Astro Bot - PSVR - best game of all time?

[kerraig UK]

54 minutes ago, Qazimod said:

This came through the door today - my nephew is obsessed with the Playroom VR minigames, and ever since they patched in an Astro Bot promotion at the end of Robot Rescue it's been hard to avoid...so I ended up trading in some old stuff and picking it up. As for whether I'll have a chance to play it myself...  

 

Actually physically try not to smile while playing it. I guarantee you can't.

[Darwock]

I finished the last challenge to gold tonight, which means I'm finished everything... except there are still five hidden trophies towards the bottom of the list I haven't unlocked.

 

Sounds like a great reason to play through the whole game again! What are the odds of me actually discovering those trophies naturally though? Do I need to look them up?

 

I'm guessing they depend on specific/random events happening, like some of the trophies in the playroom VR (look at your tail etc)

[Vemsie]

 

Astro Bot was made in 18 months by a team of max. 26 people. Bodes well for a sequel I say.

[Mawdlin]

On 09/02/2019 at 15:27, Darwock said:

I finished the last challenge to gold tonight, which means I'm finished everything... except there are still five hidden trophies towards the bottom of the list I haven't unlocked.

 

Sounds like a great reason to play through the whole game again! What are the odds of me actually discovering those trophies naturally though? Do I need to look them up?

 

I'm guessing they depend on specific/random events happening, like some of the trophies in the playroom VR (look at your tail etc)

Astro Bot is the only game i've ever platinumed. I expect you will need to look around (ie crane your neck) for some of those last trophies. Surely there's no shame in looking them up though? Some will also involve the devices you pick up.

 

Essentially you could play it for another 20 hours and still not find them all.

[Darwock]

Yeah I relented and looked up what to do. There is one I would never have found in a million years:

 

averting your eyes when the spider's corset comes off

 

[kerraig UK]

Well stick a fork in me I'm done. 

 

5-2 Bots n Goblins. Or, Ghosts n bots or whatever

 

Just how much joy & ingenuity do you want to fit into a level. World 5 Astrobot is like a thesis.

This is possibly better than Mario for me. The single most joyful nostalgic, crafty, wholesome, supportive, perfect game I've ever played. There are so many layers & levels on which this environment works. Its so respectful of Nintendo, its so eager to embrace history. Its just gorgeous.

I want to find the developers of this game and give them a big hug and thank them for reaching out to me personally and holding my hand.

[Uncle Mike]

On 09/02/2019 at 15:27, Darwock said:

I finished the last challenge to gold tonight, which means I'm finished everything... except there are still five hidden trophies towards the bottom of the list I haven't unlocked.

 

Sounds like a great reason to play through the whole game again! What are the odds of me actually discovering those trophies naturally though? Do I need to look them up?

 

I'm guessing they depend on specific/random events happening, like some of the trophies in the playroom VR (look at your tail etc)

 

You can just click on the trophy, then press square to find out what it is.

[Parappa]

Can someone change the thread title to include 2019 

[dumpster]

1 hour ago, parrapatheslapper said:

Can someone change the thread title to include 2019 

Yup!

[dumpster]

9 hours ago, kerraig UK said:

This is possibly better than Mario for me. The single most joyful nostalgic, crafty, wholesome, supportive, perfect game I've ever played. There are so many layers & levels on which this environment works. Its so respectful of Nintendo, its so eager to embrace history. Its just gorgeous.
 

 

I originally called this thread something like, "AstroBot, the Mario beater that PSVR deserves" or something, and you can see on page one people discussing how hyperbolic that statement is, but even though I changed the title at the time, I genuinely do believe this to be a Mario Beater.  

 

It's not a like for like comparison of course and there are many things Mario Oddysey does better than Astrobot (number of levels for a start), but for me, the platform game genre has been around since the C64, and I remember one day playing Super Mario Brothers in a branch of Boots and having that "Holy Shit!" moment. Mario has always been a benchmark of excellence but not just because they are great games but because of the polish, the inventiveness, the ideas, the fluid gameplay and controls. I remember the way the controller melts into your hands in Yoshi's Island on Snes, even when you have to eat an enemy, shit it out as an egg, aim it using a cursor, and throw it.  Nintendo took a clunky gameplay mechanic and made it instinctive, easy and smooth.  Mario Galaxy is still incredible even now, 12 years on.  The "thing" that Mario has is something I find missing in all the me-too* platformers, like Sonic, Rayman, Bubsy etc - There's an absurd level of polish in Nintendo stuff, like the developers put every bit of their hearts into every element.  Someone had to suggest "Why don't we put him in a bee costume and he can stick to the walls that drip honey" and everyone else went "YES!" because that's so cool. I play Mario games with a big smile on my face when those ideas hit.  That section of New Donk City, you know the bit, where the whole...  you know... happens - it's just glorious.

