Hearing that new video game system you’re about to buy comes with a free title designed to show off its special capabilities likely calls to mind some paltry minigame compilation à la Welcome Park on PS Vita. Sony has actually preloaded their latest home console with a full-fledged 3D collect-a-thon platformer of remarkable quality though! It may not end up being as iconic as Wii Sports, but is a very welcome member of the PS5’s library nonetheless.

It feels like a gleeful celebration of the company’s long history. Not in a supercilious, self-aggrandizing way, but in a manner more akin to sitting down with an old friend and reminiscing fond memories. Everywhere you look there’s an Easter egg or deep cut reference that’s been lovingly placed there to bring a smile to the face of any abiding PlayStation devotee while reminding them of the types of experiences they can’t get anywhere else.

As delightful as all of that is though, it’s the gameplay that matters most and if that didn’t hold up then this package would carry no value. Astro’s Playroom manages to succeed due to spacing out the stages meant to make use of the controller’s unique functions with excellent traditional ones that you can explore and grab things in at your leisure. The levels that see you tilting the DualSense and playing around with its touchpad and adaptive triggers admittedly are a tad gimmicky (especially those dang frog suit sections), but remain fun in spite of that by never outstaying their welcome.

Another aspect that really impressed me was the sheer amount of interactivity. In the starting hub area alone, you can smack all of the little Bots to have them tag along behind you and amass a huge horde of followers. What purpose does this serve? None as far as I can tell! It's just a single example of the many neat little features the devs have included that allow you to find extra amusement in engaging with your surroundings. It's something I wish more games would do.

This might also be the perfect length, striking that nice balance between charming demo you spend a little time with before moving on to the games you actually bought the console for and a more fulfilling offering that can keep you coming back for a few additional hours via the healthy amount of collectibles to hunt down. AP won't be on any top ten of the PS5's lifespan lists when all is said and done, yet is a fantastic freebie regardless that there's absolutely no reason for you to not check out if you own the hardware.

9/10

isto pode parecer uma forma subtil de dizer que tenho uma PS5, mas na verdade é bem pior: é uma forma subtil de dizer que tenho um namorado.

quando instalei isto pela primeira vez joguei um pouco e imediatamente apaguei o meu save porque sabia que ele ia adorar, ele não percebe nada de videojogos então it was really fun vê-lo a jogar, e a ficar fascinado que o comando treme (ele descobriu sobre isto quando estávamos a jogar It Takes Two no ano novo na PS4, nunca me tinha apercebido que existem pessoas que não sabem que o comando reage e foi muito insightful e deixou-me muito feliz vê-lo tão investido), que os gatilhos reagem e a interagir com tantas mecânicas, é tipo abrir a porta para um mundo novo a alguém, é viciante vê-lo sorrir e surpreso com o que vê à frente dele.

o jogo é muito divertido e genuinamente deixa-me triste saber que a PlayStation não vai investir seriamente neste mercado, de diversão mecânica e pura, sem grandes truques narrativos, quase que tivemos algo quando o playlink surgiu, mas foi apenas outra gimmick que morreu tão rápido quanto nasceu, ainda te amo És Tu, Saber é Poder, Chimparty e Frantics.... gostava de meter o bichinho da playStation no meu bolso e andar por aí a mostrar-lhe coisas.

Review: Astro’s Playroom

Story

There isn’t really a story present to be honest, you just get taken trough levels detailing the PS5 hardware and making you search for artifacts of the PlayStation timeline. All levels are very fun and filled with references to other successful game’s that were on the PlayStation. Your goal is to collect every artifact including stuff like a PS One, PlayStation 2, 3… and also to collect puzzle pieces which in the end reveal a wall painting of Sony throughout the years.

Gameplay

This is a tech demo so you’re pretty much expecting solid gameplay since that is what they try to showcase with this. They utilize the DualShock Sense in every way possible, showing you all that it can do. It is a fun platformer with solid controls and no difficulties at all when you try to navigate.

Sounds

Composed by Kenneth C.W. Young, the game consist of very calming music which really puts you at ease while playing this game. It’s perfect for relieving you of stress and making you enjoy the moment. The music played whilst going for the speedruns is also very fitting and hypes you up.

Graphics

A new generation of console so of course they showcase the graphical power of a PlayStation 5. IT has very good visuals with a lot of colors are a very alive looking world. The visual effects like rain are also very immersive.

Conclusion

First time I got my PlayStation 5, I didn’t pay attention to this. To be honest I didn’t even know it was there or what it was. Only after getting into trophy hunting and seeing this game it got my attention. So I started a new account to complete my backlog and this was the first game I tackled and man was it a blast! It is my very first platformer and it really makes me want to play more platformers. It is a perfect starting title for when you get your PlayStation 5 and I’d recommend this to anyone no matter what type of gamer you are!

Overall Score: 8/10
Platinum Experience: 9/10
Completion Time: 2 Hours

A pack in title that is a not at all veiled product advertisement should not be nearly as fun to complete as this.

The Music Bangs, The Mechanics Jam, The Vibe is Fun.

Its worth it as a play. if you have a ps5 its free so you arent really losing anything but time if you hate it.

Despite owning a PS5 for nearly 2 years now, I have only just got around to playing this game packed in the console. I had always heard how great it was and how it was still the best example of utilising the features of the PS5 controller. I'm glad I finally got around to it as it really was a delight to play. The stuff it does with the controller really is wonderful and definitely the best use of it I've experienced. Even ignoring that, it's a good 3D platformer in its own right. Furthermore there is all the nostalgia you get from unlocking various bits and pieces of random tech from PlayStations history and then saying the other Astrobots performing scenes from classic PlayStation games. The only thing I can criticise about it was that there was some very frustrating motion control bits with a rocket ship and the monkey climbing was also very annoying. But overall it was a great time and I hope Team Asobi get chance to make a fully fledged game in the future.

For a pack-in game on the PS5, this is an incredibly fun, albeit short, game that despite being a tech demo to showcase the DualSense's capabilities makes it a very enjoyable and light-hearted experience. While PlayStation isn't well known for these kinds of games specifically, whenever they do put out something fun and light-hearted like this it's really fun.

It's a very fun platformer that really puts the DualSense controller's capabilities to excellent use and it was a consistent joy to play the whole way through. The artifacts you can collect and the environments as a whole were a massive love letter to PlayStation's long history in the gaming world, and collecting them all was not only fun but a great trip down memory lane looking at the many fun and memorable experiences PlayStation has delivered over the years through its various consoles and games, many of which were given nice shout-outs in some form or another.

If you ever do get a PS5, this game will be installed in it from the get-go, and absolutely do not skip it. It's really worth playing and is just one little joyful experience from beginning to end that makes the most of the DualSense's features in great ways.