That’s why Astro Bot feels as consequential as it does even if it just looks like your average 3D platformer full of collectibles and clever power-ups at a glance. The expertly designed PS5 exclusive plays like an intervention with its own publisher. It brings the PlayStation platform on an intergalactic journey through its history to rediscover its long lost sense of wonder. It’s not just a very effective ad for Sony; it’s an exuberant adventure that remembers that there’s power in play. Players are on a mission to rescue all 300 of their robot friends after an alien intercepted their spaceship, a super-charged PS5, and scattered the crew across six dangerous galaxies. At the same time, Astro is searching for the missing parts of the PS5 spaceship, which are being guarded by bosses in each galaxy.

On top of that we have pages on cosmetic items like Outfits and Dual Speeder Skins, how to secure all the PS5 Trophies, and lots more. Team up with iconic PlayStation heroes to save the galaxy and experience the game’s immersive world through the DualSense® wireless controller. You’ll dash, swing, and rocket-punch through diverse planets, unlocking 15 new abilities, including using Barkster, the Bulldog Booster, to air-dash and smash enemies.

Crash Site (35 Bots & 11 Puzzle Pieces)

However, to everyone’s surprise, our adorable and bouncy bot jumped all the way up and cleared those hardcore RPG game’s levels to grab the “Game of the Year” award at The Game Awards 2024 hosted by Geoff Keighley. Climb up the snowball, pull the wire, and activate the vacuum device. Suck up all the ice blocks and head inside the tropical oasis to find the disco ball. Activate it to use the secret exit and unlock the Turtles in Trash level in the Lost Galaxy.

This game allowed players to test the new capabilities of the SSD drive and controller. It’s great that Sony has chosen to develop this humble brand, as it has the potential to become one of the Japanese giant’s flagship exclusives. The goal of each level is merely to get to the end but secreted within each stage is around half a dozen different bots, at least two or three of which are cosplaying as other characters. Sometimes these are hard to miss but most of the time they’re at least somewhat hidden and, along with jigsaw pieces that unlock things like a gatcha shop and changing room for Astro, are the main rewards for exploration.

What Are All Special Bots In Astro Bot? Auricom Pilot – Nova Stormer

The main levels, and even the bosses – which are otherwise very imaginative – are also very easy. The lack of story in Astro Bot reflects the character’s origin in PlayStation 4 tech demos The Playroom and The Playroom VR. As such, he’s never been given any backstory and he only communicates in baby talk. Each of the 11 levels can be found by finding a secret exit in various other levels throughout the universe. I am annoyed I can come up with animal abilities for better navigation/quest access in BIomutant, oh no we have gliders (other features, a merchant like BOTW I’ll never find again) and vehicles but why can’t I dig, fly, swim?

With that tool and a bit of post-launch content updates, Astro Bot’s fun could last a lot longer than it does, and that would be a welcome inclusion for a game with a short run time. Still, any frustration with the game ultimately stems from wanting more of what Astro Bot provides, which at its core is a top-tier platformer with innovation, charm, and enjoyment to spare. In this way, Astro Bot gates a small but not insignificant portion of its best material behind a skill check that some of its audience won’t pass. Its best attribute, a rumble feature more nuanced than what other controllers provide, is also simpler than all of the DualSense’s high-end abilities that sometimes come off as gimmicky. Astro Bot also did away with some of them from Astro’s Playroom, such as using the center touchpad to unzip some blockades. Instead, this is done with the joystick, suggesting Team Asobi found it best to keep players’ hands off the somewhat clunky touchpad this time around.

In Let it Slide, you will slip, slide and skate your way across a frozen sea avoiding the perilous icy waters below. Jump across crumbling icebergs, dodge spinning blades, and create your own frosty platforms on the way to rescue your freezing friends. In Building Speed, with the help of Barkster, the bulldog booster, you will blast your way through a sky-high city.

What Are All Special Bots In Astro Bot? Palico – Cat-like Companion

Critics have praised its charming aesthetics and the seamless gameplay mechanics, but some note the occasional repetitive elements. Despite minor flaws, it stands out as one of PlayStation’s finest platformers, with many calling it a Game of the Year contender. Astro is revived by his Dual Speeder, a smaller spaceship resembling the DualSense controller, and together they begin reactivating satellites and exploring galaxies to rescue the crew and rebuild the mothership. Along the way, he rescues V.I.P. Bots (guest characters from other games) and explores planets based on Ape Escape, God of War, Uncharted, LocoRoco, and Horizon. The second highlighted moment comes after Mighty Chewy has been vanquished.

Astro Bot won multiple awards including Game of the Year at the Game Awards 2024, the 21st British Academy Games Awards, and the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. vz88.com is a joyful platforming experience that soars thanks to inventive level design and countless loving nods to PlayStation’s rich history. It also takes full advantage of the PS5 and its use of the DualSense controller remains novel. If you’d like to take a peek at the secret character bots specifically, we’ve arranged a gallery of all the Astro Bot hidden cameo bots. For more on Astro Bot, don’t miss our guide on how to unlock the secret photo mode and read our review for this strong Game of the Year contender. That’s not to say its win has no element of surprise to it at all.