Astro Bot Is a Rare Treasure

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Sony and that little ol' PlayStation 5 of theirs have got something real special on their hands. Here's my Astro Bot review.
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This video was edited by the wondrous Kane!
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[@ArloStuff]

THIS IS A COMMON PINNED COMMENT Head to www.squarespace.com/arlo to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code "arlo"

[@thebeanguy08]

no way! i've caught a common pinned comment!

[@bigmacfortniteronal9833]

Arlo you GOTTA check out this new game called core keeper, I reckon its right up your alley. also great video dude, astro bot fucking rocks!

[@jarrellfamily1422]

Indie developers are making good 3d platformers

[@JoshTheWoz]

0:15 OH GOD HE'S DOING IT AGAIN

[@marcuscostello5635]

Your squarespace website sucks

[@The_Admiral_Angel]

Sony really needs more games like this. Not all of them have to be 100 hour realistic, open-world, playable cinematics or live service hero shooters, which there's obviously an audience for, but there should also be room for simple yet charming games with strong replay value like this. Also, I can't blame you for jamming to the music. The entire soundtrack slaps.

[@JoelGarcia-lu3tw]

​@@istealpopularnamesforlikes3340 Do they though? All their AAA games sell extremely well and are critically acclaimed. This is a Nintendo channel so I get why arlos fanbase thinks this but it's not black and white. Both types of games can co-exist, but their bread and butter is still the AAA story driven games.

[@Gloomdrake]

@@JoelGarcia-lu3twyes.

[@JoelGarcia-lu3tw]

​@@Gloomdrake they can do both but they will (and should) still focus on the triple AAA story driven games since that's what sells more.

[@Gloomdrake]

@@JoelGarcia-lu3tw you don’t even disagree, then. Why are you arguing with us?

[@JoelGarcia-lu3tw]

​@@Gloomdrake the way it was worded here and online (a bubble), is that Sony should ONLY make games like this, which isn't the case at all.

[@thaddeushamlet]

You mean, if the hardware isn't spending all it's power rendering realistic skin pores, you can do cool things with lots of physics objects?? 😮

[@Name-tn3md]

You know that pores rendered by gpu and physics by CPU? Right?

[@thaddeushamlet]

@@Name-tn3md It's a sarcastic comment about how large studios put way too much of their focus and budget on largely unnecessary things to the detriment of fun gameplay, story, etc. I do not care about the specifics of what processes impede others in computing.

[@KamiEneru]

@@thaddeushamleterm 🤓☝️actually you were wrong opinion invalidated

[@peterpop-off]

​@@KamiEneru 🤡 🫵

[@Kaimax61]

"Look at this horse, it poops in real time" details levels of uselessness. Once dev realize they can stop mimicking real life for most of their games, then it would be a great time

[@Mystic-Aidan]

I love how Astro Bot feels like the devs were expecting half the time to make it, then Sony gave them an extra year or two to work on it, and they just decided to go wild with it. They had WAY too much fun making this game, and it shows.

[@pathogeneration5138]

@@Mystic-Aidan Yes, they had way too much fun playing Nintendo games. For 'inspiration'

[@blackrahk2037]

​@@pathogeneration5138 None of the powers in Astro were in any Nintendo game.

[@WaddleWat]

I'm going to be honest, I love that it targets such a young audience. My 4 year old doesn't really like games because they're too hard for him, but he loves Astrobot. He beat the first level with me taking the controller once, and I am so proud of him.

[@someoneelse1534]

I like to think that "3D platformers are RARE" was a deliberate word choice.

[@dapperfan44]

​@@pathogeneration5138 Just a hater.

[@Mikhail_Malekov935-zs1is]

​@@pathogeneration5138"nooo!! Nintendo is the only one allowed to make games in that Genre, they can't do that. Cease and desist them!!" That's what you sound like.

[@notecolt2742]

@@pathogeneration5138chill out

[@S0RNG]

@@dapperfan44 As another Nintendo fan, I apologize on this person's behalf. I might not be a fan of Sony, but I do love this game!

[@mx.e2176]

@@pathogeneration5138Clown behavior

[@wet0wl]

Astro Bot feels like an alternate timeline where PlayStation continued with their old style of games

[@ॐIo]

They never stopped. Sadly most of it doesn't sell well. Unless you bought tearaway, puppeteer, Gravity Rush. I did but I'm a minority

[@andresilm]

The alternate timiline are or were the japanese studios

[@DavidJCO]

@@andresilm Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch used to make games like this. It is not just Japanese studios. Unfortunately, Western Studios now think like Hollywood movie studios, spending money on visuals, trailers, stories, and having star actors attached to the projects. They could make "cool games" as Arlo said, not everything has to be the biggest and most ambitious game ever, especially because most PlayStation games are not even that ambitious gameplay-wise

[@simply_maple]

Amazing review, Arlo

[@loco_logic]

I really do miss old school PlayStation. They used to produce so much tonal and genre variety for their high profile projects. That's what made them so "cool" to me back in the day.

[@flip9118]

Here's a fun thought: If Astro Bot wins GOTY, we will likely see a resurgence of 3D platformers for the next few years.

[@WarpChaos]

No chance it does win though. 🤷

[@paulhudalla9527]

​@@WarpChaosyeah, I doubt it would win GOTY. But I wouldn't be surprised if it wins at least some awards

[@HazeEmry]

The only thing I want more of is just fun games. Idc if they're collectathons or shooters or story driven drivel, I hate being frustrated about things out of my control. In shooters, I don't want a hacker on the other team. In story games, I want a happy ending and the choice to have the NPCs I bond with have happy endings without guilt of some kind.

