The best stages are the special ones where the focus is to be played as it it was a game from that franchise, and those are from Sony IPs, but it's only one stage each galaxy, so the vast majority of the game is just a great platformer with cameos from several franchises, where a lot are not Sony IPs too.

You'll likely enjoy the game a lot if you like Nintendo platformers, it feels like a mix of a bunch of them plus it's own original game, there is a lot to be enjoyed there.

You could tell from gameplay trailers that this was looking to be something special.
If you can market a game, alone on gameplay that just overwhelmingly wins you over, by the quality look of it..... its usually because its a fantastic game. No need for CGI cutscenes, that fill the trailer ect.

(I was saying this in other threads, that people where sleeping on it, and it looked like Mario Galaxy levels of polish and quality to me. The game just showed really well in the gameplay sections shown.)

Then you have the oppersite of that.... stuff like concord, were they basically hid the actual gameplay, and instead showed cgi trailers that had nothing to do with the gameplay itself. Same with something like indiana jones, the trailers were just cutscenes from the game story... when it cut to gameplay, it looked horrible because it was in 1st person (with a whip using character).

Sometimes a picture is worth a 1,000 words, and sometimes whats not shown, is just as important as what is.
You know, there are issues, if they have to "work around" marketing a game, without showing gameplay imo.


I've been very vocal about my dislike for GAAS type games as well.
I reeeeeally hope sony wakes up and smells the roses. There too many hero shooters currently, we dont need more, and there needs to be someone in the market (preferably them) that focuses on makeing story driven experiences, which is basically their "strength".  Also the market needs way more platformers, and gameplay focused single player games, than online only multiplayer GAAS ones. Just stick with what your good at (since theres too few that do these types as is).

The game is great regardless. 

I haven't particularly cared about most of the characters that I've seen. And even most of the ones I have cared about, are more like "oh that's neat". 

There's only been one exception to that, that I won't share because it's very spoilery. 

But in the weirdest sense, the game makes me feel more nostalgic for Nintendo 64 era platformers like Super Mario 64 and Donkey Kong 64. 

That's despite not loving that era. I didn't play Super Mario 64 when it came out, and I wasn't enjoying it when I did play it. And DK64 I kind of hate, after trying to go back to it.

For me personally, Astro Bot feels like the wonderful variety that was so potent during that time, while also having great modern controls.

A good looking (gameplay) 3D mario game is typically what makes me jump onboard with getting a Nintendo system.
People might look down on this sort of game, a platformer, but stuff like this can sell systems too.
I am not the target audience, for CoD, that buys a system for that.
a good looking platformer / rpg, might make me.

It has a fair amount of third party stuff in it too, not just Sony first party IP. It will be very weird if the game comes to PC though as the entire game is about rebuilding a PS5 lol... also they would either have to make dualsense mandatory on PC or make changes to gameplay. I know the creative director said they wanted to hear if people wanted a PC version but I really wouldn't hold my hopes out for it. It's possible but if any Sony game was going to skip pc it'd probably be this one.

Man i cant wait to get this game on PC next year or a little later it really looks so good.

Definitely would need a gameplay rework or asking for people to use a Dualsense on PC, many mechanics are bound to the Dualsense interaction.

Glad that this is doing well and that pretty much everyone seem to like it. I have yet to pick up a copy but surely will later this week.
Now when I get to play it is another story.

Apparently the following franchises that aren't in the game are in the credits so may be featured in upcoming DLC.

I don't understand why Square Enix IPs are not in the game when the Buster Sword was already in Astro's Playroom.

Such a bad move if Square went against it, the third party IPs there got me some great memories rekindled.

Also