ASTRO’S PLAYROOM
This little bot already lives inside your PlayStation 5
“IT GOES BEYOND A SIMPLE TECH DEMO: IT’LL BE A MULTI-HOUR ADVENTURE.”
Thihis one definitely isn’t a mmust-buy. That’s bebecause it’s going to cocome pre-installed on every PlayPlayStation 5 for free – you won’t even have to download it from the PS Store! It’s a platforming follow-up to PS
VR’s Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (which we gave an 8/10 back in OPM #155) that showcases the DualSense’s special features.
But it goes beyond a simple tech demo, as we’re promised it’ll be a multi-hour adventure.
In the game, Astro explores a variety of computer-themed worlds, the environments showcasing the DualSense’s features in different ways, from the more obvious new ones like haptic vibration and the adaptive triggers, down to how the touchpad, motion controls, and controller speaker have evolved.
PRO-DIGIOUS
For example, as you walk through a sandstorm caused by a CPU fan blowing on a beach, there’s a bit of tension in the controller because you’re walking against the wind, and you hear the grains of sand impacting against you from the speaker on the pad itself. Things like sliding ice blocks and the pitter-patter of Astro’s feet on the sand also comes through the pad.
When you zip yourself into a spring-footed frog suit the adaptive triggers come into play. There’s tension in them as you push down on the springy feet, which you then release to bounce with the appropriate amount of stored force. It’s a great showpiece for how trigger tension can directly alter mechanics in a way that feels natural. At other points you have to blow into the controller to push an ice platform, and pull taut a rubber tube.
It’s not a must-buy because it’s free, but it’s a must-play just in terms of getting you comfortable with the new controller features. It’s a simple adventure that sees you collecting coins and hanging out with your friends in the computer world, but it’s also filled with some really neat references to PlayStation’s past (you collect a PS3 at one point) that’ll bring a smile to your face on day one.