Hey, welcome to a casual gamer’s review and perspective, of Astro Bot.
I’m just a regular dude who loves playing video games to escape reality. I hope my perspective helps you decide if this game is worth your hard-earned money or if you should wait for it to be available on PlayStation Plus (or discounted heavily). Is it worth your time? Let’s dive in—no spoilers here, though the story is simple.
Astro Bot and his 300 robot buddies are partying on their PlayStation 5 spaceship in space. An alien breaks everything, steals the CPU, and the ship falls apart. The robots are lost across the galaxy. You need to find his robot friends, but you only need to find 200 of them to beat the game and face the final boss. That’s the story in a nutshell.
Who is this game for? It looks kid-ish, but it’s for everyone—kids, teenagers, adults. I’m in my 30s and beat the game in about ten hours. I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
It was a fun game. I told my six-year-old son about it, and he’s gone bananas! He’s thoroughly enjoying it too. The game is designed to escape reality, like most video games, but you can tell the developers love what they do. There are no humans, realistic explosions, or guns. It’s all about robots, robotic animals, and aliens. The game brought a smile to my face with its humour being relatable to all ages.
There’s no talking, so no language barrier or subtitles—just silent humour like Mr. Bean or Charlie Chaplin.
In Canada, the game costs up to $80 with tax, while in the US, it might be around $60-$70. Is it worth the money? For most people, yes, but no game can satisfy everyone.
Who isn’t this game for? If you buy games just to check them off a list, this might not be for you. This game is best enjoyed by sitting down and exploring its varied worlds and planets with different themes like: lava, snow, forest, and water planets. Despite its cartoonish look, it’s visually stunning, even on an OLED TV.
The planets are mostly linear, but there are hidden areas to explore. The game has a flat difficulty setting—no easy, medium, or hard. It’s designed to be fun. If you prefer horror or first-person shooters, you might want to skip this one. But if it Astro Bot becomes available on PlayStation Plus or someone gifts it to you, give it a try. Most people will enjoy it, but there might be a small handful of people that won’t enjoy it but that’s okay, to each their own.
It took me about ten hours to beat this game, and I still go back to find more robot buddies and puzzle pieces. I’ve found 220 so far. The game has great replay value.
My six-year-old son loves it too. We play together, solving puzzles and having fun. I’d rather he play this game and think critically than watch YouTubers playing video games. It’s a great way for us to spend time together.
The game is worth the money, even with a ten-hour playthrough. There are hidden worlds and various powers, some of which repeat but are still fun. The time slowdown power is my favorite. There are also a few features that many reviewers don’t mention.
Some of the game’s greatest strengths are its music and soundtracks, which are upbeat and fun. For example, there’s a level where you climb a tree while it raps—hilarious and entertaining.
Another highlight is meeting Kratos from God of War, called Bot of War in the game. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear him sing in the soundtrack by suddenly saying “boy” in the background music. These subtle musical hints and visual interactions, like punching animals for funny reactions, add to the fun.
The controller also deserves mention. While not as emphasized as in Astro’s Playroom, the DualSense technology is fantastically used. And the ending credits? Simply the best I’ve seen in any game. Don’t want to spoil it!
The game isn’t perfect and has some minor flaws. The gyro mechanics of the controller can be wonky, especially during ship repair sequences. It’s annoying when you must swing the controller around, and it doesn’t work well.
Another issue is when Astro Bot stops and starts animations, like calling out for his buddies in a squeaky voice. It can be confusing because it sounds like one of his robot friends calling for help. This often leads to running around looking for a robot buddy, only to realize it was the Astro Bot making the noise.
Additionally, many robot animals have the same eyes as Astro Bot’s friends, making it hard to distinguish them. Sometimes, you think it’s a friend in a animal costume, but it’s just a monkey or another non-interactive animal. This can be quite annoying.
Another minor gripe is the repetition of enemies. They might look different, but many have the same attack patterns. There aren’t many unique enemies, though mini-bosses and main bosses are more versatile.
Also, the numerous historical references to Sony PlayStation items can feel like in-game advertising. Initially annoying, you get used to it as they often serve as spaceships and other elements. These aren’t dealbreakers, just minor annoyances.
Overall, the game is for the masses and well worth the money due to its replay value. I hope this helps you make an informed decision.
