Astro's Playroom
Main game
4.21 average rating based on 1187 ratings
- Developers
- SIE Japan Studio
- Publishers
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Series
- Astro
- Platforms
- PlayStation 5
- Genres
- Adventure, Platform
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction
Release Dates
User Stats
How Long Is Astro's Playroom?
so yes it does so blatantly leverage your nostalgia against you but MAYBE I LIKE IT THAT WAY
okay sooo I recently acquired a PS5
- this thing is frickin huge and I did not plan ahead on how to store it
- i had no freakin idea what to play!
After ageing 84 years while it downloaded the PS5 upgrade for Ghost of Tsushima, and being mildly underwhelmed by said upgrade when I booted it up, I decided HEY theres that funny little robot game everyone raves about, let me just play that!
Now I went in knowing the hype, knowing that this little robot dude was deciding whether the ps5 sank or swam, knowing that my buyers remorse would only be dispelled by his funny little digital face and the rumbles he sent down my dualsense, knowing that this goofy semi-mascot had the herculean task of living up to the lineage of sony stars that paved the way for his shiny metal azz to run around my screen, and well?
I'm not gonna bother w a pro and cons list or yadda yadda, what I will say is Sackboy A Big Adventure has a lotttttt to live up to, Mario Odyssey was found wigless dead in a ditch and that i WILL sacrifice [somebody else's] firstborn ( I …
okay sooo I recently acquired a PS5
- this thing is frickin huge and I did not plan ahead on how to store it
- i had no freakin idea what to play!
After ageing 84 years while it downloaded the PS5 upgrade for Ghost of Tsushima, and being mildly underwhelmed by said upgrade when I booted it up, I decided HEY theres that funny little robot game everyone raves about, let me just play that!
Now I went in knowing the hype, knowing that this little robot dude was deciding whether the ps5 sank or swam, knowing that my buyers remorse would only be dispelled by his funny little digital face and the rumbles he sent down my dualsense, knowing that this goofy semi-mascot had the herculean task of living up to the lineage of sony stars that paved the way for his shiny metal azz to run around my screen, and well?
I'm not gonna bother w a pro and cons list or yadda yadda, what I will say is Sackboy A Big Adventure has a lotttttt to live up to, Mario Odyssey was found wigless dead in a ditch and that i WILL sacrifice [somebody else's] firstborn ( I dont plan on ever having kids x) for us to receive a full length, fully funded, fully promoted Astrobot platform-game extravaganza
A flawless next gen experience
Astro's Playroom is a tutorialish tech demo for a next gen console that is one of the most surprising games I've ever played. The game let's you experience a journey that playstation has made since it's release, and it does it with a blast. It's an excellent platformer with beyond cool easter eggs and a true playstation museum. It shows the true power of the dualsense and creates a very unique experience while playing. This short demo was cooler than Mario Odyssey and I would be happy to pay full price for a longer title like this, a must play for everyone who decided to get the PS5...
... And also it's my first ever platinum ;)
10/10
ASTROnomously great title!
~Wo
Wow!
A game definitely deserving of all the praise it receives. Nominally, it's a showcase for the power of the PS5 and the DualSense. But they couched it in this environment that reveres the history of Playstation in such a charming way and they made the gameplay really interesting and fun to boot. A must play for every PS5 owner.
What a fantastic little game - and it's even free!
Out of nowhere comes this cute, fantastic and lovely game. And the best part: It's absolutely free! At least if you're a lucky owner of the PS5, that is. But still, the fact that a game with such smooth and fun gameplay (better than most games nowadays tbh) is free is amazing. I enjoyed the hell out of it, even if it were just a few hours, and I collected every goddamn collectible in the game (and I NEVER collect everything in games). The different levels are exciting and not repetitive at all. And oh boy, this game was such a trip down memory lane. You can see the great history of Sony/Playstation everywhere and the easter eggs and hommages of popular games such as Bloodborne or Devil may Cry are just absolutely adorable. Furthermore, showcasing the possibilites of the new console and especially the controller gets me excited about all the games yet to release on PS5.
If you own a PS5, do yourself a favour and enjoy a few hours of pure fun! You won't regret it! And Asobi, I would pay for a sequel with more content! :)
Love letter to PS fans
What a wonderful title this turned out to be. I could not be happier with how this turned out. As a small title that was supposed to showcase the new DualSense controller, which it did amazingly, it sure did turn out to be special through and through.
If you've enjoyed PS over the years like I have, this is a 100% must play. All the little nods and Easter eggs is quite a site to behold. You never know what's going to be around the next corner and I was constantly grinning like a school boy. This game brought me so much joy. And having my kids sit and play with me made it just that much more enjoyable.
On top of all the fun PS stuff there is a great platformer in here. Tight controls and and fun mechanics the whole way through. Special suits in each area that are unique and entertaining and never annoying.
In about 4-6 hours I got the platinum trophy and I still wanna run around this special world. More games like this, please!
