Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and it sits at the core of Astro's Playroom, the free game packaged with every PlayStation 5. Astro may have made his debut as an underdog mascot on the PlayStation 4 - while figures like Nathan Drake and Kratos took center stage - but here, he's given the sole responsibility of ushering in the next generation of Sony's console. Needless to say, this was a big job for our small boy, but Astro's Playroom is proof that a lot of heart can put the widest smile on your face - and for roughly three hours, I was constantly grinning from ear to ear playing one of the most delightful launch titles on the PS5.



For the most part, it could be argued that Astro's Playroom is merely a demonstration of the PS5's capabilities: fast loading times ensuring quick traversal between levels (with almost zero loading screens, I might add), and overall being a fantastic showcase of the DualSense's adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. However, it works as both a demonstration of the PS5 and, surprisingly enough, its own compact standalone game, filled to the brim with irresistible charm.

When I reviewed Astro Bot: Rescue Mission on the PSVR, I instantly fell in love with the Astro Bots for being some of the most adorable mascots I've seen in PlayStation gaming. They're quirky without being overbearing, charming without being annoying, and have perfectly timed comedy that more often than not, stuck its landing. In Astro's Playroom, you take control of the titular character, Astro, as he explores a strange new mechanical environment. It quickly becomes evident that you're actually playing inside the PlayStation 5's hardware, albeit fantastically recreated to be more of an adventure/platformer.



There are a couple of hub areas to explore. The first is a the Labo (not sure if that was a shot at Nintendo Switch), which houses "artifacts" from PlayStation's long history in the gaming industry. As you explore the environments and complete levels, you unlock every bit of PlayStation hardware ever released. They're stored in the Labo as giant monolithic structures surrounded by different Astro Bots constantly polishing them, dancing around them, and overall just being adorable to the tenth degree. You can even interact with these gigantic artifacts in-game, such as sliding open the PS3's final slimline model disc tray or flipping up the PS1's disc tray to send some unsuspecting bots flying into the air. If that sounds cute, trust me, it is.

This deep dive into PlayStation's history is further explored when you're out in the levels and come across various Astro Bots recreating some iconic video game moments from Sony's past...

Astro's Playroom, more importantly, delivers charm and nostalgia by the truckloads. If you're a fan of PlayStation, this is a game lovingly crafted just for you. This deep dive into PlayStation's history is further explored when you're out in the levels and come across Astro Bots recreating some iconic video game moments from Sony's past, including the likes of God of War, Journey, Resident Evil, Uncharted, Death Stranding (my favourite Easter egg), Heavy Rain, and tons of other Easter eggs I may have missed on my first playthrough. It's astounding and almost overwhelming at just how many PlayStation Easter eggs are crammed into this three-hour journey, but it ensured that every five steps, I was laughing and having a great time stumbling upon its hidden secrets.



The second hub area acts as the mainframe of the PS5, where you can be whisked off to new locations by walking into the fan, the GPU, the CPU, and more doors, all acting as cleverly constructed access points. The levels themselves are varied, with some traditional platformer checklists being ticked along the way. You have the snowy area, the jungle area, the sky area, and a retro-futuristic cyberpunk dystopia that all look sublime and well-realized. I won't spoil the final level of the game, but for those who remember a certain showcase of a particular dinosaur in the PS1 demo experience, you might find something powerfully nostalgic awaiting you.



Of course, we can't talk about Astro's Playroom without mentioning the DualSense controller. The game is primarily built around showcasing the DualSense's adaptive triggers, motion controls and haptic feedback, and demonstrates them in some clever ways built into the gameplay. You stumble upon power suits in every level that take full advantage of the controller's features. The spring suit emulates a springing motion where you get a sense of the resistance from the adaptive triggers, used in tandem with the motion controls; the monkey suit also utilizes the motion controls as you swing your controller about grappling vines and rocks; and the ball suit (hello, Metroid?) forces you to maneuver with the touchpad. Of course, there are a couple of others I won't spoil, but they're worth the nostalgic kick.



Along the way, you'll also get access to a bow and gattling gun, where the DualSense controller's features continue to shine. Pulling back on R2 creates a realistic sensation that emulates the feeling of pulling a bow, while the gattling gun shatters the vibrations and makes your finger dance on the trigger button. This extends to other sensations you get from environmental hazards, like riding water fountains, breaking glass barriers, and pulling on loose wires that create a fantastic tension through the DualSense. It's a spectacular display of PS5's next-gen tech, and this was the perfect game to carry that task.

Pulling back on R2 creates a realistic sensation that emulates the feeling of pulling a bow, while the gattling gun shatters the vibrations and makes your finger dance on the trigger button.

At only two to three hours of playtime, though, Astro's Playroom is short but that can mostly be forgiven because of the game's overall nature and intentions. You can prolong your playtime by further replaying the levels to unlock hidden paths that may lead you to more secrets and unlockables. All of these can be stored in the Labo as it fills in the gaps on the ground floor among the other PlayStation consoles. Some neat activities on the side include a massive mural puzzle that can be completed by finding the various puzzle pieces, and a slot-like mini-game that rewards small goodies like trophies and other artifacts.



Astro's Playroom isn't just a wonderful little platformer, but a celebration of PlayStation in general. It's short length may only be good for a lovely night or weekend, but there's enough here for die-hard PlayStation fans to embrace. As a showcase of both the PS5's lightning loading times and the DualSense's various features, it works, although it's just a taste of what's to come for the PS5 - and the future is looking much brighter now.

*Reviewed on PlayStation 5