Astro Bot (6th September 2024)

[martinist]

Came home this afternoon, no mail...So i bought the digital deluxe edition!

Yes I bought it twice, will be playing this by 6 o'clock.

[Julius]

24 minutes ago, martinist said:

Came home this afternoon, no mail...So i bought the digital deluxe edition!

Yes I bought it twice, will be playing this by 6 o'clock.

My internal monologue reading this

[Hero-of-Time]

1 minute ago, Julius said:

My internal monologue reading this

Is there no Argos or Smyths near you? You could just go buy a copy then return the one that eventually arrives.

[Julius]

14 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Is there no Argos or Smyths near you? You could just go buy a copy then return the one that eventually arrives.

Working from home today and my closest anything is 30 minutes away without traffic, so this time of night it'll probably be too tight  

Just thinking about what I can do, I could also just get it digitally and return the physical copy just to buy it again when it's on sale I guess, might also try to call in a favour. Either way, just watch it arrive as soon as I find a way to get my hands on it  

Ah well, Royal Mail did me right with Outlaws arriving an entire Bank Holiday weekend early and got last minute gifts for a mate to me in time over the last few weeks, these things tend to balance out so if it is what it is, then it is what it is

Worst case I'll just wait until tomorrow morning/afternoon for when Royal Mail deliver my copy, that's totally fine...

[drahkon]

1 minute ago, Julius said:

that's totally fine...

Somehow I only managed to play 3 hours today.
Activity card says I'm 30% through the campaign, yet I haven't even finished World 2.

Anyways, I'm gonna play some more now. Sorry, Julius

[Julius]

4 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Somehow I only managed to play 3 hours today.
Activity card says I'm 30% through the campaign, yet I haven't even finished World 2.

Anyways, I'm gonna play some more now. Sorry, Julius

Feels like there's an Astro GIF or pic for just about everything these days, gave me a good chuckle  reminds me of Yoshi picking Loves Me Nots in the Mario DS mini-games

Bah, it is what it is, I'm loving reading the impressions in here at least and hearing that it's lived up to the hype 

[Julius]

yeah, never mind

@martinist I'm adding you to my ignore list 

[drahkon]

3 minutes ago, Julius said:

Bah, it is what it is, I'm loving reading the impressions in here at least and hearing that it's lived up to the hype 

You have no idea. If the quality remains this high throughout the rest of the game, it will definitely enter my Top 3

Edit: HAHA. You are a good man

Edited 19 hours ago by drahkon

[martinist]

10 minutes ago, Julius said:

 

@martinist I'm adding you to my ignore list 

If you have the money for it, and you really wanna paly it now then good for you. I still need to do some things then I will start my own game!

[EEVILMURRAY]

1 hour ago, Julius said:

But I'm also practically on the doorstep of my local depot so uh yeah seems like a real small chance 

Me too, but even then they won't let you try to pick up until next day.

Luckily though mine has been delivered to my pick up, and I've picked it up naow.

Time to install motherfuckers.

[drahkon]

I wish I could just post everything that makes me smile, but I'm too lazy to deal with the spoiler tags

I'm playing a certain level now that is just marvelous. OHHHHHHH BOY, this is awesome

Oh, what I forgot to mention: The soundtrack is insane.
@Hero-of-Time you'll be happy to know that it's banger after banger.
SHIT SLAPS, BRO!

Edited 18 hours ago by drahkon

[martinist]

Played the first few planets.

A surprising ammount of secrets in thoese levels and the music and audio change alot depending on where you are or what you're doing. Really great so far. Don't want to move onto the next planet untill i've done everything in the last one.

[drahkon]

Astro's idle animations are too much

Edited 16 hours ago by drahkon

[drahkon]

10 hours ago, drahkon said:

WHY IS THERE NO PHOTO MODE?

Well...

This game is pure joy!

[Ashley]

3 hours ago, drahkon said:

I wish I could just post everything that makes me smile, but I'm too lazy to deal with the spoiler tags

 

Sorry, I know I still need to look into this but everything happens so much, as the wise elders once said. 

Here have this: 

Spoiler

 

[Glen-i]

Just a word of warning.

