Astro Bot looks as great as it plays.

Astro robot It’s a game I can’t help but praise, praising its cute characters, its bright and varied level design, and its short but dense 8-10 hour runtime. But perhaps the biggest factor that contributes to the game’s joy is the sound design, which makes the game so enjoyable. Astro robot Something that excites and delights more than just your mind, but your body as well.

Astro robot This song had me hooked before the game even started. I left my PS5 playing at the game’s pre-loading screen, simultaneously feeling calmed by the soothing chime notes and excited as the song conveyed a sense of impending wonder. It sounded like something that would play in the opening sequence of a children’s movie, letting you know that an adventure was coming. Music tends to distract me while I’m working, but I left it on for hours because it was so much fun to listen to.

The music in the game itself is also great and unique. I can’t get enough of hearing Astro sing in his little robotic voice,”I’m Astro Bot!“Its title track is energetic, happy, and seems immune to the typical pitfalls of music aimed at a younger audience. “Baby Shark” is only cute the first couple of listens, but I could listen to “I Am Astro Bot” over and over again and never get bored of it.”Astro“With its fun rhythm, another song in the never-ending playlist. Each level has its own theme song, but every now and then, “Astro” plays, and I laugh longer and louder in those levels than anywhere else. I need this soundtrack on Spotify yesterday.

Astro robotThe game’s amazing soundtrack is only half the equation. The game also makes great use of the DualSense controller. As Astro moved, I could hear the soft thud of grass or the thud of metal underfoot. Being able to hear environmental sounds coming from the controller isn’t particularly new to the PS5, but what struck me about the Astro robot It was the depth, detail and sheer quality of those sounds that made me feel like I could perceive texture. On one level, the sound and bounce of jumping on a regular trampoline was so slightly different from what I felt when jumping on a hot air balloon that I could almost feel the nylon. On another level, I felt the rain hitting Astro’s metal body with a loud thud. But then suddenly the sounds faded and died down to a soft thud. Wombat When Astro automatically deployed his parachute, it felt like I was the one pressing the button on a real parachute to do it.

Perhaps the most magical thing about Astro robot It is the depth with which the sound and controller enhance my perception of the game. Astro playroom Many of these same elements have been incorporated and greatly improved by developer Team Asobi for the sequel. The controller acts as a bridge between the game world and the real world. I was happy when I was fiddling with the sticks or buttons and those actions were reflected on the controller in the game. When Astro rescues another robot, they are saved to the controller that appears on the screen. But when I put my ear to the DualSense, I can hear their faint little screams, and when I shake it, the controller growls invisibly as if those little suckers It’s actually in your hand.

Worlds in Astro robot These places are colorful and imaginary, but through the player’s suspension of disbelief, they are completely real. As I played, absorbing the sounds coming from my controller, I came to a discovery. Sure, there are logs in the gardening world, but when I hit them, they made a distinct hollow sound that comes from Lincoln logs hitting together. This made me realize that there were two games running at the same time. Astro robotIn one, I’m a little robot saving my friends. But in the other, I’m actually playing with toys.