One of the harder things about being a dad to a toddler is introducing video games to my son. I can’t exactly play “Space Marine 2” in front of him, so I have to pick my spots. I was in the middle of reviewing “Astro Bot” when he walked in and saw me playing the video game with an adorable hero running around.
His eyes grew big as he asked, “What’s this?” I told him it was a robot, and he delighted in watching the PlayStation mascot run, jump and navigate platforms. I always assumed Mario would be his first memorable video game encounter, but Team Asobi’s latest project is a work that’s just as inventive and whimsical as anything coming from Nintendo.
From tech demo to main character
The “Astro Bot” characters were first introduced as a tech demo for the PlayStation VR and that led to a full-fledged virtual reality game called “Astro Bot Rescue Mission.” The robots made it to the PlayStation 5 as another tech demo. The pack-in software showed off the capabilities of the Dual Sense and the power of the system, but the core experience built around PlayStation nostalgia and inventive platforming held a seed of promise.
That blossomed into a spectacular experience for gamers. “Astro Bot” follows Captain Astro, who pilots a PS5-looking ship when an alien called Space Bully Nebulax attacks the spacecraft and steals its CPU. The vessel breaks apart and Captain Astro falls on a desert planet. His mission is to rebuild his ship and save as many of the 305 crewmembers that he can.
Mario-esque platforming
With the help of his spacecraft the Dual Speeder, which looks like the PS5 controller, players travel to worlds across six different systems along with making an occasional stop at the crash site. Much like a “Mario” game, each world has a distinct theme. Players will encounter lush tropical environments, haunted house stages and Egyptian-style temples.
Those types of levels are par for the course when it comes to platformers, but “Astro Bot” adds refreshing takes to them. Nearly every stage has a special power-up tied to it. It attaches to Captain Astro and helps it climb or zip through the air. Each device is key to completing the world and adds a touch of whimsy to the level design. It’s comparable to the gimmicks of the Wonder Flowers in “Super Mario Wonder.”
Inventive design
The stages are crafted around the ability, and they’re more than just the standard extra height to a jump or quick dash through the levels. In Downsize Surprise, players can shrink Captain Astro so that it can explore underneath planters or investigate tiny holes where robot mice reside. A second press embiggens the protagonist, and players have to use this power to navigate through a house-like stage.
In the Bathhouse Battle, Captain Astro turns into a sponge and that lets it absorb water to make the hero larger so it can crush foes and smash obstacles. Being a sponge, the robot can squeeze the water out of itself to douse fiery foes or expand other nearby sponges. “Astro Bot” excels when players get to mess around with these unconventional powers.
Even the more conventional stages have some built-in novelty. The haunted house stages feature a light bulb that Captain Astro has to pick to reveal invisible platforms while the level called Free Big Brother! has players unshackling a giant robot who has been tied down by baddies. That robot later returns to help the hero in other stages.
Some of the best worlds are the ones based on popular PlayStation titles. These stages unlock after defeating each of the major systems’ big bosses. Players will play through the “Astro Bot” versions of “God of War,” “Uncharted.” and other major hits. Team Asobi expertly captures the essence of these adventures while also offering a dose of nostalgia for longtime Sony fans. They’ll also find other VIP Bots that are essentially video game cameos scattered through each of the 75 stages.
For those wanting pure platforming challenges, Team Asobi has that as well. “Astro Bot” features hidden stages themed around the PlayStation controller face buttons. These require expert platforming as players navigate unforgiving obstacles. If they miss a jump and fall, they have to do the whole level again.
Even after completing the game, I still come back to it because my son wants to “watch robots.” The graphics on the game are good and better than some of the animated works he sees on YouTube. The only problem is that not all the stages are fit for a toddler’s eyes. That’s where the Crash Site is a good place to go. It acts as the main base where Captain Astro sends all the rescued bots, and it’s a world with few enemies and where I can run around and just explore and talk about some of the video game characters I grew up with.
He takes a slight interest in it but mostly wants to see me collect coins, and I’m OK with that.
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