Future Classic
Modern games you’ll still be playing in years to come
After delighting new PS5 owners as an opening act to showcase the console’s unique features, Astro Bot was finally ready for prime time as Team Asobi made a fully fledged 3D platformer with polished production values channeling Nintendo magic and PlayStation history
Words by Alan Wen
Info
» System: PlayStation 5
» Year: 2024
» Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
» Developer: Team Asobi
» Key People: Nicolas Doucet, Sebastian Brueckner, Kenny Young
Go Deeper
» The Astro Bot series began with AR Bots, which appeared in The Playroom, a collection of augmented reality minigames that was preinstalled with every PS4.
» Team Asobi considered an open-world structure before settling on a huge variety of levels (the hub still branches out though)
» [PlayStation 5] Look out for hardware and peripherals, including some deep cuts, from PlayStation’s history through the game.
ASTRO BOT
THE BACKGROUND
You don’t really get mascot characters in games anymore. Sure, PlayStation has its share of beloved and iconic characters but these are from more mature and realistic stories, not what you might find turned into a plushy or big cuddly suit on a convention floor. Except for Astro Bot, who kind of stumbled into the role accidentally.