[@hamlindigo_blue]

​@@WarpChaosWhat do you think will win? FF7 Rebirth?

[@ismailahmed4542]

I hope Echoes of Wisdom wins, but I think Astrobot is the favorite.

[@Vlyood]

"call geoff keighley at the game awards" that aged well

[@BobbyHopp]

Apparently this amazing game was made in 3 years with a team of 60 compared to concords 8 years, 400 million dollars and hour long credits really feels emblematic of the current industry

[@willwunsche6940]

It's interesting to think about. My second or third favorite Pokemon game of all time Heart Gold/Soul Silver on the DS was made by like 20 people over the course of 2 years! A games number of people definitely doesn't determine it's quality. Terraria is one of the best masterpiece games of all time and I don't think they started with a ton of people either

[@aturchomicz821]

@@willwunsche6940 Ill never see Teraria as anything but a violent video game for sweaty gamers with no life but sure, believe whatever you want😅😅

[@JadoDog]

This is exactly like how Disney put all their time, energy and resources into Pocahontas, thinking it'd get them an Oscar for being an animated historical epic, and then gave the B team the task of making the Lion King. Big companies never learn 😂

[@EmyN]

Makes complete sense- clear vision, straightforward path, there you go

[@paulhudalla9527]

​@@JadoDogPocahontas is a pretty good movie, to be fair, but yeah, I agree that companies should allow smaller teams to make something truly unique more often

[@Gungho73]

You know why Astro Bot is great? Because it successfully conveys the feeling of my childhood when I started playing. Is it the shiniest, lavish gaming experience ever that will forever for 3 months set the graphical/performance showcase in our industry for eons to come? No. But what it is is a game that you press play, and gameplay screams as you "YO *BOY* DO YOU LIKE VIDEO GAMES?!?!?!?!!" That's the best feeling.

[@MilkieMouse]

@@pathogeneration5138 So what? If you're gonna take cues from someone, it may as well be from the best. You wouldn't want them to fix what isn't broken.

[@S0RNG]

@@pathogeneration5138 ??? Speaking as a hardcore Nintendo fan, this? Isn't plagiarism??? What, are you gonna say that every 2d platform ever plagiarized from Mario? Of course there's gonna be some intersectionality, and trying to patent this kind of gameplay is gonna kill off a *huge* part of the gaming industry :/

[@S0RNG]

@@pathogeneration5138 Okay buddy, if you really wanna do this... A) You? Calling *me* a "dozy drone???" When I *explicitly* said that I was a hardcore Nintendo fan, and you're constantly claiming Astro Bot rips off Nintendo, and that's the only reason it's good? Great joke! B) I literally just said that every platform is in the same genre, of *course* they're gonna have some similarities, that does NOT equate to plagiarism! And yes, in fact, that's *exactly* what you said, stop ranting :/

[@pathogeneration5138]

​@@S0RNG Earth to brain abortion: At literally no time in the temporal chart of history, have I ever, would I ever, say that the reason ASTRO-BOT is mega-plagiaristic is because they're both 3D platformers. That is the moronic, assumptive, reductive straw-man fantasy that you dozy drones keep vomiting onto the screen like some cranial-vacuum hive-mind. It's everywhere, nigh-on every time. Like some Idiocracy Nation Anthem, you all repeat the same munted gibberish. You could, and it won't be long before some will, play through ASTRO-BOT meticulously, and begin charting the bullet-points of ASTRO-BOT's laundry list of a heist. The funny thing about ASTRO-BOT is it steals from NINTENDO more than NINTENDO steals from NINTENDO. Every NINTENDO 3DPlat, is a merging of the somewhat familiar with the reinvented. In fact, NINTENDO is so rampantly fresh, that I usually wish they'd "milk" their mechanics more than they do. More the way RARE runs mechanics into the ground with iteration and reiteration. But not NINTENDO. They're so driven towards fresh, that they near pathologically re-re-iterate their design features. And then along comes ASTRO-BOT, like a Beatles cover band. Just sounding off the greatest hits. Hey! Here's our version of Strawberry Field Forever! The game is mostly a compendium of NINTENDO's design, IDEAS. Did you catch that key word in the mix? You know, that every little subtle nuanced mechanic is an IDEA right? And most of the "ideas" in ASTRO-BOT are derived of NINTENDO. Either directly, or with a light reworking. The one that stands out, as an impressive idea of doing things "the NINTENDO way" is the Sponge. Probably the best mechanic in the game, and not from any blatant NINTENDO provenance- EXCEPT- That considering the Laser Hover is ripped straight from MARIO SUNSHINE, they probably took their inspiration for the Sponge, from SUNSHINE's Fludd, which has the same saturation ability, just worked in in a different fashion. Which is actually more dynamic than the "sponge", but I digress. Even in the best example, The Sponge (better suggestion?) you can trace the lineage. The Sponge is a heavy reiteration of the Mario Sunshine Fludd. But at least it's creditable compared to most of the derivations here. Even the crispness with which ASTRO handles, and boosts, is near the nearest any 3D Platformer has come to mimicking Mario, even in that fundamental. Most 3D Platformers make SOME kind of effort to distinguish themselves. Not ASTRO-BOT. It's like a full blown admission that nobody has worked out how to beat MARIO, so let's JOIN Mario. It's impressive how casual a heist it is. The part that's so irksome in this fray of acclaim however, is the rampant psychosis of denialism. As if, the gamersphere is populated by design illiterates, incapable of parsing function, provenance, and the meaning that meets in the twain.