 

Then Astrobot  came along and it was £25 and I expected a shorter, budget game, and a nice demo of VR.  What I got was a game that had the same level of polish as a Mario, perhaps more.  And whilst the price tag may reflect that there are only 5 worlds, it throws those amazingly conceived ideas , fantastic gameplay and set pieces at you pretty much continually.  The reason I think of Astrobot as a Mario Beater is because, while Mario has loads of great moments and perfect gameplay, Astrobot has something big and new and exciting like the best of Mario, but it kicks in every couple of minutes.  You have a great set piece and you have that "Wow" moment, but then another one comes along in the same level.  As Kerraig mentioned, the ghosts and goblins level is a superb example of a level that has more inventiveness than many whole games do and this is just one level.  Of a BUDGET game!!!!   It's bizzare how no-one's done a platformer that holds a candle to Mario in years, then suddenly this turned up and it was glorious.

 

So, in summary, I do agree that it was a little churlish of me to say "yes this is absolutely better than Mario" (especially when the text continues and you read that I was only 2 worlds in)  because of course it isn't a like for like comparison. But no other game, not even any of the Marios, continually throw such brilliant ideas at you as you play. Every new minute brings something cool, and when I say cool, I mean something that is not only as a good example of platform gameplay, but actual wow moments. The use of VR is outstanding in creating gameplay ideas that have not been seen before. beyond anything I've seen in a platform game in my life.  And the relentless nature of all this, as the game keeps throwing amazing moments at you make me think that yes, this is a Mario beater.  It may not have as many levels, but there's not a single duff moment in Astrobot, and every second puts a big smile on your face.  I had no idea what the next generation of console hardware might bring, but Astrobot sold me on the idea that VR will play a big part in the world of PS5 and XTwo..  As I said at the time, Mario Oddysey, fantastic though it is, is merely an (excellent) update to the same formula we saw in previous Mario games, where Astrobot rewrites the rulebook to take the possibilities of  VR into acount in a exceptionally good way.

 

These long posts are written when I have trouble sleeping, by the way.  They help me sleep, and I'm sure they do the same for you.....

 

[Parappa]

8 hours ago, dumpster said:

Yup!

Perfect.

[Shimmyhill]

8 hours ago, dumpster said:

 

I originally called this thread something like, "AstroBot, the Mario beater that PSVR deserves" or something, and you can see on page one people discussing how hyperbolic that statement is, but even though I changed the title at the time, I genuinely do believe this to be a Mario Beater.  

 

It's not a like for like comparison of course and there are many things Mario Oddysey does better than Astrobot (number of levels for a start), but for me, the platform game genre has been around since the C64, and I remember one day playing Super Mario Brothers in a branch of Boots and having that "Holy Shit!" moment. Mario has always been a benchmark of excellence but not just because they are great games but because of the polish, the inventiveness, the ideas, the fluid gameplay and controls. I remember the way the controller melts into your hands in Yoshi's Island on Snes, even when you have to eat an enemy, shit it out as an egg, aim it using a cursor, and throw it.  Nintendo took a clunky gameplay mechanic and made it instinctive, easy and smooth.  Mario Galaxy is still incredible even now, 12 years on.  The "thing" that Mario has is something I find missing in all the me-too* platformers, like Sonic, Rayman, Bubsy etc - There's an absurd level of polish in Nintendo stuff, like the developers put every bit of their hearts into every element.  Someone had to suggest "Why don't we put him in a bee costume and he can stick to the walls that drip honey" and everyone else went "YES!" because that's so cool. I play Mario games with a big smile on my face when those ideas hit.  That section of New Donk City, you know the bit, where the whole...  you know... happens - it's just glorious.

 

Then Astrobot  came along and it was £25 and I expected a shorter, budget game, and a nice demo of VR.  What I got was a game that had the same level of polish as a Mario, perhaps more.  And whilst the price tag may reflect that there are only 5 worlds, it throws those amazingly conceived ideas , fantastic gameplay and set pieces at you pretty much continually.  The reason I think of Astrobot as a Mario Beater is because, while Mario has loads of great moments and perfect gameplay, Astrobot has something big and new and exciting like the best of Mario, but it kicks in every couple of minutes.  You have a great set piece and you have that "Wow" moment, but then another one comes along in the same level.  As Kerraig mentioned, the ghosts and goblins level is a superb example of a level that has more inventiveness than many whole games do and this is just one level.  Of a BUDGET game!!!!   It's bizzare how no-one's done a platformer that holds a candle to Mario in years, then suddenly this turned up and it was glorious.

