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[Tg89]

To start - I think Astrobot was overall an amazing game. Extremely polished, great visuals/audio, oozes charm, etc. It's clearly a labour of love. It wasn't my personal GOTY but I'm not mad at it winning.

If there's one thing that was disappointing, it's the difficulty. Or rather the lack of it.

1) There's basically no ramp in the game. The first area was understandably easy but it just never demands anything more of you. It doesn't iterate on the platforming challenges in any meaningful way and it feels like you're a tourist the entire time. You're doing short, impossible to miss jumps/hovers from beginning to end. The only exception to this was the challenge levels (Square/Circle/Cross/Triangle), which are coincidentally some of the best in the game.

2) Astro's base move set is super limited and honestly kind of sucks? There's nothing advanced you can even do to make the game more challenging within its level design. Mario Odyssey had a similar issue in terms of not demanding precision, but this was at least somewhat offset by the ability to choose to use the different tech to get around the level faster/skip things entirely. Odyssey would also be better if more difficult but Mario has a long jump, double/triple jumps, wall jumps, cap tech which you can repeatedly chain once you get good enough, etc. Astro has a jump and a short hover, neither of which allow you to do much of anything beyond the obvious.

Maybe it's because I grew up on platformers, but to me, all the best ones have some level of challenge. It's core to the experience - a good platformer has precise controls and precise controls are best enjoyed when the game demands them.

And I get it's a genre/game targeted at kids. These are mass market products and I'm not expecting it to be like Celeste. But that's always been true. SMB, SMB3, SMW and SM64 were all targeted at kids. DKC/DKC2/DKC3 were targeted at kids. Lion King was targeted at kids. Crash Bandicoot was targeted at kids. None of these games are what I would call difficult, but they do have challenging aspects, and I think they're better becasue of it.

 

[adamsapple]

And I get it's a genre/game targeted at kids.

You have your answer.

And that Lion King game, especially the Genesis version, is ridiculously difficult even for the most seasoned players, that's a whole different matter.

 

[Danjin44]

Not every game needs to be crazy difficult to be fun. Sure Astro Bot is not exactly challenging but still I had amazing time with it.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Galaxy is super easy as well and still a masterpiece

 

[Big Baller]

Yeah, I beat those lost void stages first try

 

[FalsettoVibe]

Not every game needs to be crazy difficult to be fun. Sure Astro Bot is not exactly challenging but still I had amazing time with it.

This.

 

[user friendly]

You get a unique "backpack" in each level which requires the use in order to complete the level and typically the boss battle. No, the game is not super difficult.

 

[Bruno_Arrais85]

It's a kid's game. I liked the game for what it is and my wife loved it.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Imo a good platformer should be comfy and kinda easy while still offering some optional platforming challenges for those that want to tackle them. Collectibles also can help adding to the challenge, if they are well hidden.

So yeah, make the critical path of the game easy for the kids, add optional challening stuff for the adults.

 

[rofif]

what? It is a game for kids bro.
You have hard levels too (the face button levels).

And fuck hard games. Why does every single game nowadays have to be for tryhard streamers?
I am not streaming to anyone. Not showing my might to anyone. I am playing a game and relaxing.
Hogwarts was sooo fun for this reason too. have some fun.
I don't need every game to be wukong while I appreciate it being great.

 

[Spukc]

Funny how opinions differ.
Loved the game..

But those symbol levels are the fucking worst in this near perfect game..

It was random as fuck annoying and beatable only because trial and error. It didn’t take skill it was a fucking annoying slog.

Try playing the game with a steering wheel if you want a challenge edge lord

 

[bitbydeath]

Yeah, I beat those lost void stages first try

 

[Tg89]

You have your answer.

And that Lion King game, especially the Genesis version, is ridiculously difficult even for the most seasoned players, that's a whole different matter.

Sure. That's an outlier in the example though. SMB, SMW, DKC for example are very reasonable difficulties even for a kid.

 

[LectureMaster]

You have your answer.

And that Lion King game, especially the Genesis version, is ridiculously difficult even for the most seasoned players, that's a whole different matter.

And I thought those two with super adorable, family friendly graphics are meant for kids, too.

Lord Spencer and Xbox simply hate kids right?

 

[Kacho]

That's why I appreciate platformers like Donkey Kong Country Returns. It's a ball buster of a game on purpose that makes kids and adults cry.