Make sure you manually quit to the system menu if you want to save your progress.

Don't have a PS5, so don't know what exactly that would entail, but yeah, keep that in mind. It seems auto-save doesn't work properly (or even exist?).

Wouldn't want a power outage to make you lose hours of progress.

[Julius]

Couple hours in and all Bots and puzzle pieces in the Gorilla Nebula have been found, while I've done everything available to me in Lost Galaxy as well as at the Crash Site. 

Damn, this is just a blast, isn't it? Completely living up to the hype so far. 

Visually stunning, and man, the DualSense just feels spectacular and absolutely essential playing this - this is the first time since getting my PS5 where I've made sure to double-check my DualSense settings before jumping in, and I'd definitely say set everything to Strong and crank the controller mic volume up to at least halfway. The way it feels when Astro's screen is a bit battered and there are those brief shots of "static" emitted through the controller in just the opening minute or so of the game. The sound design and tactile nature of it all just scratches the corner of your lizard monkey brain which feels so damn good to scratch. 

Charming as all hell, but is that really shocking for anyone who has enjoyed a journey of Astro's before? Not in the slightest. Astro's still this hybrid of a curious cat and a small child which is adorable and a great avatar for the player to run around these worlds with, but the cameo characters and the world itself just feels so much more alive, there's a noticeable step up in this department from Playroom. 

That's before we even mention the levels themselves, there's so much variety on show here from one checkpoint to the next and from level to level that, and I hate to bring up any comparisons especially so early on into my time with the game, but of the platformers I've played, Super Mario Galaxy is literally it; I know this was already on the radar of some people here who don't have a PS5 and/or drift more towards the Nintendo side of things, but if you enjoy 3D platforming, this is up there with the best. Maybe I sound like I'm getting carried away, I mean did I mention I'm only 2 hours or so in? And I think that's the greatness of Playroom, not just the pleasure of that whole packed-in experience at launch, but the confidence it inspires in me just 2 hours in that, yeah, this game is either going to stay at this top, top level through, or maybe even take it up another notch or two.

As if that wasn't high enough praise, the secrets littered throughout levels (and the galaxy map, and that's all I'll say about that!) are just something else, and I love how they're handled here. Levels are only 5-10 minutes long, and occasionally you'll find a secret exit which adds another level in this separate 'Lost Galaxy' map – I've been knocking these out as they come along. Oh, but that means you don't finish the original level, right? Right, and it's a bit awkward at first to adjust to I feel - just with that completionist mentality of wanting to do everything all at once - but because levels are so compact and saturated with content, it never really feels like you're more than a minute away from where you want to be, and so hopping back into a level is a pleasure and not a bore; similarly, working your way to the top or end of a level in some other games can become a pain when you realise you've missed something, but here, the compactness of the level again kicks in and so heading back out to explore rather than finishing the level proper is such an easy route to take here. Sometimes it feels like there are levels within levels. Some of the dedicated challenge levels where you're only saving one Bot are a bit on the brief side? But also, it's early days and these have numbers at the end of them, so I'm half expecting them to explode in creativity and scale as the game goes on. 

What I really like is that if you do miss any of the Bots or Puzzle Pieces, when replaying a level you can pay 200 coins to free a collectible-hunting bird who will aid you through the level and hone in on collectibles when they're nearby. It's a very natural and easy way to not have players look things up or lean on Game Help if they're not sure where to go, and at 200 coins a pop, it's not that much of a dent to really be felt – but it is equivalent to what you'd pay for two cranks of the Gatcha Lab, so it's not like you want to go around using it all the time on every occasion you replay a level trying to hunt down whatever you missed. 

Oh my goodness, and we haven't even talked about the hub world, or the Crash Site. Absolute joy to have these collected cameo and standard Bots all chilling out and on-hand to help you reach new spots, or save another trapped or stranded Bot. Every single one has been a joy to find and interact with, I do think the decision for some to have their interaction locked behind unlocking their item/companion/object of choice from the Gatcha Lab an interesting one, but every single one I've unlocked has been a level above the ones who come with their interaction, and so it feels a fair enough trade-off.

I do want to speak to my favourites so far, as well as my favourite level so far, and so it's time for a spoiler tag. 