Bullet Point Review
PROS
- Gorgeous visuals and catchy music
- Highly polished controls and interface
- Impressively showcases the DualSense's capabilities
- Celebrates PlayStation history in an earnest and endearing way
- Astro is cute af
CONS
- At the end of the day, it's an extremely basic 3D platformer that's essentially just an appeal to PlayStation users' nostalgia for the platforms in order to deepen their emotional connection -- and therefore their loyalty -- to the brand
mpbarlow's review of Astro's Playroom
This review is for the PlayStation 5 version
No-one needed to put so much effort and love into what is effectively a tech demo for a controller, but I’m really glad they did.
The game itself isn’t long (though longer than you’d expect for a freebie), but the level of polish is absolutely off the scale. The unique features of the DualSense are turned into cute and actually really fun gameplay mechanics, and it’s delightful to just run around in the little worlds they’ve created, watching other bots re-enact classic PlayStation games from over the years.
Then obviously there’s the ode to PlayStation itself; the artefacts and art murals unlocked by finding hidden collectibles in levels. These are modelled with such care and accuracy that they’re lovely to just fiddle about with. Looking down over a completed lab just feels terrific. What an excellent thing to pack in with the PS5.
The most fun I've had playing a tech demo
It's impossible to forget at any point while playing it, that this game is a long, elaborate demo of and hype-engine for the PS5 and its interface features. It's also full of nostalgic references both to iconic characters from past Playstation games, and also to the hardware of past Playstation generations itself.
That being said, it's also a genuinely enjoyable game experience. It's a solid platformer with plenty of character and sufficient variety & challenge to keep it interesting all the way through its relatively short play time. Also, it does an especially good job of showcasing the new abilities of the DualSense controller; before I played the game I wasn't excited about the new controller, and now I am. Well played, Asobi.
Beautiful Way to Start a Generation
This was an absolutely delightful way to start this console generation. I really loved this beautiful, charming 3D platformer and its nostalgia trip celebration of Playstation history. It also does a great job of introducing the many cool features of the DualSense controller.
Big up to Sony for giving this away with the console. Not all video game developers would give away this kind of intro-to-the console launch title for free. I’m looking at you Nintendo.
This little gem alone has made this my most delightful first experience with a new console.
Really Hecking Fun
This review is for the PlayStation 5 version
It would be easy to skip this game, but don't! Be the monkey! Be the spring thing!
I was surprised by just how cute the game was as well as how surprisingly fun and catchy the music and general sound design were throughout.
△○⨉□
I'll echo what my friend @peterwooley said in his review from last year: This is the best console pack-in since Wii Sports, and probably the best introduction to a console's controller since then, too. I could not put this down, which is kind of a shame since it doesn't take long to complete! Very excited to see what Team Asobi cooks up next.
Astro's Playroom
Astro's Playroom makes for a marvelous debut to a new console generation, serving as a delightful homage to the history of Playstation, even if the DualSense's clunky motion control sequences dampen the experience a bit.
The Best Tech Demo Ever
Astro's Playroom is near flawless. Nothing will make you appreciate your PS5 as much as Astro's Playroom does(and I mean currently until the next gen exclusives are out).
A perfect platformer that keeps giving several entertaining moments with ingenious use of every available PS5 feature. Also hey, it's free! What have you got to lose?
Astro’s Playroom is a Delight!
I played a lot of Wii Sports and believe it's my favorite pack-in game, but Astro's Playroom has no right to be this fun.
I loved Astro Bot Rescue Mission in VR and this game takes my nostalgia for that game, combines it with all of my Sony gaming nostalgia, and then plays with every feature of the DualSense controller. And it loads levels in 4 seconds or less. Gah, so good.
We've beaten three times and each time it's a delight.
Still one of the best games on the Playstation 5
This review is for the PlayStation 5 version
Astro's Playroom is essentially the Wii Sports or Nintendoland of the PS5 – in the sense that it’s a tech demo on what the Dualsense controller can do. But don’t be fooled – From the same developers that brought us Ape Escape it is not surprising that Astro’s Playroom is both full of control innovations and oozing charm from every nook and cranny, despite its short length.
Premise wise, you play as Astro – the little robot that has been PlayStation’s mascot since the PS4 days, in a linear collectathon style platformer somewhere inbetween the early Crash Bandicoot and Spyro games. Controls are limited but very responsive – certain segments will shake up the control style to make use of one or more of the DualSense’s features, such as the haptic feedback triggers, the touch pad, gyro and the microphone (optional thankfully), but by and large it is a very intuitive and basic platformer harkening back to the glory days of the genre.
What makes it stand out however is that the entire world and all the levels are presented as being stored inside the Playstation itself. You have levels based in the memory, the SSD, the cooling unit, etc …
Astro's Playroom is essentially the Wii Sports or Nintendoland of the PS5 – in the sense that it’s a tech demo on what the Dualsense controller can do. But don’t be fooled – From the same developers that brought us Ape Escape it is not surprising that Astro’s Playroom is both full of control innovations and oozing charm from every nook and cranny, despite its short length.