 

So, in summary, I do agree that it was a little churlish of me to say "yes this is absolutely better than Mario" (especially when the text continues and you read that I was only 2 worlds in)  because of course it isn't a like for like comparison. But no other game, not even any of the Marios, continually throw such brilliant ideas at you as you play. Every new minute brings something cool, and when I say cool, I mean something that is not only as a good example of platform gameplay, but actual wow moments. The use of VR is outstanding in creating gameplay ideas that have not been seen before. beyond anything I've seen in a platform game in my life.  And the relentless nature of all this, as the game keeps throwing amazing moments at you make me think that yes, this is a Mario beater.  It may not have as many levels, but there's not a single duff moment in Astrobot, and every second puts a big smile on your face.  I had no idea what the next generation of console hardware might bring, but Astrobot sold me on the idea that VR will play a big part in the world of PS5 and XTwo..  As I said at the time, Mario Oddysey, fantastic though it is, is merely an (excellent) update to the same formula we saw in previous Mario games, where Astrobot rewrites the rulebook to take the possibilities of  VR into acount in a exceptionally good way.

 

These long posts are written when I have trouble sleeping, by the way.  They help me sleep, and I'm sure they do the same for you.....

 

If we are comparing the act of being a platform game then I don’t think Astrobot is anything like a Mario Beater - the platforming is pretty basic, it never gets that difficult and it’s very A-B with not much exploration due to small levels that are closed behind you pretty quickly...

 

As a game it’s one of the best I’ve ever played and all the better not not being a Mario clone - it borrows many ideas from Mario (it has a 3D world/land vibe of throwing ideas at you, blowing you away and then moving on) but is it’s own game with its own identity and that’s where most ‘Mario beaters’ fall down and this excels. It was easily my GOTY last year and a hardware seller IMO - the hype on here pushed me into buying the whole VR setup to play this and I have no regrets.

[dumpster]

5 minutes ago, Shimmyhill said:

If we are comparing the act of being a platform game then I don’t think Astrobot is anything like a Mario Beater - the platforming is pretty basic, it never gets that difficult and it’s very A-B with not much exploration due to small levels that are closed behind you pretty quickly...

 

As a game it’s one of the best I’ve ever played and all the better not not being a Mario clone - it borrows many ideas from Mario (it has a 3D world/land vibe of throwing ideas at you, blowing you away and then moving on) but is it’s own game with its own identity and that’s where most ‘Mario beaters’ fall down and this excels. It was easily my GOTY last year and a hardware seller IMO - the hype on here pushed me into buying the whole VR setup to play this and I have no regrets.

Yeah, we are in agreement , you're just making the point neatly and succinctly where I ramble and lose my train of thought. I think that Mario is the standard to beat, not as a direct comparison of game type but of inventiveness, polish, fun, nice touches, stand out moments. Mario games have a magic that everyone else seems to aspire to, and Astrobot got released with little fanfare at a budget price and nailed it. There's not an ounce of fat on it, every level brings a new smile and it just felt like I wasn't expecting that exceptionally high standard and it blew me away. Quite why Sony don't have one set up in every shopping centre in the country is beyond me, and while Nintendo advertise the Switch with Zelda and Mario three years later, Astrobot seems to be largely unknown outside of people who already have the headset.  

[Kayin Amoh]

While I'm not really much for 'vs' topics, Astro Bot renewed my faith and interest in platformers in a way that Odyssey didn't even come close to. Every goddamn moment of Astro Bot is like liquefied joy being injected straight into your eyeballs.

 

Funny that I looked at it and thought 'eh, looks like another cutesy mascot game but the impressions have been positive'. Most of the best games just seem to come screaming out of nowhere.

[Petrousgyre]

3 hours ago, Shimmyhill said:

the platforming is pretty basic, it never gets that difficult

 

Whilst I agree it's not especially difficult I don't think it's because it's basic. There's points, especially later in the game, where you're required to jump through stuff like complex laser patterns and do lengthy pinpoint jumps onto tiny platforms. These would be challenging in the context of a regular 2D platformer but aren't particularly in Astrobot - this is due to the high frame rate, complete absence of latency, the fact you're seeing in stereo and can move your head around to get a real sense of exactly where everything in the level is located. It also controls beautifully too which helps. Whilst relatively easy to execute it never feels trivial, rather you feel empowered to move freely and fluidly through the world. 

[dumpster]

I think the decision to give you unlimited lives and lots of checkpoints was correct - the game is all about having fun in the world they created, there's not a moment of frustration to be had.