Those damn monkeys...

Spoiler

Favourite cameo interactions so far have to be from Snake ("Solid State" on the side of his box is too funny), Psycho Mantis controlling the PS1 controller, and the Hunter from Bloodborne after acquiring his Saw Cleaver and Blunderbuss freaking parries you - it makes the noise! - before hacking away at you. Love it. 

Favourite level so far has to be the Ape Escape level. I have no affinity for the franchise, I think I saw it around when I was younger but I certainly don't remember ever engaging with it before, but clearly that needs to change. 

Oh man and seeing lizards and being like "are these Shadow of the Colossus nods? That's totally a nod" just before seeing the actual Shadow of the Colossus had me chuckling to myself

Same goes for Astro brushing up against a wall for you to feel which tile to push, feels very much like an Uncharted nod, especially given the level theming! 

Speaking of cameo characters though, I think a big deal was perhaps made out of the game kind of being an advertisment-celebration hybrid for PlayStation...and it just works as that. This has singlehandedly done a better job than PlayStation's marketing and social media teams of making me want to check out some of the games in the PS+ Classics Catalog, a service I already pay for! 

Tying into this, I've also got to shout-out the genius of not outright naming these cameo characters, because it shows a certain level of reverence for them and their place in PlayStation history, but also I imagine saved them a good bit of time when needing to ask for permissions. I'll give an example of a character featured heavily in the game's advertising: PaRappa from the PS1 game PaRappa the Rapper. He's not just "PaRappa", he's "Lovestruck Lyricist – A cool pooch with the power of self-belief" despite very clearly being PaRappa, so what does this add? It just adds to the "if you know, you know!" nature of it all, and if you don't, similar to when the MCU was starting up and many weren't familiar with the new characters and faces popping up, it makes you want to dig out your phone and look these guys up that you don't recognise. I think it's freaking genius and again further embeds this idea that these characters and these games are out there – and feels like the biggest push from PlayStation in any form this gen to go check out older titles, and perhaps pokes some holes in the current slate of available Classics and makes you question why certain games aren't already on there. I can see them being to little kids now what the Smash Bros. Brawl trophies were for me growing up, this window into different eras and characters in gaming I'd never seen before. 

The boss fight and a half (I guess?) that I've experienced so far have been excellent, and I also really want to highlight this game's soundtrack as it is just a freaking delight like Playroom's was. I don't think I've ever seen or heard him be named before, and that needs to change, so a special shout-out to composer Kenneth C. M. Young, who, per his Wikipedia page, has worked on Rescue Mission, Playroom and now Astro Bot, but also has been at Playstation for 20 years now and has worked on a bunch of different projects in a number of different roles, including games like Tearaway, LittleBigPlanet, and a bunch of older London Studio titles like Gangs of London and the EyeToy games. 

My first posts about games when it comes to impressions are typically the longest, so to round this one off, I'll say this: this is the most straight up, unencumbered, joyous and momentous mountain of fun I've had on my PS5 since Astro's Playroom, and I've had a smile on my face the entire time I've played it so far. It has been worthy of all the praise heaped on it leading into its launch and it has completely justified my impatience to wait another day to play it. 

Seems like my personal GOTY experience for 2024 has a worthy challenger on its hands, but for now, I just can't wait to get stuck back in 

Edited 9 hours ago by Julius

[Hero-of-Time]

I ended up getting this today. Picked it up after work from Argos and used my Nectar points so it only cost me £2.00. 

I've been on the game non stop since half 3 this afternoon....

I'm far too tired to give my detailed thoughts at the moment so this will have to do.

 

[Julius]

3 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I've been on the game non stop since half 3 this afternoon....

Look forward to hearing your thoughts, but for now...

[Glen-i]

17 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I've been on the game non stop since half 3 this afternoon....

Did Wind Waker teach you nothing!?

[drahkon]

Well, the Packers lost last night and their quarterback might be seriously injured meaning that the season is basically already over...
Thank goodness for Astro Bot. This will put a smile on my face again

4 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I've been on the game non stop since half 3 this afternoon....

You madman

[drahkon]

Currently playing that level in World 3...

The music, the mechanics, the celebration of it all.

