Returning to the Savage Planet | Revenge of the Savage Planet Review

Lewis
Jul 10
9 min read

Several years ago, I was given an amazing opportunity to become a writer for a review site that took a chance on me, despite my lack of previous experience in writing reviews. One of my first official pieces I wrote was the prequel “Journey to the Savage Planet”, which, for those who don’t know, was the first game before Revenge of the Savage Planet. This game was very different from the sequel, being single-player only and not on the larger side of exploration. The creatures are not as numerous, with roughly 30, whereas Revenge of the Savage Planet has double this number. The differences are huge, and I believe the team at Raccoon Logic wanted it this way.

After thoroughly enjoying the first instalment, I knew that Raccoon Logic must have had something hidden up their sleeves, and I was mildly surprised when I first saw the official trailer and gameplay, which showed that you could enjoy the wackiness with a friend, taking on whatever comes your way together! And I had an absolute blast going through the campaign and taking on numerous amounts of enemies and locations with my friend Thom. The game was a huge step forward compared to the first, bigger and better! But did it give me that side of adventure mixed with the cool aesthetics?

Story & Settings

Taking place after the events of Journey to the Savage Planet, with mild spoilers ahead, you wake up from a 100-year cryogenic sleep to discover that Kindred Aerospace, your former employer, has been bought out. A cheerful, overly friendly AI with serious "Karen" vibes fills you in on all the exciting changes before suddenly ejecting you from orbit. You've officially been laid off. Crash-landing on a new Savage Planet known as Nu Florida. Unlike the real Florida, this version is crawling with savage creatures, some cute, some curious, and others definitely not wanting to be your friend. Oh, and no Disney World. Sorry. After crashing, you meet Eko, your new floating AI companion who will help you on your journey through the Savage Planet! Eko is like that friend who is always there, hitting you with sarcastic quips and making jokes regarding literally EVERYTHING! Now stranded, you’ll need to gather materials, recover your scattered gear that was launched into the atmosphere alongside you, and start rebuilding. But don’t worry, this isn’t your typical Day Z or Ark Survival-style survival game. Instead, you’ll complete specific objectives that gradually unlock new gear, areas to explore, and reveal more of the bizarre and hilarious story waiting to unfold.

The setting of Revenge of the Savage Planet is bursting with pure creative energy, personality, and chaos. For example, Nu Florida, despite it sounding like a place for tourists, is far from the usual safe haven. The location is a vibrant alien world, teeming with creatures that are both full of life and wonder. You will come across vast environments that are packed so full of detail, from forests to fleshy nests in caves, even electrical mushrooms that cause a shocking experience! And where else will you find brain aliens who live in brain houses in their little brain village? Or beetles that really wanted to be rhinos when they grew up? The world is structured around a semi-open progression system. Objectives guide and open up new locations to teleport to, with hidden secrets for you to search for, rewarding those who explore thoroughly. Aliens and inhabitants help bring the world to life, genuinely giving exploration a more realistic feel. You will come across creatures that will be just living their lives, of course, until you come across and upset them, which, as long as you don’t eradicate or injure them, you will be safe… Probably.

While Revenge of the Savage Planet does have several characters, the protagonist remains a silent figure; you are tasked with choosing the face of your character. I personally went with the Raccoon, but there are many different avatars to choose from, so you can make it your own. The AI companion that accompanies you on your adventures is the real standout; it feels more like your voice, acting as a way to keep the game from being dead silent the entire time. This also adds interaction and comedy in certain voice lines. You can also choose between two voices, although you are promised sass, sarcasm, humour and what seems like charm throughout, so it's all about personal preference. The other supporting characters in the game add more to the story and less to the emotional barrier. This isn’t the type of game where you grow with the character; it’s more like you are the character. This is your story to live, yours to explore.

