It was a wondrous delight to see Team Asobi is working on a full-blown Astro Bot game. The cute little mascot that was the star of Astro Bot Rescue Mission (the PS VR exclusive platformer) and Astro’s Playground (the pack-in PS5 game that’s a bite-sized platformer) is indeed getting their own full-blown mascot platformer game.
In a way, the new mascot of PlayStation has spin-offs before its first main game is even out, like how Malaysia’s Upin & Ipin animated series was born as a spin-off.
Though that comparison isn’t to say Astro Bot should remain in the constricts of a VR game or a pack-in tech demo. Not at all. From what I played of a preview build of the game in a 90-minute hands-on session, it’s a wonderful, playful video game on its own right. But will the full package be the same?

Fully Playful
In Astro Bot, you as the titular character are out saving the many other bots, including some cosplaying as PlayStation icons- the so-called VIP bots.
If you bleed blue (i.e. a stalwart PlayStation days and not literally of course), you’ll get a good dose of nostalgia with references of PlayStation games of the yesteryears whether that be from the PS1 (remember PaRappa The Rapper and Um Jammer Lammy?), the PS2 (remember Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank?), the PS3 (remember the traveller in Journey?) or the PS4 (remember the new God Of War?).
The levels I sampled are all self-contained and bite-sized, built around a central theme of play. In one level, Astro gets a dog backpack that gives you a jet boost. In another, he carries an octopus friend that can inflate and float upwards. And in another, Astro puts on some froggy gloves that packs a wallop. Each of these level-specific gadget opens up interesting ways to interact with the world. Smashing through glass walls, reach unreachable platforms, and other silly, inventive and creative usages that made me smile in delight how playful the mechanics are.
And that’s the operative word Astro Bot is centered around, playful. There are DualSense motion gimmicks that made me smile a bit as I wiggle around the controller like baby playing with a rattler in real life. The haptics of Astro’s footsteps translates to the controller and it’s a playful tippy-tap-tap that gives off gleeful vibes, literally. I usually find the gimmicks utilising the controller’s gyroscope to be unfun and shoe-horned in. It’s not accurate enough for precise platforming play. But it’s silly fun when it’s used as a plaything like this. Even for a middle-aged man.
And within the video game world itself, Astro Bot is also playful. Every punch has a reaction. So many physics objects tumbling and falling and flying after you punch them, all without a framerate drop in sight (which is how this game flexes the power of the PS5).
Every little platform traversed, especially the ones not on the critical path, has little rewards via PlayStation-branded coins. Characters, most of which are antromorpised objects, even cheer you on as you figure out how to progress through the simple puzzles. And of course, there are proper secrets to find which you have to go hunt for if you’re after 100% completion.
The levels are short, so the gimmicks aren’t stretched too thin. And replaying to collect missing bots or puzzle pieces, the two collectibles, is a breeze because of its bite-sized nature. Having 50 levels make sense at this length. Hopefully there’s enough gimmicks, ideas, or different ways to use the three gadgets I saw for the other levels the full game will have on offer.
In many ways, it feels like what you’d expect from the usual 3D platformer, and that’s a good thing. But in the hands, Astro Bot is built different.
A Proper Platformer, But A Little Different
The platforming of Astro Bot is competent, but it’s a 3D platformer designed not to emulate the style of 3D platformers of old. Astro feels sticky rather than loose. Jumps feel tight with not much hangtime. You won’t accidentally fall off a ledge.
I approached the game with the gamer instinct of a Jak & Daxter or a Ratchet & Clank and that was, apparently, the wrong approach. Go and play Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot’s platforming definitely feels like that.
There are genuinely hard challenges, with no room for error, and those demand full understanding of its mechanics. It’s just a jump and a punch button most of the time but there are depths to it. Astro hovers instead of a double jump and can deal damage with the afterburn from hovering, which is something I didn’t quite get during my playtime which resulted in various frustrating deaths.
There’s also some input lag (which may or may not be due to the demo setup) which resulted in very little allowance to readjust a jump or make a panic jump, something traditional 3D platformers with its looser controls allow. Not quite enough room to “schmove”, I feel like.
But once I understand how to move, then Astro Bot becomes a delightful platformer.
The camera could’ve been a bit more sensitive when manually angled, but the way it gives you so much view is brilliant. Depth perception shouldn’t be an issue caused by the limited camera movements in this game.
For the platformer fans and speedrunners, there’s definitely depth to what seems to be simple mechanics.

Closing Thoughts
All in all, Astro Bot has the makings of a playful video game. And with so much games being about cinematic blockbusters aimed for mature audiences these days, it’s good to see PlayStation still remembers to have fun.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure was good. But I think Astro Bot’s more robust platforming, when paired with the production values and playful gimmicks that Sackboy also had, this game has the potential to be this year’s most exciting title. Assuming it can keep the gameplay continue to be fresh just like this 90-minute snippet I had played here.
Finally, a proper mascot platformer that isn’t trying to not be one.
Astro Bot launches on September 6 on PS5.
Played on PS5. Preview access provided by the publisher.