I thought all the talk about Astro Bot Rescue Mission was hyperbole when comparing it to Super Mario 64….but it’s not. Games like this are why VR should exist and it sells it wonderfully. I liked what I saw in the demo, and I love the full game.
The biggest knock against the game would be its simplicity. Astro Bot doesn’t have special moves outside of a spinning punch and his rocket boots, and the enemies rarely pose a threat. Even with this though, it doesn’t dampen the fun at all.
The player acting as a larger robot following Astro Bot is incredibly smart as you traverse levels to discover missing pieces of your friend and lost companions. This allows for wider views of the area and viewing angles you wouldn’t be able to if in the shoes of Astro Bot. I don’t have a ton of VR games under my belt, but this has felt the most natural and I would be shocked if copycats don’t pop up because of it.
Collecting coins throughout levels is another task that leads to additional perks in the form of home base. There, you can use your coins in the vending machine to purchase diorama pieces of levels and enemies to decorate the base. Then using Astro Bot, you can run around and play on these smaller pieces for fun. It doesn’t add a whole new dynamic or anything, but it’s a fun little side activity that gives purpose to something in the game.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission was the reason I wanted PlayStation VR. I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype (or the comparisons to an iconic game like Super Mario 64), but it does just that. If PlayStation VR is on your horizon, do not pass this game up. You’ll be hard pressed to find something better in my opinion.
The biggest knock against the game would be its simplicity. Astro Bot doesn’t have special moves outside of a spinning punch and his rocket boots, and the enemies rarely pose a threat. Even with this though, it doesn’t dampen the fun at all.
The player acting as a larger robot following Astro Bot is incredibly smart as you traverse levels to discover missing pieces of your friend and lost companions. This allows for wider views of the area and viewing angles you wouldn’t be able to if in the shoes of Astro Bot. I don’t have a ton of VR games under my belt, but this has felt the most natural and I would be shocked if copycats don’t pop up because of it.
Collecting coins throughout levels is another task that leads to additional perks in the form of home base. There, you can use your coins in the vending machine to purchase diorama pieces of levels and enemies to decorate the base. Then using Astro Bot, you can run around and play on these smaller pieces for fun. It doesn’t add a whole new dynamic or anything, but it’s a fun little side activity that gives purpose to something in the game.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission was the reason I wanted PlayStation VR. I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype (or the comparisons to an iconic game like Super Mario 64), but it does just that. If PlayStation VR is on your horizon, do not pass this game up. You’ll be hard pressed to find something better in my opinion.