Revenge of the Savage Planet Review
As a parent, several things accompany children that can only be quantified as “worst things imaginable” (Owen Wilson in Armageddon voice, IYKYK). Toys that make noise have to be included, but battery removal moves this nuisance down the list. Glitter. GLITTER. It is an abomination. Have you ever broken a glass and found pieces months later? Glitter is that, but years later, plus not only is it on the ground but it sticks to your clothing, which transfers to your car and then you find it on a suit while at a wedding….Anyway, what could top that? Slime. Seriously, WTF. Why? As a gamer, though, slime has its use, and said use is generally comical. F glitter though.
Developed by Raccoon Logic Studios Inc., Revenge of the Savage Planet is the sequel to 2021’s Journey to the Savage Planet (yes, different studio after Google shuttered Typhoon Studios, but core members from Typhoon make up Raccoon). Like its predecessor, you work for one of the many shady corporations of the future that have done their very best to destroy everything through their greed. Correction: worked because you were fired AFTER they sent you to explore a planet. Jerks. “You must explore every nook and cranny, collect dozens of upgrades, and turn over every mysterious alien rock if you want to get revenge on your former employer and return to Earth (Steam).
It may seem like an insurmountable task, but you are not alone. Aiding in your quest is the adorable-ish robot Eko. Ish because Eko is the most obnoxious robot across EVERY galaxy. Eko is incapable of complimenting you unless said compliment is followed immediately by some backhanded insult. Prepare to be berated…endlessly. There is an option to decrease Eko’s chattiness, but admittedly, some of his material is comedy gold.
Speaking of laugh-out-loud funny, your character moves around like Jack Sparrow infused with ragdoll physics. Unlike Journey to the Savage Planet, Revenge takes place in a third-person view, allowing you to see the slipping and sliding in all its glory (if the Pirates of the Caribbean music is repeating in your head now, you are welcome). Whether you attempted to silence your robot companion or prefer masochism, Eko does serve a purpose. No, it does mock the way you run, although that would be amazing. Eko can scan the environment to identify objects and creatures as well as assist you in finding upgrades. For example, in the early parts of the game, when in water, there is a prompt to dive. You can try, but you just resurface almost immediately. This prompts Eko to ask if you want to dive, and then tells you that you cannot, but it will look for something later. Helpful as always. Did I mention that Eko’s humor is on full display when scanning? Behold:
While scanning plant life is mainly informative, scanning creatures will highlight their weaknesses. Knowing a creature’s weaknesses not only helps defeat them (slime/goo explosions!) but also allows you to capture them for research. Many of your suit upgrades and abilities are derived directly from something a creature you captured was capable of doing.
Yes. That is a GRAPPLING HOOK.
As you progress in your quest to return home, you will be visiting new planets. New planets equals new atmospheres populated by different wildlife and creatures. You get the occasional repeat customer from previous worlds but most of your encounters will be with new things trying to kill you. Raccoon Logic Studios Inc. did a wonderful job of creating unique worlds and not just copy/paste jobs to further extend the game. While it may be tempting to sightsee, be warned that you can be eaten by sandworms, burn alive in lava, or freeze to death, but besides that, enjoy your stay. And guess what? Enemies across the galaxy all explode into disgusting slime (it is kind of like Destiny with the light popping out of their head holes, except so much grosser).
See? Fun. Well, sometimes. When things erupt into lava pools, start running. Sparkly ground may signify treasure, OR it could just be that the ground is now electrified. Fear not. Dying just means you revive at the base and try again.
Speaking of your base, anyone into interior decoration? In Revenge, your base is not just a hub for new quests and upgrades. Provided you have enough money (you will - I had nearly a billion credits by the end of the game). You can add beds, tables, appliances, and various decor to your heart’s content. Like Eko’s ramblings, there are some high-quality item descriptions you should take the time to read.
For those with a particular loathing for all things related to and/or adjacent to building/designing/decorating (definitely not this guy…), you are in luck. All of this is extra and has absolutely no bearing on story progression outside of a short side quest. It is purely cosmetic and for fun. No intergalactic Preston Garveys are requesting your aid in improving settlements, so do what you want with the feature.
I was going to point out some negatives with the game here, but how about we talk about ways areas can be improved? Scanning is an integral part of the game but it is also super awkward. When in scanning mode, you move more slowly and cannot perform other actions. While scans are super quick (1-2 seconds), it feels like an eternity when a new enemy is bearing down on you. By pressing R3 (or the equivalent button), Eko will perform a quick survey showing points nearby on the map as well as resources to gather. Perhaps new things to scan could also briefly appear, limited of course to within range. It could even be an upgrade that you need to find. The only other issue that I feel is noteworthy is respawning after death. When you die, you lose some resources gathered (you can retrieve them easily enough), and you respawn back at your base. This is fine until you start visiting other planets. There is no reason why you cannot just spawn at the initial teleport of the planet you are on. Nothing groundbreaking/game-breaking here, but just some things that could have been better.
Revenge of the Savage Planet is an excellent follow-up to Journey to the Savage Planet, and it is not just for fans of the first game. Sure, you miss some inside jokes, but it does capture the feel of Journey while also improving on everything. The metroidvania-esque qualities of finding new gear to explore new places is enhanced by Eko’s insistence on teasing you about them as you explore. If you want a more linear path to the end, you can roll credits in about 10 hours or so. The complete experience will be about double that, and there is the promise of DLC that will add much more. Do yourself a favor and enjoy this satirical take on corporate greed through colorful environments, questionable humor, and an enjoyable gameplay loop.
