Astro Bot is out now, and aside from taking advantage of the DualSense feedback features, it also uses the PS5’s 3D audio capabilities to great effect. This should come as no surprise given that this game builds on Astro’s Playroom, which itself is partly a tech demo for the PS5’s unique immersive features.
As such, it should be obvious to many players that headphones should offer the best experience, unless someone has a high-end speaker setup. Still, I tried playing the game with both headphones (with 3D Audio on) and with just TV speakers. The results are generally what I expected, though I was surprised by how well the game sounded even without headphones.
But first, let’s talk about the game’s 3D Audio capabilities.
Astro Bot is Still (Mostly) a Treat with Headphones Thanks to 3D Audio
Team Asobi knocked it out of the park with Astro Bot when it comes to gameplay and visuals, though sound is also a big factor in what makes the game so engaging to play. Sure, audio cues aren’t as important here as say a game like Returnal (as we noted before), though I did appreciate the added immersion that 3D Audio gave.
Whether it’s the hum of Astro’s DualSense ship or various environmental sounds, the game’s 3D Audio helps enhance the overall feel of playing the game, especially when you combine it with the excellent haptic feedback and adaptive trigger implementation.
Still, while the 3D Audio was used well, it didn’t blow me away to the same extent as Astro’s Playroom. That’s not to say that its implementation is inferior though. It’s just that the game’s other strengths outshined the audio. Moreover, the experience of playing without speakers is just as good, albeit in a different way.
Even Playing on Your TV Speakers is a Great Experience
Not all TV speakers are built the same, so if your TV has lackluster audio, you should still use headphones. But if it does have decent speakers, you should have a great time, not exactly because of the speakers though, but because of the DualSense controller.
This game uses the controller’s built-in speaker near constantly for all sorts of sound effects and audio cues. Sure, the 3D Audio effect can’t be replicated as well in headphones, but what you get in return is a different flavor of immersion.
Given that Astro Bot isn’t a story-driven game, it’s not as important I feel to get the “feel of being there” that 3D Audio provides. In fact, I even preferred hearing audio cues and effects from the controller given how much the game makes use of the DualSense’s features. For some reason, this makes more sense for me given that Astro Bot has a strong meta elements anyway (Astro’s ship is a PS5 after all).
Thus, choosing between speakers or headphones will depend essentially on your preference, or at least which audio device you have will deliver better sound quality. Whichever you choose, you should have a great time.
Astro Bot launches today exclusively on the PS5.
Want to know more about the game? Check out our full review here: