Revenge of the Savage Planet is a colorful co-op adventure filled with cute sci-fi critters and myriad jokes. While it might outwardly appear like a kid-friendly jaunt, the space game sequel has a fair bit to say, with humorous references to everything from the global climate emergency to greedy conglomerates. This juxtaposition of theme and appearance gives Revenge of the Savage Planet its special edge.
Ahead of my hands-on Revenge of the Savage Planet preview, I spoke with developer Raccoon Logic in its tiki-inspired set-up outside a Mexican restaurant in LA. Here, studio co-founder and creative director Alex Hutchinson tells me the team wants to create a “funny dystopia” in contrast to the often “miserable dystopia” we see in other space games. “It doesn’t mean that things are any better, but it means you have to muddle your way through.”
Reflecting on our surroundings, he says “It’s not my quote, but science fiction is never about the future; it’s always about the present. We’re sitting here on AstroTurf opposite the Staples Center, home of the LA Lakers, which is a billion-dollar franchise. [Next to us] there’s an entire city block that’s abandoned and filled with homeless people until the security guards run them out, and that sort of feels like something worth talking about.”
So what is Raccoon Logic talking about? The game starts with you waking up after a 100-year cryosleep on a mission into deep space. Kindred Aerospace, the “fourth-best space exploration company” and your ex-employer, shuttered its space exploration program dozens of years ago after deeming it a bit too pricy, leaving you deserted by the time you awake. A series of grotesque live-action videos introduce you to the fictional, awful conglomerate. Once you know Raccoon Logic’s history with its ex-publisher Google, you can see where the team may have drawn some inspiration.
This commentary is bundled up in a cutesie adventure across a colorful yet lethal planet. Resource gathering and gear building are a primary focus early on, and you’re accompanied by an AI companion or a friend in online or even couch co-op – “Like the olden days when the world was young and we were happy,” reads the game’s store page.
As soon as I start maneuvering my child-like character across the planet’s surface, I’m immediately reminded of Crash Bandicoot. Revenge of the Savage Planet isn’t a traditional platformer, but my space explorer’s gangly legs and comedic fumbles carry the same element of tomfoolery as our favorite marsupial. In the same way that Astrobot is a love letter to classic family games, Revenge of the Savage Planet aims to represent a time long since lost while commenting on what caused that change.
From a mechanical perspective, however, it is immediately reminiscent of many modern survival games. I’m tasked with gathering materials to build tools and a base, with a useful waypoint system telling me where to look. At times, I spot these resources dotted throughout the landscape, while others require me to, um, dispose of the cute creatures bumbling about the place. I can slap or kick the critters, causing them to fly comically through the air, exploding into green sludge or colorful sparkles. Eventually, I use a flamethrower and a water gun to take down enemies based on their weaknesses.
Scanning the environment gives you a bunch of helpful info about the local flora and fauna, reminding me of Starfield and No Man’s Sky’s systems. Upon scanning less useful items, you may be greeted with a sarcastic description that again compliments the tongue-in-cheek tone. This research and exploration element is a huge part of Revenge of the Savage Planet and is made even better by the designs of its gelatinous plants and googly-eyed wildlife.
As studio head Reid Schnieder explains, “We wanted to have something cute, something more colorful. Most other space games are really dark, really serious. We wanted the opposite.” Hutchinson adds, “And just have some joy in it. Not be constantly grinding in a grimdark future misery.”
So far, exploration in Revenge of the Savage Planet is a joy. There is almost nowhere you can’t go, and there’s always a temptation to see how many out-of-reach areas you can navigate to. During my playthrough, overseen by game design director Steven Masters, I took a path he’d not seen anyone else attempt. Having taken far too long exploring the tutorial, I told the team, “I don’t think I did anything you guys wanted me to,” to which their response was simply, “that’s the goal, actually.” Despite its satirical edge and cynicism, Revenge of the Savage Planet is all about that sort of enjoyment. While you may have been fired, betrayed by your employer, and abandoned on a strange planet, at least you can muddle through and have a good time doing it.
Revenge of the Savage Planet’s release date is set for May 2025. If you’re looking to the future, we’ve got a full list of upcoming PC games for next year and beyond.