[@S0RNG]

@@pathogeneration5138 For the last time, THIS IS NOT PLAGIARISM. Oxford Dictionaries’ definition of plagiarism: “the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.” Do you see references to Mario, Zelda or Kirby in any of the VIP bots or levels? No? Then what about any of the backpack bots power ups or Astro’s basic abilities, do they rip off from FLUUD or Kirby’s inhale ability? While they serve similar purposes, they are presented in and executed in entirety different ways. Ergo: Not plagiarism. Stop being so dramatic about everyone who doesn’t agree with you being “dozy drones” and can only ever be wrong -_-

[@1gnore_me.]

the fact that team asobi created a pack-in tech demo game, that genuinely stands toe to toe with wii sports in terms of quality and charm ... they're definitely one of the GOATs. this game is just proving that even more. such a wonderful game.

[@metanightmare4454]

Aren't they also some of the people who made the Gravity Rush games? I completed them like a year ago and, while they could be a little jank at times, they were so cool and unique that usually didn't care.

[@pian-0g445]

@@metanightmare4454 they're basically the remaments of Japan Studio (who developed Gravity Rush 2). I don't know how much of the talents are in Aosobi, considering that I think this studio is smaller, but you can definitely feel there's a level of expertise in all their games (despite being smaller).

[@mrcat3493]

The feel of Astro when he turns into a metal ball was awesome. He had real heft and the sound design of metal-on-metal was off the charts.

[@TheVideoGameManiac]

The entire God of War level damn near made me tear up.

[@KeyBladeMaster-Dan]

LOOOL You should've seen me when I found the Raziel, Kain and Shibito bots I was in bits 😅😭😭😭😭😭😭. And for real the God Of War level was amazing I wish there was more Playstation themed levels because all 5 were amazing ^__^

[@darcidious99]

The "boy" before the beat drop is pure genius. I was just so happy amaterasu got in as one of the bots, love that sun goddess pupper

[@kazenna]

Nah bro you mean the ape escape one

[@roryrousseau111]

​@@kazenna damn Ape Escape, It's been a minute since I thought about that one haha.

[@jamesesterline]

The gag about the trope of having the player character squeeze through a gap to hide loading screens had me laughing my ass off

[@TNEQL]

If you watched the Topic Arlo video, you know exactly why he can't stop dancing...

[@atticus999x]

When I got this game the other day I knew exactly what song he was talking about lol

[@RJH755]

The soundtrack is so good

[@Xx-F17THYFR34K-xX]

@@marcuscostello5635look up my dead great grandmas coffin in my own backyard

[@Max-rz8br]

​@@marcuscostello5635What? How is that the worst video on youtube? I wouldn't even say that the video was bad.

[@BrandonTrex]

@@Max-rz8brdon’t engage it’s a troll. They have 47 comments on this channel and they’re all ragebait

[@craigh4691]

The haptics are incredible in this game. How the controller makes it feel like you're ice skating, and then makes it feel like you're ice skating and running into snow, it just astounds me. All of the Astro Bot games so far have been good, but this one is on another level.

[@MrNasexD]

"Characters from games, that Sony wouldn't be caught dead making these days." Shows the Hunter "extremely distorted Mad World starts playing*

[@kieranmcgill960]

Found this criticism quite ironic given how nintendo love to squeeze their own dead franchises into Smash

[@jameslawrenson1208]

Bloodborne 2.

[@KevZ7.]

@@kieranmcgill960 nintendo has kept a lot of their franchises around, the reasons some aren't brought back is either cause they've done everything they wanted to with it or that the franchise in itself just has little room to go beyond what was already made with it

[@needsart]

To be fair that "quirky little VR game" is also a full game that is actually a bit more challenging than the new one, at least in my opinion. Like this game, Rescue Mission is super fun and creative with lots of memorable moments and cool ideas. It's not as long but it's a must-play if you have a PSVR

[@OmarK2006]

Dude fr fr. Rescue Mission is one of my favorite VR games, and the Platinum for it was very challenging!

[@petebagwell6666]

17:56 thats a great way to sum up astrobot, its just constantly feeding you all these little delights constantly some times in multiples, even the subliminal shit like how sand feels when astro walks on it or the splash of a puddle or some goo coming through the controller along with the haptics splooshing

[@jjjabbers]

"You aren't just a good game, you're an important game." That's the genius quote I never knew I needed to hear but I'm so glad it was said. I was not disappointed by this review, especially near the end. Thank you Arlo.

[@MegaInferGoku19617]

the music in this game makes me feel like I'm running down a red carpet while punching people along the way.

[@EmyN]

Lol

[@ChandloEnjoyer]

It's unfortunate that this game ended up becoming a symbol, not just a good game standing on its own merit. It's a game that exists in the context of an industry that seems to be moving away from the very things that make games like Astrobot special. But if this game is a symbol of what gaming should be, then holy cow what a great symbol it's become. It's a great game, through and through. And it deserves praise for what it accomplishes.

[@elsamarks8477]

I feel that the game is lessened by its appeal to Sony franchises. It’s just a like less it’s own thing than it could be

[@zakpbarnes]

Astro Bot made me excited about the medium again. So flippin fun.

