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ASTRO'S PLAYROOM (PS5)
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Publisher: Sony.
Developer: Japan Studio. Released: November 2020. Genre: 3D Platformer. Posted 19th January 2023. By Tom Clare © 2023 |
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The scarcity of PlayStation 5 software exclusives during the platform’s first couple of years on sale has proven a talking point amongst both earlier adopters and sceptics. It reflects the evolution of the industry as a whole. With an ever-more homogenised technical specifications, console manufacturers have struggled to make as clean a break from the previous generation’s hardware as in years gone by. However, when players put out apparent hot takes such as “Astro’s Playroom is the PS5’s best exclusive”, there’s actually a degree of truth to this. Whilst the statement encapsulates the perceived paucity of PS5-specific big hitters from Sony, there’s also recognition that this platformer, bundled as a showcase for its hardware, is far better than anyone expected it to be. Free from the shackles of trying to accommodate two generations of hardware, AP’s able to show off a number of its host console’s most impressive aspects.
Developed by Asobi under the Japan Studio brand, Astro’s Playroom is both a fully-fledged, immaculate ode to the 3D platformer and a delightful trip down PlayStation memory lane. It’s also free, which is no bad thing. The game consists of four worlds, each one tied loosely to Sony’s previous generations in the console market. The four worlds consist of four small levels, aiming to showcase the various features present in the DualSense controller.
There's a whole lot of nostalgia to be found in the lab and a whole lot of creativity to be found in the levels
Astro is a benign but likeable robot protagonist, fitting what is an unusually laid-back atmosphere for a platformer. Historically at least, the genre has been synonymous with immediate danger and tension, the possibility of lives lost with every jump. With Astro’s Playroom, Asobi managed to craft an experience that’s engaging and filled with gameplay, yet uses novel interactivity and well-judged nostalgic aspects as a primary driving force. Either way, it’s addictive and will have you eager to explore.
GPU Jungle shows off the motion giro and haptic triggers and is the pick of the worlds. Donning a monkey suit, Astro must swing side-to-side with the motion of the pad, before reaching out for the grips with the triggers. Some are fragile and require a lighter touch, whilst looping the pad can springboard Astro to higher ground. These sections are fantastic fun, not only a perfect way to explore some of the controller’s functions but a legitimately fresh-feeling platforming experience.
GPU Jungle shows off the motion giro and haptic triggers and is the pick of the worlds. Donning a monkey suit, Astro must swing side-to-side with the motion of the pad, before reaching out for the grips with the triggers. Some are fragile and require a lighter touch, whilst looping the pad can springboard Astro to higher ground. These sections are fantastic fun, not only a perfect way to explore some of the controller’s functions but a legitimately fresh-feeling platforming experience.
FOCAL POINT: PLAYROOM PLAYBACK
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Astro’s Playroom references iconic gaming moments from the PlayStation brand’s history in a way that feels both comprehensive and extremely rewarding to long-time fans of Sony’s systems. Dotted throughout the levels, you’ll find robots role-playing classic games, as well as countless little nods to classic titles. Some are subtle: you can find a tiny version of the red F/A racing car from the original Ridge Racer zipping around the lab, a mural in the style of Patapon and a robot blundering around with a Pyramid Head (Silent Hill 2) hat. Elsewhere, there are more specific references, such as scaring a grey-bandana-clad robot from under a cardboard box (Metal Gear Solid) and best of all, witness robot versions of Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine (Resident Evil), perched pensively by a door with a red-eyed zombie robot lurking just behind it. There’s a veritable trove of beautiful homages that will delight players who’ve grown up with PlayStation.
This is true of much of the rest of the game, too. Memory Meadow sees Astro assume the shape of a ball, with a host of fun little sections that require swiping and directing him with the touchpad. These include a spot of pinball, bowling down skittles and navigating some treacherous ledges with precision. Cooling Springs is an ice-themed world where Astro uses the triggers and giro to bounce a frog suit along a 2D plane. Additionally, the player gets to tackle more traditional 3D platformer perils in the form of slippery surfaces, double-jumps and spin-attacking foes, making for a pleasant balance. SSD Highway is fractionally the least enjoyable world, perhaps because its flight sections and shooting bits break less new ground. Consequently, they aren’t quite as novel, but they’re still worth playing.
The gameplay is fast, immediate and creative, trading its time between these creative setups, more familiar platforming and nostalgia-fuelled exploration. Given it’s entirely committed to commemorating the PlayStation brand, there’s a certain irony to Astro’s Playroom feeling like one of the most mechanically progressive platformers there’s been in a long time. Unlike some of its competitors, it never strains to capture a nineties aesthetic, instead happy to have its modern and retro elements in a comfortable coexistence.
The gameplay is fast, immediate and creative, trading its time between these creative setups, more familiar platforming and nostalgia-fuelled exploration. Given it’s entirely committed to commemorating the PlayStation brand, there’s a certain irony to Astro’s Playroom feeling like one of the most mechanically progressive platformers there’s been in a long time. Unlike some of its competitors, it never strains to capture a nineties aesthetic, instead happy to have its modern and retro elements in a comfortable coexistence.
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The robotics theme and gleaming white surroundings might be considered a little bland and clinical, at least in the hub world. Whilst the basic character designs are nothing memorable, however, AP’s levels and their little animations bring things to life. The music and effects are somewhat asynine, though the little bits of audio fed through the DualSense’s speakers prove quite immersive, as does the surprisingly diverse use of the vibration function.
The adventure is a relatively short one, with 20 main levels that can easily be polished off in 2-3 hours. However, Astro’s Playroom offers a good incentive to return. As well as a glut of trophies and a Platinum to aim for, every level contains two artefacts consisting of all manner of PlayStation hardware: consoles mix it with gizmos such as the PS Move, various speaker and camera peripherals for the PSP, memory cards, multitaps and so on. If you grew up with this stuff, these 3D (often interactive) representations are quite lovely. Each level also holds four hidden jigsaw puzzle pieces that fit a mural in the central HUB, helping ensure you’ll search every nook and cranny of its delightfully crafted levels. Furthermore, there are eight timed challenges perfect for testing a player’s platforming, climbing and flying proficiency, with online leaderboards often a handy and competitive yardstick.
The adventure is a relatively short one, with 20 main levels that can easily be polished off in 2-3 hours. However, Astro’s Playroom offers a good incentive to return. As well as a glut of trophies and a Platinum to aim for, every level contains two artefacts consisting of all manner of PlayStation hardware: consoles mix it with gizmos such as the PS Move, various speaker and camera peripherals for the PSP, memory cards, multitaps and so on. If you grew up with this stuff, these 3D (often interactive) representations are quite lovely. Each level also holds four hidden jigsaw puzzle pieces that fit a mural in the central HUB, helping ensure you’ll search every nook and cranny of its delightfully crafted levels. Furthermore, there are eight timed challenges perfect for testing a player’s platforming, climbing and flying proficiency, with online leaderboards often a handy and competitive yardstick.
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Not just a charming, imaginative video game, Astro’s Playroom hints at the kind of experiences we could be enjoying, not only in platformers, but gaming more broadly, moving forward. Whether other developers choose to make such elaborate, and successful, use of the DualSense controller remains to be seen, but for those who pick up a PS5, this is a fantastic first port of call.
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VERDICT
"Astro's Playroom delivers creativity and nostalgia in abundance, making for one of the most impressive 3D platformer experiences of recent times... For those who pick up a PS5, this is a fantastic first port of call." OVERALL: 8/10 |