- 3 months ago
This will be my final YouTube video for 2025.
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🎮️
GamingTranscript
00:00.
00:16.
00:18.
00:20Wow, I actually completed it.
00:22Huh, wasn't that tedious though?
00:24Alright, let's review it.
00:26Listen, this is just gonna be a quick review on Astropod and not a long end of review on it.
00:32I mean, what else did they say about Astropod that has not been said before by people much bigger than I am?
00:38Yes, the game has been out for one year, there is no PC port, but like better late than never I guess?
00:44And trust me man, this is only getting like 50 views by the end of the year.
00:48Astropod is seriously one of the best platformers I ever had played on the system.
00:53Even if this game is gonna get ported to another system as well in the future, I don't even care.
00:59Cause this is still one of the best platformers for the PS5.
01:03Cause this game is not just a celebration of PlayStation, but even video games in general.
01:08Every single one of my concerns about how this game's legacy will lift up and how much it's gonna affect legacy PlayStation IPs,
01:14have been properly stepped into the dirt.
01:17Not fully, but at least it was stamped a little bit.
01:20My biggest concern about Astropod before he even got a chance to play it,
01:24was using all the new IPs and franchises for his entire identity.
01:29Astro's Playroom with his tech demo for the PS5 and the controller.
01:33The IPs and franchises that this game uses is part of his identity,
01:38but Team Asopi also went out of the way to include every accessory and console that PlayStation has actually made.
01:46I mean, the only problem with that game is that it's still a tech demo,
01:50and this game is pretty much around an hour or two in length.
01:53So, using some of the franchises and IPs that are gonna get a hold of,
01:57or at least the ones they own, was pretty much excusable in that game.
02:00But like, Astropod is a full-priced video game in six to seven hours of content.
02:05I mean, how they're actually good at balance a fun level design and gameplay,
02:09while also having IP of franchises that are not part of Astropod being a part of the game, friend and center.
02:15Well, funny enough though, they actually balance it much better than I actually expected,
02:20with a few caveats, but we'll get into that later on.
02:23So, the alien creature pretty much stole your processor, messed up your ship, and you lost all your friends,
02:29and so your main goal of the entire game is to find enough Astropod people as much as possible
02:33to progress through the entire game, and to find all the parts for your ship.
02:37These levels are actually linear design, but are still jam-packed with actually secrets and collectibles
02:43you can look out for, and pretty much missing your first try.
02:47It has one of the most creative level design I've ever seen in years.
02:50Even though there are actually platformer games that I think are way better than Astropod in my opinion,
02:56the level design in Astropod is absolute cinema.
02:59And if you're planning on going through every single nook and cranny to find every single Astropod
03:04and every single collectible, you're gonna be here for a long time.
03:07I mean, like, I was only playing this game on and off for like months before actually finishing it,
03:12but the pace of the game is not actually bad though, even for completion's sake.
03:17Every single Astropod level for each world always have a different theme,
03:21making you keep guessing on what level design and mechanic it will have.
03:24Speaking of mechanics, power-ups.
03:26There are a bunch of power-ups in this game that gives a load of variety in the level.
03:30There are like two different types of rocket power-ups, like the bull duck power-up and the chicken rocket power-up.
03:36Both have different varieties, with one of them actually blasting through the air,
03:40including blasting through glass and wood.
03:42The chicken rocket does the exact same thing except through the air,
03:46and lets you pull through those string things that you can't really do with a normal jump.
03:50The mass power-up that lets you squeeze through tight corridors and small passages,
03:55but also trying to let you go through small platforming channels that you have to shrink down to progress through the top of the area.
04:02The monkey power-ups that lets you climb through those like hooks, pick up and throw rocks,
04:17and even do the slam move on those little buttons.
04:20There are even some buttons that you actually press onto them.
04:23You go onto a DualSense-like machine where it shoots out paint, water, stars, and even suck up some bricks.
04:28Clam bricks?
