Astro Bot is a 3D action platformer and the 2024 Game of the Year, a joyous celebration of PlayStation history built from the ground up to show off the DualSense controller. You guide Astro across six galaxies and more than 80 levels to rescue 300 stranded bots after the PS5-shaped mothership is torn apart by an alien attack.
Team Asobi's design is impeccable: every level introduces a fresh mechanic or power-up — a dog-backpack that boosts you forward, a sponge that soaks and squirts water, a frog-glove that punches and grapples — and then masters it before moving on, never overstaying its welcome. The haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are used more imaginatively here than in any other game, turning the controller itself into part of the playground.
Beneath the cheerful surface is razor-sharp platforming with tight controls, hidden collectibles in every stage, optional challenge levels that demand real skill, and a parade of cameo bots dressed as iconic PlayStation characters. It is pure, distilled fun — accessible to children yet polished enough to delight veterans.
Haptics and adaptive triggers are woven into nearly every mechanic — you feel sand, springs, and metal through the controller.
Each world introduces a fresh power-up (dog backpack, water sponge, frog gloves) and masters it before moving on.
Every level hides bots, puzzle pieces, and PlayStation cameo characters, rewarding thorough exploration.
Unlockable speed and precision levels provide genuine difficulty for platforming veterans.