This article contains spoilers for Astro Bot.
Astro Botis one part excellent platformer, one part nostalgia barrage. If you play this game, youwillsee something you recognize and youwilllike it. Team Asobi has engineered a pretty damn perfect game and, though I’m largely over Easter eggs as a concept, the bigger homages toSony’s catalog are a lot of fun.
When I played theGod of War-inspired level Bot of War had a great time, but wondered if it would be one and done. But then, in each world, the game introduced a big new level themed after the PlayStation greats. The really dark games were excluded (The Last of Us) as were the really weird ones (Death Stranding), which left room for the down-the-middle hits (Horizon, Uncharted) and a throwback to an older series that hasn’t received a new entry in 15 years (LocoRoco). But I kept waiting forGhost of Tsushimato show up.
Where Is Astro Bot’s Ghost Of Tsushima Level?
Despite there only being one game in the series so far, theSucker Punchsamurai game is a PlayStation pillar. It sold quite well (both at its initial PS4 launch and after this year’s PC port) and a movie adaptation is in the works from John Wick director Chad Stahelski. It’s a big Sony brand, and could have easily fit into the world of Astro Bot. Ghost of Tsushima protagonist Jin Sakaidoesshow up in Astro Bot, as a cameo robot you may rescue in the Danger Dojo level, but that level is inspired by feudal Japan and isn’t specifically Ghost of Tsushima-themed.
Danger Dojo also features William Adams from theNiohgames.
A Ghost of Tsushima level wouldn’t need to look all that different from Danger Dojo, but actually taking inspiration from it would open up cool new abilities for Astro. When Astro meets Kratos, he gains the ability to throw and recall an ax. When he meets Nathan Drake, he gets a gun. When he and Aloy link up, he gets a bow that he can aim in slow-motion. And, when he tumbles into the world of LocoRoco he turns into a cute, colorful slime. It’s easy to imagine a Ghost of Tsushima level that incorporated some of that game’s approach to combat.
Astro Bot With A Katana And Four Stances Would Rule
Ideally, this would come with a simplified version of Ghost of Tsushima’s four stances, that you could cycle between. But if that’s too much to ask, I just want Asobi to give Astro Bot a sword. Despite unlocking a bunch of abilities over the course of the game’s ten-hour runtime, the only weapon that’s remotely close to that is Kratos' ax. But a level that let the diminutive robot wield a katana would be great and wouldn’t need to be any more violent than Bot of War.
Imagine Astro slicing and dicing enemies en route to a boss battle where our little round bot must cross blades with a master swordsman. Imagine Astro sneaking through the tall grass to slit android throats. Imagine Astro becoming a ghost, who stalks through the darkness, bathing in the blood of his enemies. Okay, maybe it would be kinda violent.
