controller could communicate. Team Asobi basically took a digital love letter to PlayStation’s history and turned it into the most polished platformer we’ve seen since Super Mario Odyssey.
If you played Astro’s Playroom—the free tech demo that came pre-installed on your console—you already know the vibe. But this isn't a demo. It’s a full-blown, massive adventure. It’s the kind of game that reminds you why you bought a console in the first place. No grittiness. No complex crafting menus. Just pure, unadulterated joy.
The DualSense is the Secret Sauce
Most developers treat the DualSense controller like a gimmick. They give you a little rumble when you shoot a gun or make the triggers slightly harder to pull. Astro Bot treats the controller like an instrument. When Astro walks on sand, you don’t just hear it; you feel the grainy, shifting texture in your palms. When he splashes through water, the haptics shift to a fluid, rhythmic pulse. It sounds like hyperbole until you actually hold the thing.
The adaptive triggers are just as vital. You’ll use a jetpack that requires a specific amount of pressure to ignite, or a monkey-climb mechanic where you physically feel the tension of the grip. It’s tactile. It’s immersive in a way that VR usually tries to be, but without the bulky headset. Team Asobi’s Creative Director, Nicolas Doucet, has often talked about how the studio builds the mechanics around the controller first, and it shows. Every surface—metal, glass, grass, mud—has a distinct "hand-feel."
Deep Cuts and Nostalgia Done Right
This game is a museum. But it's not a dusty, boring one. Throughout the various galaxies, you’re tasked with rescuing "VIP Bots" that are modeled after iconic (and some deeply obscure) PlayStation characters. Seeing a bot version of Kratos from God of War or Nathan Drake from Uncharted is cool, sure. But then the game throws a curveball.
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You’ll find characters from Ape Escape, Legend of Dragoon, and even Puppeteer. It’s a deep dive into 30 years of gaming history. For older players, it’s a constant stream of "Oh, I remember that!" moments. For younger kids, it’s just a bunch of funny-looking robots. It works for everyone. The best part? When you rescue these bots, they hang out at the Crash Site hub world. You can interact with them, and they’ll perform little animations that reference their original games. It’s charm personified.
The Levels Are Dense
Don't expect massive, empty fields here. The level design in Astro Bot is tight. Every square inch has something to poke, break, or collect. One minute you’re shrinking down to the size of a mouse to navigate a clockwork world, and the next you’re using a giant sponge to soak up water and grow to the size of a skyscraper.
- Sky Garden: A lush opening that teaches you the basics.
- Casino Slot: A chaotic, neon-drenched level where timing is everything.
- Mouse Code: The shrinking mechanic that changes your entire perspective on the environment.
The variety is staggering. Most platformers introduce a mechanic and beat it to death for ten levels. Here, a power-up might show up for one specific stage, get used in five creative ways, and then disappear so the next idea can take center stage. It prevents burnout. You never feel like you're doing the same thing twice.
Challenging the "Easy Game" Stigma
There is a misconception that because Astro Bot is cute, it’s a cakewalk. That’s wrong. While the main path through the story is accessible for most skill levels, the optional "Lost Galaxy" levels and the trial challenges are brutal. They require frame-perfect jumps and a mastery of the hover-laser mechanic.
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If you’re a completionist, you’re going to sweat. Some of the hidden bots are tucked away behind environmental puzzles that require genuine lateral thinking. You might have to use the motion sensors in the controller to tip a platform or blow into the microphone to scatter dandelion seeds. It’s a "Nintendo-hard" philosophy—easy to pick up, but demanding if you want that Platinum trophy.
Technical Wizardry on the PS5
We need to talk about the physics. The game handles thousands of individual objects at once. If you walk into a pile of autumn leaves, every single leaf reacts to your movement. If you break a glass jar, the shards don't just disappear; they clutter the floor and react to Astro’s feet.
It runs at a locked 60 frames per second at a crisp 4K resolution. In an era where many games struggle to maintain performance even with "Pro" hardware, Astro Bot is a masterclass in optimization. The loading times are basically non-existent. You jump into a portal and you’re in the level. Period.
Why This Game Matters for the Industry
For a long time, Sony focused almost exclusively on "prestige" games. Third-person action-adventures with sad dads and cinematic camera angles. Those are great, but they can be exhausting. Astro Bot marks a return to the "fun-first" era of the PS1 and PS2. It proves that there is a massive market for high-budget platformers that aren't named Mario.
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It also justifies the existence of the DualSense controller. For years, the touchpad and the haptics felt like wasted potential. Team Asobi has shown every other developer that these aren't just bells and whistles—they are tools for gameplay.
What Most People Miss
The sound design is arguably the most underrated part of the experience. The music, composed by Kenneth Young (who also worked on LittleBigPlanet), is incredibly catchy. Each world has a theme that evolves as you progress. But the diegetic sound—the noises the bots make, the mechanical whirrs of Astro’s joints—is what pins the whole thing together. It’s a sensory overload in the best possible way.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playthrough
Don't rush it. Seriously. If you just sprint to the end of each level, you’ll finish the game in about 12 to 15 hours and miss half the magic.
- Visit the Crash Site often. As you rescue more bots, the hub world expands. There are puzzles hidden in the hub itself that require a specific number of bots to solve.
- Use the Gatcha Lab. The coins you collect in levels aren't just for show. You spend them in the lab to unlock items for your rescued bots. These items trigger the unique animations mentioned earlier.
- Listen to the controller. Sometimes the haptic feedback or the controller speaker will give you a hint about a hidden wall or an invisible platform. If the controller starts vibrating in a weird pattern, stay put and look around.
- Experiment with the motion controls. Some people hate gyro aiming, but in this game, it’s incredibly precise. Use it to aim your jumps and gadgets.
The Verdict on Astro’s Big Adventure
Astro Bot isn't just a great PS5 game; it’s one of the best platformers ever made. It’s a rare instance where the hype actually matches the reality. Whether you're a hardcore fan of PlayStation lore or someone who just wants to jump on some enemies and collect shiny things, this is essential. It’s the soul of the console.
If you’ve been sitting on your PS5 using it only for Call of Duty or Madden, you’re doing yourself a disservice by skipping this. It’s a reminder that games can be bright, imaginative, and incredibly polished without needing a hundred-hour runtime or a gritty storyline.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your storage: The game takes up about 66GB of space. Make sure you’ve got room before you hit the PlayStation Store.
- Update your controller firmware: Since the game relies so heavily on the DualSense features, ensuring your controller is up to date is crucial for the best haptic experience.
- Play Astro's Playroom first: If you haven't played the free pre-installed game, do that now. It’s shorter (about 3 hours) and will give you a perfect primer on the mechanics. Plus, you can carry over some special bots from Playroom into the main Astro Bot game if you find them.
- Invest in a good pair of headphones: While the controller speaker is great, a 3D audio headset (like the Pulse 3D) makes the environmental sounds and the soundtrack truly pop.