[@zakpbarnes]

@@pathogeneration5138 I have been a switch owner since day 3 of the launch, however even as my switch collection grows I find myself less excited to play it. I started echoes today and while it is fun, I wasn’t smiling like a kid on Christmas every few minutes like I was the past 2 weeks with Astro. This made me feel something I hadn’t felt in awhile. Just because I like Astro bot doesn’t mean I’m tearing down Nintendo. No need for the demeaning comment, friend.

[@zakpbarnes]

@@pathogeneration5138 I have been a switch owner since day 3 of the launch. While my switch collection grows, I find myself less excited to play it. I started Echoes today. It’s good but it didn’t have me beaming from ear to ear like a child in Christmas morning the way Astro had me for the past couple weeks. Just because I enjoy Astro bot doesn’t mean I’m anti-Nintendo. No need for the demeaning comment, Friend.

[@zakbarnes4668]

great point, other me account.

[@Amuro1X]

Writing off Astrobot Rescue Mission as just "quirky" is heartbreaking. 😭 That game is incredible. Real ones know.

[@superspecky4eyes]

Second best game on the PS5. The first being Astro Bot :)

[@wahnanarev]

@@superspecky4eyesits not on the ps5?

[@mazin9193]

​@@wahnanarev It's not, and seems like they have no intention of porting it to PSVR2 which is a shame. A lot of people who played both games actually prefer Rescue Mission (which was developed by a team of 25 in just 18 months. Absolutely crazy).

[@bacoooooooooon]

I love rescue mission one of my favorite games of all time 100% the game twice and halfway done with the third run..

[@kelm95]

Damn I want SO MUCH to play Rescue Mission again 😢 really regret selling my PSVR1, I was so sure they would port it to the new version

[@tomhank896]

Astro Bot is so easily my game of the year. Played it to 100% and loved every minute of it

[@volerasphere]

This game is so good it made everyone forget about Concord. Truly impressive.

[@darkstalkerknight63]

then why is astro bot sale numbers doing so poorly. the game is not that good.

[@Oneserioustiger]

@@darkstalkerknight63Copium much?

[@darkstalkerknight63]

@@Oneserioustiger clearly you are as the sale numbers are still doing very poorly. can't find anywhere it says it even sold 1 million units.

[@Oneserioustiger]

@@darkstalkerknight63 Proof? Show me. The game is that good wdym? If you don’t like platformers just say it

[@darkstalkerknight63]

​@@Oneserioustiger do you have any proof the game is good or even selling good. so far, the game has been a massive flop in japan, the usa, and so on. it is not selling well. the game have yet to sell 1 million units and it been out over 2 months now. you can like it if you want but the people are just not buying the game. where did I said I don't like platformers. what I don't like is stealing. you know how this same stole from Mario. literally everything I seen about this game is from Mario. if I wanted to play Mario, I will just play Mario and not "we got Mario at home" knock off.

[@NaXEthan]

i feel like the game's ad spot really captured what you were saying at the end of the video well with its title: "Play will find a way." it's really inspiring

[@liquidbruce9787]

Astro Bot's success isn’t just a matter of luck. Sony has a long history of strategic moves, like greenlighting Demon's Souls back in the PS3 era, even when the CEO disliked the game. Demon's Souls ended up becoming the foundation for nearly all modern action RPGs and adventure games. They also backed Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which made a huge impact in the film industry. Sony was smart enough to secure the Spider-Man IP early on, which helped drive the superhero movie trend. Additionally, they locked in exclusivity deals for Black Myth: Wukong and Genshin Impact on PS5, securing an edge in the Chinese market over Xbox. Sony also secured GTA 3 back when Microsoft had the chance to buy the IP but passed on it. And I haven’t even mentioned Sony Music or the Walkman. Sony has shaped culture in countless ways, just look at the bigger picture.

[@mallow2902]

I don't have a PS5 so I've been playing that "quirky little VR game" and it ROCKS. I love it. Definitely still worth playing. Edit: the way the game stops you from falling off the edge unless you jump is a holdover from the VR game actually, though it makes less sense here. In the VR game it was to minimize frustration and perspective confusion while Astro Bot is out of view or far above you.

[@shine01120]

The opening of State of Play had Astrobot's director saying there were a few Astro secrets coming up. I'm hoping a Psvr2 port of Rescue Mission is one of them

[@fortniteisexpensive]

Astro bot is literally my Fav game this generation and easily made its way into my top 10 games of all time It's that peak

[@CALAMITY0FHYRULE]

Sounds like a tad bit of honeymoon period. But I can see it being an extremely good title

[@daniel8181]

Wait until you find out what they have on the nintendo consoles

[@fortniteisexpensive]

@@daniel8181 I have 2 switches Idk what this comment is supposed to mean lmao

[@daniel8181]

​@@fortniteisexpensive Astrobot is just 3d mario, its like saying foamstars is the best thing youve ever played, or kung fu saga, I'm not saying you're wrong, that you dont like it, I'm saying Nintendo has been making this exact same game for almost 30 years.

[@ॐIo]

​@@daniel8181it's not quite the Same.

[@waywardlaser]

The fact that the Uncharted level was called "Dude Raiding"...that's just perfect. Loved every second of this game.

[@JZStudiosonline]

I don't want to raid dudes.

