Revenge of the Savage Planet review: corporate ineptitude turns into comedic sci-fi.

      **Revenge of the Savage Planet**

      **MSRP**: $50.00

      "Revenge of the Savage Planet adheres to its open-world formula cautiously, but it reveals its sharp wit where it counts."

      **Pros**

      - Sharp satire

      - Enjoyable exploration

      - Clever environmental puzzles

      - Co-op play adds value

      **Cons**

      - Story loses momentum by the end

      - Predictable structure

      - Uninteresting combat

      In today’s ruthless environment, being a taker often feels like a necessity for survival. This harsh mindset amplifies the wealth of the rich, entrenches corrupt politicians, and makes nations more aggressive. They take relentlessly until there’s nothing left for others, amassing wealth, eliminating jobs, and destroying homes in the name of self-preservation. This is likely why many find typical video games so captivating. In titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, players can indulge in a true power fantasy where the world is theirs to exploit. Wildlife is there to be hunted, plants to be gathered, and lootable bodies to be found. Even in narratives where we are meant to play the "good guy," we often take on the traits of the worst. We become the forces that devastate worlds until we choose to stop playing.

      Revenge of the Savage Planet takes this underlying theme and exploits it for satirical commentary, much like its protagonist who breaks apart every rock in pursuit of valuable minerals. Expanding on the sci-fi humor of 2020’s Journey to the Savage Planet, developer Raccoon Logic becomes more explicit about its targets, shifting the series from a Metroid Prime homage to a third-person adventure that conceals righteous anger behind its irreverent facade. When you’re unable to be a true taker, at least you can take no prisoners.

      Although its story ultimately lacks focus and its action is simplistic, Revenge of the Savage Planet is successful as a sci-fi adventure. It allows players to roam through a collection of interplanetary playgrounds created to be drained by a corporate drone designated to become a bully. This darkly comedic slice may not be mean enough to fully drive home its point.

      Does it sound familiar?

      Revenge of the Savage Planet doesn't take long to reveal its sharp edge. At the start of my journey, I'm welcomed by a corporate orientation video. A cheerful vice president informs me that I am now a member of Alta Interglobal, a holdings company that has taken over my former employer, Kindred Aerospace. As part of this new family, my role involves participating in an intergalactic colonization mission. After unfreezing from my cryopod following a century-long slumber, I'll be deployed on a planet with a habitat, tasked with creating a livable environment for Alta to populate later.

      This is quickly followed by a second video informing me that I was terminated while asleep, as Alta has dismissed the entire Kindred staff post-acquisition.

      Revenge of the Savage Planet ultimately strives for the irreverence typical of an Adult Swim show.

      This premise may ring a bell in various contexts. Most recently, it's reminiscent of media holdings company Valnet acquiring gaming website Polygon, only to swiftly downsize most of its team. However, if you are familiar with the developer of the Savage Planet series, it becomes clear that there is a more personal target for Raccoon Logic. After the launch of Journey to the Savage Planet, the studio was acquired by Google as part of its brief Stadia venture. Google would ultimately shut down Raccoon Logic (formerly known as Typhoon Studios) just a few years later without ever releasing a game. This experience is unmistakably central to this sequel, with Alta representing the face of corporate ineptitude.

      The story shines when it plays on this theme. One ongoing sidequest has me uncovering Alta’s unsavory practices, seemingly taking thinly veiled shots at Google’s internal problems. However, the narrative loses focus as it progresses. The journey to the final battle veers into a meta-commentary on game design that feels completely detached from the Alta storyline. This underwhelming conclusion leaves me questioning whether the prior corporate satire serves more as an inside joke for the developers (which I can't entirely fault; I would also relish the chance to get back at my worst bosses).

      Raccoon Logic

      Don’t take any of this too seriously. Revenge of the Savage Planet ultimately aims for the irreverence characteristic of an Adult Swim show. There’s even a world called Nuflorida, and my habitat is filled with over-the-top commercials reminiscent of a Tim and Eric episode. It even features an original song about spending company resources. While some of its jabs are lighthearted, it still delivers many sharp hits that elicited consistent laughter from me.

      Colonial mayhem

      If you're seeking more depth, Revenge of the Savage Planet functions best as a broad satire on two of the world's worst C-words