Astro Bot - Charming Propaganda

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Everybody I've seen that:
a) liked rogueli*es
b) likes shooting things games
c) played Returnal

Freaking loves it.

I tried it and yes it's an excellent game, but a) and b) don't apply to me so I returnaled it.

The other games u/Brawlman are freaking fantastic. And despite all the internet whining about PC Master race and "failed generation," my PS5 has been absolutely worth it.

It’s mostly because of the law of diminishing returns regarding what’s most important to graphics whores I think. To me the biggest selling point of the PS5 is the ultra fast load times and controller; former is an across the board benefit but the latter could’ve had more support creatively in the last few years. Same with the 3D audio which was another notable selling point. I’ve been mulling about getting a Slim for Silent Hill 2 since I’d imagine it being an audio-visual feast, aside from the nostalgia factor. Same with the Demon’s Souls Remake.

That leads to the other big thing -

This has been the worst console generation ever, but these 7 PS5 games have (almost) saved it

There have been some bright spots in this console generation

www.tomsguide.com

Most of the biggest PS5 games are either remakes or have also been available on PS4 until recently.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

It’s mostly because of the law of diminishing returns regarding what’s most important to graphics whores I think. To me the biggest selling point of the PS5 is the ultra fast load times and controller; former is an across the board benefit but the latter could’ve had more support creatively in the last few years. Same with the 3D audio which was another notable selling point. I’ve been mulling about getting a Slim for Silent Hill 2 since I’d imagine it being an audio-visual feast, aside from the nostalgia factor. Same with the Demon’s Souls Remake.

That leads to the other big thing -

This has been the worst console generation ever, but these 7 PS5 games have (almost) saved it

There have been some bright spots in this console generation

www.tomsguide.com

Most of the biggest PS5 games are either remakes or have also been available on PS4 until recently.

The failed generation discourse comes from two places I think:
- PC Master Race ideology
- The presumption that consoles are purchased as soon as possible

The former is... ugh... shut up internet. Consoles and PC's are different, it's just dumb already.
The latter is from FOMO, or reviewers and journos and content creators and streamers who feel they have to play everything on release. And yeah if you have a PC AND you're playing all the new games, then there are "only" 5 PS5 specific games and the common joke you hear among these folks is how the PS5 is a doorstop lol.

Ok but most of us don't live like that! People are still being Switches ffs. Most people don't want a freaking PC to play games, they want to plug in something simply to a TV or play on their phones or a little thing like a Switch. And more importantly, we don't all need to play things on release.

Imagine buying a PS5 now. Look at all the awesome games you get, including some great ones you can't get anywhere else. The PS5 now is a great system. This is not console warrior shit because I do believe the best value gamer buys are the Switch or the XBox Series S + Gamepass. I just think it's another example of games media up their own assholes.

 

[BrawlMan]

PS5 is a doorstop lol.

Before that, it was Series X. The last time anybody used a doorstop joke was on the Sega Dreamcast. When all the old ones started breaking down.

Imagine buying a PS5 now. Look at all the awesome games you get, including some great ones you can't get anywhere else. The PS5 now is a great system. This is not console warrior shit because I do believe the best value gamer buys are the Switch or the XBox Series S + Gamepass. I just think it's another example of games media up their own assholes.

A lot of it, yes, but some of it no. I will say that Series X's best value is the backwards compatibility across all xbox generations. Game pass and p Sn are over expensive. You know are not worth it even when you get your "free games". Neither of these companies want people to own physical copies of the games they buy. Why else do you think the PS5 pro is is disc less only and an eighty dollar attachment separately you have to buy? I highly recommend you watch that recent YoVideoGames podcast.

A reminder everyone: that during lthe start of last generation, Sony was going to do the same thing Microsoft did, except is that they immediately decided not to do it after seeing the negative eaction of Microsoft doing it first. The always online and checking to see if you're online every five minutes. The discarding of used games And only new games working unless you have to pay a fee for the used games to work.

Like I said before there's literally no difference between Sony and Microsoft at this point. Not to give too much praise on Nintendo, but at least they still bother to try and let you have physical versions.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

...

Like I said before there's literally no difference between sony and microsoft at this point. Not to get too much praise on Nintendo, but at least they still bother to try and let you have physical versions.

Agreed with you up until this last. Sony is still the king of single-player big-budget narrative games. That is a big difference.

 

[BrawlMan]

Agreed with you up until this last. Sony is still the king of single-player big-budget narrative games. That is a big difference.