[@HazeEmry]

​@@JZStudiosonline well tough luck, cause them dudes are looking mighty raidable. Would be a shame to pass this opportunity up

[@bingusdingus39]

​@@HazeEmryI love raiding dudes

[@superspecky4eyes]

I love the Loco Roco level, so cute!

[@lemming9984]

@@superspecky4eyes oooh noooo a spoiler 😅. I haven't got to that one yet. I'm just on the chameleon boss on galaxy 4!

[@blu3g]

When I started playing and I found the racing bot, I went into the area where you find the reference bots, and I just used the motion control to rotate him around like I was playing with a toy car. This game just turns me into a little kid again

[@Zulfrak]

This is the Game that broke me and finally makes me buy a PS5. Not the high Budget Open World fancy 3rd Person Action whatever The cute gameplay focused plattformer with its own unique character and Charm More of this Sony!

[@meowmeow2634]

it definitely makes me heavily consider buying one!! I'm just so broke lol

[@TheSacha83]

Yup, I didn't want a PlayStation this generation around, but this game sure makes me wonder if I'll finally crack (once I have enough money saved up)

[@dapperfan44]

​@@pathogeneration5138 And I'm sick of seeing "No fun allowed" buzzkillers like you diss the game. Nintendo doesn't "own" this style. Other people can come around and do things as good as or better. This game did. Get over it. Suck it up. The game is good.

[@loco_logic]

I'm right there with you, friend. Astro is the very definition of a system seller to me.

[@S0RNG]

@@pathogeneration5138 As a fellow Nintendo fan, I see what you're doing to literally everyone. Please stop. This is not plagiarism, this is another 3d platformer like any other, you're just giving us a bad rep going around claiming that everyone rips off Nintendo. And to everyone else, I apologize on this person's behalf.

[@elvickRULES]

Also you undersold how good Astro Bot Rescue Mission was. If Astro Bot was also in VR2 it would be even better. People have no clue how good a 3D platfomer can be in VR.

[@Aether_Athea]

I love that the Arlo dance at the beginning not only fits the fact the music is great, but also feels like a great callback to both the Arlo review score with the dancing Arlos AND the Muppet Show announcement reaction that I have watched several times!

[@jekufo]

The way he's talking about this game with such enthusiasm is so genuine like he LOVE loves this game

[@iamalex6783]

my biggest gripe is not showing what game the special bots are from... I recognize about 30% of the cameos as a casual fan, but I wish it was like trophies in the older smash bros games that told you a little about the character and game. I look up everyone and then look up the game. Feels like a missed opportunity to get people interested in some older games!

[@SystemBD]

It made you look the game the characters are from? I would say that's a "mission failed successfully", then.😄

[@hamlindigo_blue]

You wanted them to outright say the character name + game they came from? People are already calling this a glorified ad, imagine if they did that. But it's pretty easy to just look them up.

[@Bane_Amesta]

@@hamlindigo_blue That's probably the main reason they avoided the actul names. Also since Dark Souls most of the community interacts in the internet anyways, so I bet they were expecting those google searchs and video recopilations of each bot and reference.

[@MatthewCobalt]

Maybe by making you have to look up which character they are referencing, it would also help gauge how interested the general public are to generally forgotten IPs.

[@Logos729]

I do agree to an extent, I found myself in the same trouble since I'm a very new PS fan and want to get into their history more, but it's a massive double-edged sword since all the references being more explicit will make them come across as less "nods to classics for those in the know to appreciate" and more like forced advertising. It's far more whimsical the way it's done here, and I applaud it

[@carloswalker1212]

Not kidding, at the gacha lab part 17:51, I LITERALLY PUSHED MY POINTER FINGER DOWN AS IF I HAD THE CONTROLLER IN MY HAND.

[@OtterloopB]

The industry *NEEDS* more games like Astro Bot. Grimdark interactive movies and banal 5v5 looter shooters have gotten indescribably _old._ We need color and life and fun in gaming again.

[@snaxandsoda]

"We don't use the word 'FUN'" That statement, contrasted with Astro Bot, should tell you all you need to know

[@bingusdingus39]

​@@snaxandsodaI will always say, the Last of us part 2 feels like a game that's scared of being called a game

[@godminnette2]

"banal 5v5 looter shooters have gotten indescribably old" I don't know of *any* 5v5 looter shooters. Few looters have pvp, and the only ones I can think of are free-for-alls.

[@TheCrawl]

WOAH! Thanks for the shoutout my friend! I really appreciate it

[@Kable10]

Best 3D platformer I’ve ever played just pure fun

[@themetalgamer9864]

Hear me out. Sony, let Astro Bot come to Smash. Nintendo, let Astro Bot have costumes for Jumping Plumber (Mario) and Player 2 (Luigi). Better yet, announce both on the same day and break the internet.

[@lordofthered1003]

0:19 GO ARLOOOOO!!!!!

[@chrisobrien9916]

I can't believe that shrinking mechanic was literally only used in 1 level. This game is such a treat I hope they add more story levels in dlc and not just challenge levels.

[@TheRedlotusblossom]

I'm enjoying echoes of wisdom right now but I am absolutely going to be playing astrobot next and I'm very excited for it

[@willwunsche6940]

Hope this inspires Sony to greenlight a Little Big Planet sequel. 1 & 2 are my favorite games of all time!

[@spudwilkins9440]

YES.

[@EthanTheGamer77]

​@@spudwilkins9440I hate to copy your comment, but also YES.

[@spudwilkins9440]

@@EthanTheGamer77 the more YES. the merrier.