[drahkon]

I think I want to 100% all three save files.

[Hero-of-Time]

Now that the game is done, I sat and read TheGamer article about the game being a graveyard of Sony IP. I don't think this is the case at all. I mean, the majority of the Bots you find scattered around are from IP that Sony don't even own. The game isn't a celebration of Sony but rather the PlayStation brand and those 3rd parties and games that helped make what PlayStation is what it is. Yes, there are a lot of IP that have remained dormant over the years but just look how each of the studios have been able to pivot over the years.

Naughty Dog were known for platformers but found a stupid amount of success with Uncharted and then again with The Last of Us. Same goes for Sucker Punch, who went from Sly Raccoon to Infamous and then Ghost of Tsushima. These studios should be applauded for showing for versatile they are. Instead of sticking to one thing, they have been able to expand the brand and create new IP every generation.

Look, would I like to see the return of the Jak franchise? Sure, but from a business stand point there's no way it would sell as well as the next entry of The Last of Us and so you can see why it remains dormant. Not all IPs can stay relevant for all time and a lot of the time it requires the right timing and audience to make a return.

Anyway, on to the game. Yeah, it's a masterpiece. Having played all the other Astro Bot games, this really doesn't come as a surprise to me. This game is just an extension of what came before it. The saving issue aside, there is a level of polish that you just don't see with a lot of games these days, just like the previous entries. You get the feeling that the team really care about the games they have put out.

The game is essentially Sony's answer to Mario Galaxy, two of the best 3D platforming games ever made and this game is right up there with them both. Initially, I enjoyed Mario Odyssey but after another play through, as well as playing through Bowser's Fury, I wasn't pleased with the open world type areas. It's a concern of mine that Nintendo are heading that way with whatever the next Mario game is. This game doesn't suffer from that at all and instead gives you really tight platforming stages, just like Mario Galaxy did. So thankfully, I can get my fix here.

As you play through the game you will be introduced to new mechanics or power ups. Again, like the Galaxy games, these are really fun to play around with and never over stay their welcome. The levels that use these things have been built around the power up and they never feel like they have just been shoehorned in.

The special stages that you get to play through at the end of each world are something else. It's here where PlayStation fans loyalty will pay off because if they have been part of the ecosystem for a long time then they will appreciate what these stages are all about.

There are also the hidden stages that appear on each of the maps and these act like the smaller, but challenging comet levels, from the Galaxy games. These can be tricky because, unlike Mario, Astro can only take a single hit. Plus, these levels don't feature checkpoints. There was one of these that was a fire based stage and featured a toy duck you use to cool the lava. Man, it was a toughie but it was stupidly satisfying to get through it. 

Collecting all of the little Bots in each of the levels does bring a healthy dose of nostalgia, especially as I've been a PS owner since the very beginning. Seeing various franchises making an appearance in this game makes you realise just how many companies were instrumental in making the PS brand a success. There were some deep cuts in there too, one of which I couldn't believe popped up. As Julius mentioned, collecting these and then viewing them is a little like the Smash Bros trophies. It also goes one further and puts them in the hub and allows for you to interact with them and it's here where it feels a little like Nintendo Land. Unlocking more of them will populate the hub area and give it a bit of life and energy.

It's amazing what such a small team have been able to achieve in such a small amount of time, at least when you compare to what most development times are these days. Instead of chasing a trend or trying to create a massive world in order to keep player retention, Team Asobi have simply created a game where gameplay and fun comes first and then leave it up to the player to decide how much time to put into it. It's one of those games that reminds you why you enjoy the hobby in the first place and I understand exactly why it has been given the scores and high praise it has from every outlet. I imagine this will be a GOTY contender for most people who play it and it's certainly worthy of such an award. 

I do hope the game is a commercial success. It's a product that goes against everything that is wrong with the industry at the moment. Games have bloated team sizes, stupidly long development times and a lot are created first to suck out the time and money of the consumer and a fun experience second. It's simply not the case with Astro Bot.

[Hero-of-Time]

37 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Currently playing that level in World 3...

The music, the mechanics, the celebration of it all.

If it's the one I'm thinking of....the remixed theme. 😍