04:29Each single power-up, with a few exceptions, are given full advantage to each level they appear in.
04:34There are a couple of weak power-ups, like the Clamper Monkey power-up,
04:38where you have to like push the L2 and the R2 button to use the Clamper mechanic, which are just meh,
04:44but they're not all right bad, aside from like a few speedrunning levels.
04:48I mean, the only problems I have with these power-ups is the ones that I only have like one use in one level,
04:54given at least more levels that I have taken full advantage of these power-ups.
04:58Now for the boss fights.
04:59They are absolute bangers.
05:01Each one are actually very creative and well designed.
05:04They are actually both a boss fight and a platforming challenger that actually touch your patience,
05:09even with a power-up buddy on your hand.
05:11The gorilla boss fight actually lets you platform through the challenges before you fight him,
05:16absolutely lets you dodge obstacles with your backpack pal,
05:19and you get to knock his senses with the bells and pretty much knock his teeth out.
05:24In the chameleon boss fight you have to actually slow down time to pretty much stop the fast projectiles
05:29and get the upper hand on the chameleon.
05:31There's even many bosses at the end of each area acting like end level gauntless for you and your power-up.
05:37And now for the linear challenge levels.
05:39Unlike the actual normal levels, you'll absolutely unlock them after finishing the previous levels.
05:44You unlock these types of levels by either exploring through the hub worlds by like smashes through some astroars,
05:50circling around some stars, or even doing some miscellaneous stuff in the overworld.
05:54Now each one is actually very unique.
05:56You either pretty much just defeat enemies in a specific way to unlock one astrobat,
06:01or go through like a speedrunning challenge.
06:03Also, there are a series of speedrunning levels that are themed to one specific button props on the Playstation controller,
06:09like the triangle button, circle, square, and even X.
06:12Or, wait, the cross button?
06:15Now the cameo themed levels.
06:17It's pretty much just like an astrobat level except it actually controls and feels just like a specific game of that franchise.
06:23Like either Ape Escape where you actually capture monkeys, God of War where you have the ability to throw your axe at an enemy and freeze them,
06:31using them to knock down some specific items, or pretty much using them to make platforms.
06:36There's even an entire Uncharted level where you actually go through an entire temple and use your gun to shoot at stuff.
06:42An absolute highlight for me.
06:44But if you're feeling a little bit tired after platforming through a bunch of levels and beating a boss,
06:49you can actually go to the Craftsites which is your hub world for this game.
06:53It's pretty much just like a typical hub world, but also a level in of itself.
06:58There's even a little bit of that Pikmin energy where you absolutely hurt around a bunch of like astrobat characters that you save from some of the levels that you found them in.
07:05They can either make a bridge for you, either pull out some like strings, make a bunch of ropes that swing around, an astrobat ladder,
07:12or either help you out finding even more astrobat villagers, or either find even more of those like puzzle pieces.
07:19And if you just want to hang out in the help world and just react, you can absolutely do that with all the astrobots that you save.
07:25There's the name game Pashinko Machine where you use it to unlock some items for your cameo bots,
07:31and some outfits for your astrobot, or some paint for your ship.
07:34And with unlocking a specific item for that character, you can pretty much just like watch them do their specific idle animations in the hub world.
07:42And you can either join them too, or just beat them up to see their reactions.
07:47Now with all the stuff that is said positive about astrobot, are there some flaws that I have with this game?
07:53Actually yeah, I kinda do have problems with astrobot.
07:56The actual game itself.
07:58Let's talk about the collectibles first.
08:00There are the obligatory coins, which are easy to collect.
08:03The puzzle pieces, and last, the astrobots.
08:06Every single collectible is very satisfying to collect.
08:09Especially the puzzle pieces.
08:11However, the requirements needed to unlock specific stuff is very unfair and pretty much stupid.
08:17The rewards you get for collecting a specific number of puzzle pieces are as followed.
