Other prizes include cosmetics for Astro himself and his Dual Speeder, letting you customise his look with some iconic outfits. You can also unlock the Safari Park, a special zone to hang out in, but it also gives you access to a simple Photo Mode, then usable throughout the game. Speaking of power-ups, our robo-hero makes use of numerous new toys throughout the game. Some appear more than others — the frog gloves, which let you hit enemies from afar and swing from poles, come back a few times, while some one-off mechanics are our favourites. One allows Astro to shrink in size, while another turns him into a sponge, able to soak up and then eject water.

What Are All Special Bots In Astro Bot? Piranha Pilot – Prototype Pilot

If you replay levels, you can buy a satellite at the start for coins that marks the collectible locations. However, you need 15,000 coins to buy 150 gatcha items for the Money Well Spent trophy, so it’s best to not spend coins on the satellites. After reaching 100% completion you will have close to 15,000 coins if you don’t spend them on satellites. If you don’t have enough coins you can always replay levels to get more. There are 300 bots to find, and many are pulled from the wider world of gaming.

Global Player Ratings

Click the link to find detailed information on where to find the Bots hidden in all the stages. Thankfully, the Bots themselves have cute personalities that carry Astro Bot. They speak in robotic gibberish, but are physically very expressive. It’s hard not to care for these adorable robots, and spend hours on end just meeting more of them. On the flip side, this leads to a nitpick regarding the enemies. Besides the bosses, none of the enemies have names or identities.

Astro Bot is an adventure platformer where you control Astro as he explores six galaxies and over 80 levels across 50 planets to find his scattered crew. While “toy” has become a derogatory term when talking about video games, Team Asobi sees no shame in embracing it. I can see that when I find a cardboard standee in a construction site level. I poke my head through it, only to summon a flock of pooping pigeons.

While there’s plenty to like about the hub, which we’ll get into later, the main attraction is the game’s range of levels, which are as varied, playful, and fun as you’d hope. Each galaxy contains four or five main stages, a boss, and a special last level themed around specific PlayStation franchises. On top of that are numerous shorter challenges — tougher platforming or combat trials to test your skills — and a selection of secret stages to discover. It’s a generous package, and what’s most impressive is the sheer variety it offers.

The Leviathan Axe is thrown and recalled in the same manner as the aforementioned title. You blow into the mic of the DualSense, replicating the horn being blown to call upon the World Serpent. You smash three bell shaped enemies in a perfect line, as if they were preventing you from opening a chest. The axe is stuck into columns, freezing them in place to platform up. But when they do, you are driven to continue Astro’s journey in hopes you’ll run across another like it.

Somehow, you were no longer playing Astro Bot, but were fully immersed in whatever game the developer wanted you to be in. Yet, the whimsical playfulness and cute charm was still there dancing perfectly in tune with another game without stepping on any toes. A PlayStation fiesta of characters and hodgepodge of borrowed game mechanics blend seamlessly. While AF88 may sound as if the game just copies the homework of all the games that came before it, that is simply not the case. Astro Bot takes every lesson these previous works taught, and precisely refines them with both overwhelming charm and genre re-defining innovation. The DualSense controller becomes an extension of the game as its haptic feedback technology allows the player to feel every step and jump Astro takes, with the sensation changing on every surface.

“It’s designed for a different medium. It would be a different game.” Though the explanation makes sense, this likely won’t be welcome news to purchasers of Sony’s headset who are already frustrated over a lack of big games. Astro Bot is only confirmed for PS5 so far but so were a hoard of other PlayStation exclusives now available on PC. Sony has made a point of expanding its player base and sales by bringing franchises such as The Last of Us, God of War, Spider-Man, and more to the platform.

Younger players who aren’t familiar with it will surely want to learn more about the monkey-catching game when the level ends. Just like how Team Asobi did it for Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot has a ton of PlayStation Easter Eggs. Besides the standard Bots, there are over 100 bots that are dressed up as past PlayStation characters. There are even soem dressed up as characters from third-party games, like Resident Evil and Tomb Raider. All the VIP bots are well thought out, as each one has tongue-in-cheek descriptions and is all-around adorable.

We listened to your comments and now, Astro is back in a super-sized space adventure, his biggest to date. The Stranded Scout, Nightmare Guardian, Greedy Ape, and Pro Driver Cameo Bots will only be available at the Crash Site once players have unlocked them in Astro’s Playroom. The news that fans can expect more Astro Bot was met with praise, though some hoped it would not lead to a yearly release schedule. Part of Astro Bot’s success was the lengthy development time and attention given to the game. Many hope Sony will simply let Team Asobi do its thing and are perfectly content giving the next game the time it needs. During the interview, the creative director revealed that they plan on adding Speedrun Levels as part of the DLC, where players can rescue new VIP Bots.

It’s a riot of collectibles and hub world distractions, and it’s thought about your time, too, and how to make the best of it. It looks absolutely stunning and perfect for a family-friendly platformer. The whole aesthetic and atmosphere of the game are enhanced by its distinct and recognizable designs. To add to this, the game’s callbacks to its older and other IPs by integrating character designs into Astro Bot are amazing as well, since they’re instantly recognizable the moment you see them. The animations are also a work of art since they took time to make unique interactions for the special bots.

Each level is designed with unique obstacles, hidden secrets, and creative mechanics that require precision and quick thinking. The game combines classic platforming elements with modern gameplay innovations, making every stage feel fresh and engaging. I don’t know if I’ve ever played a platformer before where I enjoyed literally every single boss fight and level, but I can confidently say that about Astro Bot.

It ramps up the platforming and combat sequences via an approachable but challenging incline and chains these little moments together in such a way that there’s never a lull in any level. Whereas many platformers may drill down on a key feature or small set of features, Astro Bot displays confidence by often disposing of exciting new tools shortly after introducing them. It expresses iteration in cycles of five minutes each, rather than iterating on one idea for five or more hours, which I find both refreshing and bold.