Revenge of the Savage Planet is the follow up to Typhoon Studios Journey to the Savage Planet. I had the chance to preview the game with new (by name anyway) developer Raccoon Logic Studios, who have taken the helm, and I have to say I’m pretty excited.
Recap: Journey to the Savage Planet
In 2020’s Journey to the Savage Planet, players took on the role of the newest recruit of Kindred Aerospace, tasked with exploring and cataloging the flora and fauna of planet ARY-26 to determine if it was fit for human habitation. While technically an action-adventure first-person shooter, the game delivered a metroidvania-style experience full of platforming, exploration, and backtracking. Set in a colorful and vibrant world, it featured crude humor and offered an excellent drop-in, drop-out co-op experience.
A Bigger Adventure
Revenge of the Savage Planet ups the ante on its predecessor, introducing new planets, creatures, tools, and customizable habitats for an even bigger adventure. You play as a colonist sent to the far edge of space to explore a brand-new planet. However, upon arrival, you discover that your former employer, Kindred Aerospace, has been bought out by mega-corporation Alta Interglobal"”and you’ve been fired. Now it’s up to you to survive with minimal gear and figure out how to get revenge on your ex-employer. At its core, Revenge of the Savage Planet is an upbeat dystopia, laughing in the face of social and cultural demise.
Expanding the World
This time around, the world expands to four distinct planets, each featuring a variety of biomes. You’ll traverse lush jungles and sunny beaches while also surviving treacherous ice and lava-filled environments. The game delivers a virtual collectathon experience, packed with secrets to explore and items to discover. While progression through planets is largely linear, the game encourages backtracking to previous areas, where newly acquired tools allow you to unlock previously inaccessible paths and secrets.
New Tools and Creatures
Players gain access to a wider variety of tools in this installment, encouraging creative interactions with the environment to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. While you start with a standard gun, you're also equipped with a goo gun capable of shooting different liquids. As you progress, additional tools like a whip and lasso become available. New traversal options, such as paragliders and skateboards, further enhance exploration and movement throughout the game.
The world is teeming with cute and cuddly creatures"”along with some not-so-adorable ones. Some are downright disgusting. Every creature can be scanned to learn more about them and their place in the planet's ecosystem.
Upgrading Your Home Base
Your home base also gets a major upgrade. Instead of the spaceship from the previous game, you’ll have a fully customizable habitat to call your own. A variety of items can be found around the world and once placed can be interacted with. This time, you can even capture creatures and bring them back to your habitat, where they can be housed in a petting zoo-style area.
Co-op Fun Returns
Revenge of the Savage Planet continues the two-player co-op fun from the original game, but with added flexibility. Players can team up with a friend across platforms thanks to cross-play support. Prefer local co-op? The game has you covered with couch co-op as well. While Journey to the Savage Planet was somewhat linear, Revenge takes a more player-driven approach, offering more distractions and opportunities to stray from the main story path.
A New Perspective
One notable change in Revenge is the shift to a third-person perspective. This new viewpoint enhances the game's physical humor and provides better visibility for platforming. It also gives players more information in real time, like whether they’ve been set on fire or are slipping off a ledge. Raccoon Logic believes this systemic, third-person approach improves the overall gameplay experience. Players wanted to see feet when platforming so they’re hoping to give the players what they want.
A Game for Everyone
The best part? You don't need to have played the first game to enjoy Revenge of the Savage Planet. Raccoon Logic has designed it to deliver a memorable experience for both newcomers and series veterans alike. The campaign will take approximately 15-20 hours to complete, ensuring a fun and manageable adventure for all players. With gear and item hidden all over the place this game should keep you coming back for more over and over again.
Revenge of the Savage Planet is targeting a May 2025 release date and can be put on your WISHLIST NOW on PLAYSTATION | XBOX | STEAM | EPIC | GOG
