A massive robotic frown is the primary feature you notice while soaring over Astro Bot onto a droopy, rain-soaked tropical isle. A few striking red locks hold the gigantic metal being to the ground. Eliminate them, and the entire environment around radiates with transformation.
Free Big Brother—a remarkable Astro Bot level—displays a scene that changes with feeling. Initially serving as a darker homage to Shadow of the Colossus, it transforms into the pinnacle of platforming joy, rivalling the exploration of the sun-drenched secrets of Super Mario Sunshine’s Delfino Plaza. Raindrops diminish in number as the enormous and gentle creature approaches the final moments of the level.
Whether it is Ape Escape or Uncharted, Astro Bot excels at capturing the emotions that the franchises it represents invoked in us. The thrill of explosive gunfights or the intimidation caused by a toy-sized Jörmungandr are both palpable, even though the feelings only last for fleeting moments.
Free Big Brother accomplishes something even more remarkable, welling up the poignant themes of Shadow of the Colossus into a platformer that invokes nothing but joy while still making that sadness feel genuine.
As soon as Astro Bot, donned in his umbrella hat, touches the shore, the primary objective is to destroy each lock holding Big Brother down as quickly as possible. The large mech tugs at your heartstrings as it struggles and groans with each lock that breaks free. Exploring every nook and cranny of this island is not the priority: rescuing Big Brother comes before everything else.
PlayStation enthusiasts will immediately recognize the somberness as a tribute to Team Ico, the creators of Shadow of the Colossus. Images of Ico, Mono, Dormin, and the 16 colossi flash in as the reality sets in.
It felt appropriate to witness a section so evidently inspired by Fumito Ueda, especially as Team Ico transitioned to work alongside Team Asobi before merging with Japan Studios in 2021. Several Japan Studio developers were “re-centered” around Team Asobi. Of the 69 credited developers who contributed to Astro Bot, one worked on Shadow of the Colossus and 12 on The Last Guardian, Team Ico’s last game prior to many of its developers joining Ueda at his new studio.
This crossover is part of the reason why all these tributes feel so authentic. Beyond the fact that studios like Naughty Dog and Santa Monica Studio collaborated on sections that paid homage to their games, developers who worked on Ape Escape, Gran Turismo 5, Knack, and other titles are all credited as contributors on Astro Bot. The tributes feel genuine because many of the very individuals who created the original games also crafted the tributes.
Once Big Brother is liberated, the colossal steel figure wades into the ocean as new light begins to bathe the island. After exploring the tropical setting, he beckons Astro Bot to join him in the water. Astro Bot then climbs the limbs, neck, and head of Big Brother as the entire island comes into view on the horizon. The sunlight, scenery, and soundtrack converge—combined with the serene pleasure of simply guiding the tiny robot through a unique environment—to create the most captivating moment in Astro Bot. It feels particularly joyous now that we know Ueda has been developing a kind of successor at his current company, GenDesign. He, alongside many former members of Team Ico, recently unveiled their untitled new project at The Game Awards. The allure of Astro Bot is that it contains over 50 levels, packing more than 15 hours of gameplay, yet still feels remarkably brief. There are numerous moments with something as meaningful