Sony has a lot of developers under their belt but one of the most celebrated was Japan Studio. They have made games likeThe Legend of Dragoon,Bloodborne,Gravity Rush,Knack, and many others. The developers ofAstro Bot, Team Asobi, were part of Japan Studio starting in 2012. In 2021, they branched off into a new division under this name and Japan Studio was no more.
Team Asobi is solely responsible for all of the games starring Astro Bot thus far. There are five games in total withAstro Botbeing their latest achievement. Let’s go through what each game is about and how they rank next to each other.
5The Playroom
A Novel Use Of The PS4’s Camera
The Playroomlaunched with the PS4 in 2013 and it was a demo experience packaged with the new camera. One of the highlights of the camera was the augmented reality feature which allowed players to interact with characters from the game seemingly in the real worldvia motion controls. A prototype of the bots in theAstro Botfranchise is one example and they didn’t do much besides crowding a space. Some mini-games in this accessory include an augmented reality version of air hockey along with a giant robot head named Asobi that players could interact with as if it were a bet.
Later DLC added mini-games likeToy Maker,My Alien Buddy,Ninja Bots, andAR Studio. The only special one of note isMy Alien Buddyonly because Double Fine made it and not because it was any kind of mind-blowing experience. Most players probably know Double Fine from thePsychonautsgames on top of many one-hit wonders likeBrutal LegendandIron Brigade.The Playroomwas more like a toy but it importantly was the skeleton that Team Asobi used to later create the more involvedAstro Botgames.
4The Playroom VR
Playing Mini-Games In VR Is A Good Time
The Playroom VRwas a sequel that launched alongside the PSVR in 2016. While still just a collection of mini-games,The Playroom VRat least didn’t feel like a toy. There was a HUB world that allowed players to get Gashapon items to view in this space along with tons of bots all doing their own thing. One mini-game included was calledGhost Housewhich played like theLuigi’s Mansiongameswherein players hunted for ghosts across several rooms.
Monster Escapewas a unique multiplayer game that featured 4vs1 gameplay. The player wearing the PSVR headset would be a monster and up to four players would have to run away and then eventually fight it. Those two examples were fun in a limited capacity, but the notable highlight wasRobots Rescue. It was very much an early prototype forAstro Bot Rescue Missionwhich was a fully-fledged VR-supported platformer. InRobots Rescue, players could control Astro Bot and rescue bots on a small stage.
Astro’s Playroomwas a launch game for the PS5 and it was free to everyone via the PlayStation Network. In short, it was a 3D platformer with a lot packed into it that helped demonstrate the power ofthe PS5 controller’s capabilitiesfrom the adaptive triggers to the touchpad to the rumble support. For example, Astro Bot could inhabit a variety of suits like a monkey and a ball. When players jumped in, they had to use the touchpad to zip Astro Bot into place.
The monkey suit used motion controls to climb up walls and the ball could be tilted through mazes. The goal of each stage was to rescue trapped bots hidden throughout which seems to be the overarching theme of this entire franchise. Easter eggs could be discovered via Gashapon items and there were even nods in stages including a giant ball-like bot made to look like aLoco Rococharacter. These references to PlayStation franchises would be doubled down in Astro Bot to full effect with VIP Bots and Hero characters including the aforementionedLoco Rocofranchise.
2Astro Bot Rescue Mission
The PSVR’s Flagship Adventure
Astro Bot Rescue Missionis the third game in the series developed by Team Asobi technically, although it truly feels like the first real game that established what Astro Bot could be as a mascot character. It was released in 2018 and was a PSVR pseudo-sequel toThe Playroom VR’sRobots Rescuemini-game. Players have to control two characters. With the controller, they could move Astro Bot around like in a typical platformer. Instead of the camera following Astro Bot, it stayed in place although players could physically look where they were going with Astro Bot.
That’s because players assumed the role of a giant robot looking after him. With body motions using their head, for example, they could interact with the world to guide Astro Bot along. The PS5 controller unlocked several features to help too like a tether Astro Bot could then hop onto. Of themany PSVR gamesout there, this is THE ONE everyone should try. It’s to VR games thatSuper Mario 64was to 3D platformers which is to sayAstro Bot Rescue Missionis a revolutionary experience that still is sadly locked behind an expensive peripheral.
The success and critical praiseAstro Bot Rescue MissionandAstro’s Playroomreceived helped pave the way forAstro Bot. There were no more limitations by budget or peripherals as this was at long last the full normal console experience Team Asobi seemingly wanted to create for a decade. It’s everything fans of platformers would want in a modern 3D game. Each level has creativity overflowing from the set designs to theincorporated powers inAstro Bot.
One of the coolest is the Mouse power-up found in theDownsize Surprise level which shrinks the titular hero down to miniature size. Another highlight includes turning into a sponge in theBathhouse Battle stage ofAstro Bot, absorbing water to put fires out, or using their massive watery body to tear through a level. The bosses are also engaging, putting players to the test from Mighty Chewy to Space Bully Nebulax. The reviews on Metacritic and other aggregate sites speak for themselves:Astro Botis going to be a tough one to beat come 2024’s reward season.
