astro bot – The Writing Corner

There is something whimsical and carefree about the latest title from Team Asobi. While the PlayStation 5 came equipped with Astro’s Playroom (primarily as a bid to showcase the powers of the console and the DualSense controller, Astro Bot takes one back to the good old days of wonder with its charm, vibrant palette and how fun it is to play. Is it any wonder it has wowed audiences of all ages despite the controversy surrounding the shuttering of Concord only a few weeks prior?

Some, of course, might feel like it’s a cash grab and celebration of all things PlayStation (which it is), but this latest mascot platformer brings something we need in this day and age (especially after the recent US election).

Levity.

I’ve never felt as much joy as I did with Astro Bot (the challenge levels notwithstanding). From the early hours of the bots cruising through space in their PlayStation spaceship to all the bosses of each galaxy where each part of the PlayStation 5 has been hidden due to some green Martian-esque bad guys. What’s more, it brings to bear the power of the PlayStation 5 without focusing on realism. The cartoony art style, in fact, makes the game pop in a way so many others games fail to do so.

And yet, it doesn’t skimp on the capabilities brought about by the PlayStation 5 with its love of filling each stage with various knick-knacks to show off the particle effects. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better game on the PlayStation 5, with the possible exception of Rachet and Clank: Rift Apart.

It just goes to show realistic graphics are not the way to go. Rather, the ones which hold up the best are the ones that pick something stylistic. Certainly, Astro Bot will be far more memorable than another bland washed-out open-world game.

More than that, Astro Bot is a game that never overstays its welcome. While I suffered from much fatigue with the likes of Tears of the Kingdom, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Horizon: Forbidden West and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Astro Bot was much more compact. Each stage, or planet, could be completed in just a few short minutes – thus making them infinitely replayable. Deaths, too, weren’t too harshly punished.

But I digress from my effusive praise.

In every sense of the word, Astro Bot is a celebration.

Of the long storied history of PlayStation, yes, but also of gaming in general.

What I liked most was how our protagonist would take on the roles of other PlayStation powerhouses. The love and care dedicated to those levels brought a smile to my face as I played through them – from the God of War inspired one to Uncharted. Heck, even Loco Roco with its very unique way of traversal!

Even without the PlayStation powerhouses, Astro Bot also had special powerups that could be used for specific stages. These included the frog boxing gloves, the dog rush, chicken booster, metal ball upgrade, the monkey, and even a magnet! I loved how each were utilised within the levels they were located in, and especially in how they could be used to tackle the galaxy bosses.

Not to mention the music!

I loved how each themed stage had specific music tied to it – from the ghostly haunted ones to the ice stages to even the underground mushroom ones! I mean, who doesn’t love a dancing fungi in the background? Heck, even the main title’s song managed to sneak its way into my head!

From a story perspective, there isn’t much to write home about. Astro and friends are attacked by a green alien. The PlayStation mothership crash lands into a desert planet, its core parts scattered. It is up to Astro to collect them all and rescue the other bots (all 300 of them). He does this by heading to five different galaxies and defeating the big hulking bosses at the end of them. Once that’s done, he and a special hero from the PlayStation roster head to one last planet to round up the missing part before taking it back to the crash land site.

In the end, Astro and his friends battle against the aliens to win back the CPU.

They win, of course, but not without some sacrifice. Yet, though the game ends on a sad note, Astro is thrown back from the void he vanished into, broken. Like the ship itself, they are brought back to life with the help of the other bots.

So ends the game, with a playable section of the credits!

What’s not to love?

And if you’re asking me why I’m referring to Astro as ‘they,’ well, I really should be referring to the bot as it. After all, Astro is a robot. To give Astro a gender would be the HEIGHT of wokeness. And since I read on an online post that the REASON why Astro Bot was such a good game was because it wasn’t woke, Astro must remain an ‘it.’ Or they/ them.

Of course, should Astro choose to go by male pronouns, who am I to argue? It certainly doesn’t affect me, or deter me from enjoying a very good game (maybe one of these days, I’ll go over how anti-woke politics on the internet has truly enraged me one of these days, but this post isn’t it. I just want to enjoy my video games without people trying to pull it down because they feel like having a woman main character or a trans side character is somehow ‘shoving the woke agenda down their throats’).