 

[Kvally]

Astrobot is one of my favorite games because it wasn't so difficult. Well, besides the speed run symbol levels. I hate those, I can't get past them. But maybe they could have put in a NG+ or a difficulty option for those not happy with the difficulty.

 

[Tg89]

Galaxy is super easy as well and still a masterpiece

Agreed that's its quite easy. Definitely has considerable more challenge than Astro though.

 

[Tg89]

That's why I appreciate platformers like Donkey Kong Country Returns. It's a ball buster of a game on purpose that makes kids and adults cry.

Yeah, this is part of what drove me to make this thread. Been playing the remaster and it's just a super enjoyable experience. It's fun to die here and there and actually have to use momentum/be precise to hit some of the jumps.

 

[Senua]

what? It is a game for kids bro.
You have hard levels too (the face button levels).

And fuck hard games. Why does every single game nowadays have to be for tryhard streamers?
I am not streaming to anyone. Not showing my might to anyone. I am playing a game and relaxing.
Hogwarts was sooo fun for this reason too. have some fun.
I don't need every game to be wukong while I appreciate it being great.

Some people like a challenge. Wtf do streamers have to do with anything

 

[Kacho]

Yeah, this is part of what drove me to make this thread. Been playing the remaster and it's just a super enjoyable experience. It's fun to die here and there and actually have to use momentum/be precise to hit some of the jumps.

 

[adamsapple]

And I thought those two with super adorable, family friendly graphics are meant for kids, too.

Lord Spencer and Xbox simply hate kids right?

 

[Tg89]

what? It is a game for kids bro.
You have hard levels too (the face button levels).

And fuck hard games. Why does every single game nowadays have to be for tryhard streamers?
I am not streaming to anyone. Not showing my might to anyone. I am playing a game and relaxing.
Hogwarts was sooo fun for this reason too. have some fun.
I don't need every game to be wukong while I appreciate it being great.

What do streamers have to do with it lol?

There's a difference between relaxing and boring, Astro sometimes becomes the latter.

There's also a wide gap between it an Wukong - like I said, they could easily have added one or two additional moves to fuck around with instead of just jump and hover.

 

[SidViscous]

The optional master challenge stuff to get the platinum has some of the toughest platforming levels I've ever played, real sanity pushing stuff that took a few evenings of non-stop practice to get down. I'd consider them harder than anything in Cuphead, albeit shorter so you just have to perfect 60-70 seconds rather than 3 minutes, but still

OP - how far into the game are you?

 

[rofif]

Some people like a challenge. Wtf do streamers have to do with anything

What do streamers have to do with it lol?

There's a difference between relaxing and boring, Astro sometimes becomes the latter.

There's also a wide gap between it an Wukong - like I said, they could easily have added one or two additional moves to fuck around with instead of just jump and hover.

Streamers 100% have influenced public opinion on difficulty. It is hip and cool to have game be extremely hard.
Some of these games nowadays are so hard, that would be unthinkable like on 360 gen.

Astro is never boring. I can have more joy from exploration, visuals and whats happening in astro... rather than just difficulty.
There are SO MANY reasons I play game than just a challenge. Some challenge here and there is fine but I feel like most games nowadays try going for that.
The joy in astrobot is in exploration, music and sdiscovery. And I wouldn't say the face buttons levels were easy at all. I found some of them very tough.

 

[llien]

It's a kid's game. I liked the game for what it is and my wife loved it.

I don't get how "kids game" means "so it's easy".

My kids started wiping the floor with me and my spouse starting at 11.

 

[bundylove]

Talk to me once you got your 301 st bot.
Untill then

 

[Fess]

The PlayStation symbols levels were extremely difficult but yeah the regular levels were too easy.
Still, I flip flopped a bit on how to rate it but by the end when I had the platinum it was a rare 10 for me and my all time favorite Sony game.

 

[Rubim]

Not every game has to be hard.
Not every game has to be easy.

Your welcome.

 

[Fahdis]

You know what's harder than a Souls game? Knack on the hardest difficulty. I fuck you not, that shit is brutal if you don't have a partner.

 

[kruis]

Talk to me once you got your 301 st bot.
Untill then

This. There are a number of awful levels at the very end that will make you tear your hair out. I quit at 299 bots.

