By Sony PlayStation’s live-service multiplayer game “Concord” crashed and burned the other day, the mixed-review title took eight years to build and was pulled from release after just two weeks in what can only be described as a disastrous launch.
When it comes to single-player titles though, Sony’s track record is far better and returning to that well, the company has once again unleashed a serious Game of the Year contender.
Reviews have just gone live for “Astro Bot,” a charming and nostalgic platformer that takes the free 3-6 hour “Astro’s Playroom” title included with every PS5 and expands on it with a game four times its size and akin to a full “Super Mario” title.
Crafted in just three years by Team Asobi which is made up of just 65 developers, the title spans 80 levels. Suitable for all ages, the game is sold on having its focus being on “gameplay, creativity and quality”.
With 98 reviews counted, the title has racked up an astonishing 94/100 on Metacritic. That’s the highest score of any new full game release this year and the second highest of any title on any platform – behind only the “Elden Ring” DLC ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ at 95. It also puts this firmly as a ‘Game of the Year’ contender come awards time.
Not a single negative review is on that list, even the lowest score is at 7.8/10 with a ton of 9/10 & 10/10 scores. Here’s a sampling of reviews:
“Astro Bot only cares about fun, and I genuinely can’t think of a single moment it made me wish something had been handled differently, tweaked to be easier, or expanded upon. It’s just perfect.” – VG247
“You tend to start writing lines in your head when compiling a review, and one that stuck with me early was to call Astro Bot ‘the best platformer since Super Mario Odyssey’. Then I played a little more and started to think ‘maybe it’s better’.” – TheGamer
“I entered the game hoping it would recreate the same sense of magic that Astro’s Playroom brought to life so wonderfully, but what I instead discovered was a true elevation in every sense… This is beyond being an entertaining platformer. It’s one of the most carefully considered and impressive games I have ever played” – Gaming Bible
“Astro Bot, a generally exceptional, imaginative game, features a white, heroic robot with pixelated eyes of blue who waddles tentatively through the universe like a toddler. But Astro is an ardent puzzle-solver, too, in a game that is a mammoth, interactive pop culture history.” – The New York Times
“In its playful personality and incredibly inventive design, Astro Bot reminds me a lot of Mario Odyssey. It truly does sit alongside the best platformers of all time, providing some moments of pure magic and joy. Considering how smart and unexpected much of Astro Bot is, the possibilities for future adventures are endless.” – Twinfinite
“I’m a firm believer in there being too much of a good thing. So in my first few hours of Astro Bot, I kept thinking, ‘Can this really be sustained through to the credits without losing its charm?’ The answer is a bonafide yes. The reason is nothing ever felt half-baked. Team Asobi brought so much creativity and thoughtfulness to their game, that you can’t help but want to spend more time playing.” – Pocket-Lint
“Astro Bot” is available exclusively for the PS5 from Friday.
The post “Astro Bot” Gets ‘Game of the Year’ Reviews appeared first on Dark Horizons.