In short, Astro Bot was a joy to play through. I liked how it encapsulated what made gaming so fun in the past, and bringing it to the present. This was just a silly little robot running around colourful worlds and tackling enemies with aplomb. And while I don’t think the gaming landscape needs to be saturated with such titles, it was a welcome relief to the grittier realism that has infected a lot of modern gaming. Here’s to many more adventures with Astro (with perhaps a return for some beloved older titles).

Through the miracle that is often labelled as luck or fortune, I managed to acquire a PlayStation 5 near the start of May. It was Mother’s Day weekend and I was out looking for possible gifts for a woman that, when asked, had shook her head and offered me merely a secret smile in response. Since I was out in a shopping centre, I thought it would not hurt to make enquiries at the different electronic stores scattered about and see if I couldn’t put my name down on one of the wait lists that some had for the ever elusive console.

My first stop was EB Games. One of the store people approached me as I browsed the shelves and asked if I needed any help. It is a rare instance, indeed, when I turn around and say ‘yes.’ This, I did. My first question was in regards to a physical release for The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles in Australia. Sadly, they advised that the game would not be gracing store shelves. I turned my question then to whether or not they had a wait list for the PlayStation 5. She shook her head and apologised. Dismayed but undaunted, I thanked her for her time and headed to the JB Hi-Fi also nestled in the bowels of Castle Towers.

As my friend and I walked, we passed by Vodafone that taunted me with promises of owning the console if I were only to take them up on their NBN plan.

When we arrived, I awkwardly tried to track down a staff member in charge of the gaming section. Once we managed to attract her attention, I made my request again. Unfortunately, the list was full and I would have better luck trying the following week – preferably on a Friday when stock was usually dropped.

Shattered, I sighed melodramatically for several minutes and tried to think up ways to put my name down on the list. I even demanded that my friend assist me in my time of dire need. Perhaps seeing how desperate and inconsolable I was at missing my opportunity, the staff member happened to recall that perhaps there was a stock error with the latest shipment. Though she offered no promises, she advised that she would check the storage room out back for a possible PlayStation 5.

Knowing that my chances were slim, I waited. Five minutes passed and to my great surprise, she walked across the store carrying a brand new PlayStation 5 Disc Edition. To say that I was overjoyed at my luck would have been an understatement.

Forgetting that the trip was to buy my mother her own gift, I made the decision to purchase the PlayStation 5 and hoofed it back to my car. This white baby was as precious as could be. It was my own One Ring and I would give it up to no-one or nothing.

May be an image of text that says 'SONY SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SONY'

After setting it up, it was a long while before I managed to play the one game that came installed on it: Astro’s Playroom. As a showcase of what the console could do, as well as the DualSense controller, it was spectacular. Though I had not played the initial Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, I fell in love with the little robot that tinked around on its tiny little legs and was just so GOSH DARN ADORABLE!

The game itself is very much a 3D platformer with rote levels and gameplay. Though the narrative was simple and to the point, the game was able to pull me into its universe with the astute way it made use of the DualSense abilities. Haptic triggers can sound like a buzzword when it comes to advertising, but when one is playing and can feel the resistance when it comes to pushing down on the trigger R2 and L2 buttons, it makes all the difference and elevated the game for me. For the first time, I could see why people were excited about what the PlayStation 5 could offer.

Beyond these changes, I also loved how Astro’s Playroom was a celebration of all things PlayStation. The consoles have gone through so many iterations over the years. As someone that has owned a PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable and a PlayStation Vita, it was great to see miniature versions of these in games. All these Easter Eggs and more managed to capture my attention for a few good hours. Best of all, Astro’s Playroom never overstayed its welcome.

Short and sweet, it’s the perfect game for anyone – no matter how young or how old – to have a glimpse at what the PlayStation 5 can do.

Oh, and I did manage to get my mother something for Mother’s Day. Because I had almost no use for them, I handed over my share of the NSW Dine and Discover vouchers that had been used to fuel and revitalise the state’s economy. And honestly, who can say ‘no’ to a free $100?

The Writing Corner

Tag: astro bot

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