08:21The pachinko machine, the costumes, a paint job for your ship, and last but not least, the camera system.
08:27A good reward for collecting puzzle pieces.
08:30Unfortunately to anybody who wants to immediately customize their astrobot, their controller, and use the picture system.
08:36Uh, yeah, uh, sorry sucker, play 65% of the game to unlock that stuff.
08:41I mean, unlocking the costume system and the paint job is not actually a bad reward.
08:46But requiring you to collect 65% of the puzzle pieces, just so you can use a camera mode while wearing a Jack and Daxter outfit, while playing one of the specific levels with one of the picture stands.
08:57That is just so stupid.
08:59Cause there's so many games that either lets you wear some costumes, or either take a picture with the camera system earlier in the game, or either immediately when you boot it up.
09:09I mean, requiring a player to collect a specific number of collectibles to unlock the costume system and the camera system is not a bad idea.
09:16But I think a player should absolutely unlock those stuff earlier, like 25% in the game.
09:22And then the later rewards in the game can absolutely unlock you at playground sets for you to explore and have fun.
09:28And maybe not just really one, but pretty much either two or three.
09:32And I think this is the better balance of unlocks for this game than how this game did it for the puzzle pieces.
09:37Now the cameo bots.
09:39The cameo bots are absolutely a great reward for any other players who are good enough to explore the levels.
09:45Unfortunately for any future games that we're gonna get for Atropod, our selective ideas of franchises that Atropod can use for their sequel.
09:54Unfortunately are very slim because PlayStation pretty much blew the lid off and include 85% of the franchises that PlayStation owns.
10:02Minus the third party IPs that PlayStation doesn't own, they're an absolute great inclusion.
10:07But unfortunately the franchises that PlayStation hasn't included in Atropod are very slim.
10:13And they're gonna have to like include other characters from different types of franchises to fill up the Atropod queue for the sequel.
10:20And I think the solution for Atropod is to pretty much cut the cameos that PlayStation owns in half.
10:26I mean like I don't have anything else to say about the speedrunning levels that have been added in a future update.
10:31But they're pretty much fun to do.
10:33And you know what, I don't really have anything else to like dish out the cameo bots.
10:37But thumbs up to the Christmas level because they absolutely have loads of third party IPs there too.
10:42And so, with all that being said, Atropod is one of my favorite games that I ever played.
10:48So many secrets, so many fun levels, so many power-ups, so much creative ideas that they used.
10:54Yeah, I do have a little beat with some of the problems.
10:57But they do subtract from the fun and engagement that Atropod has.
11:01It's a great time from start to finish.
11:03And for like being Atropod's fifth game, this game does so much right to get the audience's attention.
11:09Unlike other platformers for PlayStation that had the same quality as this game.
11:13But not having a long lasting impact like Atropod is.
11:17And all the minor problems that I listed on this game are just minor.
11:21And they absolutely are getting me more excited for the future games than where they can actually improve on them.
11:27If you're looking for a fun and relaxing 3D platformer game that isn't just from Nintendo.
11:32Then look forward to Atropod.
11:34It's gonna be a great time from start to finish.
11:36Eh, not the number one PlayStation platformer from Sony, Sackboy and Riftapart Solo's Atropod.
11:43Eh, but it's still a great time.
11:45Anyways, this is the end of review.
11:47Thank you so much for watching.
11:49Unfortunately, this is gonna be the last video for this year.
11:52I'm pretty much gonna take a break from video making.
11:55Aside from an update video that I'm planning on doing for this year,
11:59I just hope I can get it done on time.
12:01Or if not, just expect the update video in January or something.
12:05Anyways, what do you think of Atropod?
12:08Did you get a chance to play it?
12:09If you did, what do you think of it?
12:11Let me know in the comments down below.
12:13Feel free to like and subscribe.
12:15Anyways, I'll catch you guys next time.
12:18Bye bye!
12:35Bye bye!
12:36Bye bye!
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