Ever since I got my PSVR headset back on day one people have asked me the same questions. Is it good? Is it worth the money? And are there enough good games to play on it? The answer to the first two questions for me has always been yes. Undeniably it it is a great product. I also have never doubted that it was worth the money. If you are interested in new, top of the line technology and happy to adopt early you will be used to paying a premium and this was no different.
The answer to there being enough good games is a question that varies from person to person and has evolved over time though. To me, games like Batman Arkham VR, The London Heist, The Deep experience, Resident Evil 7, Super Hot, Job Simulator, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood and Headmaster were some relatively early releases that were enough to sell me on what was still to come. Then, this year we have Sprint Vector, Moss, TO THE TOP and Firewall Zero Hour which are just a handful of the quality releases. Astro Bot Rescue Mission however, tops them all. Let’s break it down.
Graphically the game is gorgeous and bursting with colour and detail. To this day I am blown away by how simple VR games look when you are watching someone else play, only for you to put the headset on and be transformed into that world. Each level is designed with incredible attention to detail. Grass, flowers and other items bend and contort when Astro passes by them. The world is also clear and sharp in a way that rewards those with keen eye that can result in secret areas and objects being discovered.
Once the initial shock and awe of playing a superbly crafted 3D platformer in virtual reality wears off, you may start to think the first few levels are a little basic. All your little Astro Bot has access to is a jump, a punch and a power punch but this gameplay loop does stay fresh throughout. You are also often given a gadget for a specific level, whether it be a water gun, bungee rope or occasionally a shuriken. All of these items are great and add to the experience in unique ways. The controls are tight and respond well at all times.
There are five worlds, each housing five levels which consist of four platforming levels and a boss. All of the boss battles are unique and really well designed. Seeing these play out in virtual reality was surreal and had me thinking back to previous battles in the likes of Mario Odyssey and Crash Bandicoot wishing I could have experienced them in a similar way.
In each of the platforming levels, as well as getting to the end, the goal is to collect 8 of your little Astro Bot friends. Some are easy to find while others are hidden in various creative ways. This forces you to study each level and take in all of your surroundings and while each level is very linear, you will need a keen eye to catch them all.
I don’t really have much to say in terms of audio but I didn’t want to exclude it completely. The games score is catchy, fun and in keeping with what you are seeing on the screen but outside of that there is nothing to really report. There isn’t any voice acting in the game, instead Astro Bot will communicate with squeaks and hand gestures.
In truth Astro Bot Rescue Mission isn’t an overly hard game. It is also very forgiving, offering regular checkpoints and unlimited lives, so you never need to restart from the beginning of a level unless you quit out at some stage. This means you can blast through the 25 main story levels in about 4-5 hours and importantly, young gamers will be able to enjoy the first few worlds. It’s in the challenge mode where you will find the difficulty spiking and if you decide to try and get 2 bots (the maximum) in all challenge levels you will be kept busy for a long time.
Overall I am completely blown away by this game. Not only is the best PSVR game to date, it is one of the best PS4 exclusives. Anyone who has ever had a remote interest in 3D platformers should buy this and if you don’t already own the headset, buy both. This game is worth the headset price alone and is currently duelling it out with Red Dead Redemption 2 for my game of the year.
VdZe.
Reviewed on PS4. This product requires the PSVR Virtual Reality headset. A review code provided by the publisher. Affiliate links contained in this article.
