I wasn't sure I was going to keep my PlayStation VR but games like Astro Bot and Moss are what convinced me to give it a shot. Astrobot Rescue Mission is a classic platformer in which you explore several unique stages looking for your robot companions. Although I'm still not totally convinced VR is nessacary for this kind of game it does help deliver a more unique experience. You'll be tilting your head to look around corners and swinging your head forward to bash through barriers. I must say now that I've played through Astrobot I'm impressed by the amount of content and the consistent quality of the level designs. If you grew up enjoying platformers I think you'll find that Astrobot has a lot to offer.
You and your fellow Astrobots are having a good time traveling through space when you're attacked by evil entity. This enemy destroys your ship and scatters your fellow shipmates across a series of five different planets. It is up to you to travel from one world to the next not only to rescue your shipmates but to find the missing pieces to your ship. After playing through four stages on each world you get to face the boss of that planet. In return for defeating the boss you are rewarded with a piece of your ship. Once you have put your ship back together you'll have the opportunity to put your new skills to the test and get revenge against the monster that got you into this mess in the first place.
Each stage in Astro Bot has you following a fairly straight path up the level in a similar manner to the Crash Bandicoot games. While you control a small robot your character is actually a large floating bot wearing a VR headset; in a way this represents your presence as the player in game. This is important as your VR headset works as the game's camera and lets you keep track of your robot in three dimensional space. So for instance if you need to explore an area on the right side of the level you'll need to tilt your head to the right if you wish to keep an eye on where you are sending your Astrorobot. The ability to look around anywhere at anytime is important if you wish to see where all the bots are hidden or find chameleons that unlock bonus stages.
The Astrobot's has a pretty standard move set featuring jumping, hovering, and attacks. This may not sound like much but there are many thing you as the player can do to aid your robot pal. Many stages have a chest near the beginning that gives you a power for the rest of the stage. These powers are utilized through using the touchpad on the controller and include things such as a grappling hook and a flashlight. Getting through any particular stage isn't much of a challenge but if you wish to find all eight lost Astrobots you'll really need to take your time and look into every nook and cranny. To me finding all the bots was the most fun part of the game and if you can spot the chameleon you'll gain access to bonus stages which probably offer the greatest challenge and variety.
I absolutely adored this game and was pleasantly surprised by how much enjoyable content it had to offer. If you are a completionist this game should easily keep you entertained for 20-25 hours. Having the game take place in virtual reality helps give the levels a greater sense of scale. Also utilizing the touchpad on the control for the different tools is pretty amusing however it can be a little frustrating to move your fingers around during some of the more challenging stages. This game has a very clean art style and has a good sense of humor which is sprinkled throughout the experience. If you have or are planning to purchase a PlayStation VR this is must play in my mind. Of course if you want something that uses the move controllers and fully takes advantage of being in VR I'm sure their are more immersive games out there.