Revenge of the Savage Planet, A Humble Review

You've surely encountered this question at least once: "Where do you see yourself in five years?" I always roll my eyes at it because I don't even know what I'll have for lunch tomorrow, let alone where I'll be in half a decade. Anything is possible, and we can't always predict what awaits us around the next corner—a theme explored in Revenge of the Savage Planet.

Like the small Canadian studio, Typhoon Games couldn't predict that Google would buy and shut them down within two years, just like Stadia, for which they launched one of the few exclusives: Journey to the Savage Planet. Former Typhoon Games members didn't give up, though; they later founded a new studio called Raccoon Logic, reclaimed the rights to their IP, and have now launched a sequel titled Revenge of the Savage Planet.

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The Story Of Revenge of The Savage Planet

I've touched on the game's backstory because, despite all the misfortunes, the developers didn't abandon the signature humour that was one of the strongest elements of the original. Revenge of the Savage Planet retains its sarcastic tone, which is often directed towards satirizing corporate greed and managerial incompetence. This humour, combined with the game's vibrant and often humorous world, creates an experience that is both entertaining and engaging.

Your character wakes up from years of hibernation. While you were asleep, your former employer, Kindred Aerospace, was acquired by a massive corporation called Alta Interglobal. That means you're fired when you wake up and left stranded on a remote planet. As you explore this new world, you'll uncover the truth behind Kindred Aerospace's acquisition and the mysterious activities of Alta Interglobal.

While you were sleeping, a mega-corporation took over your company, and you were handed a pink slip as soon as you woke up.

You're not entirely alone—your robotic companion E.K.O. returns, following your every step and relentlessly commenting on your decisions and mistakes. While occasionally witty, his constant presence can quickly become grating, so it's worth noting that the developers included an option to mute him entirely.

The story in Revenge of the Savage Planet shouldn't be taken too seriously, as it's not particularly complex. Like its predecessor, it's strength lies in fun animated cutscenes, radio broadcasts, and clever environmental storytelling, all of which create a vibrant and often humorous world worth exploring.

The Gameplay

The core gameplay loop is identical to the original but enhanced with additional tasks and progression systems for unlocking new abilities. Fans of the first game will immediately notice the shift from a first-person to a third-person perspective. On one hand, the game loses that immersive feeling of being the explorer yourself.

 Conversely, the camera change brings numerous advantages that better suit the comedic tone—now you can watch your character waddle around like Charlie Chaplin and break every possible bone in their body when falling from great heights. Additionally, platforming is much more intuitive and fluid, contributing to the dynamic pace of dodging attacks.

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The new worlds in Revenge of the Savage Planet are similar in size to those in the first game but far more open, with greater verticality, hidden resources, and secrets, making every step an opportunity for discovery. This time, your space odyssey takes you across four main planets and one additional celestial body, promising a thrilling adventure.

Stellaris Prime is a lush planet with diverse flora and towering climbable trees. It's also home to your starting base, which you'll gradually expand and upgrade with new structures as you progress through main missions. Planet Xephyr, meanwhile, is a sandy world of endless dunes, deep canyons, and rare oases. Each planet has a unique ecosystem and design, and it's particularly satisfying to discover how your tools interact with different environments.

The Progression System in Revenge of the Savage Planet

The progression system in Revenge of the Savage Planet is exciting, as skills and upgrades must be unlocked through exploration and completing challenges, granting access to previously unreachable areas. Early on, you have a double jump and a quick dodge. Later, you'll acquire a whip-like tool useful for grappling and climbing certain surfaces and as a weapon against enemies. There's also the ability to latch onto energy rails, letting you "surf" and traverse environments much faster, giving you a sense of accomplishment with each new skill.

The game is packed with content and repetitive elements, which become apparent after just a few hours of play. Because of this, the scanner—a tool that quickly locates nearby objects and identifies new creatures, plants, and points of interest—is crucial for exploration. Beyond gathering intel, it's often essential in combat, revealing enemy weaknesses.

One of the new tools is the Power Hose and its Goo Ingestor, which is designed like a high-pressure washer with three types of slime to spray. Red slime acts like hot magma, purple is electrically conductive and sticky, and green is slippery. Depending on the situation, this mechanic can be used to bypass obstacles, solve puzzles, or eliminate enemies.

The Missions

Beyond main missions, there's a wealth of side tasks and challenges—gathering resources, discovering new species, finding hidden items, and unlocking chests. Many of these require puzzle-solving or skilled traversal to claim rewards. It's easy to get lost in everything and lose track of objectives, but thankfully, the map and teleportation device help cut down on backtracking.

The aliens have been significantly upgraded, now nearly double the variety of the first game. Visually, they stand out with vibrant colours and bizarre shapes, blending intimidating and humorous elements that perfectly match the game's tone. You'll encounter small, skittish creatures that flee when approached and larger, dangerous predators that demand quick reflexes and a well-aimed pistol.

Combat Isn't Anything to Boast About

Despite the greater enemy diversity, combat remains one of Revenge of the Savage Planet's weaker points. Shooting feels slow, slightly clunky, and always takes longer than it should. Even using the whip for quick manoeuvres or the Goo Ingestor for creative attacks doesn't provide enough advantage. As a result, I avoided fights whenever possible. An alternative is the new lasso mechanic, which lets you stun enemies by targeting weak points before teleporting them to a habitat in your base, where they're "processed" for skill upgrades.

At the end of each mission, you'll usually return to your base, which is loaded with resources and cosmetic unlocks. Resources are spent on 3D-printing upgrades, meaning you'll invest hard-earned materials into useful gadgets to survive another day on planets teeming with ridiculous aliens. Cosmetic options, meanwhile, let you customize your character's appearance—if you care about looking slightly less ridiculous while sprinting through unknown terrain.

By the way, Revenge of the Savage Planet features optional co-op, meaning you can experience everything with a second player—but only if you both own a copy, as there's no Friend Pass. Alternatively, it's worth noting the game is available on Game Pass. If you buy, €40 gets you around 15 hours of solid fun. Given the content and the adventure's overall pacing, it's hard to go wrong if you're looking for something lighthearted and entertaining to unwind with after a busy day.

The Look and Feel of Revenge of The Savage Planet

Technically, the PC version is solid but not without quirks. While most objects obey physics, some enemies occasionally perform unplanned aerial acrobatics. Audio sometimes cuts out, and the game has crashed on me a few times at the worst moments. Optimization is mostly good, but the final planet tanked my framerate for some reason.

And, as the cherry on top (or whatever Alta Corp prefers on its menu), there's no option to rebind controls. The control map is absent from the menu, so I only discovered specific abilities by accident.

In Conclusion

Revenge of the Savage Planet picks up where its predecessor left off, but it feels livelier, more colourful, and more dynamic. The developers have learned from past mistakes and introduced plenty of new additions that make each planet more engaging to explore.

While the atmosphere remains surprisingly relaxed—even when everything around you is trying to eat you—the biggest flaw is the story, which remains forgettable and lacks impact. It's good only insofar as its humorous tone and laid-back vibe make you laugh.

Rating: 7.8/10 –

A fun, vibrant sequel with improved exploration and humour, held back by repetitive combat and minor technical issues.

Recommended Age: 12+ –

The humour and cartoonish violence are suitable for teens, while younger kids might struggle with some puzzles and mechanics.