Sony has confirmed that all PlayStation 5 consoles will come with a pack-in copy of Astro's Playroom, a platforming game that's been designed to make the most of the DualSense controller's new features.
We got our first look at this unique little title in action during a hands-on demo of the DualSense controller last week. The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley debuted the upcoming PS5 controller and its myriad of features as part of his Summer Games Fest. During this session, we learned that the DualSense is bigger than the DualShock 4, and has more "heft to it, in a good way".
We then saw Astro's Playroom in action. The important thing to note is that this pack-in title is really more of a way to test out your new controller and get to grips with the console and its new features. Think of it as an extended tutorial/tech demo - much like The Playroom, which came pre-installed on PlayStation 4 consoles back in the day.
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Astro's Playroom will show players the ropes via a series of fun, lighthearted challenges. Keighley showed us how players will be able to explore one level in a spring-loaded frog suit, for example. Hopping around in this whimsical piece of gear apparently provides players with a "unique" sense of tension as the DualSense controller responds to spring as it tightens and loosens.
We also saw Keighley make use of the touchpad to swipe obstacles out of the way, and even blow into the controller's built-in microphone to spin a fan. It's not entirely likely that we'll see every one of these features in games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales or Horizon Forbidden West, and I doubt it'll make it to the top of my games of 2020... but as a tool to show off everything the DualSense can do, Astro's Playroom looks like a lot of fun.
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I should also point out that Sony is likely to release PlayStation 5 bundles that come with other, more substantial titles for you to play on launch day. Astro's Playroom will simply be the game that comes with every single version of the console. You can boot it up and fiddle around to see what the DualSense can really do, if you want, or you can dive straight into one of the other launch games.
Personally, I'm going to have a fiddle around with Astro's Playroom. The DualSense controller sounds and looks like a really impressive piece of kit, and I'm looking forward to seeing - and feeling - everything it can do for myself.
Featured Image Credit: SonyTopics: PlayStation 5, PS5