[metallicfrodo]

I'm also not convinced it's that much to do stereoscopic nature of the medium, the high frame rate or lack of latancy that helps you through the stages. I've watched a number of people who haven't played a lot of 3D platformers play this on my PSVR and they are awful at judging where anything is right from the start. It's the hover mechanic that makes it much easier to correct your mistakes, and is obviously included for exactly that reason.

 

However it was obviously never the intent of the developer to make it a hardcore 3D platformer, it's an exercise in joy! Having said that the addition of all the bonus levels gives those who fancy a challenge something to get stuck into.

[Ketchup]

Played Astrobot for the first time today and wow it really does give you that magical feeling similar to playing Mario 64 for the first time.

 

I didn’t really believe most people in this thread who said that. I certainly wasn’t a fan of the astrobot demo that just felt okay but really didn’t feel like it needed VR.

 

But even in the first level VR adds a lot to the game and bringing you into the world. The music is great, not typical mario or platform fare but it’s own unique fun. I really do wonder how you promote something like this to the masses or even people like me who have a PSVR but are unaware of how amazing it actually is?

[Capwn]

Was talking about this game the other day with someone, I was saying how bizarre it was that there have been no DLC packs for this game with an extra world or two but yeah after discussing it further it's obviously not coming. Instead Sony have got the team working on a sequel that will launch with the PSVR2.

[Sprite Machine]

I've been playing on and off due to motion sickness, however that's the final boss done tonight. This has been an absolute joy from start to finish.

 

In particular any level with water in it. My favourite I think was 3-3, ie. the one with

 

the whale. The moment after you see its gigantic eye and body swim away and then you float out into the open water and that massive thing swallows you up. I just sat there aghast for about thirty seconds afterwards, looking around at the bits of shipwreck and the water lapping around me, thinking "this is the coolest fucking thing I've ever seen in my life". And there's all the water physics with the waves and how they blub around your visor when you submerge, and how Astro floats on the surface with his little rubber ring, and how they make a fucking game mechanic out of that wavy water because of course they can!

 

And then they pull another absolute corker of a water level with the World 5 boss, and the sense of scale and realness, even though it's a big cartoon character that's half a mile away from you, is phenomenal! I mean, I liked the other levels too and there's some cracking ideas throughout, but the water levels just elevated it to something else. Best water effects in any game I've ever played.

 

So, that said, I have a few criticisms. Firstly, as has been mentioned, this is a mechanically basic game if taken purely as a platformer. That would be doing it a disservice but it's worth mentioning that it's more Crash Bandicoot than Mario 64 - not least of which because every level has to be a linear corridor and in a forward direction only by design (and no going backwards either). The other slightly irksome thing is that the game still uses the same abrupt starting and stopping motion of the camera (the player). This gave me motion sickness in the Playroom mini-game and unfortunately it's exactly the same here. I really can't see why a tapering of motion when you stop and start wasn't implemented (speeding up gradually and coming to rest slowly) - as it stands, the movement of the camera/player plays havoc with my inner ear, as it expects to feel the sudden jolt of acceleration that never comes. I have to limit my play time to one hour sessions, and even then I need a bit of a lie down afterwards.

 

That's not specific to the game, though; all VR seems to do this to me. I may feel the sense of 'presence' and immersion in VR more strongly than some people, but as a result, the sickness affects me more too.  I've never developed the "legs" for it and I probably never will.

 

Still, Double-A+++++ Mega Recommend. I can't think of a better showcase for VR, and I can't think of a game that has made me smile and contemplate the miracle of technology more than Astro Bot has. Overflowing with silly, happy, joyous fun and meticulous detail everywhere you dare to look. Bravo.

[Benny]

I still haven't played this yet, but as we've got the games of the decade coming up I guess I'd better get cracking...

[Parappa]

1 hour ago, Benny said:

I still haven't played this yet, but as we've got the games of the decade coming up I guess I'd better get cracking...

This is more GOAT than Decade.

[luth714]

Got an hour in last night so blasted through world 2 - wow, the first time you go underwater was incredible with that absolute sensation of going anywhere was  amazing...and the thrill ride of Astro Jones level was great fun. Bit annoyed thought that it doesn’t seem to save you spotting the chameleon if you do before a check point (compared to rescuing the bots) I’m sure I spotted it before boarding the ride and yet when I finished the level it said I hadn’t.

