And yes, Astro Bot looks to be a nostalgia-fest. Sure, when compared to Playroom, I think Astro Bot seems a bit more focused on being an excellent platformer rather than reveling in PlayStation history. But that’s to its benefit - levels like the watery/flamingo one don’t need to have references to Bloodborne every two feet to keep me happy. Rather, Astro Bot’s PlayStation celebration largely resides with the bots I’m rescuing through each level, some of whom are dressed up like favorites such as Ratchet, Rivet, PaRappa, and more. And I have reason to suspect fans of PlayStation’s biggest franchises might be well-rewarded for finishing certain levels. When I beat the octopus, for instance, I rescued a bot pair clad as Kratos and Atreus, who then flew off to an icy-looking planet I couldn’t access in the demo. If my reading is right, we might be in for a full-blown God of War-themed level in the full game, and perhaps more besides.
When Team Asobi first started making the Astro games, it was easy for me to mentally make a shorthand comparison of their work to Nintendo’s long history of platformers. Both have similar throughlines, especially with how the two make games that feel like touchable, experimental toys and how both emphasize playfulness, joy, and surprise. But I’m pretty well convinced Team Asobi is beyond chasing Nintendo’s pedigree. Built on the foundation of Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot seemed poised to elevate the Astro games into a league all their own, if they weren’t there already. You’re telling me they’ve got 80 levels of what I just played? Sign me up to fly with Astro and crew.