Jump to content
N-Europe

Astro Bot (6th September 2024)


Julius

Recommended Posts

36 minutes ago, EEVILMURRAY said:

Probably because there isn't that much to do :p

There's certainly some truth to that but its all killer, no filler. There are no real tedious tasks or wasting of players time. It's a 12 hour platinum but the game is so much fun and the trophy requirements very reasonable, it makes for a very fun and doable platinum for a lot of people. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Talking of Platinum trophies: it is done. Lucky #33. 

GW-pimZXMAAxDdv?format=jpg&name=large

This game is a freaking masterpiece. 

I hate to score things because I think it can be incredibly reductive, and I also feel that giving something a 10 does not necessarily mean it has be one of your favourites; but, in this case, for my tastes, this game is both a 10, and an instant favourite. 

As I don't do scores around here anymore I feel like just stating it is a 10 needs a bit more context, and you can have it, because I keep a list of games I consider to be 10/10; it's not a particularly long list. There are some games I'm considering playing through again to see if they make it onto the list, because I feel like there's a lot of value in revisiting things, but for now, this will become only the 11th entry on my list of 10s (in order of release). 

GW-pjpgWAAA2wgf?format=jpg&name=large

I feel like I got a lot out of my system when I posted my first impressions, so I'll let it sit a bit longer to flesh out my thoughts in a more meaningful way, but man, what a game! No idea if this will be GOTY for me (because it's September and I've got some serious catching up to do) but, damn, I don't think it could have made a better case for taking that slot than it did. Right now it definitely feels like it. 

@Hero-of-Time I need to talk to you about something, though, and will definitely be curious what others think about this topic once they finish the game. 

Combat Report

Spoiler

There are a couple of franchises surprisingly MIA, but Final Fantasy feels like a huuuuuuuuge one, right?! I remember Playroom having only the Buster Sword but it didn't even get that this time around, or any S-E or FF representation beyond that. 

Wild to me and by far the biggest omission, and I can't really think of why S-E would stand in the way of it – I feel like it's obvious that this wouldn't be an Asobi decision considering just how many barely known games they included in this thing. Final Fantasy in general being missing is crazy, but VII specifically is actually nuts. 

It's what I was alluding to before about potential DLC - but there's no way, right? It would be an easy win for S-E but it seems way too big a missing IP to not have made that initial cut. I'd want to say that maybe there's some weird bad blood in the water between them over...something? But Smash gets Cloud and Sephiroth, obviously the Buster Sword was in Playroom and since then they've had Rebirth and XVI exclusively.

I'm really curious to hear what you think, especially seeing as beyond VII (which I think should have been a lock-in, and if only one FF were to make the cut, that should have been the one) I know VIII and X are some of your favourite games and it's not hard for me to imagine them making it in – hell, I'd argue that every numbered entry since and including VII probably deserved some sort of acknowledgement. Maybe they were concerned about overcrowding somehow? 

Can't wait for the DLC they've got cooking for us, I got hooked on Playroom's speedrunning and I'm sure that'll happen again here :D

Edited by Julius
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A number of IP not included in the game have been spotted in the game's credits, and it has some people thinking that they're likely future inclusions for VIP Bots to be added via DLC. 

The Chosen Ones? 

Spoiler
Quote

- Stellar Blade

- Worms

- Rise of Ronin

- Concord (Firewalk Studios)

- Rayman

- Beyond Good and Evil

- Assassin's Creed

- Croc

So, uh, got to imagine Concord is unlikely to make it in at this point considering everything that's happened in the last week, but if these are indeed a list of planned inclusions, I'd genuinely love to see it just to acknowledge Firewalk's hard work on the game, even if it just gets snuck in there when others are potentially added (as I can't imagine them wanting to advertise its inclusion). 

The rest are a bit of a mixed bag, but like a hodge-podge party bag you'd get after a birthday party as a kid. But still! Would love to see how they look. 