 

Such an amazing charming game with so many daft details - naturally I had a go at spraying the water gun in my face...also accidentally had Astro Bot splat onto my helmet when underwater and got a trophy for it

[JLM]

Finally got into this earlier in the week. Thanks to everyone for spoiler tagging the thread so I could read all of the gushing praise without having any of the specifics spoiled. Only up to 2-2 so far. I was already incredibly impressed with the invention and use of 3D in world 1, but 2-2 is where it has truly blown me away for the first time and made me see exactly why everyone is this high on it. It does feel like a real leap forward and is a shining example of what VR can achieve. For the first half an hour I was still reflexively flicking the right stick to try and spin the camera before finally giving in and accepting that I am actually IN the level and the camera is my eyes. 

 

2-2 Though, man. Before I even started moving, landing in the level and looking around at the scenery and the water was easily the most impressed I've been with VR so far. I didn't even start playing for the first few minutes, just looked around and took it all in. Then when you get into the level and go under water, good lord it is magical. I don't think I've ever said "woooow" out loud so many times when playing a video game but it was completely involuntary. I still have to remind myself that I'm immersed in the world. Even after the first few levels do such a great job of using perspective and clever level design to acclimate you, I still forget to look up or behind me at times and it blows my mind all over again when I do.  When the submersible resurfaces at the end of the level I felt like I needed a few minutes to come down from it, and I'm not usually a hyperbolic sort of guy. Then, as a bonus, the ending bit where you have to keep heading the ball back at that football robot was genius! They didn't need to throw that in at the end of a masterpiece of a level but they thought it'd be fun so they did it anyway. Even if the rest of the game was rubbish I would insist that people try this level if nothing else. If I ever want to quickly show off the VR to a first-timer that is instantly top of the list, so the  everyone saying the later levels manage to top this has me buzzing with excitement to get back on it later. I'm trying to ration myself and not burn through it all in one evening as it's been such a joyous experience so far. [/spoiler]

 

I had a friend round to try it out and it was amazing seeing him nearly fall off the couch trying to crane his head round corners and giggling with childlike glee when he realised there are things you interact with yourself with a headbutt rather than with Astro Bot. He left my place absolutely buzzing with excitement and saying he'd be insufferable at work tomorrow telling everyone about it. Word of mouth is so important for VR at this stage isn't it? I'm already in a bit of a niche audience as a PSVR owner, and even I would probably not have bought Astro Bot without this thread and I would have missed out big time. Good work Rllmuk! 

[Sprite Machine]

Just wait 'til 3-3...

[Eighthours]

22 hours ago, JLM said:

Finally got into this earlier in the week. Thanks to everyone for spoiler tagging the thread so I could read all of the gushing praise without having any of the specifics spoiled. Only up to 2-2 so far. I was already incredibly impressed with the invention and use of 3D in world 1, but 2-2 is where it has truly blown me away for the first time and made me see exactly why everyone is this high on it. It does feel like a real leap forward and is a shining example of what VR can achieve. For the first half an hour I was still reflexively flicking the right stick to try and spin the camera before finally giving in and accepting that I am actually IN the level and the camera is my eyes. 

 

 

 

What a level that is - it's my most 'wow' VR moment yet for sure.

[SeanR]

I started this the other night. So far so rescue bot...

 

Spoiler

 

the first time I realised I was getting out of my seat to try and get a better view of my surroundings... and it worked. 8 bots and the chameleon on the first level, the rest not so much.

 

the big gorilla arms (and a boss fight that required me to fulfill two separate roles)

 

2-1, the caves. Call me weird but I was getting jumping flash-backs, cos that game also features cave sections after massively vertical levels, and the lighting.

 

the first time I did those mole guys I wanted to pick up a hard hat and try it on.

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2019 by SeanR

[Kayin Amoh]

Copied from Bargains: Astro Bot £8 from Argos!

 

We're only talking about one of the best games ever made for £8 here.

 

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8647056

[MattyP]

9 minutes ago, Kayin Amoh said:

Copied from Bargains: Astro Bot £8 from Argos!

 

We're only talking about one of the best games ever made for £8 here.

 

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8647056

And if Argos don't have stock its currently on PSN on sale for £12.99.

 

I'm lazy and bought the PSN version. 

[scoobysi]

On 23/07/2019 at 00:53, dumpster said:

But no other game, not even any of the Marios, continually throw such brilliant ideas at you as you play. Every new minute brings something cool, and when I say cool, I mean something that is not only as a good example of platform gameplay, but actual wow moments. The use of VR is outstanding in creating gameplay ideas that have not been seen before. beyond anything I've seen in a platform game in my life.  And the relentless nature of all this, as the game keeps throwing amazing moments at you make me think that yes, this is a Mario beater.

Just finished this and the above sums up my thoughts, amazing right to the very very end .

 

For me it’s one of the best games ever because to provide similar feelings of awe as to when I first played MARIO 64 but after 40+ years of gaming is truly special.