Review for Astro's Playroom. Game for PlayStation 5, the video game was released on 12/11/2020
Version for PlayStation 5 from 19/11/2020
If you own, or have owned, a PS4 then you will certainly know the universe of Astrobot, the nice little robot that introduced you to the world of the Sony console with a series of levels and minigames designed to make you discover the peculiarities of the hardware and, above all, of the pad. Later we saw him protagonist of a game of his own on PSVR with Astrobot Rescue Mission, a beautiful platformer to be faced in a whole new way thanks to virtual reality.
It can almost be said that the little robot has almost become a mascot for Sony consoles and is no less so on PlayStation 5 thanks to Astro's Playroom. Exactly as in the past, in fact, even this title contained by default within the PS5 memory, will allow you to discover the potential of the new machine, and in particular the characteristics of the new pad, the DualSense.
Sony therefore decides to drastically abandon the name of DualShock, which in the past was the promoter of more or less important revolutions such as vibration, Sixaxis and the touchpad, to get to something concrete and "sensorial": this is the explanation of the Dual "Sense".
The vibration was one of the most appreciated introductions by the players and that allowed to experience some games in a unique and unprecedented way: just mention the first Metal Gear Solid by Kojima with the torture of Ocelot or the mental tricks of Psycho Mantis. Leaving the PlayStation context for a moment, the Nintendo Switch rumble emphasized by games like 1-2 Switch, has really demonstrated the ability to “perceive the game through the pad”. Here, DualSense not only enhances these capabilities, but potentially allows you to experience a game like never before, and when you play at Astro's Playroom, you will understand it too.. Don't make the mistake of considering this title as a mere PS5 tech demo, because this time the work done by the Sony Japan Studios Team Asobi is like a real single player game capable of giving great entertainment through a journey that will pay homage to the Playstation history.
Before talking about the sensory experience offered by the DualSense, let's talk a little about the features of Astro's Playroom and its gameplay.
The game puts us in the shoes of our Astrobot, catapulted into the hub of the game by the virtual projection of our pad and from which it will depart for the 4 worlds, each representing one of the specific hardware aspects of PS5: cooling fan, gpu, ray tracing and SSD memory. Each world is divided into 4 areas and characterized by a different setting from the beach to the jungle, from the sky to space. In each area our robot will be tested with various platforming challenges and above all with obstacles that will activate the new features of the aforementioned DualSense.
But what are these features? Let's start with the already mentioned vibration, called Aptical Feedback, which reacts to what is happening on the screen thanks to actuators that replace the traditional vibration motors. These dynamic vibrations can simulate any sensation, from that of the sand under your feet to the water while swimming, to the most incredible one that allows you to feel the blade sliding on the ice while skating on it. We know it is difficult to explain, but we assure you that the result is truly amazing.
Then there are the adaptive triggers which vary their resistance to pressure according to the feeling that the game wants to convey: it is especially noticeable when we shoot an arrow with the bow to simulate the string being pulled backwards, but they are also excellent for feeling the recoil of the shots , or when a car passes over a bump. Obviously there is no lack of motion sensors and the touchpad already present in the previous edition of the controller, which obviously have their own space also within Astro's Playroom, but they are not a real novelty and are the features that are used less in terms of gameplay.
And speaking of gameplay, the mechanics that most of all brings into play the new features of the pad are the exoskeletons. Each world has one or more sections in which Astrobot wears a sort of technological suit that is always changing. From a kind of frog jumping with a spring, a climbing monkey, a metal ball and a spaceship. Each of these suits move using motion sensors, adaptive triggers or the touchpad. Thanks to this, the game boasts an incredible variety, for a relatively small title and that is completed in the space of an afternoon.
But Astro's Playroom is not just a nice platform or a nice Dual Sense tech demo, as already mentioned before, it is also a beautiful journey through Playstation history. Without going into too much detail so as not to spoil the surprise, we just tell you that every world is full of collectibles that will be accumulated precisely in your Playroom and that will explore all Playstation consoles, from the first to the last, with gifts and easter eggs. crazy, one of all the secret final level.
As soon as you receive and set up your PS5, make sure you take a moment to dedicate to Astro's Playroom before moving on to the new game you bought the console for or with. You will enjoy a delightful journey into the Playstation world in the company of a lovely mascot capable of making you live the future of gaming pads, or at least we sincerely hope that it will. DualSense has all the potential to rewrite the experience of some games, we hope that the developers start creating titles that revolve on this technology.
► Astro's Playroom is a platform type game developed by Sony and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 5, the video game was released on 12/11/2020
Version for PlayStation 5 from 19/11/2020