That title doesn't even mean anything anymore. That's title might as well go to Nintendo now. Sony is so hyper focused on the live service craze that's already over saturated. You have more than a few of their executives claiming that they don't have any other IPs. They're already about to push another live service game. That's only had the one trailer and nothing else.

Sony Doesn't Have Enough Original IP, Says Company Leadership - PlayStation LifeStyle

Sony leadership reckons that the company doesn't have enough original IP, including its PlayStation division.

www.playstationlifestyle.net

​

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Current state of AAA(A) gaming -

 

[Drathnoxis]

Everybody I've seen that:
a) liked rogueli*es
b) likes shooting things games
c) played Returnal

Freaking loves it.

I tried it and yes it's an excellent game, but a) and b) don't apply to me so I returnaled it.

The other games u/Brawlman are freaking fantastic. And despite all the internet whining about PC Master race and "failed generation," my PS5 has been absolutely worth it.

Oh, my PS5 has definitely been worth it, but only because I never had a PS4. But two votes for Returnal, I guess I'll be keeping an eye out for that one on sale. As for Spider Man 2, I still need to play the first, and Ratchet and Clank is a series I've never played and is pandering to a genre that I don't have a ton of nostalgia for. It just seems like I haven't been hearing about any must have games for the PS5 so I don't even know what sales I'm waiting for.

Also, this

Most of the biggest PS5 games are either remakes or have also been available on PS4 until recently.

I just have no interest in remakes or remasters. I'd much rather just play the original.

 

[Dreiko]

I've had a long time loss of interest with platformers. I hear good things about this game but the same was true about mario galaxy and I just couldn't care less about it, I found it inherently super boring. The last platformer I truly enjoyed was the jak and daxter series. Is this anything like that? Especially Jak 2 was my favorite.

And I don't mind the ps5 insertion like flying on a controller, if anything that sort of thing feels kinda magical lol.

I grew up on Crash and Sonic, not Mario and Donkey, so that's my speed of platformer.

 

[BrawlMan]

he last platformer I truly enjoyed was the jak and daxter series. Is this anything like that?

No, but they do get referenced and it is possible to play as them for one in stage in Astro Bot forms.

 

[Jarrito3002]

I gave this game a 5 out of 5 and was a slam dunk.

I went in with no expectations I just saw cute robot versions of characters and it dropped just around the time where some Sony exec was like "we have no IPs" or something to that idea.

The levels were bright fun charming, the power ups never over stayed their welcome, I am mad we only got one mouse levels and the extra challenge levels made me want to break my TV.

But overall it was cute and charming and love letter to Playstation I had to google some bots and was like holy shit that is deep cut that only like 10 people at best will remember.

I hope the Astrobot domino effect keeps going cause man the devs deserved it on this one and bonus point no day one patch ooo it can be done.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

I think I'm done with my time with Astrobot. By which I mean I beat the game and completed every challenge except the very last one called "the Great Master Challange" which is just really too hard for me. I already find 3D platforming extremely confusing so this one is just out of my reach.

Other than that- yeah, great fun. Pure candy. I'll forget about it in a week.

Also perfect timing since my most anticipated game of 2024 comes out tomorrow.

 

[BrawlMan]

Also perfect timing since my most anticipated game of 2024 comes out tomorrow.

What's that? Tell me!

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

What's that? Tell me!

 

[Casual Shinji]

So, now that we're done with this, by which I mean, now that the game has been out for a week, people really like it, and it seems to have been overall succesful... what now?

I'm not going to hold my breath for Sony to change the trajectory that they're on; the PS5 Pro being discless is already spelling doom for the future. But what does this mean for Asobi? The easiest answer would be a sequel, but what could a sequel give that isn't already in this game? More cameo references? I think we got the majority of those already. Can Astro Bot exist on its own without the Playstation IP's? As cute and charming as the aesthetic is I don't know how much staying power it has, and maybe Sony would rather keep Astro Bot as a means to try and sell new hardware gimmicks, as it was originally intended.

I'd really like for Team Asobi to be given one of these older IP's that Sony hasn't touched in ages to maybe bring some of that Astro Bot charm to it and revitalize it. And seeing how they did that little Ape Escape level I'd say that franchise would be the perfect fit for them.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

So, now that we're done with this, by which I mean, now that the game has been out for a week, people really like it, and it seems to have been overall succesful... what now?

