A Character-Driven, Interplanetary Metroidvania Adventure

Back in January 2020, Typhoon Studios launched “Journey to the Savage Planet,” an exciting first-person Sci-Fi adventure where players roamed through vivid and lively biomes as eager volunteers for Kindred Aerospace. Fast forward five years, Google shut down Typhoon Studios, and the team regrouped as Raccoon Logic. This revamp led to the announcement of a sequel to the 2020 hit—”Revenge of the Savage Planet.”

Slated to hit the shelves on May 8, “Revenge of the Savage Planet” takes the exploratory spirit of its predecessor and spices it up with fresh twists. I had the chance to witness these enhancements during a recent co-op session with design director Steven Masters, leaving a lasting impression with the game’s unique charm and sense of humor.

In our preview session, we dove into the game’s narrative a few hours in, allowing us to freely meander around the first planet. While fending off cute but fiercely attacking raccoon-like aliens, Masters shared insights about his vast experience in the gaming industry. Before joining forces with Raccoon Logic, Masters made his mark at Ubisoft as the lead designer for games like “Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood,” “Splinter Cell Conviction,” and “Assassin’s Creed 3.” Unlike the massive global coordination required with 16 studios for “Assassin’s Creed 3,” Masters now collaborates with a small, passionate team of just 30 developers.

Working on an indie title like “Revenge of the Savage Planet” differs vastly from AAA projects. For instance, tweaking a character’s jump speed in a AAA game like “Assassin’s Creed” could take a week, whereas, in this indie setting, developers make such adjustments in minutes. Masters reveled in this nimbleness, embracing the personal touch evident in every corner of “Revenge of the Savage Planet.”

Humor shines through particularly in the sequel’s character animations. The transition to third-person view welcomes a myriad of creative possibilities, bolstering the game’s comedic tone with exaggerated movements like a quirky sprint or jump. This playful approach, coupled with returning live-action ads and cinematics, brings back the satirical anti-capitalist themes, layered with witty commentary from the player’s AI assistant.

The sequel, although continuing the narrative, welcomes new players effortlessly into its plot. “Revenge of the Savage Planet” elevates its gameplay by refining its core mechanics. Players journey across diverse planets, scanning flora and fauna, collecting materials, and unlocking access to new areas. A standout feature in our preview was the variety and uniqueness of creatures, each offering distinct challenges—like electric-frenzy chickens essential for solving environmental puzzles and goo-gun-based mechanisms for progression.

The game’s Metroidvania structure flourishes with these elements, enabling passage to unexplored zones through discovered materials and upgrades. Primary upgrades like jet boosters and a grappling hook are essential to unlocking new paths, while optional ones enhance abilities like damage output and jump height.

Exploring the game’s four planets reveals the dense, hand-crafted worlds teeming with secrets. Although we only saw two, the intricate biomes and unique lifeforms showcased Raccoon Logic’s dedication to detail. “Revenge of the Savage Planet” also offers seamless 2-player co-op play, making exploration in vibrant split-screen sessions a joy.

Coming to gaming platforms like PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on May 8, “Revenge of the Savage Planet” is shaping up as a compelling continuation, expanding on its predecessor’s foundation with more content, character, and co-op options available via Xbox Game Pass from day one.