Revenge of the Savage Planet is looking bigger, brighter, and savage-r | Hands-off preview

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As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I can confidently say that the announcement of Revenge of the Savage Planet has me positively buzzing! The original game was a delightful surprise back in 2020, and the sequel promises to amp up the charm, action, and exploration tenfold.

2020’s Journey to the Savage Planet seemed to be a game that barely scraped its full potential. A sci-fi adventure game that lacked the necessary variety to be a Metroidvania or the intense action of a shooter, it still managed to combine amusing childish humor with vibrant graphics and just enough depth to become an unexpected success. However, in 2025, its sequel, Savage Planet’s Retaliation, is aiming to be more expansive, daring, and vivid.

According to my recent discussion with game developer Raccoon Logic (previously known as Typhoon Studios), the upcoming game “Revenge of the Savage Planet” is introducing notable adjustments to its established format. To begin with, it has switched from third-person perspective, meticulously animateing your fearless explorer using some truly endearing animations. And yes, you’ll have the option to be a dog in a spacesuit once more!

On the alien world of Savage Planet, corporations hold immense power, and life is often disregarded – leading to your unfortunate abandonment in a remote star system by your indifferent employers. Instead of dwelling on your misfortune, you venture boldly into the unknown, scavenging resources and engaging in lethal encounters with the local wildlife. As part of your job, you are tasked with examining everything and capturing samples of the diverse creatures. You render them unconscious by stunning them and then trap them using an energy lasso before transporting them to a designated enclosure for study.

In simple terms, Revenge of the Savage Planet is a game that follows the style of a Metroidvania, where you’ll uncover new abilities such as double-jumping, gliding, using a grappling hook, and a whip to traverse five distinct worlds. You’ll come across abandoned outposts for supplies and to utilize their facilities. Additionally, you can customize your bases and character with various cosmetic upgrades. While the furniture might not serve any practical purpose, many items are promised to have amusing interactions.

This series, as a whole, leans heavily towards humor. Despite initial plans for a darker and more mature sequel, the playful element remains central. Even though there’s a wealth of sights and activities, it’s the charm that draws you in. Fortunately, Raccoon Logic decided against the darker route; instead, they opted to make travel between planets comical. For instance, you can launch yourself out of an orbital cannon into a pre-made drop-pod to reach the next planet.

The transition to third-person perspective has enabled developers to enhance the combat system substantially. This isn’t just about providing you with a stronger blaster and additional tools, but also introducing more special attacks and effects for your use. For instance, green slimes can no longer be simply shot; they reproduce if you do so. Instead, you need to burn them, but burning them causes pools of steaming lava to form, which can ignite other enemies or set the environment ablaze. To extinguish these fires, you can use a water gun – an instrument that also serves to water specific plants, causing them to grow into useful platforms.

In comparison to the initial game, Revenge seems to significantly expand its verticality. It appears larger and taller in scope, not completely open-world, but described as broader than the first game, offering more paths and hidden mysteries across multiple realms. Additionally, it offers full cooperative play, both online and locally, allowing you and your friends to explore together, face the wilderness, and conquer challenges side by side.

Remarkably, even though cosmetic items are available, everything within the game can be earned without spending additional money. Some exclusive costumes will be offered as rewards when purchasing different editions of the game, but there won’t be an in-game cash shop. Instead, you’ll gain new costumes and furniture by studying and cataloging various plants, animals, and resources, which you can then use to craft upgrades for yourself and your equipment.

While the demo I viewed had some room for improvement, there’s approximately half a year until the anticipated launch of Revenge of the Savage Planet in May. This ample time should allow Raccoon Logic to refine what they’ve presented so far, and given that it already surpasses the first game significantly – a game that offered an engaging, though somewhat limited, adventure – it’s worth keeping a watchful eye. If you’re seeking a Metroidvania with oodles of character, humor, and vibrant aesthetics, mark your calendars for next May.

The game titled “Revenge of the Savage Planet,” created by Raccoon Logic, is slated for a multi-platform launch in May 2025.

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2024-12-17 17:16