 

[Generic]

Every time I watch an Astrobot video, I can only think of those Ice Age games for the PS2.

 

[mayham2199]

I remember Mario Odyssey being the same thing way to easy and boring. Even dark side of the moon stuff was very easy.

 

[Generic]

This. There are a number of awful levels at the very end that will make you tear your hair out. I quit at 299 bots.

This looks like A Hat in Time special levels but easier.

 

[reinking]

There's also a wide gap between it an Wukong - like I said, they could easily have added one or two additional moves to fuck around with instead of just jump and hover.

Except each level has other moves than just jump and hoover. Some levels change the complete concept of moving around the level. As for difficulty, have you completed all of the optional mini levels that open up as you progress?

 

[Panajev2001a]

You have your answer.

And that Lion King game, especially the Genesis version, is ridiculously difficult even for the most seasoned players, that's a whole different matter.

As a kid I remember the Genesis / Mega Drive version (what a feeling of accomplishment to beat that hehe), but what made it even tougher than the SNES version? Timing issues?

 

[kevboard]

the issue is twofold.

it is both EXTREMELY easy (by far the easiest platformer in recent memory)

and it's also super shallow in terms of its base gameplay.
mario odyssey is also a very easy game (although more challenging than Astro Bot) but due to how much it allows you to do, you can almost challenge yourself to find optimal routes, or find clever ways to traverse the levels.

the lack of depth and challenge in combination here is the issue imo

 

[Axelon]

This. There are a number of awful levels at the very end that will make you tear your hair out. I quit at 299 bots.

3D World's last level was harder for me by far, but yeah, it wasn't easy as I did die at least 30 times at the last secret level.

But nah, it was fine for me. It was fun as heck just like Kirby games. I don't find hard platformers always fun. If I want that I'll go to the 16bit days of Ninja Gaiden and Super Gouls n Ghosts and even then, I find those unplayable without save states being checkpoints.

 

[Tg89]

Except each level has other moves than just jump and hoover. Some levels change the complete concept of moving around the level. As for difficulty, have you completed all of the optional mini levels that open up as you progress?

I got 301 bots so I assume so. I could have missed something that isn't bot related but I doubt that exists.

 

[adamsapple]

As a kid I remember the Genesis / Mega Drive version (what a feeling of accomplishment to beat that hehe), but what made it even tougher than the SNES version? Timing issues?

I don't know the exact specifics but the platforming is royally fucked.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I don't know the exact specifics but the platforming is royally fucked.

I feel a bit better about the skills I used to have then haha.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

You have your answer.

And that Lion King game, especially the Genesis version, is ridiculously difficult even for the most seasoned players, that's a whole different matter.

Idk I’m a bit shit at most games and I managed to beat Lion King when it came out.

 

[Big Baller]

This. There are a number of awful levels at the very end that will make you tear your hair out. I quit at 299 bots.

Good thing I dont have hair. But I do have the platinum trophy.

 

[adamsapple]

Idk I’m a bit shit at most games and I managed to beat Lion King when it came out.

The only way I've ever beaten is with emulators and healthy amount of save states lol

 

[Generic]

You have your answer.

And that Lion King game, especially the Genesis version, is ridiculously difficult even for the most seasoned players, that's a whole different matter.

That Lion King game is hard because the hitboxes on level 2 are all over the place.

 

[Alandring]

I haven't played Astrobot yet, but I haven't been able to finish Astro's Playroom and Astrobot: Rescue Mission because those games were too hard for me . So I hope this one is easier.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

The only way I've ever beaten is with emulators and healthy amount of save states lol

I guess I did have a bit more time on my hands back in 1995 or whenever it was!

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

More than "being for kids" IMO the game feels like a celebration that means to give you joy without frustrations. The same reason why Mario games aren't challenging anymore, unlike Donkey Kong. I read similar complaints about Infinity Nikki and it's pretty much the same, because their audiences just want to have fun without needing to "git gud"

Personally, I'd prefer a more difficult game but I understand why they made it like this.

 

[Lokaum D+]

Tldr ( im on my phone ) but If Op mentioned Odyssey as metric of difficult he is should be banned for wasting server space

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

If you want difficulty, play a souls game, Astrobot is perfect as it.

 

[Pegasus Actual]

If you make a game and it's easier than Super Mario World you should be banished to Europe.