Astro Bot, a cute platformer starring PlayStation’s ostensible robot mascot, is the most critically lauded game of the year.
The new release, which can be played only on Sony’s PS5 console, has a stellar 94 Metacritic score. This has earned it a coveted “must play” badge.
It is rated ahead of several highly praised blockbusters and indies, including third-place Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, Animal Well, Balatro, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.
Technically, the highest-rated title of 2024 is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, but that’s an expansion rather than a fully-fledged game.
Hailed as a flawless masterpiece of 3D platforming, Astro Bot has charmed the pants off critics. It has gained top marks from notable gaming publications including VGC, Push Square, PlayStation Universe, and Twinfinite.
What is Astro Bot?
The game is a sequel to Astro’s Playroom, which comes pre-installed on PS5 consoles. It serves as a demo of the DualSense controller, from its gameplay-triggered vibrations to its built-in speaker.
Unlike its predecessor, Astro Bot is not free; it’s a standalone game featuring significantly more levels (80) and more immersive gameplay. The game is bursting with colourful characters, level designs, puzzling challenges, and cameos from PlayStation icons galore.
Cameos
Like the Easter eggs scattered throughout Marvel movies, Astro Bot’s cast of characters includes droid versions of Kratos and Atreus from God of War; Nathan Drake from Uncharted; Ratchet and Clank; Spyro the Dragon; Dante from Devil May Cry; and many, many more. It’s no wonder it’s been hailed as a love letter to PlayStation and its arsenal of beloved franchises.
Gameplay
As for Astro himself, the bot can still jump, attack, and use his laser-hover ability to get around. Once again, the game uses the DualSense controller fully, with its haptic feedback and resistance-based triggers reacting to environments, physics, and surfaces. A virtual version of the PS5 gamepad is featured in the game, serving as a spaceship that can blast you between the sequel’s galaxies and planets.
Each level has difficulties, including easy, normal, and hard. One of the least demanding ones is the Sky Garden, a tranquil paradise of floating islands home to pink robot flamingos and cherry blossom trees. The level also features power-ups that can inflate Astro and a towering construction site that can be traversed only with the help of a jet-powered robot dog.
Team Asobi has developed the game. The Japanese studio is also behind Astro’s previous adventures, PS5’s Playroom, and Rescue Mission for the original PlayStation VR headset.
What is Astro Bot’s release date?
Astro Bot is out on PS5 on Friday (September 6) and can be purchased for £59.99.
There’s still time to pre-order the game and grab some bonuses, including Astro’s PaRappa Lovestruck Lyricist outfit, Glorious Graffiti Dual Speeder paint colour, and two Astro PSN avatars.
A digital deluxe edition, meanwhile, costs £69.99 and comes with the following perks:
- Astro’s Yharnam Hunter outfit
- Astro’s Golden outfit
- Neon Dream Dual Speeder colour
- Champions’ Gold Dual Speeder colour
- 10 PSN avatars
- Digital soundtrack an art gallery.
Single-player games are still tops
Following the critical success of Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, single-player games have once again emerged as the most celebrated releases of the year — even as live-service games like Call of Duty and Fortnite attract the most players (despite recent misfires such as Concord).
What are the best games of 2024?
For proof, check out Metacritic’s list of the best games of 2024 based on aggregated reviews:
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - 95
- Astro Bot - 94
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - 92
- Animal Well - 91
- Balatro - 90
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered - 90
- Thank Goodness You're Here! - 90
- Tekken 8 - 90
- Destiny 2: The Final Shape - 89
- Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon - 89.