[@lemming9984]

agree - 'Tearaway' too, on Vita, was just as good!

[@willwunsche6940]

@@pathogeneration5138 I read your comment in the voice of the narrator from the Stanley Parable. I may not directly agree that Astro Bot is derrivite of Nintendo as someone who is deeply aware and a fan of Nintendo games and other games in the industry, but I do think they took light inspiration from Nintendo Land on the Wii U (an excellent gem of a game) for their second Astro Bot game, Astro Bots Playroom, which crossed over to influence this. And I have heard others say Astro Bot isn't the perfect Sony mascot, although I think he is fine as a character. And the Astrobots remind me of the Sackbots from Little Big Planet 2

[@SharpEdgeSoda]

"I want more padding, more fluff." That's the secret. Collectables in Platformers **Is the Fluff**. An actual level takes time and effort to craft. Droppin' a lil shiny in a corner? Easy.

[@alphab93]

The rumble in this game is amazing. It really puts Nintendos "HD rumble" to shame

[@ॐIo]

FF7 Rebirth, Helldivers2 and Returnal implemented it amazingly well in their games too

[@elvickRULES]

I wish it were this good in Sackboy. Team Asobi should’ve helped that studio, I had to disable them for Sackboy as it wasn’t good.

[@a18yearoldonyoutubeluigi]

Game of the year and it isn’t even close.

[@mr_manager]

I don't know. Concord is a strong contender too.

[@jaretco6423]

I thought Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Remake would be my 2024 GotY and don't get me wrong; it's up there. But man. This game might take the cherry on top of the cake.

[@ॐIo]

I love this game, but FF7 Rebirth is just too grand

[@Vaquix000]

@@ॐIo Eh, it's still just a chunk of a game from 1997 filled with padding. At least it's less obvious padding than Remake, because it's actually using a decent chunk of FF7 this time. A worse version of a game from 1997 doesn't sound that grand to me. Worse in story, worse in pacing, no threatening villains... Yeah, Sephiroth is not threatening at all in Remake or Rebirth because of his overuse. He just comes in at stupid moments to say some crappy lines at Cloud like a loser stalker, no build up as a significant ominous threat like in the original at all. Plus beating him TWICE already... why are we supposed to be afraid of someone we've beaten twice. Don't get me started on the clusterf*** that was the death scene at the end. They have no idea what they're doing. The good things? Yuffie is a better character now plus Kalm and Gongaga look a bit nicer. That's it. A game that is a piece of a game from 1997, the piece having the story ruined, bloated with padding and the villain turned into a laughable punching bag... yeah, don't understand how it could be grand except the music. It's insane that these are the same creators of the original FF7, how the mighty have fallen.

[@ॐIo]

@@Vaquix000 all that word sauce aside. I think they actually did great with pacing, expanding the world, and fantastic combat. Writing, music, combat, side content, voice acting. It's a rich experience. There is a lot of added content, even for the main plotline. While sephiroth being shown in the remake was an issue they did well with direction here. In my opinion. Acting like this game is just a piece of the original is disingenuous. It's so much more. And the "padding" is marvelous, games within games.

[@A_Wild_Dyzzy]

The Ape Escape level had me going “oh cool! It’s a reference to Ape Escape!” Then they made Astro bot look like Spike, gave me a net and the radar, and the animation for catching a bot was the same freeze-frame circling camera animation from the original games. I cannot remember the last time a game has made me almost burst into tears with delight.

[@telerobotic]

34:06 No, I don’t think I will, thankyouverymuch

[@jajan254]

I’m staying with you

[@SchoolofRockNRoll]

God i love platforming. I genuinely believe that mouse powerup level healed something in me

[@TheMightyEmerald]

GAME OF THE YEAR BABYYY!!! 💙💙💙

[@SirMalorak]

When I was a child, THIS is what I wanted gaming to become. Crazy fun, incredile technical fidelity and fun artstyles. I'm super glad this game exists. I don't have or can afford a PS5 but games like Mario Wonder and Astrobot still being made makes me very happy. There are still studios out there that just want to make beautiful, polished and - most importantly - fun-first games, and that makes me very happy.

[@Mr_Mimestamp]

I forgot how much I missed Arlo gushing about a single game for a long time! All the more reason to be hyped for the TOTK review!

[@elsamarks8477]

“When the world needed him most - he vanished” I want ToTK, Pikmin 4 and Thousand Year Door!!! C’mon!

[@wildaminal4573]

And the winner for best Astro Bot video goes to... Arlo! The insight and discussion in this was absolutely masterful. I hope this is one of those videos that makes the rounds. And also, thanks for another reminder of why I'm subscribed.

[@OptimusProvost]

I’m like 40 bots away from my platinum! I’m no trophy hunter, but this game is way too charming to not complete it!

[@lunamagnoliid8984]

now that you mention this, the tech showing off is like the new "POWER OF THE GAMECUBE" moment lmao

[@DanielP-jq4dj]

That bot looks so much like Eve from Wall-E

[@kithu1231]

👍🏻

[@Projection_]

Arlo straight up breaking into dancing randomly during the intro will never not be funny. Jokes aside, the music is insanely good.

[@MedalionDS9]

Bottom line, GOTY for me so far... I doubt even Zelda will top it.

