In my 2024 of Elden Ring and Stellar Blade boss-slaughtering, and Destiny and First Descendant live service shooting, a family-friendly platformer like Astro Bot was not something I thought I’d be diving into. Then, it became the highest-reviewed full game of 2024 and rocketed to becoming a frontrunner for Game of the Year. So I uh, changed my mind.

I spent a full day playing Astro Bot on PS5 and from essentially 20 minutes in, you can understand the rave reviews, and by the end, I may in fact come around to the idea that yes, this could be considered one of the all-timer greatest platformers, up there in conversation with some of the better Mario games even.

I cannot speak highly enough about my experience with Astro Bot so far, its creativity in both gameplay and its sweeping nostalgia through the entire history of PlayStation in a way that can almost bring a tear to your eye.

Rather than stars, you are collecting Bots, 300 of them in total, a large chunk generic, but dozens and dozens referencing specific characters in PlayStation history, almost everyone you can ever think of as having appeared on the platform in a meaningful way (minus Final Fantasy, what the hell Square Enix?). Every Bot you find feels like a triumph, and the creativity in terms of where they’re hidden and how is excellent.

There are fun mechanics found throughout the levels, from powered up punches to the ability to spit out platforms to full-on slow motion, and each level is designed expertly around those. On top of that, thematically, these are not just “desert, snow, jungle” levels, as if you pay attention, you can see things like how the rainbow-colored mushroom level is where you’ll find…The Last of Us characters. You get it.

Easily the best missions are the final ones of each “nebula” where you will take on the persona of a famed PlayStation character with a unique ability. The Kratos/God of War level is the best one I’ve played in the entire game, where you have his ice axe to melee with and throw. At one point where you scoot through a tight wall space, I laughed out loud. Similarly, the Uncharted level where you wield a (colorful ball-shooting) gun and swing through a jungle is amazing. I cannot wait to see the rest.

As you collect Bots, you will return to your home base, a sand planet where your PS5 ship crashed, which is full of its own manner of secrets you can access as you get more and more Bots to help you. Out in space, you will run into hidden challenge levels like arena fights and pretty difficult death-defying one-life runs gauntlet that are the hardest content in an otherwise very chill game. I mean, it is meant to be for kids, as much as adults can enjoy it.

It’s easy to recommend Astro Bot to anyone, both kids and grown-ups. A number of my friends have told me they’re burning out on the same games, and Astro Bot arrives like a breath of fresh air, a return to the platforming of your youth at least for a few days, and yes, so far, it probably is the best game of the year. Almost without question.

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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.