I had a bunch of games and PS+ when I got my PS5 but I still played through 100% of this and got the Platinum before I even got to any of them. I don’t even chase Platinum trophies much, it was just that fun. It’s really missing a “getting started” game for new VR players. Astro’s Playroom is a free platforming game, included as a pack-in with the PS5. F168 ‘s inspired by the characters and concepts first introduced in The Playroom and The Playroom VR, which culminated in the full-blown Astro Bot Rescue Mission for PlayStation VR.

This means you need deft soft touches as much as quick hard presses — like when you have to gently press the triggers to grip a handhold without doing it too tight and making them crumble. The update released for all PlayStation 5 users without warning today, bringing a handful of new goodies, a new area, and even a few new missions to complete. It’s enough content to keep you busy for around an hour or so longer, but considering Astro’s Playroom came free for anyone who owns a PS5, it’s more than enough reason to celebrate. See in action a level of Astro’s Playroom, the platformer that comes free with your PlayStation 5 and shows off the cool new features of the DuelSense controller. When you return to the main hub area of Astro’s Playroom, the gigantic PS5 Pro will be displayed next to the base PS5, with a little Astro Bot perched on top.

Astro’s Playroom isn’t just a tech demo but a fun little platformer. It’s great that Sony is investing more in the Astro Bot franchise because this could be their answer to the Super Mario series. The level design is more like Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 3D World, and that’s a huge compliment. While linear, the space feels open enough to have a ton of details throughout. The basics are you’re traversing the area, trying to find items and coins as you reach the next level. Some of the levels have power-ups that are creative in form and function.

This scene refers to his safe cracking skills, and this setup in particular serves as the cover for the European version of the game, where it was known simply as Sly Raccoon. On the right-hand side of the pool at the very end of Bot Beach is a bloated Bot with a crown on its head and a cake on its belly. This is a reference to 2009’s Fat Princess for the PS3, developed by Titans Studios. The game was a twist on Capture the Flag where you feed your Princess cake to make her heavier, and thus harder for your opponents to steal. At the start of Deep Dataspace, check the right-hand side for a lower area where a Bot in a red trench coat is constantly firing on a jester-looking Bot.

With an experience like this, it’s no wonder that Astro Bot has a devoted following so much that a full-length game is coming soon. If you haven’t played this gem, enjoy the pinnacle PS5 experience. You become entranced with all the functions, but it doesn’t stop there. So many little details throughout Astro’s Playroom make the DualSense exciting.

Astro’s Playroom Speed Running Scene Is Heating Up As Players Post Impressive Sprints Through Levels

It’s the kind of charming 3D adventure rarely seen outside of Nintendo, one dripping with inventive ideas and heartwarming details. And it might just be the ideal game to sell you on a PlayStation 5. This references Concrete Genie, a 2019 PS4 game developed by Pixelopus.

From console exclusives to third-party hits, the PS5’s library is full of great games. Sony leans into its PlayStation past in this frequently innovative, supremely charming old-school 3D platformer. I have never seen any of the so called ‘issues’ they keep talking about while playing – all I see is a generally better, more detailed image quality, that often far surpasses other upscalers. The difference is often smaller when standing still, and far greater when moving.

Wreckreation Studio Three Fields Entertainment, Founded By Former Burnout Devs, Puts Employees On Redundancy Notice

At its best, Astro’s Playroom recaptures the magic of my favorite Lego video games – except the license on display is the PlayStation brand instead of something like Star Wars or Marvel. The cameos are plentiful and amusing, with franchises that go beyond the first-party catalogue, along with some surprisingly deep cuts that made me feel very old. But in the midst of all that history, Astro feels like an adorably fresh face; I’m glad to see the character break out of the confines of VR and reach out to a broader audience.

It’s a reference to Symphony of the Night thanks to the blonde hair. In one of the animations, the Bot will check a clock, referencing how Dracula only returns from the dead every 100 years. Castlevania is a very important game, as it alongside Super Metroid helped establish the Metroidvania genre. A second reference to the game is the “Adequate, Boy…” Trophy, awarded for shooting all the rabbits at the end of Mt. Motherboard level in GPU Jungle.

In the PlayStation Labo area, the wall skirting just above the floor contain references to various PlayStation hardware ports. In the picture above, you can spot the PSP, PS Vita and PSP Go port and button layouts from the top and bottom of the systems. The only unknown one is the one with the Ethernet port, which doesn’t match any PlayStation system. On one of the monitors in the Labo area is an image of a CD-ROM and a DVD.

When one hits you, Astro will be reset to the last checkpoint, and Selene’s capsule will open. Remember, once you’re done collecting all the Special Bots, you’ll be able to transfer them to new game Astro Bot. For a full list of All Bots Locations and All VIP Bots in the latest title, check out our Astro Bot PS5 guide. A full walkthrough will take you step-by-step from the start of the game to 100% completion, while the Collectibles section helps you find every Artefact and Puzzle Piece in the game! There’s even a Trophies section to help you earn that coveted Platinum Trophy.

What I was meet with was a platformer where you played as a charming little robot in a world that has a better art style then most modern games. Need to get back to it for the special bots, downloaded it the other day but just haven’t got around to it. (LeMans and other duties) @BrettAwesome It’s been updated, hasn’t it.

Or visit the Cooling Springs, featuring a beach party setting and a surprise ice level later. You can also visit the GPU Jungle, which, as the name implies, is more of a jungle ruin to play around in, and the SSD Speedway with its neon sci-fi backdrop. As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators.

That PS4 game was the sort of thing you boot up once, mess around with for 30 minutes, and then forget it exists. As you can tell, there’s not much of a story with this game, but you don’t need a fully fleshed-out plot for this demo. Astro’s Playroom has you controlling one of the Astro Bots as you explore different areas to find artifacts. These aren’t just any items but other accessories and items from PlayStation’s history.