197: Astro Bot (with Josh Covel - Still Loading Podcast)

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With the world being the way it is, it's a rare treat to play a game that's just pure joy from start to finish, and that is exactly what Astro Bot (Team Asobi, Sony, 2024) brings. From the opening cutscene to the final boss, Astro Bot is both one of the greatest platformers ever made and a joyous celebration of 30 years of Playstation history. I treasure a game like this as a player, and almost even moreso as a critic. I hope you enjoy the discussion!

Guest info: Josh Covel (he/him)

Check out Still Loading Podcast https://www.stillloadingpodcast.com/

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:33 Introductions

6:11 Our Histories with Astro Bot

9:42 Opening Thoughts

13:06 Game Setup and Playstation History

23:08 Criticisms of The Playstation Tie-Ins

39:34 Gameplay & Powerups

49:20 Complexity and Difficulty

1:00:19 Collectibles and Secrets

1:08:15 Music and Sound Design

1:23:55 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations

1:29:13 Still Loading Podcast

1:34:58 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:37:34 Spoiler Section- Playstation Themed Levels

2:01:43 Final Level and Miscellaneous Favorite Things

Music used in the episode is credited to Kenneth C M Young. Tracks used: I Am Astro Bot (ASTRO BOT Remix), Disco Tree, Big Wave, You Know What You've Got To Do, Drake's BOTtune, Bot of War

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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures Support Tales from the Backlog