Astro Bot is one of the best 3D Platformers ever, and a must-own for any PS5 owner. It mixes the best parts of 3D Mario, a little bit of Crash Bandicoot, and tons of Playstation fanservice to create a surprisingly lengthy game that's accessible to everyone with some optional genuinely tough challenges.

I 100% completed this game, finishing every level, saving all the "bots", collecting every puzzle piece, opening up every gacha capsule, and finally finishing the secret challenge level unlocked by completing the rest of the game's content. All told, completing Astro Bot took me roughly 18 hours, with 6 or so of those spent on 2 levels in particular. More on that later.

Each level has a theme, and they're all really well done. I enjoyed some levels more than others, but there's not a single dud level here. The platforming challenges, powerups, and enemies are all varied enough that every level feels fresh. Bots and puzzle pieces are cleverly hidden, and some levels that can be beat in 2 or 3 minutes blasting through them can take upwards of 15 to find everything, 

The graphics are really nice, but not what I would call groundbreaking. Where they shine is more in the amount of physics objects and interactivity and framerate than in pure fidelity. Likewise, the game makes the best use of the Dualsense controller on the platform. It's a shame that other games don't use the controller's features to their full potential, because Astro Bot is a prime example of how the controller can enhance gameplay.

The game is mostly pretty easy, especially if you're not attempting to 100% everything. All main levels can be beaten without much of a sweat and checkpoints are plentiful with no penalty for dying. There is a slight ramp-up in difficulty in the final world, but nothing crazy. By the time you reach that point you'll be familiar with the mechanics at play and be just fine.

There are a set of challenge levels in each world that can be quite difficult, both because they're more difficult than the standard levels and because there are no checkpoints mid-level. One challenge level in particular (one of the 'square' levels) was particularly brutal, and in my opinion, a little too reliant on RNG because of the powerup you're required to use. That level took me a few hours, and was about as hard as the final challenge level.

All in all, a fantastic game that should be played by anyone who enjoys platformers or has a PS5. $60 for this type of game is a bit rich for my blood, because if you're not planning to 100% it, it can be finished in 9 or 10 hours, but i definitely got my money's worth. Astro Bot is some of the most pure fun I've had with the console since I bought it on launch.