One of PS5's first great games is absolutely free
Our Verdict
Astro's Playroom is a delightful showcase of everything the DualSense controller tin do, combining satisfying platforming with heartfelt tributes to PlayStation placed throughout.
For
- Gleeful, fun platforming
- Fantabulous showcasing of DualSense controller
- Large multifariousness of PlayStation Easter Eggs to be institute
Against
- On the shorter side
- Can get repetitive
Tom'due south Guide Verdict
Astro'south Playroom is a delightful showcase of everything the DualSense controller can do, combining satisfying platforming with heartfelt tributes to PlayStation placed throughout.
Pros
- +
Gleeful, fun platforming
- +
Excellent showcasing of DualSense controller
- +
Large variety of PlayStation Easter Eggs to be found
- +
Cons
- -
On the shorter side
- -
Can become repetitive
- -
EDITOR'Due south Notation: Astro's Playroom won a "highly recommended" honor for best game design at the Tom's Guide Awards 2021 for gaming.
Every new panel needs a great technical showpiece, and Sony hit it out of the park by including the infectiously adorable Astro's Playroom with the PS5.
This sunny, optimistic adventure transcends the boundaries of platformer and bounds happily into the realm of complete PlayStation tribute. Sure, information technology plays like any other visually lush and expansive platforming championship, but for what was surely intended equally a demo or a quick fashion to get players acclimated to the DualSense controller, it'due south got more than heart than games you'll pay upwardly of $60 or $70 for.
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While intended to settle into the background as something of a footnote for players to explore as they make their style throughout what are worlds that resemble the inside of a PlayStation 5, Astro's Playroom takes on a life of its own equally one of the PS5'southward near mannerly adventures this early on in its life cycle.
Astro is a character spawned out of the popularity of The Playroom, a 2013 assortment of augmented reality mini games that came preinstalled on all PlayStation four consoles. It was originally meant to help players get to know the PlayStation Camera and how it could exist used for various activities. The Playroom starred the robotic Asobi, but introduced the aforementioned robot squad that would ultimately influence the PlayStation VR-axial Astro Bot Rescue Mission, adult by SIE Nihon Studio'due south ASOBI Team partitioning.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission did much the same for VR as The Playroom did for the PlayStation Camera, putting petty Astro front and eye besides every bit a team of his robot buddies that needed to be rescued throughout the loftier-flying risk. Now, it's all come total circle with Astro'south Playroom. There'southward no trouble to be solved here, no rescue mission to embark on, and no minigames. You're only exploring each world and fending off enemies, finding treasures, and taking in some seriously awesome nods to PlayStation.
At that place's then much more to the game than what constitutes a demo or tutorial. This is a real, solid game that'southward well worth your hard-earned cash. Information technology's astounding that information technology'south costless, because from pinnacle to bottom, it's a creative and inviting platforming take a chance that anyone can step into and go enjoyment from, even if it's mainly meant to innovate people to what the PlayStation 5's DualSense is all almost. It does all that much, much more than.
Read on for our full Astro's Playroom review.
Astro's Playroom gameplay
Astro's Playroom introduces players to a living, animate world populated by ambrosial footling robotic creatures. Helm Astro is their leader, a fun piddling robot companion who toddles effectually on his bowling pin-like legs and interacts with the world effectually him.
He tin jump, hover with rockets, pick up weapons like the bow and arrow (don't worry, they're plungers) or gumball gatling guns, and utilise some light melee against the cheery enemies institute throughout each area. Hold down the button to dial, and Astro will allow loose a more powerful spin attack.
From the moment yous accept over and kickoff moving the tiny robot around, there's a noticeable difference betwixt this game and others of its ilk. The DualSense is doing an incredible amount of work, and information technology's immediately apparent. You can feel the weight of Astro's feet as he walks around the room, as well equally the thrust of his jetpack. His robot friends call to him from the controller'due south microphone. For a moment, you feel equally though you lot really are controlling a tiny niggling robot.
The game is a platformer through and through, and while there's no real narrative to speak of, there's however enough to run into. There are iv consummate areas to dive into, with a undercover fifth to explore after yous complete the game. Each area is surprisingly various, at least because it's all meant to be a facsimile of the internals of a PS5. For instance, Cooling Springs features a water theme. Retentivity Meadow is rife with clouds and a spring theme, with soft breezes. SSD Speedway is a fun jaunt into space. GPU Jungle appears to take inspiration from Inca-like architecture and ruins.
Each department has two platforming levels, where Astro is tasked with getting from point A to indicate B while fugitive obstacles, staving off enemies, and collecting fun treasures that will ultimately result in a PlayStation fan'south dream by the cease of the game. It's a light, informal thing that never feels too complicated or frustrating. Older players may not find much of a challenge here, but that doesn't brand information technology whatever less entertaining. Simply the same, it tin can become a fleck repetitive with that in mind, but it's over so quickly that'due south hard to notice.
