Introduction
Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a visually gorgeous, cute, and ground-breaking platformer independently developed for the PlayStation VR (PSVR) by Japan Studio in 2018 that takes full benefit of virtual reality in the gameplay. If you are a lover of virtual reality or only play games occasionally, then the passion that you will experience in the game will be unforgettable.
Overview
The game known as “Astro Bot Rescue Mission” allows the player to play as Astro, the cute robot captain who has to rescue his squad, thrown across different planets. Each world applies different tasks and enemies that Astro has to fight in order to save his partners.
The character Astro Bot is initially used as a small minigame in “The Playroom VR;” however, because of the high popularity, it is developed into this full game. By employing VR mechanics, “Astro Bot Rescue Mission” alters the traditional platformer game genre by providing players with the tangible feeling of the size of their character and world.
Game Mechanics and How to Play
Objective
It is your main objective to help Astro go through increasingly complex stages, which consist of a platform style in which you have to fight foes, collect objects, and overcome various hindrances and solve puzzles in order to save your lost robot crew. The levels also contain things that are locked and things to find, thus encouraging the player and rewarding the mastery of difficulty.
Controls
The PlayStation DualShock 4 controller is applied in the game, and it serves as an extension of your avatar in the game. Astro obeys everything you tell him, and the controller can be used with novelty for other items having it, such as a grappling hook or water pistol.
In VR, you also have to move your head physically because the environments are immersive and one has to turn around, avoid objects coming his/her way, or search for objects. Astro is so dependent on you that most of the time you almost get the impression that you are observing him like a god and your interventions are so key.Gameplay and Levels
Astro Bot Rescue Mission is made of five thematic levels, and every level is divided into several levels and the battle against enemies’ boss at the finish. Here's a breakdown of some of the worlds and levels: Here's a breakdown of some of the worlds and levels:
1. Beach World
The first world familiarizes players with features such as jumping, fighting enemies, and collecting the bot characters. It’s lighthearted, fashionable, and exotic; it is based on coral reefs, sunken ships, fish, and other sea creatures.
2. City World:
In this world, players travel between vast buildings and city landscapes, the obstacles being platforming segments and quick foes such as drone robots.
3. Forest World:
The forest world is full of environment, such as trees, vines that move, platforms that shift, and some hidden paths too. It also also adds new gadgets, such as shurikens, to slice through objects in the player's way.
4. Volcano World:
This world is avalanching, filled with lava, and when it comes to stretched enemies, difficult traps, and rigorous platforming, In other scenes where Astro is about to fall down, one mistake means that he will be falling into a lake of hot magma.
5. Space World:
The last world is set in space; gravity is less here, and participants have to experience floating platforms and asteroids if they are a part of the action. The level increases when you have to battle the game’s most powerful and challenging enemies and solve intricate problems.
Boss Battles:
Every world concludes with a boss fight in which VR components become truly most prominent. For example, one boss is a giant gorilla, and to evade its punch attacks, you require moving your head in order to do so and simultaneously controlling Astro while he attacks the vulnerable parts of the boss. What is very noticeable in these encounters is the enormous scale on which each of the bosses dominates. *Graphics and Design
The gameplay of “Astro Bot Rescue Mission” is as unique as it is polished, with the game’s graphics being highly stylized. Although it does not resemble actual life, it has colors that blend well with graphics, and animated characters are fluid and blend with the cartoon nature of the game. Every world is stylized and unique, starting from the sunny sandy beaches to the fiery, gloomy caves of the volcano world. In VR, there is a heightening of the sense of scale and depth in each setting that is impossible in open-world games. Platforms and enemies are gigantic and well, threatening, and the camera angles that are changing from time to time add the level of immersion that is missing in most of the platforming games. One thing that the game does really well is use of depth, frequently imploring the player to look around and check for bots and coins in all the corners. ### **Sound Design and Music** The sound design in "Astro Bot Rescue Mission" complements the game’s playful and charming atmosphere. As a result, the tone of the music brightly corresponds to both the discovery of new locations and battles, as active and filled with energy. Just like graphics and music, the sound effects are very pleasing, right from the sound made by the collecting bots to the heavy blow by the enemies. Also, the library has added the benefits of 3D audio that comes with the PlayStation VR headset. Audio can be from left or right, providing you with information where the enemy or a secret can be that is out of the player’s view.
Virtual Reality Impact
Application of VR changes an ordinary 3D platformer to an extraordinary one. This is the first time where the freedom of moving a physical body of a user in a specific environment to avoid some objects or to find something hidden or just to appreciate the vastness of some levels adds so much to gameplay than any conventional non-VR game can possibly offer. The OPS about one’s self or just the level of experiencing immersion is inexplicable. For example, in some levels you will be finding yourself contorting over the ledge trying to look at Astro about to jump over deep gaps and getting down low to avoid other obstacles that appear to be coming right at your head. Quite clearly too, the game challenges you to move away from a single point of view, something that gives the usual platformer type of game a new dimension.Replayability
While the primary plot can be finished within several gaming sessions, which will take you about 6 to 8 hours, the essence of replayability is in searching for all the missed bots and accomplishing additional tasks. Its structure is divided into several stages where there are many robots to save, and some of them are very well camouflaged so that you may not even notice them, and it is possible to save all the robots only during several attempts. Also, after completing the main story, there are challenge stages that one can try, as the game also reactivates the difficult stage sections for those willing to be challenged.
Review: Pros and Cons
Pros:
Innovative Use of VR:
The way the game utilizes VR is nothing short of groundbreaking. It brings something different to the table in a field that rarely goes from 2D or 0 movement in the camera. -
Charming Design:
This game has pretty likeable characters, resembling environments, and an overall cheerful ambience, so it was very pleasant to play. -
Immersive boss fights:
The bosses are huge and powerful, which leads to some of the sweetest gaming moments in the existence of video games.
Polished Platforming:
The actions are performed accurately, reacting to controls intuitively; the levels are unique and provide different types of tasks.
Cons:
Limited to PSVR:
As a PSVR exclusive, it restricts accessibility to a larger audience.
Occasional Camera Issues:
Although VR enhances the experience greatly, all times it has problems with certain angles, and while traversing through some platforms, it becomes far more complicated than it should be. -
Short Campaign:
Well, the main campaign could be too short for some, but thanks to the extra value the replayability adds to the game, it is not a big issue.
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