Astro's Playroom

An incredibly fun tech demo displaying the different uses of the PS5 controller. Besides the climbing part, I had fun throughout each of the different levels, and trying to collect every artifact from the Playstation series was a fun twist. Really unique ways to use the controller, and I would like to see more of some of what I saw implemented in some big budget games.

An amazing and insanely cute and playful little game that perfectly shows what the PS5 is capable of. The game itself and its four maps are super creative and inspiring. It never gets boring or dull, and the difficulty is just right for this type of game. It should’ve been a lot longer though, I’ve already played through it twice, since I bought the PS5 a month ago.

The DualSense controller is a revelation in this game. It’s like discovering a completely new sense, and makes this game something very very special. None of the other PS5 games have come close to these elaborate vibrations and effects. The feeling of ice skating or pulling a wire from the ground or shooting balls from a toy gun. All these things feel totally distinct and there are so many of them. Fantastic design and I truly hope that other games will be able to come close to this.

Story: 3/5 - Not much of a story but the whole nostalgic Playstation showcase thing is great!
Graphics: 4/5 - Looks very clean. Nothing out of the ordinary but perfect for a game like this.
Play feeling: 5/5 - Absolutely sublime feeling.
Aesthetics: 4/5 - Love the way it looks, very colorful and Pixar-esque.
Level design: 4.5/5
Menus/Speed: 5/5
Side things/missions: 3.5/5 - Collecting points is maybe not the greatest but exploring the maps is entertaining.

4.5/5

Relaxing game that pays tribute to Play Station's history and showcases the potential of the new controller. It might be a little too easy if you are into platformers.

Astro's Playroom comes pre-installed in every PS5 system. It's meant to be a tech demo, simply showing off the power of the PS5 and the controller. But it was more fun than I thought it would be

You essentially travel through the interior of the PS5 and go through interesting challenges along the way. Each level ends with you collecting a PlayStation system. From the PS1 to the PS4. You can also find other things to go with previous consoles such as the controller. It really brings you back through the history of PlayStation.

The gameplay is silky smooth and feels great, the graphics are beautiful, and Astro and the other robots are adorable.

There's also plenty of easter eggs in the game. You can find a robot dressed as Dante from the Devil May Cry games. You can also find the Buster Sword that Cloud uses in Final Fantasy VII. There's more easter eggs in this that would make this review too long

Astro's Playroom is more than just a tech demo. It's a really neat flashback to PlayStation's history and is simply a fun game that has loads of charm

Honestly? I'd rather play this tech demo than many of the "classic" PlayStation platformers. It's short, there's not much to it, but it's a good way of showing what the controller can all do, and most importantly it just feels good to play. The controller's speaker is used as an extra source of sound instead of a gimmick, the HD rumble feels really nice, and the platformer itself feels really good to move around in. (The only thing I didn't really like was the gyroscope hang glider section, where it felt very easy to go down and not so easy to go back up.) The DualSense controller is quite nice - pretty similar to the DualShock 4, but clicking the sticks feels a little less mushy and the triggers feel a little sharper. I personally like the extra weight of the controller, though I think some peoples' mileage may vary. I will say, though, the game's theme of "celebrating" PlayStation history by collecting all the random products they've created (what even is half that shit?) is a little queasy to me, especially as someone who hasn't really owned their own PlayStation until now. (I've shared a PS3 and a PS4.) The only thing worth celebrating is that you actually managed to get your hands on a PS5. It takes some effort! And money!

genuinely the best and most innovative platformer I've played in years. This goes above and beyond a tech demo. I'm praying more developers take advantage of the dualsense's new features (another game from Asobi Team wouldn't hurt either) because this game was brilliant through and through

If you don't have a PS5 yet I'll sum up the gameplay for you. It's a normal enough platformer at first; the experience is enhanced by little details, like hearing your footsteps from the controller's speaker, and the very subtle vibration that happens when you walk, attack or fly. Until it isn't, and Astro transforms into various different types of robots, making you use the Dualsense's various features to continue. One level has you controlling a ball with the touchpad, while another level has you using motion control to control a paraglider. I'm not exaggerating when I say every other feature of the Dualsense is simultaneously utilized fully. you have to play it to believe it - it's incredibly refreshing

The level design and soundtrack are impeccable. The art design is just pure eye candy, and the sound design is pure ear candy. I loved the cute lil robots that stood everywhere and cheered you on. The level of difficulty was perfect, just enough to keep you immersed. Never does it frustrate you, but at the same time it never makes you go "this is way too fucking easy". I Could go on and on about how good this game was. I also really appreciated the game as a tribute to Playstation - references to PS games are littered everywhere (Silent Hill, Crash Bandicoot, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, the works...), and the game has "artifacts" you can collect which are high-quality models of old PlayStation hardware. The final boss is even a recreation of the boss from the PS1's tech demo. It's a big trip down memory lane. I grew up with the PS1-3, and seeing my favorite consoles and games celebrated so lovingly was honestly heartwarming. Im not even like an avid gamer and never thought i cared much for PlayStation but this game will probably have you feeling hardcore nostalgia for 90s/00s video games and PS consoles even if you've never owned a PlayStation before. Ive never owned or even touched a PS4 and i admittedly got goosebumps when i got to the ps4 zone. It's just that well done.

I started out trying to find all of the PS2 related artifacts. Eventually it turned into me unwittingly 100%ing the game trying to find every puzzle piece, every artifact and enough coins to empty out the claw machine, until the game's main hub was filled to capacity with PlayStation memorabilia. And it was genuinely the most fun I've had with a video game in a long time. Now im considering buying PSVR just to play ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission.... pray for another game from Asobi Team because they really know what they're doing