Things somewhen switch upwardly with two boosted levels in each zone that observe you lot hopping into special suits meant to testify off the DualSense's special abilities. Yeah, it'south all meant to ease you into using the controller, only these animal-like suits don't feel shoehorned into the action.
The suits are a gimmick, to be sure, merely there isn't gimmickry to exist plant here. Information technology all fits within each stage'southward theme. In Memory Springs, yous'll hop into a fun robotic frog suit that combines adaptive trigger and haptic feedback to go far experience as though you're using tension to use its spring to spring back and along.
GPU Jungle features a monkey suit that lets you lot apply the DualSense's movement controls to swing back and forth likewise as climb upwards structures. The rocket adjust in SSD Speedway is all about speed and ability to attain new heights every bit you control the suit's thrusters with both triggers. The rolling suit in Memory Meadow is controlled via bear upon pad, for an experience non unlike Super Monkey Ball.
While exploring, you'll collect puzzle pieces and coins that are integral to both completing the game the mode it's meant to be finished and snagging a Platinum bays, which is extremely uncomplicated to do (and may hateful some players' first Platinums). Puzzle pieces go toward unlocking parts of a massive mural that shows the history of PlayStation, and the completed landscape is certainly something to behold.
Collecting plenty coins mean you can spend money in a gacha machine to earn new dioramas. There are a finite number of them, and then you will eventually run out as it'due south not random, but information technology'south fun to collect items and place them all together in one central location. If you get bored with searching for these extras, though, it's ever entertaining to see what PlayStation Easter eggs you can spot while exploring each level. You'll find some truly surprising cameos throughout, including a tribute to Vib Ribbon and even Decease Stranding that will put a grinning on your confront.
Astro'due south Playroom is simplistic by all measures, but that doesn't make it whatsoever less joyful in its endeavors or less of a please to simply sit back and take in with a big smiling on your face.
Astro's Playroom features
In addition to exploring the main worlds, you can go visit the PlayStation Labo hub area at any time to bank check on the progress yous've made toward filling it up with fun PlayStation references. That'southward certainly a baroque proper name, given that Nintendo Labo is such a popular and prominent part of the Switch'south library, simply here nosotros are.
PlayStation Labo houses all of the dioramas you've unlocked with coins as well as the large mural you'll somewhen consummate equally you pick up puzzle pieces throughout the game. Once consummate, it'southward a veritable visual history of PlayStation as a whole. If y'all play enough and replay levels, you should accept no problem putting it all together.
Dioramas on the other mitt are some of the most satisfying setpieces in the entire game. They're clearly meant for players who harbor the aforementioned kind of beloved that the developer clearly has for PlayStation. You can observe everything from miniature PS Vitas to working PlayStations with Multi-Taps fix in the Labo once you've unlocked them.
Speed Run fashion lets you race against the clock to consummate areas every bit speedily every bit possible, calculation a timer to see how skillful you actually are. Unfortunately, there are no boosted co-op missions or multiplayer modes. It'southward a bit barebones beyond the main game mode and collectibles. Replayability comes in the grade of wanting to show off what the DualSense is capable of, something that you likely won't want to stop doing once you lot've tried it.
Astro'southward Playroom graphics and sound
Toddling around as Astro is an middle-popping experience with gorgeous hues, exquisite environments, and creative levels to explore. Information technology's absolutely beautiful, with 4K output at threescore frames per second and HDR support. Water effects are especially hypnotic, as well every bit the smaller effects that you tin can't assistance but notice while making your way through the game: your robot friends chilling in the background, some of them upwardly to no good and others hanging out with the robots dressed upward every bit pop PlayStation franchises.
The soundtrack is absolutely mesmerizing as well. Though most of it is relegated to soft tinkling tones (the melancholy theme at the PS5 menu has an inexplicable yearning to information technology), there are a few vocal-axial songs that yous won't exist able to end tapping your toes to. They didn't have to become so hard on the soundtrack, but you'll appreciate that they did.
Astro's Playroom verdict
Astro's Playroom may exist a complimentary pack-in title, but it has the heart of a full-sized platformer. It'southward an absolute delight to play, and if it'south your get-go castor with what the PS5 has to offering, you'll autumn in love rather quickly. The only outcome? There only isn't enough of it. Astro has been established every bit a full-fledged PlayStation mascot by now, and this sampling of delectable levels is fun and all, but information technology'southward fourth dimension now for another Astro-axial platformer with some meatiness and depth. For at present, enjoy this savory care for as your first introduction to all things DualSense.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/astros-playroom
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