[@YeTism]

@@pathogeneration5138don’t be a fanboy

[@pigeoon6353]

@@pathogeneration5138there’s nothing wrong with a little inspiration especially when the game that uses inspiration is very very good…

[@S0RNG]

@@YeTism As someone who really wants *both* this and Echoes to win GOTY, I apologize on their behalf ^^;

[@AirborneMocha]

​​@@S0RNGIs Zelda even a GOTY nominee? Edit: Wait, this was two months ago, so the nominees probably weren't announced yet.

[@Goobdywoobdy]

Always love when the big man drops a full blown review, reminds me of all the reviews of yours I watched in the early years of the switch when I first got into your stuff

[@UtenSwitch]

The best thing to explain why Astro Bot is such a rare game is that Team Asobi pours their heart and soul into their games the MOST, something that most dev teams nowadays always have trouble with

[@aoBubs]

it's not really a matter of heart and soul my dude. people are in game dev because they love games; any game programmer could make more money and have a more stable career in another industry. you need really good management to make a project come together, and even then it's tough.

[@jaretco6423]

​@@aoBubsOh no. Heart & soul is the main reason why an game like this is good. Because they care and they know how to make games.

[@chan_martin]

This is one of the rare games that ACTUALLY takes me back to my childhood and reminds me why I loved games in the first place. It’s just pure joy.

[@brentsmith-d8h]

This game is the one reason I want to get a PS 5.

[@PhatBussy]

It’s worth it

[@setsune999]

i went out and got one after the game awards just to play this game. pretty fun

[@MrNasexD]

The pure joy i get out of Astro Bot is almost not measurable. Like something I've forgotten for quite some years. But now that joy is knocking on the inside of my head, reminding myself, why I love video games so dearly

[@bassistheplace246]

Anyone here after the GOTY win? 🎉🎉

[@PhatBussy]

Yes

[@tdp_-tx9eu]

arlo - thanks for being the best. gaming can be such a toxic space. i can always count on you to brighten my day and bring joy into what is supposed to be a fun hobby. i deal with a fair share of mental and physical health issues and you have gotten me through so many difficult days. even if you don't see this, i felt the need to thank you for that. keep doing you - i know i am not the only one who appreciates you more than a comment could ever express.

[@Danominator]

Nobody can resist jamming out to that first level theme 😂

[@leescott3138]

As far as how easy the game is, I have twin boys that are 4 years old. I grew up with PlayStation, but they are brand new to video games. They were able to figure out how to play the game without me having to explain anything to them. That’s a very rare thing, and it made me smile.

[@papaG6423]

This game is the first one that makes me wish I had a PS5

[@uberbyte7467]

@@pathogeneration5138 cry about it

[@Henkiespenk]

@@pathogeneration5138 nintendo creamer is mad because sony made a better mario game

[@pathogeneration5138]

@@Henkiespenk Keep dreaming peasant. OH WOW, LOOK AT ME, I COPY ALL MY IDEAS FROM SMARTER CREATORS. I'M AMAZING WORSHIP ME! Your standard of "achievement" is pathetic. The game is a straight up clone. And once the hype of foaming Sony Drones abates, that's what it will be remembered as. A really well made COPYCAT. A better Mario game. Pfft, it doesn't even have deep core mechanics, let alone BETTER. NINTENDO spends three decades inventing the language, and some bunch of shameless homework plagiarizers just rip them? And this is your idea of "better?" You are tasteless and void of principle. Your education system failed you. My sympathies.

[@pathogeneration5138]

@@Henkiespenk Keep dreaming peasant. OH WOW, LOOK AT ME, I COPY ALL MY IDEAS FROM SMARTER CREATORS. I'M AMAZING WORSHIP ME! Your standard of "achievement" is pathetic. The game is a straight up clone. And once the hype of foaming Sony Drones abates, that's what it will be remembered as. A really well made COPYCAT. A better Mario game. Pfft, it doesn't even have deep core mechanics, let alone BETTER. NINTENDO spends three decades inventing the language, and some bunch of shameless homework plagiarizers just rip them? And this is your idea of "better?" You are tasteless and void of principle. Your education system failed you. My sympathies.

[@pathogeneration5138]

@@papaG6423 HEY KZbin MODS. TELL KZbin to fix the BROKEN FUCKING COMMENTS. YOU DUMBFUCKS

[@HFBeal]

Love the review!! I feel like your writing has really stepped up recently, lots of fun wordplay and analogies. Keep it up :)

[@CooperPaxton]

I NEED TO PLAY THIS GAME

[@Walrus286]

This game is great, but it’s far more similar to Kirby and the Forgotten Lands than most of the 3D Mario’s. Especially in terms of level design and movement. That is not a knock, I love that Kirby game, and this game is even better.

[@lemming9984]

you really do!

[@BagMonster]

Excellent review! You hit on basically everything I would have wanted you to. I know these take a lot of work, but I hope you can fit in more reviews in the future.

[@BlankPapers]

14:05 ACTUALLY, what you said isn’t a metaphor, but hyperbole. It’s still an idiom, but on a technical level not a metaphor. I’m sorry, you can continue with your review.

[@ConsoleChoice]

Love your straight-up game reviews. They've always been the reason I watch your channel. Awesome!

[@willwunsche6940]

Love this game. Have heard people rave about the VR one just as much! So many people have told me the VR one is one of if not their favorite platformer of all time

[@horspielkunstdeutschland3809]

That sound/vibration of the small shrunken Mouse-Astrobot walking on metal is the most singular pleasing effect I ever experienced in Video Games

[@drgonzo123]

Game. Of. The. Year.

