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I imagine that those who are immune to Astro Bot‘s charms are the sort of people who don’t like Pixar movies. You know what I mean. Team Asboi’s platforming masterpiece is an enchanting game, stuffed with unbridled imagination and colorful whimsy during every minute of gameplay. Astro Bot builds upon the ingenious Astro’s Playroom in all the right ways. It’s a fully-fledged adventure that elicits one emotion above all others: Joy. But it’s not perfect. In particular, there’s one major change I’d love to see incorporated into the inevitable Astro Bot 2.
An Astro-Nomical Delight
I should make it immediately clear, in case there’s any doubt, that I adore Astro Bot. I haven’t had so much pure fun and grinned as widely since… well, I can’t remember. If my wife was reading I’d probably say since playing with the kids or something. Team Asobi’s latest release featuring the plucky robot is a tour de force of creativity, polished to a sheen, and mechanically a delight to play. And I’m far from the only one to make that assessment.
Of course, it helps that Astro Bot dishes out the nostalgia juice with such relish that I thought I might choke. Seeing Helghast from the dormant Killzone series, Sly Cooper hiding in a safe, and Daxter resuscitating Jak after I’d whacked the former PlayStation icon, brought a lump to my throat. Bittersweet moments indeed. For all that it’s a celebration of PlayStation’s long and storied history, Astro Bot also felt at times like a funereal wake.
That said, all somber reflection is soon washed away by Astro Bot‘s thumping soundtrack, eye-popping visuals and astonishing attention to detail. For the sequel we’ll call Astro Bot 2, much of what made Astro Bot such a joy should stay. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, as the saying goes.
Bot There’s Room for Improvement for Astro Bot 2
For all its brilliance, though, Astro Bot isn’t perfect. There are a few small niggles, only really noticeable because the majority of the game is so close to flawlessness. For example, the green alien dude who served as the primary antagonist is disappointingly generic when compared to the rampant creativity on display elsewhere. Astro’s foil should be silly and self-aware, of course. But, like all great villains, he should be in more direct conflict with the protagonist. For reference, Team Asobi, see Ratchet and Clank’s nemesis, Dr. Nefarious. Now there’s a fantastic cartoon bad guy.
I also thought the photo mode being locked behind progress was a bizarre decision. And some of the challenge levels still give me nightmares now. But by far my biggest issue with Astro Bot, and what I sincerely hope is improved in Astro Bot 2, is your level of interaction with the bots you find and their involvement in the levels. Let me explain.
You’ve Done Well, Boy
I doubt I’m the only one who found the God of War-themed level in Astro Bot the highlight of the game. Everything about it, from the Leviathan Axe to the level design and, of course, hilarious musical theme, was brilliant. But I couldn’t help but wish, perhaps selfishly, that these character-centric worlds were the norm, rather than as end-of-system highlights. I’d also love Astro Bot 2 to feature battling and exploring alongside these iconic characters. Astro Bot treated us to a brief moment of this in the Uncharted-themed level, but it was all-too-fleeting.
Similar applies to the role of the bots within the levels. It would be great if the bots took a more active role in the levels, rather than just standing around waiting to be rescued. Imagine a Blackwater City-themed level from Ratchet and Clank, complete with hoverboards. Or a tongue-in-cheek heist mission alongside Sly Cooper, all with Astro Bot‘s trademark humor. As creative as Astro Bot‘s levels are, many unfortunately lack a clear identity, failing to make as lasting mark in my memory.
I grinned when I first rescued a cohort of the cute androids and saw them populate the Crash Site. The same happened when I thwacked every one of them, reveling in their beautifully-animated sequences. But I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment that the interactivity ended there. After a while, even the Special Bots came to feel like window dressing, glorified trophies marking my progress, rather than actual characters. If we have the opportunity to traverse levels alongside them, rather than just rescuing them, this might feel quite different.
In the end, though, the suggestions of what I’d like to see in Astro Bot 2 aren’t complaints. Team Asobi’s triumph is nothing short of a masterpiece of joyous game design and should be recognized as such. I only hope that the developer can build on Astro Bot‘s foundations and yet again produce a sequel that redefines our expectations of what a modern platformer can be. After the successful leap from Astro’s Playroom to Astro Bot, I for one have complete faith in them.