I'm not going to hold my breath for Sony to change the trajectory that they're on; the PS5 Pro being discless is already spelling doom for the future. But what does this mean for Asobi? The easiest answer would be a sequel, but what could a sequel give that isn't already in this game? More cameo references? I think we got the majority of those already. Can Astro Bot exist on its own without the Playstation IP's? As cute and charming as the aesthetic is I don't know how much staying power it has, and maybe Sony would rather keep Astro Bot as a means to try and sell new hardware gimmicks, as it was originally intended.

I'd really like for Team Asobi to be given one of these older IP's that Sony hasn't touched in ages to maybe bring some of that Astro Bot charm to it and revitalize it. And seeing how they did that little Ape Escape level I'd say that franchise would be the perfect fit for them.

Dude.. the game just came out lol. Why does it have to mean anything?

But, ok, I'll bite anyway...

What next is maybe updates. Yes the game is implement pretty much perfectly but there are always bugs to fix. The nature of the game makes it easy to add updates, levels, modes, settings, etc (I'm keeping it installed in case one day they add an accessibility setting that lets me complete the Great Master Challenge level and earn the platinum). DLC's, paid or unpaid, etc. Just because it's old news in the gaming media coverage doesn't mean it won't continue to sell and be played. In fact, I can imagine it being very popular after discounts- I honestly don't think the game is worth full price to anyone who is budget conscious.

But in a few years? Sure, give 'em a Daxter or Sly or Ape or whatever, why not. Or even do a corporate restructuring that actually is good for devs and gamers like pairing them with a creative visionary, Neil Druckman type, to marry the gameplay and story, now that we know Sony can do both really well.

One thing thing I will push hard against is this idea out there that it's some vindication of this anti-multiplayer/live-service cause, because it came out the same time as Concord. No single piece of art or entertainment should be adapted as a "cause." That way lies danger.

 

[BrawlMan]

. No single piece of art or entertainment should be adapted as a "cause." That way lies danger.

Which exact problem with Sony and Microsoft. Sony especially, as they're still stuck on live-service despite any project failing or dying and canceled due to enormous budgets (TLOUS II multiplayer). They have no idea what they want and you have those in the exec class claiming they "don't have enough original IPs". Fuck them.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Which exact problem with Sony and Microsoft. Sony especially, as they're still stuck on live-service despite any project failing or dying and canceled due to enormous budgets (TLOUS II multiplayer). They have no idea what they want and you have those in the exec class claiming they "don't have enough original IPs". Fuck them.

That doesn’t make sense. They have a shitload of “original” IPs. Unless they instead meant no “new original” IPs? Even then, their recent decisions and charted course seems to be working against that given how many stupid fucking live service games are still in the pipeline.

 

[BrawlMan]

That doesn’t make sense. They have a shitload of “original” IPs. Unless they instead meant no “new original” IPs? Even then, their recent decisions and charted course seems to be working against that given how many stupid fucking live service games are still in the pipeline.

I know, right?

Here is the article in question gives out the quotes. The actual article is from the Financial Times and it's behind a paywall, so Push Square were kind enough to uq the most important parts from the out of touch CFO douchebag.

Sony Execs Seem to Think the Company Doesn't Have Enough Original IP

"We don’t have that much IP that we fostered from the beginning"

www.pushsquare.com

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

I know, right?

Here is the article in question gives out the quotes. The actual article is from the Financial Times and it's behind a paywall, so Push Square were kind enough to uq the most important parts from the out of touch CFO douchebag.

Sony Execs Seem to Think the Company Doesn't Have Enough Original IP

"We don’t have that much IP that we fostered from the beginning"

www.pushsquare.com

“Totoki said:
Whether it’s for games, films or anime, we don’t have that much IP that we fostered from the beginning. We’re lacking the early phase (of IP) and that’s an issue for us.”

I basically see this as an admission that they hopefully realize they’re fumbling around and need to get their act together, but perhaps that’s wishful thinking.

 

[Casual Shinji]

One thing thing I will push hard against is this idea out there that it's some vindication of this anti-multiplayer/live-service cause, because it came out the same time as Concord. No single piece of art or entertainment should be adapted as a "cause." That way lies danger.

It's not about vindication, Astro Bot is just exactly what Sony (and gamers) need right now. It's getting so much love and hype not because it's a masterpiece, but because it's a nice simple, back-to-their-roots, no nonsense videogame from Sony. And a very good one at that.

And live-service is a different beast, it's not just a single piece of art. The live-service model has turned many if not all publishers into delusional fiends, thinking it's a neverending wellspring of cash and monetary growth. And Sony is currently undergoing the consequences of following that mindset. They still have two more live-service shooters (that we know of) coming down the pipe after Concord flopped the way it did.