Astro Bot

McDermotX

Initial impression is solid stuff alright. Looks good, sounds even better and already has that familiar feel, so will have a better look at it tomorrow.

Shame they didn't allow you to portal in from Playroom, which would just be another lovely little touch in a title full of them.

McFly85

Really looking forward to this but I’m doing a decent job of ploughing through my backlog right now and don’t wanna be distracted!

Looking amazing though, definitely think it’s one to spend a bit of time with over Christmas.

lertsnim

Played it for an hour this morning and it is a gorgeous looking and sounding game. The feedback from the controller is 10/10 again.

Penn

For anyone interested, here's what happened at the end of the countdown in Astro's Playroom

https://twitter.com/CMwalsh/status/1831832132634996936

Potential-Monke

Actually managed to download and get the 3 remaining special bots with 25 minutes left in the countdown. The last minute was cool, then a rave for a few minutes before I headed to bed. 8pm can't come quick enough!

RocketRaccoon

Waiting impatiently for the postman and dpd driver, I'm like a kid on Christmas eve.

JimBurnley

It's arrived! Funky poster in the box too. Today's gonna be a good day 😊

jj880

Whatever way the bots were in mine when the countdown finished you could see some dancing in the middle of the rest. 1 doing staying alive and 1 flossing very fast 🤣

Game and controller out for delivery! Happy with Smyths. Great service as usual.

RocketRaccoon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122587815#Comment_122587815

Just got my dpd text, controller will be here in the next 90 minutes and the postman is usually here around 12. The excitement lads 😂

Potential-Monke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122587815#Comment_122587815

You can dance too. Using the directional buttons, up is Floss, right is Travolta/SNF, down is allegedly an Irish jig, and left is the Carlton. (Directions may be wrong).

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122587983#Comment_122587983

Ah yes forgot about that. Had to be used for:

Spoiler Warning

1 of the hidden bots.

Potential-Monke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588047#Comment_122588047

The only reason I'm aware if it! Hate the flossing one, but I let Astro do the Carlton for 20 mins of that countdown!

Retr0gamer

2/10 garbage game confirmed

https://twitter.com/SoCalZork/status/1831789664916971986?t=M2RS5t_W8N1Qp7UOVr67Jw&s=19

WarZoneBrother

Does anyone know if the Nendoroid Astrobot will be released in Ireland? Only seeing it today and it looks amazing but ebay prices are scandalous and sold out everywhere…

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588198#Comment_122588198

I've never seen them sold in Ireland and any that are are usually grey imports. Might be out of luck until a restock. Have you tried Japanese sites?

WarZoneBrother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588214#Comment_122588214

Can't see any in stock.. Do see this but no stock till Feb but a reasonable price…

https://kuramatoys.com/nendoroid-astro-astros-playroom/

RocketRaccoon

Well the controller arrived with dpd and it is absolutely beautiful. Now if the postman could hurry up, that would be great.

JimBurnley

First 2 levels down. No spoilers but it's a delight. Smiling from ear to ear. Not gonna rush this one, it needs to be savoured. Need to do some real world stuff now unfortunately, hopefully get back on it later. This is what gaming should be about, pure fun

SomeSayKos

I was initially disappointed that this wasn't a follow up to Astro Bot Rescue Mission VR (I still am, because my VR2 headset is collecting a lot of dust), but now my hype is through the roof to play this after work.

It's the most excited I've been to play a game since Elden Ring!

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588441#Comment_122588441

Rescue Mission will be hard to top. Its a masterpiece. Some day there will be a PSVR2 sequel. It will happen.

For now where is the postman and DPD! Its holiday weather here. Hopefully they're rushing to finish and get out in it.

SomeSayKos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588477#Comment_122588477

I'd love for it to get a sequel, but I don't think it's going to happen. The PSVR2 feels abandoned tbh. If the original game got a port I'd be happy, but I'm also not holding out too much hope for that.

I gave my PSVR headset to a mate when I got the PSVR2 assuming the original Astro Bot rescue mission would get a port or a sequel…. I really regret giving it away now because I'd love to play Rescue Mission. Easily the best VR game I've ever played!

