The simple robot design came from a necessity to make something quickly and with a small team. “So when we had to make them into characters, one of the directions was like, we need to make shortcuts. No mouth, no stretchy faces,” he says, adding that no dialogue and having the eyes be “the most expressive thing” facilitated this need as well. “And from this limitation, actually, the good thing is that you end up with a silhouette that is really, really simple. Even a kid can draw Astro.” However, Doucet admits that “At the time, we had no idea that this guy would end up in a platformer”.
Speaking of kids, Team Asobi is conscious of the fact Astro Bot should appeal to a broad audience, including much younger players. “We’re trying to be really accessible to a very, very young audience. It might be the first game that some people play, right?” However, the other side of the coin is ensuring the game provides enough fun and challenge for older generations too. In addition to all the toy-like elements of levels, like knocking over paint cans and other distractions, Astro Bot features challenge stages that’ll appease those looking for tougher platforming.
These challenges loop back around to those character cameos as well. “That’s where you find the deep cuts, because the people playing the challenges are gonna be the ones with the most skills, and likely the longer history of PlayStation knowledge,” Doucet says. “So they’re the ones that will appreciate characters like Vib Ribbon and all these kind of things.”
As our interview wraps up, Doucet explains how gratifying it is to be building a game for audiences other than himself. “I’m a hardcore gamer. I play Elden Ring and I’m looking forward to the DLC, and stuff like that. But for work, we get to be a bit more generous and not think about ourselves, but about a different audience. I find that a really motivating part of the job.”
Indeed, after speaking to various other journalists and people attending Summer Game Fest, Astro Bot really does seem to be hitting all the right notes for basically everybody. After sampling some early levels and seeing just how full of fun this game is, we’re very excited to see what the full experience has in store for fans both young and old.
Astro Bot comes exclusively to PS5 on 6th September, 2024. A big thanks to Nicolas Doucet for taking the time to speak with us. Are you looking forward to this adorable, all-ages platformer? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Stephen has been part of the Push Square team for over six years, bringing boundless enthusiasm and a deep knowledge of video games to his role as Assistant Editor. Having grown up playing every PlayStation console to date, he’s developed an eclectic taste, with particular passion for indie games, arcade racers, and puzzlers. He’s also our go-to guy for Sonic-related matters, much to his delight/chagrin.