Astro Bot may be the best-timed video game release there’s ever been. It’s not intentional, but just days after Sony humiliated itself with the closure of Concord, along comes a PlayStation 5 exclusive dedicated to celebrating the 30 year history of PlayStation. Not only that but it’s a single-player action game with no microtransactions or season passes, or any of the other increasingly invasive hallmarks of modern console gaming. Astro Bot is filled to the brim with Easter Eggs, but there are also some secrets to find and special unlockables to earn for finding bots and puzzle pieces. Here’s what you can earn by collecting Astro Bot’s many collectibles, and the many, many easter eggs to look out for. Other than say Ride 4 having a Forza Motorsport 1&2 region mechanic expanded upon I can’t say I’ve come across similar in the racing genre or many others as many devs just copy and paste to compete….

Lastly, the game even has a ton of gameplay callbacks to their older IPs which pulls the nostalgia strings perfectly. What elevates that beyond a bit of throwback nostalgia is that developer Team Asobi may be the most skilled studio working today when it comes down to game feel. Astro Bot plays like a dream thanks to its ultra precise movement. Part of its secret weapon is Astro’s hover jump, which lets him float in the air a bit longer before landing.

The sequel to a simple pack-in game is a flawless love letter to both PlayStation’s history and video games in general. Carefully jump onto the invisible platforms above the other sunken stones in the desert until you reach the other side (remember to use your booster dog). Open it and take the secret exit to unlock the High-Suction Hero level in the Lost Galaxy. There are secret exits in several Astro Bot levels, all of which will unlock a new stage in the mysterious Lost Galaxy nebula.

In Helium Heights, with the help of the inflator power-up soar high above the clouds through a floating balloon fiesta. Get ready for some helium-filled hijinks as you take off, ride upward gusts of wind, and race to the goal to rescue your captured crewmates. With your new powers, battle out a whole new roster of quirky baddies and huge bosses.

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I disagree that a platform game, however good, is a perfect score. Bug free and fun does not meet a 10 score, which I was perfectly capable of assessing at age 10. This year alone there has been some first class games released all over the shop. Could it just be that all the critics are right and this is a good game? Not overhyped, not over exaggerated, just a bug free, well made bit of fun.

Super Mario Odyssey

One level even features a singing tree, and its song is something I’ll be humming for a long time. That, in a nutshell, is what the first minutes of the game look like. There’s nothing beyond familiar forms and frameworks, yet it still manages to bring a smile to our faces.

This game’s secrets have secrets, with more hidden levels being revealed at a steady clip whenever you inch closer to polishing off each galaxy’s to-do list. There are 300 in total, though you only need 200 to face the final boss, and over half of them are dressed up as iconic characters from video game history. With https://f168.direct/ on lock, Team Asobi lets players focus on Astro Bot’s wildly inventive level design. In one level, I get a power-up that lets me shrink Astro down to the size of an ant on command. That leads me through a fantastic puzzle-platformer gauntlet where I need to shrink down to climb into a lock or hop up a tree’s leaves.

On the flipside, speedrunners should enjoy Astro Bot as well, since it offers planets of platforming challenges with incredibly responsive controls. The simplest way to describe Astro Bot is honestly to compare it to Mario, as it employs a similar kind of “world” structure. There are six themed galaxies you’ll explore, each of which is filled with a handful of main story worlds, hidden extra levels and challenges, a boss battle, and a final world themed after a prominent PlayStation franchise. Astro Bot is such a wonderful experience, it makes me question if I’ve ever felt this much pure joy playing other games I’m fond of. From its tight design to its incredible visuals to mechanics that feel carefully tested to generate as much pleasure as possible, Sony has its new standard bearer for platformers.