The gaming year 2024 brought some really entertaining blockbusters. However, the Game of the Year by MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz falls into the category of “small gem for the whole family,” was released exclusively for the PS5, and rocked the Game Awards 2024.
Update from December 13, 2024: The Game Awards have shown good taste and awarded Karsten’s Game of the Year four prizes! Astro Bot can now officially call itself Game of the Year and display awards for Best Game Direction, Best Action-Adventure, and Best Family Game in its showcase.
Original text: If someone had asked me a year ago which games would likely have a good chance at my personal “Game of the Year” awards, I would have probably mentioned titles like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, or Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Perhaps I would have also followed the example of the Game Awards 2024 and included expansions in the reckoning. After all, all major MMORPGs received an addon this year. And then there were also Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred.
With all these answers, I would have been wrong. The most fun I’ve had in recent months was actually with a relatively small, exclusive platformer for the PlayStation 5.
Definitely in Karsten’s Top 3 of the Year – Shadow of the Erdtree for Elden Ring:
As Good As the Best Marios
I mean, of course, Astro Bot, which was released exclusively for the PlayStation 5 in September 2024 and proves that the developers at Team Asobi can create not only small but fine tech demos for Sony (the cute Astro’s Playroom from 2020 was primarily meant to showcase the features of the PS5 controller).
Astro Bot is a full-price 3D platformer that can easily be completed in 10 hours, which might put some of you off. From my point of view, however, every PS5 owner should definitely give this charming jumping game a chance.
When it comes to controls, polish, attention to detail, and creativity of the levels, the little robot achieves excellence that rivals the best representatives of the genre from Nintendo. In other words: Astro Bot doesn’t need to hide behind games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder or Super Mario Odyssey.
The launch trailer for Astro Bot hints at what to expect in this platformer:
For All Age Groups
How well Astro Bot plays is perhaps shown by the following:
- My little one is three years old and manages the controls much better than in all other 3D games he has tried so far (for example, Sackboy: A Big Adventure). Although there are various different gadgets and mechanics, he can now complete many of the levels. He usually only hands over the controller when one of the boss fights – which he finds funny but also a bit “scary” – or one of the hardest levels is coming up.
- My wife usually prefers gaming with keyboard and mouse on the PC. She often struggles with the controller. However, with Astro Bot, she voluntarily spends as much playtime as the kids and I, simply because it’s so easy to control and so much fun.
- I myself have been gaming on consoles for about 35 years, so many of Astro Bot’s levels come easy to me. However, there are indeed tricky challenges that can make even a veteran sweat. Due to the enormous variety in the levels, I still have a lot of fun even with the easy levels on my nth playthrough.
- We have now completed 100 percent of the bots freed and puzzles found on two save files. Nevertheless, Astro Bot continues to run regularly. If necessary, one of the two boys simply starts a fresh save game. The total family playtime is now over 170 hours.
A Celebration for PlayStation Fans
Similar to the already mentioned Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot is also a love letter to the colorful PlayStation universe. You might find that annoying (after all, it’s a form of continuous advertising), but it strikes a chord with me as an enthusiastic owner of all PlayStation consoles released so far.
I grew up with Crash, Ratchet, Spyro, Nathan, Kratos, Jak, Sackboy, Aloy, and co. Accordingly, the grin on my face is huge when an entire level turns out to be a reference to Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War, or Uncharted.
Or when I encounter characters from Crash Bandicoot, Helldivers 2, Metal Gear Solid, The Last of Us, and many other franchises after rescuing them at the crash site – all equipped with unique, wonderfully detailed animations.
In short: Forget the big, time-consuming blockbusters. If you have a PlayStation 5 at home, you must give the little Astro Bot a chance. Especially if you’re looking for a game that might also be fun for your kids or partner. You can find more insights into Karsten’s world here: When Money Was Tight, I Wrote Stories About Risqué Superheroes