[@sdpc9182]

Picturing Arlo dancing during the entire review is just the norepinephrine boost I need to get through the morning!

[@RitaJeff]

Still can't get over how awesome this turned out!

[@Matthew-ou8vx]

Great review as always mr. Arlo. Brought up literally so many small things I haven’t heard anyone else talk about! You are one of the best video game creators on the site!

[@TheMightyEmerald]

Yea. If Astro Bot can't win GOTY, at LEAST let it win BEST SOUNDTRACK... 🎵 edit: THIS LITTLE ROBOT IS NOW A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH!!! GOTY!!! 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@PurushaDesa]

Four years ago Team Asobi were assigned the task of creating a tech demo, and just for the fun of it they created the greatest pack-in in console history, showing developers how to use the DualSesne to emotionally immerse the player in the movement. And developers spent those four years… completely ignoring them. (Think of all those horror games that could have benefitted from taking the DualSense seriously.) And so here they are back again to show them how it’s done. One of the very few legitimately “next gen” experiences during this cycle as it’s now hard to decouple Astro Bot from the PS5 itself.

[@AfterglowAmpharos]

I think Astro Bot is much more similar to Kirby Forgotten Land than to any Mario game. Both Kirby and Astro: -Rescue your adorable friends, who are collectables to find -Bring friends back to hub world and boss doors, where they help you accomplish things when you collect enough number -Explore colourful, playful world -Adorable -Easy unless you're in a challenge level -3D platforming where careful jumping is not a worry -It's a course-clear level but the focus is on exploring and finding goodies and doing simple puzzles

[@Itomon]

Arlo this was a beautiful video and I'm all here for it! Oozing your love for games and good vibes

[@izzymcgee2527]

Glad Sony fans are finally getting fed.

[@n00b_ninja]

Amazing video, thanks for making it. Astro put a smile on my face throughout 😄

[@SackboySupreme]

You should try Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart and Sackboy: A Big Adventure!

[@micahmahaffey5919]

dude Rift Apart is peak, amazing experience

[@SackboySupreme]

@@micahmahaffey5919 great game and series!

[@tiredofeverything2771]

Arlo talking about his nephews is always so sweet i would love to hear their opinions on every game they play please

[@HPRshredder]

Love that you shouted out @TheCrawl. Excellent channel and excellent dude.

[@giantpinkcat]

Astro Bot dancing alone is why Black Myth Wukong lost GOTY.

[@CarbyGuuGuu]

Tbh, it felt like another Souls. Another Crab’s Treasure was the better game imo.

[@ॐIo]

FF7 Rebirth is my GOTY tbh

[@HazeEmry]

​@@CarbyGuuGuu Wukong's skill tree is easily customisable so I wouldn't say it's just another soulslike. Also the skills available aren't like soulslikes at all. Not to mention the only limitation is you need to hit the enemy a lot to use em. Would still put Crab above it though, simply because it's more fun

[@blayedd_]

Astro Bot is not just another game, it is an absolute gem, a timeless masterpiece of a game that I will enjoy time and time again throughout my life. I’m only 22 now but I can already imagine one day showing this game to my future children so they can experience this joy of a game as well

[@Loganandlandonslifeultimate]

If robots take over the world and its like this i would be ok with it

[@tauren00]

The dev team learned A LOT from what Nintendo established as staples in the platforming genre, but they also clearly had tons of fun creating this game and putting their own spin into it. This is a 10/10 game for sure. Incredibly well polished.

[@WunderwaffePrime]

Here’s to hoping they’re working on LittleBigPlanet 4 🙏

[@wet0wl]

Please 🙏

[@CreativeSteve69]

oh god I sure hope we see a little big planet revival sometime soon after astros success. I miss our friend sackboy. :(

[@WunderwaffePrime]

@@CreativeSteve69 he still gets referenced, such as in Astro Bot, along with the LEGO game that was revealed in the State of Play. There’s hope at least!

[@EthanTheGamer77]

Media molecule ARE working on a new game, They say its a completely new IP but knowing the human society as a whole that could be a shoddy deceitful excuse to hide a potential new LittleBigPlanet

[@MilkieMouse]

Hell if they stopped working on Astrobot just to immediately go into making another Astrobot game, I wouldn't even be mad.

[@Graphomite]

Team ASOBI gives me HAL Laboratory vibes. Thank goodness for these exceptional artists that are still able to exist beyond just the indie sphere.

[@lordofthered1003]

ARLOOOOOOO!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤ 34:03

[@joltx9909]

I love it when a simple, pure hearted single player game beats a high budget multi player monster. these are the games that made my childhood and define gaming for me

[@wozthescott2804]

As great as this game is, it’s a shame that it’ll have this negative stigma towards it because it highlights Sonys biggest issues.

[@kazenna]

Wouldn't the absence of the issues give it a positive connotation? Just makes the rest of Sony look worse

[@petebagwell6666]

Why not just consider it a separate thing, a games a game, you gonna be saying that about the next pokemon or mario game because of palworld?

[@hamlindigo_blue]

why is that the game's fault exactly? team asobi did nothing wrong

[@elsamarks8477]

It relies so much on its place in Sony’s lineage in its aesthetic design. I don’t think this was avoidable (from Team Asobi - Sony COULD have more compelling software by that’s not Astrobots fault)

[@juancarlosalonso5664]

Wait is that how it works? Should we start criticizing the games Nintendo makes because the company is scummy as hell with its lawsuits?