Shopping can be difficult for gamers. Even if you know what games they usually play, there is no guarantee that they will like a particular game. But I have no hesitation in recommending Astro Bot everyone on your list who has a PS5.
I don't have a lot of time to play games, so I'm careful about which ones I choose (I mostly just play all the Engadget reviews), so when Jess called Astro Bot “one of the best games Sony has ever made“I thought it was a safe bet. It was an underestimation on my part. It's a delight: inventive but completely visceral, charming but not cutesy. You play as Astro, tasked with finding his bot friends on various fantasy planets. Some of those friends are dressed like characters from other video games. Not only is the novelty a gamer's delight: in my house, it's also led to a discussion about gaming history. My husband and son, for example, looked up. Ico after seeing bots dressed as the game's two main characters.
The controller itself plays a big role both on the screen and in new ways to use it. The gameplay is challenging, but easy enough to learn that my seven year old got quite into it. In fact, that's my only complaint. Between all the other people in my house who want to play it, I rarely get the chance. But this only confirms its universal appeal – an excellent quality for any gift. — Amy Skorheim, reporter
