Astro's Playroom Review

Preloaded with every purchase of a PlayStation 5 console is Astro's Playroom, the game made to showcase the brand new DualSense Controller. And boy, does it. 

Astro's Playroom takes you literally inside the PS5. The game uses the different hardware inside the console as locations in the game. For example, you travel in the PS5's cooling fan into Cooling Springs, which slowly turns from a beach into a frozen landscape. Once you complete certain levels or find the missing puzzle pieces, you gain access to the Network Speed Runs where you can compete against other PS5 owners to see how fast you can finish the levels. 

Before Astro's foray into being a full fledged VR title, he was a demo to showcase the capabilities of the PSVR system. It was a hit, so they made a wonderful VR game which I also thoroughly enjoyed. And like that, this game is a huge demo for the DualSense to show to players and developers alike the many new features of the controller. 

Cloud's Buster Sword from Final Fantasy VII (and its remake)

In one of the levels, you control a monkeybot that climbs up on a jungle wall by tilting the controller and by using the L2 and R2 buttons, one rock at a time. As you're making your way up, there's a rock that you can only hold on to if you squeeze the corresponding shoulder button halfway or it breaks. When you get it right, the DualSense locks in place as you continue your ascent. Out of all the controller mechanics they showed in the game, I was most impressed by that, and am so excited how other developers integrate the DualSense into their games. 

Astro's Playroom is a huge love letter to the PlayStation, and all of its iterations. You collect all different items from the PlayStation's history, like the very first generation of the console to the long gone accessories like the 8MB memory card and the PSP. You also collect puzzle pieces scattered throughout the game that make up a huge mural dedicated to years and years of PlayStation. 

PON PON PATA PON, from Patapon

Some bots in the background also represent the iconic characters from the generations of games, like Snake from the Metal Gear Series to Kratos and Atreus from the most recent God of War game and to many more. You just have to keep an eye out. 

Joel and Ellie hiding from a clicker, from The Last of Us

From the pressure of the bowstring when you nock an arrow to hearing and feeling every single footstep of Astro through icy and sandy terrains, Astro's Playroom is a fine example of what to expect with the PS5 and the DualSense controller for the years to come. 

If this game wasn't free, I'd gladly pay full price for it. And you owe it to your PS5 (and your new DualSense)  to try this gem. Hopefully, we can get more of Astro in the near future.