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Astro Bot has a strong claim to greatness: it turns the PS5 controller and a joyful platforming adventure into one tightly integrated experience, then earned major industry recognition in 2024. That does not make “one of the greatest PlayStation games of all time” an objectively settled ranking—but the game has the design and acclaim to belong in the conversation.
What makes Astro Bot so good?
Astro Bot is a PlayStation 5 platform game developed by Team Asobi, a PlayStation Studios team. Sony announced it on May 30, 2024, and released it on September 6, 2024. PlayStation.Blog’s announcement and the official PlayStation product page identify its platform and developer.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Sackboy: A Big Adventure – PlayStation 5 | $31.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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DOG MAN: Misson Impawsible - PlayStation 5 | $23.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), PlayStation 5 | $35.00 | Buy on Amazon |
The game’s central pleasure is the clarity of its platforming: Astro runs, jumps, punches and uses special abilities as he travels through varied environments. The Associated Press described its planet-hopping mission as a rescue effort for fellow droids, with those familiar actions at the heart of the challenges. TIME’s 2024 feature praised its use of the PS5 controller and described a structure of four galaxies and 90 planets. Those are TIME’s descriptions of the game in its 2024 list, not a claim about an all-time ranking.
The DualSense is part of the design
Sony said the game was designed to showcase PS5 features such as 4K visuals, 3D audio and the console’s high-speed SSD. Its launch announcement also highlights how the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback convey Astro’s actions and environmental textures. That matters because controller feedback is not merely a technical extra: it helps make movement and the game’s surfaces feel tangible as you play. These platform and feature claims are Sony’s descriptions.
#1 Best Overall
- Face thrilling, unpredictable challenges as you explore distinctive hand-crafted lands through deeply immersive and expressive controls.
- PERILOUS PLATFORMING EXPERIENCE - Explore here, there and everywhere as you utilize Sackboy’s cool, diverse move-set to face a huge variety of thrilling challenges, fierce enemies and startling surprises.
- RE-STUFFED. RE-STITCHED. RE-ZIPPED - Sackboy returns to the big time stuffed with fresh moves and game-changing gadgets in an awe-inspiring and downright fun 3D adventure in this new, but familiar world.
Sony released an Astro Bot Limited Edition DualSense controller alongside the game. It is an optional themed accessory; Sony’s announcement does not say it is needed to play.
What did Astro Bot win?
Astro Bot won four categories at The Game Awards 2024, including Game of the Year and Best Family Game. Sony said it received the most wins of any title at that ceremony. Those awards are a substantial measure of industry recognition, though they are not an all-time PlayStation poll.
Rank #2
- 50 Exciting Levels: Explore iconic locations from the Dog Man universe, including the City Hall, Giant Marshmallow Factory, and the Police Station. Each location offers platforming and puzzle-solving challenges.
- Teamwork: Switch between Dog Man and his Supa Buddies, each with their own special abilities, to overcome obstacles and defeat bosses. o Dog Man: Digs underground and glides through the air. o Li’l Petey: Hacks gadgets and fits into small spaces. o 80-HD: Pushes heavy objects and jumps long distances.
- Fun Gadgets: Unlock new gadgets and abilities as you progress, like a grappling hook, rocket boots and power gloves to navigate through the levels. Puzzles and Bosses: Use your brain to solve puzzles and defeat unique bosses. Each boss fight requires clever use of your team’s abilities.
- Humor and Action: Enjoy funny dialogue, amusing interactions, and non-stop action that keeps you engaged in Dog Man’s world. Rewards and Collectibles: Revisit levels with new gadgets to find secret areas, and rescue the missing Comic Club members.
- Art Style: Great animations inspired by the books, with comic-style sound effects that add a fun, cartoonish touch to the action.
Other 2024 recognition supports the case for its critical affection, with the same important distinction about scope:
- The Associated Press included Astro Bot in its selected top video games of 2024. That is one outlet’s year-end selection, not a consensus ranking.
- TIME included it in its “10 Best Video Games of 2024” feature, published December 5, 2024. The list praised its PS5 controller use; it ranks games from that year, not the whole history of PlayStation.
Sony also reported 1.5 million estimated sell-through units as of November 3, 2024—58 days after release. Sony’s figure is an estimate and excludes add-on content; it should not be read as a current sales total or compared with figures measured over different periods.
Rank #3
- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content - The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack includes cosmetics for Kay and Nix.
- Discover a galaxy of opportunity. Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
- Experience an original scoundrel story. Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
- Embark on high-stakes missions. Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
- Jump into the pilot seat. Pilot your ship, the Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with the Empire and other foes. Find the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
Is Astro Bot worth playing?
If you own a PS5 and enjoy platform games, Astro Bot is an easy recommendation to consider: it combines accessible, expressive movement with a range of levels and makes deliberate use of the DualSense. Its Game of the Year win and year-end selections add evidence that its appeal reached beyond fans of the genre. Those accolades cannot tell you whether its style is for you, but the game’s central strengths are easy to identify: playful platforming, a rescue-driven adventure and controller feedback woven into the experience.
For a player choosing among PlayStation platformers, the useful comparison is not just awards. Consider whether you want a game built around DualSense feedback, how much world and level variety you prefer, and what kind of challenge feels satisfying. Astro Bot is a PS5 title, so it is not an option on other PlayStation generations according to Sony’s product page.
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