Just...please no swimwear for the Stellar Blade inclusion :p

Very curious to see the route they take with rolling these out if they really are on the way! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Cube said:

Seems like he's reaffirming what he's said in other interviews which is great to hear, I hate when you occasionally get a director who seems to give parts of the picture out to different outlets, but Nicolas has been pretty upfront about speedrun and challenge levels in all of the interviews to drop since launch. 

Oh, and we're getting leaderboards for those speedruns too just like in Playroom, exactly what I've been asking for all along! :bouncy:

dance-play-station.gif

Edited by Julius
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright, it seems my favourite of the seasons is starting - i.e. Fall. It's raining, it's getting much colder and it's cozy as fuck.

Today's the day. I will finish Astro Bot and will most likely get the Platinum as it doesn't seem too difficult.

And then that one question has to be asked again: What to play next...The Plucky Squire is on my list but that's still a week away :(

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Alright, it seems my favourite of the seasons is starting - i.e. Fall. It's raining, it's getting much colder and it's cozy as fuck.

Today's the day. I will finish Astro Bot and will most likely get the Platinum as it doesn't seem too difficult.

And then that one question has to be asked again: What to play next...The Plucky Squire is on my list but that's still a week away :(

Play some of the indies you've bought. Didn't you pick up Alwa's Awakening?

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Play some of the indies you've bought. Didn't you pick up Alwa's Awakening?

I did, but it didn't really click when I gave it a go. Not in the mood to give it another try for now.
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, while good, is not also not for me right now :D

Checked out the Feats section of Nex Machina and getting those seem more annoying than anything.

AAAAHHHHHHHH!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Alright, it seems my favourite of the seasons is starting - i.e. Fall. It's raining, it's getting much colder and it's cozy as fuck.

michael-scott-wink.gif

Damn straight, and I won't hear otherwise. 

8 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Today's the day. I will finish Astro Bot and will most likely get the Platinum as it doesn't seem too difficult.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts :peace:

9 minutes ago, drahkon said:

And then that one question has to be asked again: What to play next...The Plucky Squire is on my list but that's still a week away :(

Yeah, I'm a bit stumped on what I'm playing next too, especially after Astro Bot.

I was planning to get around to another of my pledge games for the year but considering that it was featured in Astro Bot and also has a bit of a puzzle-solving aspect to it, as did the game I played before Astro Bot, I think I want to freshen things up a bit. I think it might be time to catch up on an earlier 2024 release, maybe go back to something I've already started? 

You could also do what I often do and revel in the dread of choice paralysis until The Plucky Squire drops :p 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just unlocked what I assume is the "ultimate challenge" of the game. I mean, it's called "The Final Encore", soooo :p

Anyways, I still have a few levels in World 5 to beat so I'm gonna leave the finale alone for now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Just unlocked what I assume is the "ultimate challenge" of the game. I mean, it's called "The Final Encore", soooo :p

Anyways, I still have a few levels in World 5 to beat so I'm gonna leave the finale alone for now.

Nah, that's not it.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Nah, that's not it.

I thought the same as @drahkon at first, it is a very strange title for a stage given that it's not the case, and the way that it's positioned in that galaxy makes it look like it's of some importance. But nope, just another really fun stage! 

I actually went so far as leaving the galaxy before seeing my progress in the others and just thinking "there's no way, surely?" :laughing: 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh my goodness, that final boss level

:bowdown:

Edit: And the following cutscene :cry: :)
Edit² And those credits :D

Absolutely incredible :D
Gonna let that sink in for a while before tackling the final challenge :peace:

Edited by drahkon
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A new Asobi Studio-centric entry on the PS Blog is up:

Going to give this a look later! 

30 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Oh my goodness, that final boss level

:bowdown:

Edit: And the following cutscene :cry: :)
Edit² And those credits :D

Yeah, I was genuinely caught off-guard by how hard the ending hit :laughing:

And love those credits. Definitely the best credits sequence in a game, since, uh, *checks release date of a certain game*, 2008? :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And there it is:

image.png

(phenomenal picture, by the way)

I think everything about this game has already been said.
It's perfect. The best 3D-platformer ever made.

No bloat, all fun, certified bops in every level.

An absolutely magical experience from start to finish. :bowdown:

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...