Feeling Astro's footsteps as he scampers around and squeezing R2 with some resistance while shooting a toy gun with feedback after every shot offers a new layer of immersion to gaming that I didn't think was possible. Not only that, as I discussed in my PlayStation 5 First Impressions Review, it's a wonderful showcase for what the new DualSense controller is capable of as it shows off its adaptive triggers and haptic feedback features in very clever ways. In fact, it's so impressive that I'm surprised it's free and it acts as a welcome bonus incentive to purchase a PS5. This follows in the footsteps of The Playroom which came free with PS4 although Astro's Playroom is miles more fun. □ Hi, Astro Bot! Have you met Ico and Yorda?įirst of all yes, Astro's Playroom is a completely free game that comes pre-installed on PlayStation 5 which is just awesome. │ We here at Video Chums strive to offer the best experience and content so contact us if there is any way that we can improve. Maciejewski playing a PS5 on November 6, 2020Įver since PlayStation 4 released, Astro Bot has been starring in some truly excellent games and his latest PS5 adventure is a real hoot. Although Astro’s Playroom isn’t a killer app, booting up your PS5 and playing it for free is a great way to get accustomed to your shiny new toy from multiple angles.Reviewed by A.J. Speedrun options and a host of collectibles (that are neat, but we can’t spoil here) also ensure that you’ll be playing a bit more beyond the few-hour runtime.Īstro Bot has replaced Knack as the cute Sony mascot and I’m okay with it. It beats the hell out of dealing with agonizing loads and/or having to retry an entire stage just to access a specific area. It’s not the most technically demanding game (at times it looks like a PS4 joint), but the fact that you can instantly load up checkpoints and grab missed collectibles is a treat. It’s easily a “look at this!” watershed moment for next-gen. As in, “suffer” around a second of loading and you’re there. You can pick any point in any stage and instantly go there. Remember that checkpoint system I was talking about a moment ago? That serves as your fast travel pause screen. The other big new next-gen feature? Fast load times. It’s a nice system, especially with the emphasis on speedrunning. The power to move and swing (with your basic punch attack) also ensures constant locomotion. It’s very satisfying to just zip through a level and glide from platform to platform while blowing up everything in sight. Astro’s movements are smooth, with your glide ability serving as a downward laser attack that cuts through enemies below. I hope developers actually utilize it and it isn’t quickly forgotten.Īs a pure platformer, Astro’s Playroom won’t blow your mind, but it gets the job done. Running on glass will give you little “ding” noises, while metal provides a strong and bold “clang.” It’s very impressive. The DualSense’s haptic feedback system is more advanced than previous controllers, with more “give” and much more intricate sound design in terms of the controller’s onboard microphone. Really, Astro’s Playroom‘s big strength is the way it showcases some of the early “ooo and ahh” moments of the PS5. Even if you dislike a concept, you never linger too much on it. The game is just succinct enough to avoid becoming rote. All four stages are broken up with the same cadence: traditional platforming, vehicle section, more platforming, then a repeat of the vehicle portion. Another has you rolling a ball with a touchpad down a slope, and so on. One focuses on haptic feedback and motion control. That’s the game, but keep in mind it’s built into every PS5 for free.Įach stage (themed after PC or console parts) showcases something a little different. Each stage takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes to fly through, and there’s a fun little hub with a few crannies to explore, as well as a collectible room to admire. There are four total stages (and a secret at the end) that consist of four checkpoints: all of which can be selected individually once you complete them. To quell your expectations right from the get-go, Astro’s Playroom is a very short experience that you can fully complete in an afternoon. Now it’s out of the VR realm and ready for action once again as, in part, a taster for a new piece of tech. The little Sony mascot that could originally starred in 2013’s Playroom, before it catapulted into stardom with Astro Bot Rescue Mission: a fully-fledged platformer for PSVR. We’ve gotten to the point where Astro Bot is now a series and I am here for it.
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