Gamers can be hard to shop for. Even if you know the type of games they usually play, there’s no guarantee they’ll like a specific title. But I have no qualms in recommending Astro Bot to anyone on your list who has a PS5.
I don’t have a ton of time to play games, so I’m careful about which ones I pick (mostly I just play whatever Engadget reviews) so when Jess called Astro Bot “one of the best games Sony has ever made” I figured it was a safe bet. That was an underestimation on my part. It’s a delight: Inventive but completely intuitive, adorable but not cutesy. You play as Astro who is tasked with finding his bot friends on different fantastical planets. Some of those friends are dressed up as characters from other video games. The novelty isn’t just gratifying for gamers: in my house, it also led to discussions of gaming history. For example, my husband and son looked up Ico after seeing bots dressed as the game’s two main characters.
The controller itself plays a big role, both on-screen and in the novel ways you use it. The gameplay is challenging, but easy enough to pick up that my seven-year-old has gotten pretty deep into it. In fact, that’s my one complaint. Between all the other people in my house that want to play it, I rarely get a chance. But that just attests to the universal appeal — a great quality in any gift. — Amy Skorheim, Reporter
