As anyone who’s played it will know,Astro Botis an unashamed love letter to the vast history of PlayStation. From the moment players first select their PS1-era memory card-shaped save slot, to the second they hit the final level and see a dazzling army ofPlayStation mascotsfill the screen, Team Asobi’s passion for PlayStation’s legacy is clear.
Of the 301 Bots needing to be rescued inAstro Bot, a total of 173 represent some element of PlayStation’s history, whether it’s first-party mascots like Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot, or third-party heroes likeTomb Raider’s Lara Croft. As can be expected, many ofAstro Bot’s cameo characters come from PlayStation’s more recent titles, such asUncharted,God of War,Horizon, andThe Last of Us. But one of these franchises doesn’t get quite as much time to shine as the others.
The Last of Us Deserves More Screen-Time in The Next Astro Bot
How Astro Bot References The Last of Us
With 173 cameos in store, it’s no surprise thatAstroBotreferencesThe Last of Us. All ofAstro Bot’sLast of Usreferencescan be found in the mission “Wormy Passage,” set predominantly in a bioluminescent cave filled with glowing mushrooms that the player can swing from and bounce off.
Right at the start of the level, players can find a cameo Bot wearing Ellie’s iconic palm tree-adorned shirt, sporting her signature hairstyle, and playing an acoustic guitar. Further on in the level, players can find the green-shirted, gray-haired Joel, and towards the end of the stage, they can rescue a mushroom-headed Clicker.
Once players arrive back at the Crash Site hub alongside their newly acquiredLast of UsBots, they’ll be able to unlock special items for each one viaAstro Bot’s Gatcha Lab. Joel’s special item inAstro Botis a trusty brick, while Ellie’s is her stealthy bow and arrow set. When players interact with Joel and Ellie in the hub world, they quickly spring into action, Joel with a brick in hand, and Ellie getting ready to unleash an arrow from her wooden bow. These references are really fun to see, butThe Last of Us' spotlight inAstro Botis quickly overshadowed.
The Next Astro Bot Should Feature a Last of Us Level
Astro Botincludes five levels directly based on afirst-party PlayStation franchise, each one being unlocked after beating one of the game’s bosses. Each of these levels sees protagonist Astro turn into an iconic PlayStation mascot, unlock an exclusive ability based on the respective title’s gameplay, and journey through a stage filled with references to the IP.
Without spoiling too much,The Last of Usis not one of the five games that receives a dedicated level inAstro Bot. While all of the franchisesAstro Botchooses for these five levels deserve their time to shine, it would have been nice to see aLast of Uslevel in the game, given how prolific the franchise is right now and that it’s maintained its status as one ofPlayStation’s flagship IPsfor over a decade now.
Thankfully,Astro Botis seemingly performing quite well, which means that a sequel could be on the cards in a few years' time. If/when anAstro Botsequel happens, it should giveThe Last of Usa level all of its own, imitating the series' stealth mechanics while bringingThe Last of Us Part 2characters like Abby, Tommy, Dina, and Jesse to the party.
JOIN ASTRO IN A BRAND-NEW, SUPERSIZED SPACE ADVENTURE
The PS5® mothership has been wrecked, leaving ASTRO and the bot crew scattered all over the galaxies. Time to ride your trusty Dual Speeder across more than 50 planets full of fun, danger and surprises. On your journey, make the most of ASTRO’s new powers and reunite with many iconic heroes from the PlayStation universe!
Blast off on a supersized adventure
From sandy beaches to lush jungles and piping-hot volcanoes, explore a myriad of memorable planets in search of Astro’s lost crew!
Power up your platforming
With your new powers, battle out a whole new roster of quirky baddies and huge bosses. Feel every hop, punch and crack through your DualSense wireless controller.
Join the PlayStation celebration
Reunite with over 150 iconic PlayStation heroes and celebrate 30 years of PlayStation history!