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588505#Comment_122588505

Easily indeed. Same for me.

If I was betting Id say you're right. I'll continue to dream though. Some fine day.

Potential-Monke

Game has been delivered and is waiting for me at home. I got the Astro DualSense just now to go with it. It's very nice, but there's a lot of white so it'll be a lovely blue/yellow in no time, which is making me think of just not opening it and maybe it'll be worth a few pound in years to come!

lertsnim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588477#Comment_122588477

An update or something to make Rescue Mission work with PSVR2 would be nice if it's possible.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588613#Comment_122588613

Ive mine out of box. Its glorious with the shiny blue and white. Open it! 😂

johnny_ultimate

I reckon the challenge with porting or patching Rescue Mission is that it very aggressively uses the specific feature set of PSVR1 and the PS4 controller. It's embedded in the very art, gameplay mechanics and UI design of the game.

I don't think it's insurmountable if the effort was put in, but I do reckon it would take a fair amount of development resources to do properly. Which probably wasn't high on anyone's agenda while this game was in production. I'd also imagine Sony would be very strict about letting anything that feels janky or off-putting in VR through their first-party approval process. Hopefully they do something with it though.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588860#Comment_122588860

Just wondering what is so specific about the psvr1 and controller that the PS5 and PSvr2 can't handle? I mean if both headsets and controller use a different protocol then sure, there will be issues that can but patched but the cost and time involved isn't negligible. More curious than questioning you.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588875#Comment_122588875

I don't know enough about the tech and development to give an in-depth answer here, but having played through the entirety of Rescue Mission I do think it's clearly very specifically built around the controller and headset. A lot of the tracking in it is done using the controller's light bar, for example, and a lot of the game's mechanics are therefore built around positioning the controller in a way that the camera picks up (e.g. the end of level catapult).

The two controllers do share a lot of tech in common (including motion sensors), so I'm sure a solution could be found. The PSVR2 tracking is better at the end of the day. But the dev time involved in updating the UI and input tools is probably significant enough that it'd require at least some time and effort to get right.

EoinMcLovin

____

https://youtu.be/Llt4XUuK5Qk?si=k-VXiEW6c49hnp1v

jj880

Through the first boss. Taking my time finding collectables. Loving everything about it. Going out in the good weather now but can't wait to get back to it later on.

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588198#Comment_122588198

I preordered from here

https://goodsmileeurope.com/products/gse_g92942

Exclamation Marc

The Astro Dualsense is absolutely beautiful. The mix of textures really adds to it and the eyes on the bar are great. Delighted with it - easily my favourite Dualsense to date.

RocketRaccoon

2 worlds in and all I can think is how amazing it would be in VR. Some of the levels are carbon copies of Rescue Mission even down to the music, it's not a bad thing but it is making me think.... What If?

Grumpypants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588921#Comment_122588921

I think the main difference is psvr 1 used the camera and lights to estimate where you were. Where as PSVR2 uses the head set and controllers ( it has no blind spots if you turn around for example). I can't image it being a huge lift. I just don't think there is an appetite for it.

Hopefully the price cuts and free ps+ games give psvr2 a boost and they look at either porting it or building a sequel.

I know mine has been in constant use over the last 2 months since I got the new free games so hopefully that's repeated for others.

RocketRaccoon

The bot of war level just blew my mind

Penn

Have finished the first two worlds, think I got all the bots and other stuff.

Game just feels sublime. So inventive and joyful in everything it does.

johnny_ultimate

Played through the first world. Very much more Astro Bot, but that is by no means a bad thing. I very much appreciate how the game rewards both play and curiosity. If there’s a ridge that looks like you can reach it or a corner that looks a bit conspicuous, you can almost rest assured there’s something there - sometimes just a few coins to acknowledge the devs thought of that too, but very often it’s something much more fun than that too.

