“There’s only so much I can do with hands,” is a humorous line from Mike Menillo, the animation director at Raccoon Logic.
This quote captures a big shift in Revenge Of The Savage Planet, the sequel to Journey To The Savage Planet, released in 2020.
Instead of seeing the world through the eyes of their character, players will now watch from over their character’s shoulder. This new third-person perspective is a major change for those who played the first game, but for the Raccoon Logic team, it was the perfect way to try something new and different.
GameSpot got a sneak peek during an online event, and while this new viewpoint might take some getting used to, the team seems confident it’s a step that will make the adventure even more thrilling.
Changing the Way We See
Switching from first-person to third-person doesn’t mean one is better than the other, it’s just a matter of taste. “First-person feels more immersive, but third-person is more appealing to a mainstream audience,” Alex Hutchinson explained. “It’s a balance. Neither is better or worse–just different.”
The third-person view opened up new possibilities for the developers, allowing them to emphasize fun elements like physical comedy and emotions. The demo showed a character full of life, jumping and sliding with style, something you can really appreciate from this angle.
“Third-person is really exciting because it gives us the opportunity to add a ton more character to the player’s avatar,” Hutchinson describes. “We can add personality to their walk and runs, and we can have them exude charm with every action.” Plus, it’s easier to see where you’re going, or as Hutchinson put it, “you can see your feet!”
With this new view, players can also dress up their characters in costumes that might remind you of certain famous outfits, but don’t worry—they’re all “legally distinct,” says Hutchinson.
Teaming Up for Fun
Revenge Of The Savage Planet will let two players explore together, but that’s not because of any technical limits; it’s a choice by the developers to keep it just two.
Hutchinson believes two-player co-op games hit a “sweet spot.” When only two are playing, they chat more, joke around, and enjoy the game in a relaxed way. More players might just focus on completing goals rather than having fun in the moment, which Hutchinson calls a “shared space.”
“I’ve directed a bunch of two-player co-op games, from Army of Two: the 40th Day, to Far Cry 4, to Savage Planet, and I love the idea of you and your best friend, or kid, or partner, versus the world,” Hutchinson says. “I want people to have the experience I had growing up; on the couch with a pizza, sitting next to your best friend, sharing your day.”
Laughs and Lessons
Just like the first game, Revenge Of The Savage Planet is full of humor, with silly ads and funny moments. It also has some smart messages about the world, especially about companies. Hutchinson says it’s “a game for all ages.”
In the demo, we saw some fun moments, like when the hero kicks enemies into the air, or when a tiny creature catches fire after touching some red goo. There was even a quirky ad for Shama Lama’s Ding Dong Academy, warning about “parkour and pottery” injuries.
People like to focus on the parts they find funny, and ignore the rest. We think this game lets you do just that, as Hutchinson said, “We try to keep the game moving fast, we don’t belabor a joke, and we let people cause their own chaos for what we like to think of as ‘interactive slapstick.’ But jokes are always poking a bit and taking a risk; we hope we find an audience who appreciates it!”
A Bigger Adventure
Revenge Of The Savage Planet is like the first game, but even bigger, and Raccoon Logic hopes fans will love it.
“You liked co-op?” Hutchinson asks. “Now you can play split-screen on your couch or cross-play with your weird friend from Sweden.”
“You like jokes?” We have more systemic chaos that will let you slip on green goo then set yourself on fire while trying to battle an alien crab with human eyes.”
“You liked one alien planet? Now we have four!”
With the switch to third-person and all the new features, Revenge Of The Savage Planet is shaping up to be a wild ride, complete with laughs and clever commentary on the world.
Revenge Of The Savage Planet is set to release in May 2025 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.