Gameplay

Revenge of the Savage Planet takes a more third-person approach this time around, which I preferred. It makes exploring feel smoother, especially when navigating tricky climbing sections, and offers a better view of your surroundings compared to the first game. The core mechanics remain familiar, with exploration playing a major role in collecting items, materials, and uncovering hidden secrets. Gathering resources is essential, and fortunately, they’re easy enough to find throughout the world.

These resources are used to upgrade or purchase new items via the 3D printer located in your mobile base, a quirky, customisable hub I like to call the "KarenVan." This home on wheels also features a fun "Pimp My Crib" section, where you can personalise, the interior using the money you collect during your adventures.

Controls are simple and accessible, making it easy to jump in and enjoy the experience without worrying about mastering difficult combat. The combat itself is light-hearted and more entertaining than intense, though boss fights do bring a bit more challenge. With the help of various gadgets you unlock and purchase, even these tougher moments feel manageable.

Scanning is a big part of the game. You can scan everything from alien lifeforms to the environment, and all of it gets logged into your in-game wiki. This handy guide provides useful information, including the weaknesses of each creature you encounter.

Platforming also plays an important role, helping you reach new areas and discover hidden rewards like the iconic orange goo, which boosts your health. You will also find cash boxes that shoot out money once opened, which can then be spent in the shop. Puzzles are scattered across the world, too, often guarding blueprints. Unlocking these gives you access to new upgrades, adding even more tools to your ever-growing arsenal.

The difficulty in Revenge of the Savage Planet is fairly light, making it approachable for players of all skill levels. The most challenging parts are the boss fights, but even these become manageable thanks to the scanning system. By scanning each lifeform, you unlock detailed information on how to defeat them, including their weaknesses. As you progress and unlock new weapons and upgrades, combat becomes even more intuitive and enjoyable.

For example, Slimes cannot be harmed with your standard blaster. Instead, you’ll need to equip the water cannon, which causes them to swell and eventually burst. These kinds of mechanics add variety without creating frustration.

The game doesn’t punish players with overwhelming enemies. Instead, it focuses on teamwork, creativity, and fun. Even death is handled in a forgiving way; if you’re taken out during a fight, you can return to recover your lost loot. You won’t lose much other than a bit of time and, perhaps, your patience if it happens often.

Progression in Revenge of the Savage Planet is focused on completing objectives rather than using skill trees or experience points. Instead of upgrading your character through levels, you'll need to explore the world, gather resources, and uncover hidden items. A key part of this is collecting orange goo, which increases your health and encourages players to thoroughly search every corner of the map. The game rewards curiosity and exploration, allowing you to grow stronger by engaging with the environment rather than grinding through combat.

As you explore each area, you'll often come across moments where a point of interest catches your eye in the distance. It’s clear that something valuable is waiting there, but uh oh, you won’t be able to reach it just yet. Without the right gadget, this path remains blocked. This encourages you to push forward, unlocking new gear and returning later to fully explore. Adding a rewarding layer of backtracking that feels purposeful. Once all gadgets are unlocked, the world becomes much more open, revealing hidden locations and secrets. This design choice adds depth to the exploration and significantly increases replayability. Something I still need to go back and do to 100% the full game.

Graphics & Visuals

Revenge of the Savage Planet embraces a vibrant aesthetic that leans into the more cartoonish art style. The character models are all more or less a range of different outfits you can mix and match, which you can unlock throughout gameplay, such as completing missions. Want to run around a giant full-sized raccoon? You got it? Dr. Eggman meets Shadow? You got it! Space kitty? Absolutely! Then we have the alien models, again, these are all ever changing, there are a few changes for like a larger version or what they refer to as the “Alpha”, but every enemy is different! Each environment is meticulously thought out, with creativity evident in every world. Every world is carefully designed, giving it that extra touch that adds a sense of adventure.