That extends to the mechanics, which are polished to the finest sheen. When you get a power up and think ‘can I hit that with this?’ the answer is usually a resounding yes. Indeed, I love how the game basically responds in the most generous way - if you hit an item towards an enemy, for example, it almost magnetises towards them to give you that satisfying pop. It’s not a particularly challenging game - indeed, maybe a bit too easy so far - but the feedback (aided, uniquely, by the considered controller haptics) is always sublime.

Retr0gamer

Anyone doubting that Team Asobi did incredible work in such a short time:

https://twitter.com/matto_bii/status/1832124197289783748?t=wv5dft-tuLqHxbah7LwH6Q&s=19

jj880

"I would like to see more games like this from PlayStation!"

Concord shutting down the same day Astro Bot launches to universal acclaim should say it all.

Well into Astro now. Since I sold my PSVR Ive been longing to play Rescue Mission again so the similar levels / music are very welcome. It's a joy all the way.

Andrew76

What. A. Game. Incredible stuff. Watched the 7 yr old complete the first world (solar system?) last night and got to play it myself this morning. The gameplay is sublime, just like Playroom everything just flows brilliantly - combat and platforming. Presentation is top tier too - graphics, soundtrack and the integration with the controller is fantastic - on the Az-Tech level where you can whack the acorns out of trees and hear them through the controller as you run through them. Or smacking a tree and all the leaves fall out - little touches like that are brilliant. So much vibrancy to each level. Managed to do a couple of the Lost Galaxy levels too which were great.

Think I've only rescued about 40 bots so far, so still very early in the game but this is just as good if not better than anything Nintendo have done with the 3D Mario games (which I adore too) - the power of the PS5 and the Dual Sense integration raise it to another level imo. Take a bow Team ASOBI. 🙂

johnny_ultimate

One small little thing is that I wish you weren’t automatically kicked out of the level when you discover a hidden exit / bonus level. I get why it’s there, but I think I’d rather finish off the level I’m on and then go back and tackle the new one.

Retr0gamer

Saw an interview with a Team Asobi member and he was saying how he wants their games to fill gaps in PlayStations library like previous Sony games. Pretty much what I've been saying Sony has been missing for years since the disappointment of the PS4.

Sony is trying to be a game publisher when they are selling a platform and should stick to that. Fund the interesting projects and the big hits will come. They should remind the shareholders who they are and not give in and chase GaaS and other gaming trend white whales. Make the games, support the platform and those megahits will come.

jj880

Anyone manage to get this from PS Gear?

Keeps telling me it can't be shipped to Ireland now. I was sure I got to last step of checkout a few months ago.

@Jordan 199

Jordan 199

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122591697#Comment_122591697

I didn't get it as the price of the postage put me off.

I would have loved to have one.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122591725#Comment_122591725

Yeah same at the time. Now I can't get as far as shipping options. I'll try again on PC later. Might sort it.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122591531#Comment_122591531

The first time it happened, yeah it was a bit annoying because I didn't know it was a secret exit and was only halfway through the level. But then after the first time, I figured okay, if I find a secret exit I'll finish the rest of the level then double back to the secret exit instead of the main exit. It's usually not that bad.

McDermotX

About 160 bots in so will probably slow it down now and play in small doses, but its genuinely great stuff. Bit on the easy side, but id like to think its probably more of at a welcome level to all ages, always allowing the fun nature to come through. Obviously harder bits are in there, like the little runs after the Lost Circle levels etc. Knocked it out of the park in the main, and polished to a sheen that some glitch in scenery is very few and far between.

Over to you Nintendo

recyclops

So played around 2/3 hours. It's more Astro so that's a wonderful thing. As most said it's on the very very easy side so hopefully we get some proper tough levels as ability tests. I do think the soundtrack is lacking after the amazing one in the demo.

You can see where it gets the vast majority of its influences from but again not a bad thing, I would say Nintendo haven't a thing to worry about some of this stuff they had in games over 20 years ago.

Retr0gamer

Jason Schreier with a rare positive article about the industry:

https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1832102427534991381?t=Uanp94cEsKKYIn3mxJ_feg&s=19

recyclops

Spoiler Warning

Also loving the bots ya find, I'm not finding it a graveyard of wasted potential my favourite so far being okami.