Astro Bot is the best 3D platformer in a decade

There are a few moments during Astro Bot where the screen goes completely black as it transitions between areas. The first time this happened, we were greeted by our own reflection, with an expression of child-like amazement reserved for when you first sat down in front of your parent’s TV with your PS1.

That feeling of wonder, pure joy, and excitement at what was coming next carried us from the very first bot we rescued until we popped the Platinum trophy. Astro Bot is not only an astonishingly good platformer, it understands PlayStation‘s legacy better than PlayStation seemingly does itself. It manages to balance heaps of incredible nostalgia, with excellent, inventive levels that introduce new mechanics as quickly as it introduces references to the likes of PaRappa the Rapper.

In an era of transition for Sony and PlayStation, where many fans feel like the inherent magic that made PlayStation so unique in the PS1 and PS2 era is fading, Team Asobi has created a game that not only celebrates that but also bridges the gap between generations and fully establishes itself as one of PlayStation’s top tier studios. While Astro may start the game searching for PlayStation icons, by the time the credits roll, he’s firmly established as one himself.

Let’s start with this: Astro Bot would still be an incredible platformer without any of the PlayStation cameos. The game, which is made up of over 90 levels, takes Astro on a journey to recover parts of the mothership, a PlayStation 5 console that only looks slightly more alien than the real thing. The mothership crash lands, and sends 300 bots across the galaxy. In order to repair the mothership, Astro has to rescue them, and defeat the boss associated with each zone.

Levels themselves are bright, colourful, and joyous. Characters dance to Kenny Young’s captivating soundtrack. There’s a sense of welcoming and imagination that is Marioesque. Most levels also bring with them a power-up for Astro to use. This can be a penguin that