As a seasoned gamer with decades of cosmic exploration under my belt, I must say that the latest announcement about “Revenge of the Savage Planet” has me thoroughly intrigued! The blend of humor, action, and alien goo-sliding is reminiscent of some interstellar adventure I once embarked on in a galaxy far, far away.
“Google is horrible.”
This was among the first things that Raccoon Logic creative director Alex Hutchinson said to me as I settled in to learn about his studio’s newest game, Revenge of the Savage Planet. He followed this up with a promise to elaborate further as the presentation progressed. I would ultimately be shocked by how much of the nearly two-hour showcase and interview would be about this topic.
Raccoon Logic is a team of developers based in Montreal who collaborated on games such as Assassin’s Creed and Batman Arkham series before founding Typhoon Studios around the end of 2010s. In early 2020, Typhoon Studios released Journey to the Savage Planet, an action-adventure game that received mostly positive reviews. Later in the same year, Google acquired this studio to enhance its video game streaming platform Stadia.
Approximately two years before Google ultimately closed Stadia altogether, Typhoon Studios and other gaming teams that Google had established were shut down. This significant event left most of Typhoon’s team members reorganizing to establish Raccoon Logic. Their aim was not only to develop their first game but also a fresh installment in their Savage Planet series called “Revenge of the Savage Planet.” However, creating a new studio and an entirely novel title was just one aspect of the challenge. As stated by studio head Reid Schneider, regaining the rights to the Savage Planet intellectual property from Google proved to be more time-consuming than Typhoon’s tenure as one of Google’s in-house studios.
In the gaming world, it’s not unusual for studios to close, but what happened with Google’s gaming endeavors was a shockingly swift downfall that left everyone in awe. Known for its speed and efficiency in discontinuing products, Google has a dedicated website chronicling its long list of axed services. However, the magnitude and reach of Stadia made many believe it might have a fighting chance. Regrettably, it was discarded as abruptly as Google+ or Google Reader. This rapid demise serves as the foundation for “Revenge of the Savage Planet”, a game developed by Raccoon Logic, who channel their expertise from working with the company into this project.
According to Hutchinson, they were feeling a bit more distressed, which is reflected by a slightly gloomier tone in the sequel. In the follow-up to Savage Planet, the original game’s corporation, Kindred Aerospace, has been taken over by a larger conglomerate called Alta Interglobal. As a new employee under this acquisition, you’re tasked with assisting in securing planets for your new employer in the cosmos. However, upon waking from cryosleep after 100 years, you discover that not only have you been let go, but so has your entire team back home, leaving you stranded in the far reaches of space.
In my gaming adventure, the humor in Revenge of the Savage Planet leans towards satire with a dash of dark comedy that’ll make you chuckle and cringe at the same time. But let me tell you, the visuals are where it truly shines! They’re as colorful and vibrant as a rainbow exploded into pixels. Unlike its predecessor, though, this time we’re not just exploring one savage planet. Oh no, we’re hopping between multiple worlds, each more wild and wacky than the last!
As a passionate admirer, I can’t help but notice the striking similarities between the original and the sequel, yet Unreal Engine 5 elevates the visual experience significantly compared to Journey to the Savage Planet. The team is aiming for the game’s stunning realism to stand out amidst the sea of “tough and grim” sci-fi games that are prevalent in the industry today. What sets these two games apart is an intriguing aspect – the upcoming release is a third-person perspective, and let me tell you, the initial moments of Revenge will give you quite the jolt as it forcibly pulls your character out of first person view into this new vantage point!
As a gamer, transitioning to a third-person perspective not only made the semi-open world filled with puzzles more navigable, but it also gave the game a unique charm that stood out even more. The playful movement animation of my character consistently brought a grin to my face during the demo without any player input.
The humorous touch throughout this game presentation remained consistently entertaining, and a standout moment showcased a player being swallowed by a large, orb-like creature, only to escape by breakdancing inside – yes, disco dancing! This had me chuckling aloud. To put it simply, if you appreciated the humor and allure of the first Savage Planet, prepare for an amplified dose in its sequel, Revenge.
As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that this new space exploration game has caught my attention. The way the mechanics are intertwined with one another, especially the alteration of planet surfaces due to various substances, is quite intriguing. It brings back memories of those old adventure games where a single step could lead to unexpected consequences, like slipping on an alien goo puddle if an explosion occurs nearby.
The game offers a primary narrative along with two significant sub-plots, one involving the rescue of Kindred from Alta’s control. However, the developers at Raccoon Logic opted to give more focus to the player’s personal journey instead of the overarching plot guiding the gameplay. As players progress, they will sequentially unlock planets but have the freedom to revisit earlier worlds whenever they wish, especially as new tools are acquired that can open up previously inaccessible regions. The game consists of five planets, though only four have been disclosed; the fifth planet, a secret, holds the true ending and encourages players to delve deeply into exploring all the other worlds to gain access to it.
Besides aesthetic and gameplay upgrades, the developers have incorporated several user-friendly adjustments as well. Notably, for those who played the initial game, it’s worth mentioning that Revenge now includes a map, an aspect that was a significant criticism of Journey according to the developers. The absence of a map in Journey was intentionally designed to prevent players from merely navigating within the map, but this time they aim for a harmonious balance where the map will be beneficial, yet not encourage players to just mark off locations on a globe.
In the original version of the game, a jetpack was initially planned but ultimately cut by an unnamed Microsoft employee, as per Hutchinson, who was overseeing funding for Journey to the Savage Planet. However, in the sequel, players will find a grappling hook reminiscent of Spider-Man’s ability, which, though potentially game-breaking, the team found too entertaining to exclude from the game.
In the game Revenge of the Savage Planet, what’s missing might be just as intriguing as what’s included. The developers at Raccoon Logic aimed to swiftly advance the game into a playable alpha stage and then refine it, instead of spending a long time brainstorming and testing ideas before rushing development as the launch date neared. Initially, there were some linear dungeons inspired by Zelda, but they felt these detracted from the game’s free-flowing design, so they reduced those sections. The external base-building was also scaled down significantly. Although you can customize your crash pad’s interior extensively, new structures added to your compound materialize from the sky, almost like a prize for the player, as suggested by the developers. There were plans for vehicles in the game, but these features didn’t make the final cut. However, there are hints that they might appear later on as downloadable content.
Although we can’t play the game yet, it’s evident that its development is progressing well, as the team has mainly entered a polishing phase. They haven’t set a specific release date beyond the first half of 2025, but they expressed eagerness to launch and confidence in their timeline. The developers also confirmed that Revenge of the Savage Planet won’t be a full-priced game initially, but they’re still determining the optimal price point for it.
As an eager gamer, I can’t wait for the big day when this game goes live at a discounted cost! It’s set to arrive on my PC through both Steam and the Epic Games Store, as well as on the next-gen consoles: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Can’t wait to dive in!
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2024-08-21 20:10