“Astro Bot” finally gives the adorable PlayStation mascot its own game

Sony Interactive Entertainment

On Thursday, Sony's State of Play livestream revealed all of the company's gaming plans for the remainder of 2024.

Most were disappointing.

Except for a few updates on the remake Silent Hill 2like a remaster Until Dawnand PC port God of War: Ragnarokthere were only a handful of new games to show off, the biggest of which was Firewalk Studios' Concordeis a new multiplayer shooter whose CGI-only trailer barely showcases any gameplay, leaving audiences confused as to what the game actually is.

The one bright spot was the announcement at the end of the stream of a cute platform game starring a chibi robot. Astro BotThis is something to be excited about.

Astro Bot Astro was first introduced in a stripped-down form in 2013, and is the character's first full-fledged platform game, having previously appeared in tech demos to coincide with new hardware releases as an ambassador for PlayStation. playroomis a collection of AR games that will ship with the PlayStation 4 and show off the capabilities of the console's PlayStation Camera and DualShock 4 controller. Astro Bot Rescue MissionA mini-game-focused title created to showcase the capabilities of the PlayStation VR headset. Astro's PlayroomIt was released in 2020 as a bundled title for the new PlayStation 5 console.

Now Astro is making the leap into his own full game, but why would anyone care about a faceless robot that only appeared in a PlayStation tech demo?

First of all, he's shit. AdorableDespite having a pixelated screen in place of a face, Astro embodies a little of the theatricality of Pixar characters with his slapstick behavior and emotive body language. Astro's Playroom Harnessing the power of the PlayStation 5, it has created a visually stunning world centered around the title's bots, and in the process, shown players that modern games can rival the look of most big-budget animated films.

Astro's Playroom It ended up being a big promotion for PlayStation. The game is short, can be completed in around three hours, takes place within the PlayStation 5 console, and features individual biomes focused on taking advantage of each of the system's features, such as the DualSense controller's adaptive triggers and motion controls. Players must learn how to make the most of the system's features to complete levels, but along the way they'll cross over into playfully recreated scenes from the brand's biggest franchises. Unknown World, God of Warand resident evilFor the visual museum, we will also be collecting PlayStation 1-4 and dozens of other pieces of vintage technology from Sony's history.

It's actually a lot of fun. There's nothing modest about the game as it's a self-indulgent celebration of all things PlayStation. But as a family-friendly platformer, it's playable and surprisingly charming. It's not Sony's answer to Mario, but it shows potential.

That infuriated fans. Astro BotTouted to have more than 50 worlds to explore, the game appears to be PlayStation's first long-awaited attempt to re-enter the “mascot” platformer genre, a genre that defined much of the brand's early success. Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon On the original PlayStation. Previous tech demos had teased the brand's other franchises with cheeky appearances by robots dressed as some of its most famous characters, but Astro Bot It seems to be going perfectly. Kingdom hearts The route sees the protagonist dive into various game worlds and adventure alongside chibibot versions of Nathan Drake, Kratos, etc. From the trailer released, the gameplay seems to follow the basic movement, combat, and exploration aspects. playroomHowever, it will be on a much larger scale. Other details, such as the game's length or new mechanics, are unknown.

These kinds of games with brand ambassador-like characters are largely a thing of the past: Apart from Nintendo's Mario, most of the games industry's big mascots have been pushed aside over the past two decades as military shooters and fantasy sci-fi blockbusters aimed at mature audiences have taken over the industry. Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the DragonOnce closely tied to the PlayStation brand, it's now a free agent, appearing occasionally cross-platform as a remaster or legacy sequel.

PlayStation's last attempt to rekindle the mascot merchandising craze was LittleBigPlanet Sackboy has all but disappeared as the series slowly tapered off since 2014. LittleBigPlanet 3 And the 2020s Sackboy: The Great AdventureSega Sonic the hedgehog As third-party publishers release products one after another, Sonic He has tried games of all shapes and sizes but has never landed on a solid vision to lead the Speedster into the future.

With few competitors around, now is the perfect time for a new challenger to rise and revive the mascot wars of '90s video games, a job that Astro is perfectly suited to do. Starring in the title that will ship with every PS5, Astro is already in more than 50 million homes worldwide. It's the strategy that made Mario famous, and it could be the catalyst for the rise of a new franchise.

Somewhere in a Japanese boardroom, someone must already be planning a cross-media acquisition of Astro. Astro Bot The films being released in theaters this decade are coming in the midst of a wave of brutal AAA action games from fall to winter. Astro Bot This candy-colored relief pitching line-up could be just what players need this holiday season.

So embrace Astro, for he is the arbiter of what is to come.