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The most important difficulty with sci-fi sequel Revenge of the Savage Planet is that, regardless of subjecting you to a barrage of offbeat humor, it’s simply not notably entertaining. There’s not lots right here that’s essentially unhealthy per se, however I’d describe my journey by means of its 5 alien worlds as merely “adequate” at finest.
Assessment data
Platform reviewed: PC
Accessible on: PS5, Xbox Collection X and Collection S, PC
Launch date: Might 8, 2025
This primarily stems from the truth that none of its constituent parts are something that I haven’t already skilled in numerous different video games. It’s a third-person 3D Metroidvania action-adventure title, the place all the trimmings of the style are current and accounted for.
It’s obtained an open world that you just progress by means of in a gradual, linear trend by unlocking new skills that grant entry to new areas, platforming challenges that see you zipping between excessive up ledges, and primary puzzles the place it’s worthwhile to mess with the setting to open up doorways or reveal hidden passageways.
Even its predecessor, 2020’s Journey to the Savage Planet, appeared just a little bit extra distinctive regardless of following the same components, due to using the extra unusual first-person perspective.
Planet hopper
Revenge of the Savage Planet kicks off with the protagonist, an unnamed worker of a not too long ago purchased out area colonization agency Kindred Aerospace, getting unceremoniously laid off mere moments after setting foot on a beforehand uncharted planet. To make issues worse, a rocky touchdown has broken your ship and strewn capsules containing a few of your helpful gear internationally. Stranded with no help on the best way, it’s as much as you to get well your gear and escape.
You’re joined by Eko, a floating AI companion that loosely guides your progress and dispenses a near-constant stream of quips. These, along with loads of full-motion video (FMV) cutscenes, comprise the majority of the humor right here. The jokes are sometimes passé, with dated jabs at the whole lot from client tradition and the world of cryptocurrency to the notorious Call of Duty ‘press F to pay respects’ blunder that occurred greater than a decade in the past, however aren’t not possible to sit down by means of just like the agonizingly unfunny monologues of a recreation like High on Life.
I’ll not have laughed, however I did no less than discover the excessive diploma of effort evident in among the wacky props and costumes from the FMV scenes fairly charming. I by no means felt the necessity to use it, however you do additionally get the choice to scale back (and even solely disable) chatter from Eko if you want. I may see this coming in useful should you intend to play tons in co-op, which lets one different participant accompany you at any level within the marketing campaign.
Regardless of the robust co-op focus of a lot of the advertising and marketing, the mode truthfully looks as if a little bit of an afterthought. I performed it for a couple of hours and the expertise was ruined because it’s virtually not possible to speak to your companion whereas any dialogue is happening, which is more often than not. You both have to talk over the non-playable characters (NPCs), which is inevitably going to affect your means to observe aims and perceive the already considerably forgettable overarching narrative, or simply awkwardly play in silence.
Lots of the missions are clearly not designed for co-op both, virtually requiring one participant to take the lead whereas the opposite sits again and tries to not get in the best way. In actual fact, it was typically simpler for my companion to run off to the opposite facet of the map to finish different duties and, at that time, why would you even wish to play with another person in any respect?
Odd jobs
As for what you’ll be doing more often than not, the core of Revenge of the Savage Planet follows a reasonably predictable loop. You arrive in an setting that requires a brand new means to progress, for instance a respirator to guard from poisonous gases or a robust floor pound to smash by means of fragile surfaces.
The supplies wanted to acquire this are positioned in one other space of the map, so that you observe an goal marker and full a enjoyable platforming phase and puzzle or two utilizing your useful energy hose (which may harvest a spread of goos from the setting and spew them out to create conductive surfaces for makeshift circuits or burn by means of flammable limitations), to get them.
You then head again to the hub space, your spawn level and residential to some facilities like a 3D printer for creating upgrades and an outfit cabinet to customise the look of your explorer, to craft the flexibility utilizing sources harvested from glowing ore veins littered all through the map.
Some skills additionally require analysis to acquire, which is completed by beautiful and capturing a creature along with your sci-fi lasso after which ready round on the base for a couple of minutes whereas a progress bar fills up in actual time.
Greatest bit
The hub space is dwelling to your dwelling quarters, a couple of rooms that may be extensively custom-made by spending a foreign money obtained in your travels. Putting objects to make the area your individual is kind of satisfying. Most will also be interacted with to see distinctive animations.
Pokémon, this isn’t, however die-hard completionists will most likely get a kick out of hoovering up certainly one of each attainable creature or pursuing the numerous facet aims and collectibles on supply to pad out the runtime.
For others, it would start to really feel like numerous busywork at occasions, particularly should you go after these optionally available missions, which I’d advocate given the substantial upgrades that a few of them reward, however the modest size of about 12-15 hours implies that it by no means turns into too monotonous.
It’s damaged up by fight sections, too, that are sadly nothing to jot down dwelling about. You’re outfitted with a primary laser blaster, which you’ll be able to outfit with partaking upgrades like a robust charged shot or lively reloading, however most fights merely contain strafing round foes and peppering them with photographs till they explode right into a pool of brightly coloured goo.
Violently lowering among the cuter critters that litter the brightly coloured worlds right into a pile of slime is definitely fairly humorous, although, as is watching your character slide round on it, which does add to the general enjoyment no less than.
This cycle repeats itself throughout 5 complete planets, every with its personal distinctive look, inhabitants of creatures, and distinctly middle-of-the-road boss fights to spherical issues off. A bit of extra selection in how the whole lot performs out would have gone a great distance, however because it stands, whereas Revenge of the Savage Planet isn’t going to blow your socks off, I can undoubtedly consider worse methods to spend a day or two.
Ought to I play Revenge of the Savage Planet?
Play it if…
Don’t play it if…
Accessibility
The construct of Revenge of the Savage Planet that I performed has a disappointingly barren accessibility menu. It provides the choice to disable controller vibration and movement blur, however that’s actually it.
Subtitles are enabled by default, although there isn’t a technique to alter their dimension or presentation. There are not any devoted choices for colorblind gamers and really restricted customization in relation to the management scheme.
How I reviewed Revenge of the Savage Planet
I performed Revenge of the Savage Planet for slightly below 15 hours on PC earlier than hitting the credit. I predominantly skilled the sport in its solo mode, although I additionally endeavored to check out the co-op options for a couple of hours.
Along with finishing the primary story, I used to be cautious to expertise loads of the facet content material on supply, taking the time to pursue collectibles and check out the vast majority of the out there upgrades.
First reviewed Might 2025