The best thing about Game of the Year contender and platforming king, Astro Bot, is that it’s a reminder of an era of gaming that straight-up worked. Platformers used to be everywhere. It was the genre upon which console legacies were built. Crash Bandicoot on the PS1, the OG Super Mario Bros, and even games like Rayman, which is an elite franchise in its own right.
Most importantly for gamers, it was the genre that tested your skills. Timing, patience, and quick twitch skills are all put to the test in level after challenging level. Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Astro Bot are testaments to the power of the platformer, and I’m glad to see them shining.
‘ASTRO BOT’ DESERVES ALL THE AWARDS
Astro Bot is one of the best platformers ever. And even more impressive, it’s a true love letter to PlayStation. For years, it’s felt like Nintendo was the undisputed king of having their franchises celebrated in-game.
Not anymore. Astro Bot’s references and each bot character to save all remind us of the impact the PlayStation has had on gaming while delivering some of the best moment-to-moment gameplay I’ve seen.
The best part is that Team Asobi didn’t shy away from what makes classic platformers: the difficulty. It’s not prohibitive by any means, but when the game wants to test your stick skills, it does so. There are some videos out there of some insane platforming skills in Astro Bot on some of the game’s more intense levels.
THE PLATFORMER ISN’T DEAD
Sackboy: A Big Adventure was another game that did a great job putting together classic platformer gameplay. I’d go as far as to say Astro Bot proved Sony has an underrated understanding of the genre. We talk about Mario mostly when it comes to platformers, but Sony historically hasn’t lagged far behind in quality.
It’s about time we got another great platformer in the AAA space. Gamers haven’t outgrown the genre. There are more than enough ways to make them for a modern audience while holding onto what makes platformers great. So, here’s hoping for more Astro Bot in the future.
The post ‘Astro Bot’ and Sackboy Reminds Us of the Beauty of Platforming appeared first on VICE.
The post ‘Astro Bot’ and Sackboy Reminds Us of the Beauty of Platforming appeared first on VICE.