There are several standout visual moments scattered throughout the game. The cutscenes are packed with personality, combining humour and fast-paced, chaotic animations that perfectly fit the tone. One feature I really loved from the first game was the bizarre TV adverts that played while you were back at base. They were strange, creepy, and hilarious all at once. The one that stuck with me was the Meat Pal ad, which was equal parts disturbing and brilliant. I was glad to see that Revenge of the Savage Planet keeps that same energy. The Slappy Robot advert is a definite highlight and a great example of the developers sticking with the offbeat charm that made the original so entertaining.

In terms of cinematic moments, the “YOU’RE FIRED” scene, followed by your dramatic launch onto the planet, sets the tone right away. There are a few other great moments throughout the story, but we’ll leave those as a surprise. No spoilers here, space ranger. Character animations are lively and exaggerated, especially during dialogue exchanges and boss battles. Some set pieces, such as smashing into alien structures or witnessing enormous creatures rise from the environment, feel impressively large-scale while still maintaining a fun and playful tone.

Sound & Music

Sound design in Revenge of the Savage Planet does a great job of reinforcing the game’s zany alien atmosphere. Every action, from the satisfying pop of the creature exploding to the squelch of stepping into goo, is crisp and well-timed. Environmental sounds also help bring Revenge of the Savage Planet’s biomes to life, whether it’s the distant screech of a bizarre screech from god knows what, this game has some very interesting creatures or the hum of the technology from alien devices. The audio cues are clear and helpful, particularly when interacting with objects or navigating combat.

The voice acting in Revenge of the Savage Planet is delivered with great energy and perfect comedic timing. The performances embrace the game’s sarcastic and light-hearted tone, especially after the whole "you’ve been fired and launched into space" situation. Characters like the AI companion, Eko, stand out with sharp, well-delivered lines that are both witty and memorable. Humour plays a big role in the experience, and several moments genuinely caught me and my friend Thom off guard; we were laughing out loud more than once. The delivery never feels forced or out of place, which helps bring the world to life and keeps the tone consistently entertaining.

The soundtrack in Revenge of the Savage Planet is upbeat, quirky, and perfectly in tune with the game's playful tone. It kicks in at just the right moments, whether you're exploring the wild alien landscapes or diving into a chaotic boss battle. During these encounters, the music ramps up in tempo, building intensity and signalling that you're up against something far bigger than your average Raccoco. The dynamic musical shifts reflect your actions, creating tension during combat and settling into more relaxed, atmospheric tunes while you explore. The score never feels repetitive and serves as a constant companion throughout your adventure, enhancing every moment without overpowering it. It’s fun, memorable, and fits the game’s personality to a tee.

Innovation & Comparisons

While Revenge of the Savage Planet sticks to the familiar formula of its predecessor, it adds several fresh features that make it stand out. The shift from first-person to a third-person perspective is the most notable of changes, offering much more visibility and making traversal and platforming feel more natural. The return of the quirky and hilarious adverts was always a favourite from the first game, so seeing them return in this made it all the more fun! Customisation of the "KarenVan" and, of course, the different outfits you can unlock adds a more personal touch to your gameplay.

Compared to the first game, Revenge of the Savage Planet feels like a solid evolution rather than a complete reinvention. I personally enjoyed the first, but if the first was more like the second, I would have enjoyed it ten times more. It’s a more polished experience, larger compared to the first and feels like it takes a bit of inspiration from games like No Man's Sky and Subnautica. Although this leans more into humour and less into survival.

Final Thoughts

After playing through Revenge of the Savage Planet for hours with my friend, I found the game to be a much more enjoyable experience compared to the first one. Don’t get me wrong, I was a fan of the original, but Revenge of the Savage Planet met and even exceeded my expectations. The third-person view improved exploration, the humour had me and my friend laughing throughout, and the world felt alive and rewarding to explore. It doesn’t try to reinvent the genre, and that’s okay. It focuses on fun, and it delivers. I would gladly recommend it to anyone looking for a colourful, silly, and enjoyable adventure through a bizarre alien world.