Astro’s Playroom is a brilliant showcase for a brilliant controller

Pack-in games aren’t the norm for new console launches these days, but every PlayStation 5 will come with Astro’s Playroom already installed when the system launches on November 12. After playing its first level, I can see why Sony wanted to give every PS5 owner a chance to experience this charming and creative 3D platformer.

Astro’s Playroom is a sequel to Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, a 2018 PSVR game. You control Astro with the same moveset. It focuses on simple 3D platforming with a laser-powered hover jump standing out as his most unique ability. But while Rescue Mission is a showcase for the PSVR headset, Playroom shows off all of the features of the PS5’s controller, the DualSense.