Astro's Playroom Reviews
Astro's Playroom is a great showcase for the varied, impressive ways the DualSense can immerse you in next-gen games.
Sony leans into its PlayStation past in this frequently innovative, supremely charming old-school 3D platformer.
A highly enjoyable introduction to the PlayStation 5 but also a charming celebration of the entire history of PlayStation, even if it's something you'll only ever play once.
Astro's Playroom isn't just an introduction to the PS5. It is a charming and enjoyable game, even if it isn't trying to redefine the boundaries of the platforming genre
Transcending its role as an introduction to the PS5's features, Astro's Playroom is a quick and delightful celebration of PlayStation's history.
Astro’s Playroom is a stellar showpiece for PlayStation 5
Astro Bot has replaced Knack as the cute Sony mascot and I'm okay with it. Although Astro's Playroom isn't a killer app, booting up your PS5 and playing it for free is a great way to get accustomed to your shiny new toy from multiple angles.
The only downsides to Astro’s Playroom are that it is fairly short, and it could have used a little plot to tie the whole thing together. However, for the price, it can’t be beaten, and it’s a must-play for those booting up their PS5 for the first time.
Astro's Playroom it's the best possible way to try your brand new PS5. It's not just a great tutorial to try all DualSense's new tibdits, it's the best possible homage to the PlayStation brand's 25 years of videogaming history, full of references here and there. And it's free. What a pity that it ends very soon.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Astro cements himself as the PlayStation 5's mascot with a celebration of all things PlayStation that also showcases the full potential of the immersive new DualSense controller. Astro's Playroom is the first thing you should play on PlayStation 5.
I’ve been going back to Astro every now and again during my time with the PS5, the quick loading and options to launch to certain zones from the system’s main menu making it easy to spend a few minutes hunting down missing collectibles. But my main takeaway is that I really hope the DualSense is used properly for the life of the console and not just by Sony. I’m sure a lot of the third-party launch window titles will make decent use of its features, but if pushed properly this controller could be a huge selling point for Sony. The HD Rumble on Switch Joy-Cons was used well during the console’s early days, but has now seemingly fallen way down the list of developer priorities.
Haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, touch panel, motion sensor, microphone, speaker... there is not a single feature missing from the game included in every PlayStation 5 to discover all the possibilities of the DualSense controller. In addition, it is a nostalgic journey through the history of PlayStation that has touched our hearts.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A love letter to PlayStation and a showcase for the future of PS5: a delightful thing to include with the console.
The developer, SIE Japan Studio, has forged a platformer from the same blend of delirium and precision that blows through Super Mario, and then filled it with fossils.
I love 3D platformers. You don’t usually see this kind of charm and polish in the genre unless it has Mario’s name attached to it. Granted, Astro isn’t as acrobatic as our favorite Italian plumber. He has a simple move set consisting of a jump, a hover, and some punches. But Astro’s Playroom never feels dull for a second thanks to its unbounded creativity.
On its own, Astro’s Playroom would be a fun platforming distraction fit for younger gamers or families. Its world is vibrant and wonderfully detailed, and it looks exceptional on the PS5. But in all honesty, this isn’t so much a game as it is a showpiece for what the DualSense controller can do. And as a result, this isn’t so much a review, as it is an opportunity to highlight how well the features on the PS5 controller work.
Perhaps the only real issue I have is the overall length of the game, which can be excused since it’s, well, free. The game lasts under about two hours on a casual playthrough, though there’s tons to explore (with a platinum trophy requiring a little more thought when replaying levels for collectibles), as well as special online time trials you can participate in for the best time. Do I want more of Astro’s Playroom? Definitely, and if we could get a full-fledged sequel that could utilize the DualSense controller like this one, it would be a masterpiece.
Thanks to the incredible new Dualsense controller gaming has never felt so good
This free-with-the-console game is a ridiculously cute and charming tribute to 25 years of PlayStation history, games and hardware
Astro’s Playroom asks you over and over to fondly remember the memories that you and Grandpa PlayStation made together. But, more importantly, it’s a promise of new and treasured memories to come.