# Astro Bot Rescue Mission

Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a 2018 platform video game developed by Japan Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 4's PlayStation VR headset. It stars a cast of robot characters first introduced in The Playroom, where they appeared as robots that lived inside of the DualShock 4 controller. In the game, the player teams up with Captain Astro and goes on a quest to rescue his lost crew scattered across different worlds.
The game was released in October 2018 and received critical acclaim, with praise for the game's use of the DualShock 4 and its varied level design. It is the first game in the Astro Bot series, and was followed by Astro's Playroom in 2020 and Astro Bot in 2024.

## Gameplay

Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a 3D platformer where players control Astro Bot, a small robot navigating various levels using a DualShock 4 controller. The game is designed for VR, so players experience the game world from a first-person perspective, essentially becoming a giant robot that interacts with the environment. This includes actions like smashing walls with head-butts, dodging attacks, and using the headset's microphone to blow petals around.
In each level, the main objective is to rescue Astro's crew, scattered throughout the game's five worlds and twenty levels. Players also face bosses at the end of each world, which require a certain number of rescued bots to challenge.
Each level also hides Space Chameleons, which, when found, unlock special challenge stages that add extra content to the game. Additionally, players can discover Magic Chests containing gadgets such as a Hook Shot, Water Gun, Tight Rope, Magic Light, Machine Gun, or a Slingshot. These gadgets help Astro navigate through levels, providing tools to manipulate the environment in various ways.

## Development

Astro Bot Rescue Mission was developed by Japan Studio's Team Asobi division. Due to popular demand and fan feedback of the mini game called "Robot Rescue" in The Playroom VR, Japan Studio decided to make a fully fleshed game based on the mini game. Astro Bot Rescue Mission was developed in 18 months by a team of 25 people. The music was composed by Kenneth C M Young.

## Reception

Aggregate score :
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | 90/100 |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score |
| Computer Games Magazine | 8.5/10 |
| Destructoid | 7.5/10 |
| Edge | 9/10 |
| Game Informer | 9/10 |
| IGN | 9/10 |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 17/20 |
| PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | 8/10 |
| Road to VR | 10/10 |
| Metro | 9/10 |
| UploadVR | 8.5/10 |
Astro Bot Rescue Mission received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. As of July 2019, Astro Bot Rescue Mission is the highest-rated VR game in history according to Metacritic, and the 6th highest-rated PS4 game in 2018. The game was especially praised for its use of the DualShock 4 controller's features and varied level design.
Chris Dunlap's 10/10 score on GamingAge stated that "Astro Bot Rescue Mission is an extremely fun and engaging game, and a dynamite addition to the growing PSVR library." PSU.com said "Easily the best platformer and PS VR game on the market this year."

### Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Result |
| 2018 | Game Critics Awards | Best VR/AR Game | Nominated |
| 2018 | Gamescom 2018 | Best Puzzle/Skill Game | Nominated |
| 2018 | 9th Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Best Original Song ("A Fire in Your Mind") | Nominated |
| 2018 | The Game Awards 2018 | Best VR/AR Game | Won |
| 2018 | The Edge Awards 2018 | VR Game of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | The Edge Awards 2018 | Game of the Year | 5 |
| 2019 | New York Game Awards | Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best Virtual Reality Game | Nominated |
| 2019 | 22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Family Game of the Year | Nominated |
| 2019 | 22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Immersive Reality Game of the Year | Nominated |
| 2019 | 22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Immersive Reality Technical Achievement | Nominated |
| 2019 | 22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Outstanding Technical Achievement | Nominated |
| 2019 | National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards | Animation, Artistic | Nominated |
| 2019 | National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards | Control Design, VR | Nominated |
| 2019 | National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards | Direction in Virtual Reality | Nominated |
| 2019 | National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards | Game, Original Family | Nominated |
| 2019 | National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards | Sound Mixing in Virtual Reality | Nominated |
| 2019 | National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards | Use of Sound, New IP | Nominated |
| 2019 | SXSW Gaming Awards | Excellence in Technical Achievement | Nominated |
| 2019 | SXSW Gaming Awards | VR Game of the Year | Nominated |
| 2019 | Game Developers Choice Awards | Best VR/AR Game | Nominated |
| 2019 | 15th British Academy Games Awards | Best Game | Nominated |
| 2019 | 15th British Academy Games Awards | Game Design | Nominated |
| 2019 | 15th British Academy Games Awards | Game Innovation | Nominated |
| 2019 | Famitsu Awards | Special Award | Won |
| 2019 | British Academy Children's Awards | Game | Won |
| 2019 | Italian Video Game Awards | Innovation Award | Nominated |
| 2019 | Japan Game Awards | Game Designers Award | Won |
| 2019 | The Independent Game Developers' Association Awards | Best Arcade Game | Nominated |

## Sequels
### Astro's Playroom

A sequel, Astro's Playroom, was released for the PlayStation 5 as a launch title that is pre-installed on every console and serves as a tech demo for the new DualSense controller.

### Astro Bot

Astro Bot is the most recent entry in the Astro Bot series and was released in 2024 for the PlayStation 5 in celebration of PlayStation's 30th anniversary. The game received universal acclaim from critics.