The entertaining and vibrant Astro Bot is much more than just another platformer. Rather, it is a title that everyone who enjoys cheerful platform games should try, as long as they have a PS5 available to them. With its numerous nods to PlayStation games of old, a soundtrack that deserves some awards of its own, and incredible use of the PlayStation controller's DualSense technology, this little robot's adventures in space could easily become game of the year for 2024 — at least it will be for me.

Astro Bot has many charming moments of nostalgia, and its lighthearted, cheerful feel throughout the adventure makes it a game for all ages. Even if someone doesn't know every single game referenced, they can still appreciate the variety of abilities and power-ups that Astro Bot equips in the different levels, and perhaps it would even inspire some to go back and look into the games they don't know. It isn't the longest of games out there, but it is also long enough to feel satisfying when playing the main game. However, my desire for trophy hunting has turned this fairly short platformer into an endless challenge.

Astro Bot Could Very Easily Be My Game Of The Year

This Platformer Has Everything I Love

Let me preface by stating that I absolutely adore this game, and, quite honestly, I feel that it would be hard for anything to knock Astro Bot out of the top slot for my personal game of the year for 2024. That was not something I was expecting prior to playing. Sure, I enjoyed Astro's Playroom, but with all the other incredible games that have come out in 2024, I did not think that this little platformer would win me over so completely.

Thanks to its release happening while I was unable to do much else with COVID pneumonia knocking me down, I thoroughly enjoyed playing all the way through Astro Bot's main story pretty quickly over the course of a weekend. Its graphics are adorable, its music is fantastic, and everything about the gameplay mechanics felt so natural and smooth to me. I enjoyed learning every new power-up, finding hilarious references to various other games, and just having a genuinely good time with this game.

[Warning: The Rest Of This Article Contains Spoilers For The Endgame Of Astro Bot.]

Getting The Platinum Trophy In Astro Bot Is Not An Easy Task

I Have One Trophy Left Before Platinum, And I May Not Make It

Aside from platinum, I had completed all but one trophy for Astro Bot after roughly 23 hours of gameplay, and I enjoyed every second of it. It helped take my mind off of my health issues, and did not feel either too short or too long. I am a trophy hunter, however. I love earning achievements, trophies, and gold stars in any game that I play, so much so that, despite my love for the Nintendo Switch, I will often avoid playing games on that console simply because of the missing dopamine rush of achievements.

After I hit that 23-hour mark and had completed everything else, I foolishly thought I would have the platinum trophy within another hour or two.

The final task that I needed to complete before I earned the coveted platinum trophy in Astro Bot required completing the secret level at the top of the golden Astro Bot statue at the crash site, where I would then unlock the secret bot number 301. After I hit that 23-hour mark and had completed everything else, I foolishly thought I would have the platinum trophy within another hour or two. That was a couple of days ago, and I am still trying. Obviously, I am not constantly playing. But, when I have time, I keep making attempts, and I am struggling.

The Great Master Challenge In Astro Bot Is Definitely A Great Master Challenge

Progress Does Keep Me Coming Back

At the top of the golden statue, there is a door that leads Astro Bot and the players to one final level, the Great Master Challenge. It is well-named, as this level requires utilizing all the skills that players should have mastered over the course of the game and in one hardcore run. Each time Astro Bot dies, players must start all the way back from the beginning again. There are no save points in this level.

Much of the time, there isn't even a way to stand still to analyze the next move — instead, Astro Bot must keep moving, keep going.The timing of jumps must be perfect, and the use of boosts aimed just right. Everything on this level is designed so precisely that there is little to no room for error. Yet, with each series of attempts, I do see myself making progress. Each time, I am mastering a little bit more of the level mechanics.

At the time of writing, I have now logged 31 hours of gameplay on Astro Bot, which means I have tried this level for eight hours of game time and have yet to beat it. But I am so close. I am getting faster in the first part, seeing fewer fatalities in the middle, and have had the end in my sights more than once. I know I will get there, and that's what keeps me going. Those purple spitting blobs won't stop me, nor will those flying birds. I will succeed.

PlayStation Platinum Trophies Should Be A True Victory

So, Again, Astro Bot Is Doing Everything Right, Even If It Is Annoying

Although it is sometimes fun to be able to earn quick PlayStation platinum trophies just to see the number increase, ultimately a game such as Astro Bot should not be easy to earn platinum. Over the course of the game, players are learning and practicing skills which all must come into play for that final challenge, and it should be difficult to master. Earning a platinum trophy after numerous failed attempts makes the final reward so much more gratifying and meaningful. There wouldn't be much of a feeling of pride if everyone got it.

The fact is, despite this being a serious frustration for me at present, it is so much more satisfying to be able to say that I earned 100% completion in a game rather than that I got to 91% and gave up. I truly do love all that this game has to offer and, in a strange way, that even includes the difficulty of this final piece of the puzzle.

If the ultimate, super-secret end level that everything culminated in was easy, then it would be a bit of a letdown. I don't know how many more hours I will need to put into my attempts, but seeing the progress I am slowly making with each try feels truly rewarding. And when I finally earn that platinum trophy, I will be proud to say that I have fully beaten Astro Bot.