Premise wise, you play as Astro – the little robot that has been PlayStation’s mascot since the PS4 days, in a linear collectathon style platformer somewhere inbetween the early Crash Bandicoot and Spyro games. Controls are limited but very responsive – certain segments will shake up the control style to make use of one or more of the DualSense’s features, such as the haptic feedback triggers, the touch pad, gyro and the microphone (optional thankfully), but by and large it is a very intuitive and basic platformer harkening back to the glory days of the genre.
What makes it stand out however is that the entire world and all the levels are presented as being stored inside the Playstation itself. You have levels based in the memory, the SSD, the cooling unit, etc – and all of them are themed after one of the four previous generations of Playstation, with collectable “Artefacts” that are accessories and hardware available at the time. Everything from the original Playstation to the PSVR Headset can be found in game, including some stuff I’d never seen before. If you grew up with Playstation as I did, or are a retro hobbyist – it’s incredibly satisfying discovering these artefacts around the levels and digging them up to see what they are. Some of them are even quite well hidden in their own way – but not frustratingly so, you might have to revisit an area, but rarely will you be totally stumped where to look.
Other collectables include puzzle pieces, which when collected fill out massive posters detailing PlayStation’s history with cool artwork, and coins which can be used in a machine to win prizes, not unlike Ape Escape 2 – although with a more interactive process. These are mostly more puzzle pieces and ornaments you can look at, or occasionally artefacts and duds. There’s no way to choose what order they come out in, but if you’re like me and collect all the coins you find in every level you will be able to get all of them by playing each level twice give or take.
The titular playroom itself is full of other robots playing on the consoles or hiding in the accessories – there’s loads of neat little easter eggs if you try to use any of the consoles and controllers – sometimes it’ll just be the disc try opening, other times it’ll play that console’s startup sound, or reveal hidden robots. It’s very adorable and genuinely fun to play in.
Speaking of Easter Eggs – the robots are also dotted around the levels, sometimes cosplaying as famous PlayStation characters – I spotted Aloy, Cloud, Dante, whatshisface from God Of War (never played it, soz), what I think was a monster hunter campfire, Spike/Hikaru from Ape Escape, Sir Daniel Fortesque, the guy from Death Stranding, Pyramid Head, Sackboy, Locoroco, Solid Snake, Jill Valentine, Castlevania, Nathan Drake, Journey Laura Croft, Kazuya & Heihachi and a few others that I’m sure were unique but I didn’t recognize.
This game is full of fan service to PlayStation fans of any generation – but even if this is your first Playstation the game is decent enough on its own to hook you in and enjoy the aesthetics even if you don’t get all the references.
My favourite part of the game is the final boss – which sees you fighting the Playstation Dinosaur from the very early PS1 tech demos in rendering 3d models. It’s actually a pretty tough fight. You have some mini bosses in some of the levels, but this is the only one that truly tested your skills. It’s not a roadblock, but a satisfying challenge and a great way to round off the game. It reminds me of early Kingdom Hearts 1 bosses in which patience is of the essence but overall very doable.
The game also has a speedrun section – which provides 8 mini levels to test your speedrunning chops on. My leaderboard positions are not high, but I’m honestly happy to see these kind of things return – they’re very fun to grind at in the Crash Bandicoot gams and Tony Hawk remake.
That’s about all the game has to offer you – and for the price of £0.00 it is well worth checking out. If you’re a fan of platformers this is a solid one, if you have any nostalgia or interest in PlayStation’s history this is a gold mine, or if you just want a demonstration in what the DualSense is capable of it’s a fine example of that.
I compared this game to Wii Sports and Nintendoland at the beginning, and that is high praise. Astro’s Playroom feels like a Nintendo launch title but for a much more powerful system. It captures the same fun and wonder that you’d get from Mario 64, Luigi’s Mansion, Wii Sports, Nintendo Land…maybe not 1, 2 Switch, but the others definitely.
Astro’s Playroom is the first game I would recommend any PS5 owner trying – it’s free, and it’s genuinely great fun. Even now I’ve 100%ed it I can imagine wanting to do it all over again and maybe try and improve my speedrun scores very soon. I have very little bad to say about the game, it’s not trying to be The Last of Us or anything, and for what it is it’s perfect.
Very surprised how much I appreciated Astro's Playroom on my PS5. In fact this is the first game I played and got the platinum on my new system despite having Demon's Soul and Spier-Man Miles Morales ! It's an hommage to PlayStation's gaming history. Very cute and well executed, the game life won't exceed 5 to 6 hours depending on how eager you want to play it before playing beefier games on your system. I was truly enchanted by the time spent on the various environments and how much fun I had to play with its simple mechanics. It's really playing a Super Mario 64 but on a PlayStation system. The game is preinstalled on the system so you don't even have to buy it ... well the console is 500 bucks so in a way it's quite an expensive game haha ! It makes the dualsense controler shine in every aspect in showing in which direction Sony expects gaming to go. I hopre the numerous features of the dualsense will be harnessed in future games besides the ones of Sony.
This has ended up being one of my games of the year, loved this! The perfect package to introduce you to the PS5. Loved the artefacts coming together to make a sort of Playstation museum. As someone who has been playing since PS1 it was a proper nostalgia fest.