PlayStation 5's best game is also completely free

The nights are drawing in. It’s getting colder. There’s a building Christmas cheer in the air. Fairy lights go up. Shops get busier. You’re never without a hot drink in your hand. It is officially cosy season - and that means there’s plenty of time to snuggle up and enjoy a game.

You may be working your way through your backlog and let’s be honest, we’ve all got one this year. Who knew that 2023 would be packed with back-to-back bangers? Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield on the same day … Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the same day. You can’t be blamed for being unable to keep up. The Christmas season can also be a rather costly time of year though, so you may find yourself looking for a free gem to keep you entertained. I’m certainly not the first person to say this but please take this reminder that if you’re a PlayStation 5 owner, one of the console’s best games is both free and comes pre-installed. Yes, Astro’s Playroom.

Take a look at the delightful Astro’s Playroom in action below.

Developed by Team Asobi, Astro’s Playroom is, as I said, completely free for all PlayStation 5 owners and will come preloaded on your console. It’s essentially a platformer, but it has a couple of extra strings to its bow that really help this bite-sized game pack a punch. Astro’s Playroom showcases the power of the DualSense controller - and three years on, I still don’t think this technical display has been topped - whilst simultaneously celebrating PlayStation’s vast and rich history. Allow me to tell you more.

You begin life as Astro in the CPU Plaza, the game’s hub world - and yes, the CPU Plaza emulates the inside of a PlayStation 5 console. From here, you can visit four worlds all correlating to the company’s previous consoles. Memory Meadow celebrates the OG PlayStation, SSD Speedway reflects the PlayStation 2, Cooling Springs is the PlayStation 3 inspired world, while GPU Jungle represents the PlayStation 4.

Each world is exquisitely realised. You’ll jump, dash, and slide your way through some very familiar obstacles, including console casings, cooling fans, and memory cards. Each level is also packed with references to PlayStation’s vast back catalogue of games. In Cooling Springs, you’ll find bots representing Kratos and Atreus rowing their boat out to sea, while in GPU Jungle, Aloy is practising her archery skills while Ellie and Joel hide from a nearby familiar-looking foe.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

These references inject the game’s platforming worlds with life, adding nostalgic touches of familiarity. The platforming itself is highly enjoyable but I also had heaps of fun stopping to test myself on how many of the games represented I actually recognised. Astro’s Playroom pays homage to over 60 games in total taken from across 26 years, so it's a good test to see if you’re really a PlayStation aficionado.

I quickly want to touch on just what a technical marvel Astro’s Playroom is. I said it makes use of the power of the DualSense controller - and to this day, I’m not sure any game has quite matched its utilisation of the tech (although Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart comes pretty close). Almost every movement or surface type is matched to some form of sensation emitted via the controller. If you’re new to the PlayStation 5, it offers you an instant moment of ‘wow’. If you’ve had your PS5 for a while, it’ll certainly remind you of what a powerhouse this machine is.

If you blitz your way through the levels, there are digital collectibles you may have missed to go back to and an array of timed trials. If I have one complaint about Astro’s Playroom, it’s only that I wish there was more. Team Asobi may have been asked to create a glorified PlayStation 5 demo, but the end result is quite honestly one of the best platformers out there. If you haven’t yet sampled this gem, I urge you to.